POWER OF PACs Framingham Demographics 8,380 Total Students 2,009 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

F-SEPAC

Framingham Special Education Parent Advisory Council

POWER OF PACs

Framingham Demographics

8,380 Total Students 2,009 Students on an IEP 23% Students on an IEP 8 Elementary School 3 Middle Schools 1 Charter School 1 High School

Role of a PAC

• Advise the school committee on matters that pertain to the

education and safety of students with disabilities.

• Meet regularly with school officials to participate in the

planning, development, and evaluation of the school committee’ s special education programs.

• Establish by-laws regarding officers and operational procedures.
• Receive assistance from the school committee without charge,

upon reasonable notice and subject to availability of staff and resources.

• Host at least one workshop annually with the district on the

rights of parents/guardians and students in special education.

What Works for Us

OUTREACH TO PARENTS

• Email and listserv - Yahoo group
• Website
• Brochures - sent home with IEP, visible at schools
• Support - workshops, parent support groups
• Workshops
• STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH SCHOOLS
• Meet monthly or as needed with sped director, school

committee liaison to PAC and SPED, and superintendent

• Create a special ed subcommittee to the school committee or

get a school committee member to be a liaison to the PAC

• Have annual PAC presentation at a public school committee

meeting

• Attend all meetings that PTOs attend for the district
• Have a PAC liaison at each school

What Works for Us

OUTREACH TO PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS

• Have events that offer free professional development point

(PDPs) to teachers in your district. School will need to give

• ut the PDPs.
• Offer to host a meeting with principal and sped parents of

their school.

• Help bring special ed issues to the attention of principals as

needed. COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIP

• Create town-wide fundraiser/

expo/ event

• Create awareness programs in your community, etc.
• Connect with local disability commission
• Have visibility at local events (ie town common events)

Advise the Advisory Council

Parent issues, comments and concerns Discussion and possible suggestions for SEPAC Plan of action from the Director of Special Education Follow Up

• Collect information from parents about issues/problems

and summarize in writing

• Write possible solutions to issues including if PAC can help

facilitate solutions

• Meet with administration is discuss summary of issues
• Collaborate to help create solutions to issues

Bridging Gaps

Bridging Gaps

Budget issues affecting professional development Offer free PDPs for PAC events to staff Changing roles in administration Sponsor a Q&A with new administration Frustration between staff and parents Offer Basic Rights to educate everyone SPED vs. Standard Act as a liaison to educate both parties

Publicity

• More visibility the better - town events, online

local newspapers, etc.

• Need comprehensive public relations for PAC events
• Need outreach directly to parents - PAC brochures

sent with IEP, in school newsletters, handed out at IEP meetings

• Do a Survey
• What will most help the population?
• What is the biggest need?
• Who is the best expert for a particular need?
• When is the best timing for speakers, topics, etc.?
• Make website user friendly - find things that draw

people in to website - resources, local issues, etc.

WHAT WE DO

We assist families to effectively participate in the special education process by hosting informative events and making resources available to them.

• We support parents and guardians of children with special needs by hosting a monthly support

group.

• We meet regularly with the Director of Special Education and advise the Framingham school

administration and Director of Special Eduction on special education issues.

• We provide monthly workshops, presentations and discussions for families and professionals.
• We host an annual Summer Camp and Recreation Expo where families can find summer activities

for their child with special needs.

• We acknowledge school professionals by offering professional development points for some of our

events.

• We communicate via our Yahoo Groups newsletter, website, brochures, library, email and
• telephone. We have our brochures in Spanish and Portuguese as well as a page in each language
• n our website.

WHAT WE DO

• We assist families to effectively participate in the special education

process by hosting informative events and making resources available to them.

• We meet regularly with the Director of Special Education and

advise the Framingham school administration and Director of Special Eduction on special education issues.

Framingham Special Education Parent Advisory Council Framingham Special Education Parent Advisory Council

F-SEPAC

for parents and guardians

• f school-aged children

with special needs

HOW WE DO IT

We host monthly workshops, presentations and discussions for families and professionals. We meet regularly with the Director of Special Education and other school administrators. We support parents and guardians of children with special needs by hosting a monthly support group. We communicate via our Yahoo Groups newsletter, website, brochures, library, email and telephone. We have our brochures in Spanish and Portuguese as well as a page in each language on our website.

HOW WE DO IT

• We host monthly workshops, presentations and discussions for

families and professionals including an annual Summer Camp and Recreation Expo for Children with Special Needs.

• We support parents and guardians of children with special

needs by hosting a monthly support group and an online Yahoo Group newsletter.

• We acknowledge school professionals by offering professional

development points (PDPs) for some of our events.

• We communicate via our Yahoo Group newsletter, website,

brochures, library, email and telephone. We have our brochures in Spanish and Portuguese as well as a page in each language

• n our website.

Framingham Special Education Parent Advisory Council Framingham Special Education Parent Advisory Council

F-SEPAC

for parents and guardians

• f school-aged children

with special needs

Our

Framingham Special Education Parent Advisory Council Framingham Special Education Parent Advisory Council

F-SEPAC

for parents and guardians

• f school-aged children

with special needs resources

agencies, organizations schools/collaboratives the laws doctors, therapists, etc. advocates f-sepac library

topics

for parents for teachers disability awareness bullying inclusion poetry/ humor

events

f-sepac events local events summer camps

about us

• ur mission

membership volunteering by laws

• ur brochure

contact us

support

f-sepac support group f-sepac online support

• ther local support

fundraising local playgrounds

OUR WEBSITE AND OUR BROCHURES

www.F-SEPAC.org

español

la misión eventos grupo de apoyo contacto recursos nuestro folleto

português

missão eventos grupo de apoio contato recursos nosso folhetto

Resources

• Guidance For Special Education Parent Advisory Councils

http:/ /www.doe.mass.edu/sped/pac/

• www.masspac.org