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Volume 33

January 2025

South County SELPA Insights is a monthly newsletter full of information and resources brought to you by the South County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) team. This month we will discuss ways to start the New Year with a growth Mindset and continue to build strong relationships with the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team. Keep reading to find resources and ways the South County SELPA can assist you and your family.

The new year brings a fresh opportunity to support your child’s learning and growth. By approaching this year with a Growth Mindset and building strong partnerships with school staff, you can help create a positive and successful school experience for your child. Here are some tips to get started:

Model a Growth Mindset:

• Emphasize effort over outcomes. Remind your child that mistakes are opportunities to learn.
• Celebrate progress, no matter how small, and encourage perseverance in challenges.

Communicate Regularly with School Staff:

• Stay connected with your child’s teachers, counselors, and support staff. Frequent communication helps ensure everyone is on the same page.
• Share insights about your child’s strengths, interests, and challenges to help staff better support them.

Build Positive Relationships with Staff:

• Start the year by expressing gratitude for the support they provide your child.
• Approach challenges as a team, working collaboratively to find solutions that benefit your child.

Create Consistency Between Home and School:

• Reinforce skills and strategies your child is learning at school in your home environment.
• If your child has specific accommodations or routines, ask how you can align those practices at home.

Starting the year with these steps will help build a supportive environment for your child’s success and strengthen the partnership between home and school.

Equity, Disproportionality, and Design (ED&D)

The ED&D team presented “Reframing School Discipline with an Equity Lens" at the Every Child Counts Symposium, presented by the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA). The ED&D team shared ways to improve school discipline through racial equity and why systems, practices, and data are important.

Seventeenth Annual Art Exhibition and District Awards Recognition

We are excited to invite you to our 17th Annual Art Exhibition and District Awards Recognition. This year's theme is "Spring into Art: A Garden of Expression." Join us as we celebrate the creativity of our students, showcasing their incredible artwork, and take the opportunity to recognize some of the amazing staff from our member districts.

When: Thursday, May 8

• 3:30 to 4 p.m.: Art Walk
• 4 to 4:15 p.m.: Students who are present will be recognized
• 4:15 to 5 p.m.: District Awards presented

Where: South County Regional Education Center at 800 National City Blvd., National City (Parking is free on the top level of the parking structure.)

Miracle League of San Diego

Miracle League has started their registration for the Spring Season. The Spring 2025 season will run from Mar. 8 to May 18 Registration is up and running on TeamSnap; which is available in English and Spanish.

Registration is open until Feb. 2.

Player registration is $100 per season. Scholarships are available to those in need and there is a multi-player discount as well.

Registration is simple:

Creating an account including your "household", and even downloading the app before attempting to register, makes the process a bit easier. Click the link to your chosen program below or go through the website. This will prompt you to log in or create a new account. From there, you will be asked to follow the prompts and then choose Buddy, Player or Coach. Once those questions have been answered, you will be able to add any more participants into your "cart" before checking out. If you replied "yes" for a scholarship, that will appear at the end as well. All waivers must be signed in order to check out.

Bell Middle School

Engel Family Field

Competitive Division at Engel Family Field

Any questions or issues, please contact Coordinator Stefanie Waszut.

2024-2025 Parent Outreach Meetings

Sweetwater Union High School District's (SUHSD's) Special Services will be hosting a variety of Parent Outreach Meetings for its parents/guardians. There is a range of Special Education topics and there will be Spanish translation provided. For additional information please contact, 619-796-7500 or visit SUHSD's Special Services website.

Feb. 19: “Incoming Parent Night” by Special Services Administrative Team

March 19: “Alternative Pathways to Diploma” by Dr. Sergio Campos

April 16: “Transition Resource Fair” by San Diego Regional Center and Daniel Smirniotis

April 17: “Student Journey to Empowerment/Next Steps” by Nancy Walter

Jan. 22 to Feb. 19 — Parent IEP Academy Winter Series

Interested in increasing your understanding of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process? Do you want to feel confident that you have the necessary tools to fully participate in your child’s IEP? Register now for the Parent IEP Academy, which will meet Wednesdays from 9 to 10 a.m. or 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Spanish Registration / English Registration

Jan. 27 — Grupo de Apoyo en Español

Support group for families of children and adolescences with Autism. Meeting is in Spanish. Meeting will be at Eastlake Community Church Corner Meeting Room located at 2351 Otay Lakes Road Chula Vista, CA 91914 from 6 to 8 p.m. For more information visit Autism Society San Diego website.

Feb. 4 — Parent Training-Transition to Community College Presenter: Melinda Lara, MA, MBA

Director, Disability Support Services, Southwestern College  

Meeting will be at the South County Regional Education Center, located at 800 National City Blvd. National City, CA 91950 from 10 to 11 a.m. Registration

Feb. 19 — Hope and Healing: Understanding Self-Harm and Supporting Youth

Presenter: Jason Schweitzer, M.D.

Webinar: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Registration

Feb. 19: “Incoming Parent Night”

Presented by SUHSD's Special Services Administrative Team

Audience: Parents of incoming students

Meeting will be at Professional Development Center located at 680 L Street, Suite C

Chula Vista, CA. 91911 at 5:30 p.m.

March 13 — CAC Meeting

Meeting will be at the Professional Development Center located at 680 L. St. Ste. C, Chula Vista, CA 91911 from 6 to 8 p.m. For more information visit CAC website.

March 19 — Stress, Resilience, and the Power of Support

Presenter: Katherine Nguyen Williams, Ph.D.

Webinar: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Registration

If you have any questions or comments on the SELPA Insights newsletter, please contact our team at scselpaadr@sdcoe.net.

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