The Family Footprints
Orange County Public Schools - Exceptional Student Education
2009 – 2010 Winter Issue
by Orange County Public Schools
Statewide Parent Survey
Please remember to look for your copy of the ESE Parent Survey. This survey is mailed directly to your home OR accessible online. Each school district needs YOUR feedback as for by both State and Federal requirements. When you get your survey, or receive notice that it is available online, please participate by completing the survey.
Parent Contacts
OCPS:
Sarah Lopez, Parent Liaison
(407) 317-3200 x 2614
sarah.lopez@ocps.net
FDLRS:
Pam Luppert
(407) 317-3674
pamela.luppert@ocps.net
OCPS Parent Training and Workshops:
Patrice Byerly
(407) 317-3440 x8863
patrice.byerly@ocps.net
Visit our web site by going to http://www.ocps.net, then clicking Departments,
click Exceptional Student Education, click Support Services, and finally
click Parent Ambassadors. Or type this URL – https://www.ocps.net/CS/ESE/SUPPORT/PARENTAMBASSADOR/Pages/default.aspx
Send Us YOUR Story
For a few reasons, we hope to use the Family Footprints Newsletter to highlight
student achievement and success. Personal stories not only offer encouragement
to other children, they let us – the parents – know that we
are not alone. Most importantly, they let us know there IS hope for our
son or daughter.
OCPS families, please email a story of your child’s success. Give
kudos to that teacher or therapist who helped your child succeed. Include
a description of how they overcame their personal battle. Please feel free
to include a photo. Submit these stories to Sarah Lopez. Thanks!
Heart & Hope
The annual Heart & Hope conference will be Saturday, February 20th,
2010, at our own Southwest Middle School. Childcare is available on a first
registered / first served basis. Please register for this free, all day
conference today. http://www.fndfl.org
Transition Meeting
The Associate Superintendent’s Exceptional Community Leaders Roundtable
will meet to discuss the needs of transition services for students with
disabilities on Thursday, January 28th, 2010. Space is limited. If you would
like to attend, please RSVP to Patrice Byerly. This evening meeting will
provide a light dinner “pot luck” style, so everyone that attends
is expected to bring a dish to share.
IEP Goals
Make sure your child is receiving the individualized education that he or
she needs by monitoring the IEP goals. Goals answer the questions:
Who? - will monitor progress
What? - skill or behavior will be targeted
How? - in what manner or at what level
Where? - in what setting or under what conditions
When? - beginning when, in what increments, ending when
Well-written goals contain all five parts, plus a means of measuring success.
Please consider whether or not all five parts have been used when reviewing
your child’s IEP goals.
Familias Hispanas
Si necesita ayuda o quiere un taller o un facilitatdor de grupo de apoyo
en espanol contacte a Carmen Ziers (407) 701-7723.
Response to Intervention
The Federal RTI requirements are soon to be implemented. Dr. Ken Schneider
is accepting stakeholder input to determine what areas of education are
required for staff and families. If you have collected your thoughts regarding
RTI on paper, you may email Ken at kenneth.schneider@ocps.net.
Positive Student Profile
As parents, we see our sons and daughters shine all of the time. Frequently,
the staff at the IEP table may not always get to see the same qualities.
In preparation for your child’s IEP team meeting, make a profile that
highlights the strengths your child regularly demonstrates.
Write five of your child’s strengths that will assist him or her in
school. Write five strategies that work with your child’s learning
style and/or behavior. Write five examples of how your child successfully
met tasks at home, or had positive social interactions.
Feel free to include photos. It is rare, but at times one professional may
be filling-in for another that was called away or had an emergency. In these
cases, the person across from you may have never met your child.
Finally, you are always welcome to bring an outside person that has had
success in supporting your child to the meeting. Some examples are an out
of school therapist, a coach, a babysitter, or a Sunday School teacher.
They can share directly what works for them in regard to your child.
“Nine tenths of education is encouragement.”
- Anatole France