Pupil Services / IEP and 504 Plan - April 1st Update
Our special education teachers and related providers continue to reach out to our students on IEPs and their families, providing educational continuity through interim and remote learning opportunities aligned to IEP goals during the period of distance learning days due to COVID-19 school closure. To the greatest extent possible, special education teachers will work with general education teachers and paraeducators to modify assignments, scaffold instruction and support student learning. Pupil services personnel will be implementing special education and/or related services interim learning opportunities through both individual and group video conferencing formats. These services may be provided in a group setting with multiple students participating in the video conference (such as zoom, google classroom, google hangout, etc). Student names and video images will be visible to the teacher and other participating students. We strongly encourage you to have your children participate via a location that is quiet and free of distraction, to the extent possible. Other individuals in the home are not permitted to participate in or be visible on the video conference, or otherwise observe the lesson, other than reasonable adult supervision of the student. Parents and students are prohibited from recording video conferencing sessions. All individuals shall comply with relevant Board of Education policies, including but not limited to those concerning the confidentiality of student records and acceptable use of district computer systems. Student privacy and the confidentiality of student information is of utmost importance. However, we are not in direct control of individual homes or physical locations of participating students.
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Pupil Services Response to COVID-19 School Closure- March 25 Update
Our special education teachers, case managers and related providers will reach out to our parents regarding plans for delivering services to students with IEPs on our distance learning days. Supporting important relationships, keeping routines and educational continuity can provide stability and be a comfort during this period of uncertainty. You can be assured that our special education teachers and related providers are committed to providing this continuity, to the greatest extent possible, in this extenuating circumstance. We anticipate providing alternative learning opportunities aligned to IEP goals during this period. You can expect that our special education teachers and related providers will reach out and be responsive to you during this time, maintaining their relationship with you and your child. Our goal is to provide learning support, share resources and activities through a range of mediums and formats which are reasonable and feasible.
At this time we plan to continue with our PPT Meeting schedule and keep to federal compliance timelines. We will hold our meetings telephonically. Your child’s special education case manager will contact you to provide the dial in number and pin. After an explanation of the format, you will be asked in advance, if you are comfortable for us to conduct the meeting in this manner. If for any reason you are not comfortable, we will postpone the PPT meeting and reschedule after the school year resumes.
During this COVID-19 school closure period, our building access is limited for health and safety reasons. Understanding the importance of sharing student evaluations in a timely manner, we will send PPT invitations, IEPs, and Evaluation Reports electronically. When our office is open again, we will mail the usual paper copy for your records.
Our 504 case managers and pupil services related providers will reach out and be responsive to you during this time, maintaining their relationship with you and your child. At the present time, we plan to commence 504 Plan Meetings when school sessions resume. 504 Plans are a general education accommodation and will be met in the context of the general education plan for alternative learning opportunities on distance learning days. 504 related services will be delivered as alternative learning opportunities by those related providers. Should the COVID-19 school closure period be extended beyond April 17th, we will revise our plan.
Please do not hesitate to email your child’s case manager or me should you have any questions or concerns. It will take all of us together to stay healthy and strong, be positive and flexible, and focus on what matters. Take good care.