Editor's Note
As we close out the school year, we want to take a moment to celebrate some incredible milestones in our Special Programs community! Congratulations to our Unified Champion Schools for their continued commitment to inclusion and excellence. A big thank you to everyone who made our Family Workshop a huge success—it was wonderful to see such strong engagement. We also had an amazing turnout for our 18+ Transition Program and Project Search graduations—what a joy it was to celebrate our students’ accomplishments together!
It has truly been an incredible year, and we are so grateful for your continued partnership and support. On behalf of the entire Special Programs staff, we wish you a safe, joyful, and relaxing summer!
Warmly,
Paige Collier
Assistant Superintendent of Special Programs and Services
Leander ISD’s Special Programs Parent Liaison, Ashley Anderson, is joined by Coordinator of Evaluation and Related Services, Mary Beth Pinnell, for an informative conversation about the special education evaluation process, related services, and how families can navigate important conversations and collaborate with their child’s support team.
💡 Summer Tips for Families
- Maintain a Routine: Routines help our students know what to expect throughout the day and feel secure. Let your child know of any changes ahead of time to help them prepare for the shift in schedule.
- Visual Supports: Utilize visuals! Work with your child to create a school break schedule with preferred activities and breaks built in. You can create checklists of activities that you want to accomplish or utilize some first then boards. Here's a short YouTube video on how to create your own visuals at home.
- Sensory Boxes: Check out these summer sensory box ideas that can help get your child engaged in learning and play over break.
- Have Fun: This is the most important part of a school break!
Let’s make summer meaningful! Our Self-Determined summer resources help students stay engaged while building independence and learning life skills:
2025-2026 Special Programs Parent Advisory Council
We are thrilled to introduce the 2025–2026 Special Programs Parent Advisory Council Executive Council. The Vice President and Secretary were nominated and voted in during the April 8th general meeting.
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President: Jason Miller
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Vice President: Deac Michelsohn
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Secretary: Ty Lepley
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Communications: Ruth Caporello
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Advocacy: Laura Marques
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504 Parent Representative: Currently Vacant
📅Save the Date 2025-2026!
We’re excited to announce the 2025- 2026 Family Workshops, so mark your calendars!
- Friday, October 3
- Friday, April 24
We’ll be sending out reminders and surveys soon to hear what topics you’re most interested in for next year. Stay tuned—we can’t wait to learn and grow together!
🎓 Looking Ahead: Post-Secondary Accommodations
Wondering what supports your child can access after high school? Here are some resources to support students in post-secondary education and employment:
These resources can help you and your student plan for future success.
