Student Services Update

Each school year, our department works with a theme in order to ground our work and remind each other about our purpose. Over the past couple of years, we worked with statements like, We Choose to Include, which emphasized the district's priority, Learning Environments Where Everyone's Success Matters. This year, we will shine light on Ubuntu which is a concept from Africa, meaning "I am because you are." As stated from Thrive Global, this concept embraces the idea that humans cannot exist in isolation. We depend on connection, community, and caring — simply, we cannot be without each other.

Topics highlighted in this update:

1. Unified Champion School District

2. Social Emotional Learning, Counseling and Mental Health

3. Parent Survey Feedback

4. Shrewsbury High School and Easter Seals Partnership

5. Superintendent Award Winners

Our district is happy to announce that we have started a movement to become a Unified Champion School District! Shrewsbury High School, Oak and Sherwood Middle Schools, and Parker Road Preschool have all been named as Unified Champion Schools and by June of 2023 our hope is to have all elementary schools accomplish this goal!

“The Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools program is aimed at promoting social inclusion through intentionally planned and implemented activities affecting systems-wide change. With sports/activities as the foundation, the three component model offers a unique combination of effective activities that equip young people with tools and training to create sports, classroom and school climates of acceptance. These are school climates where students with disabilities feel welcome and are routinely included in, and feel a part of, all activities, opportunities and functions.

This is accomplished by implementing inclusive sports/activities, inclusive youth leadership opportunities, and whole school engagement. The program is designed to be woven into the fabric of the school, enhancing current efforts and providing rich opportunities that lead to meaningful change in creating a socially inclusive school that supports and engages all learners. What a Unified Champion School “looks like” can vary greatly from school to school, based on the needs, goals, schedules and other factors unique to each school; but the basic building blocks remain the same.”

There are three major components to receiving this honor. This includes working with our students to establish whole school engagement, youth leadership and unified activities. As an example, at Oak Middle School we have many Unified opportunities, including but not limited to a Unified Basketball Team, our inclusive Student Council, an afterschool Unified Club, and will be starting both Unified Music and Unified PE classes.

This work is not something new to any of our schools. This year, we will just be purposeful in pointing out and labeling how we make sure everyone has a sense of belonging in our schools.

Together we are creating a Unified Generation that Chooses to Include.

And in case you missed it, check out our middle school friends on Channel 5 News last Spring!

Mental Health concerns are currently impacting learners at every age level, both directly and indirectly. It is vital for our students to have access to direct instruction related to social-emotional health and wellness and tiered interventions during their educational careers. Learning to identify our feelings/emotions and develop key coping strategies, and social-emotional wellness is what will set our students up for success.

This year, through the support of our school committee, we were able to add key positions to enahnce this ongoing work in counseling and mental health services. Jamie Millet is our new Director of Counseling and Mental Health Services, who will assist our growing clinical team that now includes 18 Adjustment Counselors, 12 Psychologists, 4 Clinical Coordinators and 1 Social Worker.

Nicole Bradley and Colleen Canty will join Rob Parry-Cruwys and Daryl Rynning as our Clinical Coordinators. The Clinical Coordinators serve as district consults to support staff in the implementation of evidence-based behavioral strategies and prevention interventions to support struggling students more successfully engage in learning. Interventions may include offering classroom management strategies and resources including appropriate progress monitoring tools, completing an observation, or follow up consultation.

Felicitie Boisvert is our district Social Worker. This role is designed to provide strategies and prevention intervention, referrals, and wraparound support. This may include concerns surrounding substance abuse, physical and emotional health, foster care, access to healthcare, and changes in the family system (i.e. food insecurity, homelessness).

All families in special education were sent a survey from Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as part of the Tiered Focus Monitoring process during the 2021-2022 school year. About 150 families responded to the survey. I share these results with enormous pride and appreciation for our working relationship with families and staff. We would like to thank our families for trusting us and relying on the expertise and skills of our staff to support and instruct your children.

86.8% of families believe their child is showing progress toward IEP goals.

90% of families stated the services called for in their child’s IEP are provided in a way that supports their special education needs.

85.8% of families stated IEP services delivered in substantially separate settings are provided in a way that supports their child’s needs.

84% of families stated inclusion services called for in their child’s IEP are provided in a way that supports their child’s needs.

81.7% of families stated academic support services called for in their child’s IEP are provided in a way that supports their child’s needs.

90.1% of families stated related services called for in their child’s IEP are provided in a way that supports their child’s needs.

85.4% of families feel the evaluations and process adequately assessed their child’s needs.

87.7% of families feel schools value their input as an IEP team member.

92.1% of families stated their child’s school welcomes all students.

Shrewsbury High School recently hosted an information session for families to learn more about Pre Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) available to students with disabilities between the ages of 14–21. A representative from Easter Seals will host monthly workshops at SHS for enrolled students focused on 5 major components:

1. Job Exploration Counseling: Seminars or workshops on careers and required skills, career ladders, and interest inventory.

2. Self-advocacy and Mentoring: Peer mentoring, development of individual advocacy skills, and rights and responsibilities.

3. Workplace Readiness Training: Development of transferable work skills that may include resume writing, interview skills, and professionalism.

4. Counseling on Post-Secondary Education or Training Programs: Counseling and guidance about options upon exiting high school that may include academic or vocational programs.

5. Work Based Learning Experiences: Opportunities to job shadow, complete informational interviews, volunteer opportunities, and internships.

Other topics include internet safety, handling disclosure on the job, financial management and benefit transitioning. Please reach out to your students special education liaison for additional information.

Dr. Sawyer, Superintendent, honored staff across the district for their extraordinary service to our school district. It is a privilege to share that 5 of our Student Services staff were given this distinction on opening day!

Front row: Sue Shea, Paraprofessional, Paton Elementary; Linda Weir, Paraprofessional, Coolidge Elementary; Noelle Freeman, Director of School Nursing; Betsy Caforio, Teacher, Floral Elementary; Erin Kennedy, Special Education Team Chair, Sherwood Middle

Back row: Amy Russell, Paraprofessional, Sherwood Middle; Charlene Costello, Teacher, Beal Elementary; Ken Almeida, Director World Language, SHS; Liza Trombley, Director of English, SHS; Patrick Collins, Asst. Supt. for Finance and Operations

The beginning of the school year has brought many smiles across the district.I hope you enjoyed the images of our students and staff that highlight Ubuntu, I AM because WE are.

Feel free to share your pictures of the concept of Ubuntu with us as the year unfolds. Please email me at mbelsito@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us.

Regards,

Meg Belsito

Assistant Superintendent for Student Services

Email: mbelsito@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us
Website: https://schools.shrewsburyma.gov/sped/
Location: 15 Parker Road, Shrewsbury, MA, USA
Phone: (508) 841-8660
Twitter: @SPS_SPEDandPPS