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Gill-Montague Regional Schools

Annual Parents Rights in �Special Education Training &

SEPAC INVITATION �

INTRODUCTIONS & WELCOME

Dianne Ellis, Pupil Services Director - GIll-Montague District

Stacey Langknecht, Family Engagement Coordinator

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Other district staff:

Cheryl Thompson- Secondary Educational Team Leader,

Grades 5-through age 22.

David Potter- Elementary Team Leader, Prek- Grades 4

Jimena De Pareja, Spanish Language Community Liaison

Parent/Guardian Introductions

• Name- What school/ schools does your child or children attend?
• Something that you hope to gain from this presentation tonight?

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What to Expect this Evening:�I: Introductions

II: Annual Parents’ Rights Training

III: Special Education Family Advisory � Council- SEPAC�IV: Question & Answer

V: District Resource Information & Contacts�

Annual Parents Rights in Special Education Training?

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• Parents’ Rights Training
• Procedural Safeguards
• Aviso de las Salvaguardias del Procedimiento para los padres

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What is the Purpose of a SEPAC?�

• Help inform school committee & budgetary planning
• Conduct annual parents rights workshop
• Provide a community of support for families of students with disabilities
• Help evaluate district special education programs & needs
• Children do better when families/ schools are working in partnership!��

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SEPAC Challenges for Gill-Montague- What We Think We Know: �

• Families are overextended
• Childcare and transportation limit availability
• Language barriers exist for some families
• Families don’t always know the best way or feel welcomed/ invited to participate in their children’s schooling
• Traditional opportunities for participation don’t work for some families��

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Input from Families: What Should We Know

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• How often are meetings? Could be once a month? quarterly? depends on what families are looking for
• More traditional meeting structures- by-laws, elected officers, are less appealing than informal groups

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Resource Information for Families

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GMRSD Website:

• http://www.gmrsd.org/
• http://www.gmrsd.org/welcome-gmrsd/departments/pupil-services-family-engagement

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Want to Know More? �Family Engagement Opportunities in Gill-Montague �

• SEPAC/ EL-PAC
• PTO/ Friends Groups
• Volunteering/ other interest areas
• Google document sign up sheet

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Contact Information for Our Team

District Pupil Services Staff

Dianne Ellis, Pupil Services Director, (413) 863-7508

David Potter,Elementary Team Leader, Grades Prek-4 -Hillcrest, Sheffield, Gill School, 863-3253

Cheryl Thompson, Secondary Team Leader, Grades 5-12 and PG students, 863-7273

Stacey Langknecht, Family Engagement Coordinator, (413) 863-7473

Jimena De Pareja, Spanish Language Community Liaison, (413) 695-9593

Rachel Vachula, Pupil Services Administrative Assistant, (413) 863-7508

Staff can be emailed by first name. last name@ gmrsd. org