Announcements

• On November 8, 2011 there will be an Adaptation Fair for Inclusive Education.  Click here to view the flyer.
• Did you know there was a soccer program for autistic youth in San Francisco?  Follow this link to learn more:  e-soccer.org
• Remember, the last day for Goalview access will be December 16. If you have any remaining Goalview questions, contact our Special Education Database Manager, Jason Gilmore, at gilmorej@sfusd.edu.
• Still haven't tried out a demo our new web-based IEP system, SEIS? It's not too late! Log on to www.seis.org and type in bjones as the user name and demotest1 as the password so you can experience a preview of the site before training begins in 2012.
• Grant opportunities - Follow this link to explore funding opportunities for your classroom and school:  weareteachers.com

Survey Opportunity for Parents 

The WestEd Center for Prevention and Early Intervention, under contract with the California Department of Education to coordinate and support the Family Empowerment and Disability Council (FEDC), is conducting a statewide survey of parents and guardians of California students who receive special education services. The purpose of the survey is to identify the ongoing and emerging information, support, and training needs of families. Data from the survey will be used to inform and improve the activities and build the capacity of family empowerment centers to continue to meet the needs families related to special education. 

The survey can be completed online. Here is the link to the survey:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/L5CNC6Q

Staff Spotlight:  Louise Rothman

Louise Rothman volunteers regularly at Cobb Elementary School. Please take a few moments to learn about her positive experiences.

"Good morning Miss Rothman" is the greeting I receive each day I volunteer in Ms. Bautista's special education class at Dr. William Cobb Elementary School. I have been volunteering at the school each Monday and Wednesday for the past five years. The students, ages 7 through 9, have a range of abilities and really benefit from small group and one on one interactions.

Working with these young students requires a lot of patience and encouragement but is extremely rewarding. Many have a hard time staying focused and sometimes have emotional outbursts. Using praise and sometimes stickers as a reward helps to keep them on track. Sometimes learning is so hard for these children they can easily give up, but with the right amount of praise, they start to feel good about themselves and actually begin to enjoy school.

A special moment for me was last summer when I was in a shop on Fillmore Street when all of a sudden this young lady came in and gave me a big hug and said, "How are you Miss Rothman?" At first I did not recognize her but then realized she was one of my first students who now attends middle school and acts very grown up. It gave me a warm feeling to know that she remembered me fondly and had become such a wonderful young girl.

A big contributing factor in making my volunteer experience so successful and rewarding is Ms. Bautista, our teacher. She has welcomed me into her classroom and has included me in the lessons. This has allowed me to feel part of the educational team.

Even though I play a small role in helping these children with their educational needs, I know I am making a difference.

CORNERSTONE ON DEMAND 

Have you taken the time to check out Cornerstone on Demand (CSOD)?  This learning management tool can keep a transcript of all your professional development activities.

Explore the site and begin to get familiar with the navigation. Our Knowledge Bank will grow as we move towards creating a robust library of resources. Check out the Power Point presentation "All Kids Can," presented this summer by Jean Robertson and Lisa Miller, Supervisors for Special Education. If you still have not received an email invitation, please email csodhelp@sfusd.edu.

Compliance Update

A member of the individualized education program team can be excused from attending an individualized education program meeting, in whole or in part, when the meeting involves a modification to or discussion of the member's area of the curriculum or related services when the following condition are met:

1. The parent and the district consent to the excusal after conferring with the member,
2. The member submits in writing to the parent and the individualized education program prior to the meeting,
3. The parent's agreement to the excusal is in writing.

In Goalview, the Notice of Meeting folders allow you to document the agreement to the excusal in writing. In folder 3 Participants, indicate the participants who will be excused from the meeting via the drop down menu choices. The Notice of Meeting must then be signed by the parent/guardian prior to the meeting date.

Please remember to have the excused participant to submit their contributions to the IEP team and parent prior to the meeting. Attach this written statement to the student's IEP.

 Support for Those on the Outside

Unfortunately, many of our students experience moments in their lives where a parent or close family member is incarcerated.  Here are some resources to help assist children and families through this difficult period:

Programs through Community Works specific to youth with incarcerated parents:  

• Project What!: Youth working to educate about the impact of parental incarceration
• ROOTS: School based programs for youth with incarcerated parents
•  One Family: Parent Education and Contact Visiting inside San Francisco County JailThese programs are offered through Community Works. 

You can  email: community_works@yahoo.com for more information.

The San Francisco Children of Incarcerated Parents Partnership (SFCIPP) is a coalition of social service providers, representatives of government bodies, advocates and others who work with or are concerned about children of incarcerated parents and their families.  They have other programs on their website located at http://www.sfcipp.org/index.html 

Special Olympics