SEPAC Newsletter

As summer winds down and a brand-new school year begins, SEPAC is excited to celebrate our students heading back to the classroom! Whether it’s the very first day of kindergarten, the last year of middle school, or anywhere in between, we wish every student a year filled with growth, confidence, friendships, and success. Here’s to a fantastic school year ahead—let’s make it the best one yet!

Join us for a virtual event addressing Screen Time Use with children and teens on Monday, October 27th from 6:30-8:00pm. The session will be facilitated by Jackie Rhew, LPCP, co-founder of the Center for Emotional Wellness and expert in the mental health field. Sessions will be available in English and Spanish. More information, including a Zoom link will be available in October through SEPAC, District communication and on the District Website.

Save the Date for future evening events on January 22nd on Parent Rights in Special Education and April 27th (Topic TBD).

We are thrilled to announce the initiation of informal Coffee Chats with SEPAC members! These gatherings will provide an opportunity for genuine connection and the collection of real-time feedback from families. Your insights and experiences are invaluable in guiding our efforts, and we eagerly anticipate the chance to learn collaboratively in a warm and supportive environment.

📣 We’d love your input to help us plan! Please share your thoughts on timing and format with

the link below so we can create the best opportunity for parents to attend.

>> Please click here to submit a Show of Interest Form to assist us in our planning. <<

We’ve heard from families that reducing screen time can be a challenge, and many are looking for helpful tools and ideas. To support you, we’ve put together a short list of resources and activities you can use to encourage healthy, screen-free options at home.

Click on the images above and to the left to explore helpful resources and activities we’ve gathered to support our families.

SEPAC is looking for additional members, as well as possible Co-Lead opportunities, to ensure every school in District 62 has strong parent representation. Whether you’d like to take on a leadership role or simply join as a member, your involvement makes a difference in supporting families and sharing ideas across our community.

We currently do not have parent representation from: North, Iroquois, Cumberland, and South. We’d also love additional voices from Central and Orchard Place. If your child attends one of these schools, we’d love to have you join us!

Our parent SEPAC leaders met with District Administrators, Dr. Romy DeCristofaro, (Assistant Superintendent of Student Services) Heidi Rudy (Director of Student Services) and Colin Baer (Director of Social Emotional Learning).

• SEPAC Events - October 27th on Screen Time, January 22nd on Parent Rights and April 27 (TBD)
• Special Olympics - Fall basketball will start on October 7th with the day of games happening on December 7th at Niles West High School. The group discussed fundraising opportunities to support our teams.
• Parent Survey - District leadership requested feedback on a parent survey that will be going out to families of students with IEPs. The information gleaned will support planning for the 26-27 school year and communication.
• Clarification on Upcoming Changes: SEPAC shared feedback that some parents were concerned about the timeline for any changes happening with special education programs. The administrative team clarified that no changes regarding program locations will be occurring until the 26-27 school year. All parents who may be impacted will be contacted individually before January 2026. Please rest assured that parents will be a part of all IEP decisions regarding their child!

We’d love to hear from you! If you have questions, ideas, or feedback, the best way to reach us is by email at D62SEPAC@gmail.com. To learn more about SEPAC and how you can get involved, visit: d62.org/get-involved/special-education-parent-advisory -council

Thank you for being an important part of our SEPAC community—we value your partnership and support.