September 3, 2020 SEPAG Meeting

Minutes taken by Lisa Walter

1st Meeting of the 2020-2021 School Year

GROUND RULES:

1. Support a Safe Space and Commit to Making Progress

   1. What’s said here stays here.

   2. Be positive — provide/seek information

   3. Learn from each other; don’t judge

   4. Respectfully challenge ideas, not people

2. Share the Time and Allow Everyone to Have a Voice

   1. Listen with an open mind

   2. Respect others’ point of view even if you don’t agree

3. Keep to the Schedule and the Agenda

   1. Stick to the topic; avoid repeating what’s already been said.

   2. Do not usurp the conversation with your personal situation, save it for the support time at the end.

INTRODUCTIONS

REVIEW OF SUMMER MEETINGS:

1. Non-communication from the Spec Ed department and case workers to parents

2. Survey of parents and submission to Spec Ed department

3. Results of the self-analysis and impending request for an OPRA (Focus on resources wasted – specifically year-over-year expenditure on legal fees associated with special services going back five years)

4. Other items discussed:

• Workshop on creating “All About Me” books for kids in special education

• Creating a parent handbook that boils down IDEA to important main points

• Establishing a meeting schedule with district leadership to being SEPAG action items to them: This involves creating the action items, setting lead actors, determining timelines/deadlines. See sample and templates at the end of this document.

• What are the grounds generally used for rejection of services, and specifically rejection of extended day services or ESY services?

• How many HIB reports involve Special Education students and what special actions were taken in those cases beyond normal HIB.

• Monies for the SEPAG in budget – specifically, paying for our website and url, as well as for XXX?

TOPICS OF FOCUS FOR MEETINGS/THE SCHOOL YEAR:

1. Get involved as active members of the SEPAG

2. Focus on dyslexia and improving the district’s response to families regarding that issue.

3. SEPAG endorsing Chris Elko for Bd. of Ed in a formal letter.

SUPPORT TIME