Welcome from Burr School Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) Liaison
Dear All,
I hope you’ve been hanging in as well as can be, and your school year is off to a good start! Belatedly, I wanted to reach out and introduce myself as the 2020-2021 Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) Liaison for Burr. I also serve on the SEPAC Board as the Treasurer.
For those who may be unfamiliar with Newton SEPAC, our charge is to advise the school district on the education and safety of students with disabilities. Monthly, we meet with the Assistant Superintendent for Student Services, Beth Fitzmaurice, who oversees special education in Newton. We also attend School Committee meetings. Our greatest impacts have been achieved when a group of parents gather to voice an issue, so likely, if you are experiencing an issue, others are too. Please reach out to SEPAC.
In addition, we hold monthly open board meetings and educational programs that I hope you can attend, fill community-driven needs, and serve as a resource to families and caretakers of children with special needs.
This Wednesday, October 14th from 6-7:30pm, please join SEPAC for a virtual Q&A with NPS Student Services Leadership Team (Beth Fitzmaurice, Paula Black, Lisa Langone, and Maura Tynes ). In the coming days, the Zoom link will be posted to: https://www.newton.k12.ma.us/Page/212 .
During the school year, I will share information regularly through the Burr Buzz. P lease find below additional information about Newton SEPAC (including links to our website with the dates for upcoming meetings and events), and a range of other excellent resources in Newton and Massachusetts.
Please reach out anytime with thoughts or questions to help me best serve our community. Looking forward to a great school year together!
Warmly,
Eliza
2020-2021 Burr School SEPAC Liaison
Special Education Resources in Newton and Massachusetts
Newton SEPAC
The Newton Special Education Parent Advisory Council (Newton SEPAC) is a volunteer run organization of parents of children with disabilities who advise the school district on the education and safety of students with disabilities, and meet to learn and provide information about special education programs, issues, policies, regulations, and resources.
Informational presentations
Monthly, Newton SEPAC hosts virtual informational presentations on a range of topics (e.g., Basic Rights in Special Education) given by area experts. Everyone is welcome to attend these, and there always is time for Q&A at the end of the presentations.
Following the presentation, the PowerPoint often is made available on the Newton SEPAC website.
Open Board Meetings
Monthly, Newton SEPAC hosts virtual open board meetings, which parents and
caregivers can attend to learn more about SEPAC or to raise thoughts/questions.
Visit https://newtonpac.org/ for the schedule of presentations and meetings for the year.
Newton SEPAC Discussion Group
Newton SEPAC hosts a google discussion group where members can ask questions, and share information related to special education in Newton and the surrounding area. To join the group, visit: https://groups.google.com/g/newton-sepac/about , and request to join the group.
Network of Newton Autism Parents Discussion Group (NoNAP)
NoNAP is a google discussion group where Newton parents of autistic children or parents of children who attend Newton schools can ask questions, and share information. To join the group, visit: https://groups.google.com/g/nonap/about , and request to join the group.
Federation for Children with Special Needs https://fcsn.org/
The Federation provides information, support, and assistance to parents of children with
disabilities, their professional partners, and their communities. Their website is a wealth
of information, and many families have found their resources to be extremely helpful.
Mass Family Ties
Family Ties is a project of the Federation for Children with Special Needs and provides information and training for families of children with special health needs or disability and their professional partners. They are a primary source for information about Early Intervention (EI) and maintain a complete listing of EI programs in MA. If you are a parent or caretaker of a child with special needs, you can call Family Ties with any questions you may have at: 1-800-905-TIES.
The Arc of Massachusetts
The Arc’s mission is to enhance the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, and their families. They fulfill this through advocacy for community supports and services that foster social inclusion, self-determination, and equity across all aspects of society. Their website also is a wealth of information, and they regularly offer educational programs in Massachusetts families have found to be extremely helpful.
