Voyages

St. Mary's County Public Schools (SMCPS) Department of Special Education (DSE) hopes that this newsletter provides helpful information and tips to guide us on our voyage in supporting our students with academic success for college and career readiness.

We are wishing you the very best during the holiday season!

As you know, big gatherings can feel chaotic for children who struggle with self-control, change of routines, and/or sensory processing. With this in mind, the holidays can bring on some unique challenges for students with disabilities. We remind our special educators to be mindful of this seasonal dynamic and encourage you to continue your communication with your child's instructional team, especially considering any anticipated concerns. We appreciate the teamwork that helps us meet your child's needs so that the holidays can be a time of enjoyment!

On November 6th, the SMCPS Department of Special Education, Partners for Success (PFS), and Citizens Advisory's Committee for Special Education (CACSE) held our Special Education Community Night. Thank you to all that attended! Our goal was to connect our families with each other and the community resources that are available to them.

We received positive feedback and are happy to continue to provide these opportunities to our already positive and supportive community!

Thank you for your ongoing support!

There are so many fantastic things happening in SMCPS to support students with disabilities. Please use this survey to share your praise, story, or news about successes in your school!

Please view the link below to access a flier that outlines family engagement events and activities to add to your calendar!

The IEP process can be tricky to navigate for parents at times and SMCPS has many people in place to support you in answering questions. When you are seeking support, please reach out to the following people:

Your Child's School

This is the place to start as the school staff has the most knowledge about your child.

1. Teacher - Your child's general education teacher and/or special education teacher have knowledge of your student, his/her goals, and progress in class.
2. IEP Chair - Each school has an IEP Chair that has a wealth of knowledge about special education.
3. Assistant Principal and/or Principal - The school principals have oversight of student instruction and support. They also know the staff and supervise all school-based decisions.
   

Central Office Support, DSE

When needed, the DSE team offers support to teams and families.

• Specialists - DSE has several specialists who can provide support in areas such as transition, assistive technology, and behaviors.
• Supervisor - Each school has a DSE supervisor assigned to support the department at your child's school.
• Director - The DSE director works with all teams to ensure appropriate supports are in place to serve our community.

Community Support Groups

We also have parent groups, PFS and CACSE, that work closely with SMCPS to communicate and support our families. See more information in the sections below.

We are all here to help you!

Thank you to all of our parents who completed the MSDE Special Education Parent Survey!

The feedback is very helpful in our efforts for continued improvement. In our August newsletter, we shared feedback from the 2022 survey; I now have our 2023 data and am happy to share the updated information!

• 77% of our families reported that they were comfortable asking questions and expressing concerns to school staff. In 2023, this increased to 80%.
• 77% of our families reported that they were given all pertinent reports and evaluations related to their child prior to the IEP meeting. In 2023, this increased to 80%.
• 76% of our families reported that the written information they receive is in words they understand. In 2023, this increased to 79%.
• Also, in 2023, 76% of our parents responded that the are considered an equal partner with teachers and other professionals in planning their child's program.

These were just four scores that provided information regarding our families' experiences with our special education teams. Thank you once again; this validates our efforts put into continued improvement.

PFS offers many services to our families, including individual family support, a learning library, and informational sessions.

Please click on the website link below for more information!

https://www.smcps.org/offices/special-education/partners-for-success

Save the Dates:

~ December 13 - Transition to Adulthood: College or Career?
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm in a virtual format (see details below)
Zoom link: https://smcps.zoom.us/j/95892505006? pwd=NVpPKy8rQ1I1NmszNWdlcXdncjFRQT09#success
~ January 17 - Build a Binder: Organizing the IEP Paperwork Workshop
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm at the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center
~ March 6 - Social Security Administration: Benefits for Children with Disabilities
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm in a virtual format (see details below)
~ April 9 - Cooper's Voice, details to come
~ May 8 - Future Finances, Family Trusts, details to come

CACSE holds monthly peer-to-peer and CACSE Committee meetings. They collaborate with SMCPS and community groups to improve the education of all students with special needs. Learn more about CACSE by clicking on the link below.

http://smccacse.org/

Website: https://www.smcps.org/offices/special-education
Location: 23160 Moakley Street, Leonardtown, MD 20650, USA
Phone: 301-475-5511 32206
Twitter: @DSE_SMCPS