Special Education Update

All workshops are held at the Dunn Loring Center for Parent Services, 2334 Gallows Road, Entrance 1 - Room 100, Dunn Loring, VA, unless otherwise noted. You may register for workshops online.

• Technology to Support Reading and Writing: Encouraging Independence and Student Success
  Join FCPS Assistive Technology Services to explore a variety of technology tools to support student success and independence with reading and writing in the digital classroom and at home. Highlights will include common tools, strategies, and features which can be useful to support students of all ages who struggle with reading and writing. Learn how to implement tools such as Google Apps for Education Tools, electronic screen readers, and digital accessibility features. This session will be a demonstration. Participants wishing to follow along are encouraged to bring a laptop, tablet, or phone and have a Google account.
  Friday, March 1, 2019, 10 a.m.-noon
  Register for Technology to Support Reading and Writing: Encouraging Independence and Student Success
• Exploring Early Childhood AT Home: Assistive Technology for Preschool
  Join Assistive Technology Services to explore FREE strategies, websites, and resources to support preschool students at home. This assistive technology (AT) workshop will share ideas on how to support your early childhood student in the home environment. We will explore strategies and resources to create an accessible and interactive home for your youngest learner. Come join the PRC for a morning full of tech friendly tools for your preschooler.
  Friday, March 8, 2019, 10 a.m.-noon
  Register for Exploring Early Childhood AT Home: Assistive Technology for Preschool
• Technology Tools to Support Executive Functioning
  Join Assistive Technology Services to learn about technology tools to support executive functioning skills and how they may impact your child’s learning. Many students struggle with planning, organizing, and managing tasks, which impacts their academic achievement. This workshop will focus on strategies and technology tools that can help support students with executive functioning challenges and improve their independence. Learn how to use and implement technology tools such as low-tech strategies, apps, and computer-based tools to facilitate the following executive functioning skills: self-management, information management, time management, and materials management.
  Friday, March 15, 2019, 10 a.m.-noon
  Register for Technology Tools to Support Executive Functioning
•  Collaborative IEP Meetings: Parents as Partners
  Join us for this important workshop for parents of children receiving special education services. Parents are essential partners in the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process. Strategies to support your role in your child's IEP meetings will be shared and highlights include: the IEP process and its components, your role in the IEP meeting, responsibilities of the IEP team members and planning for your child's IEP meeting.
  Wednesday, March 20, 2019, 6:30-8:30 p.m. 
  Register for Collaborative IEP Meetings: Parents as Partners
  

• Assistive Technology to Support Communication
  This workshop, presented by FCPS Assistive Technology Services, will feature a basic overview of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) best practices. Starting with a presentation of core vocabulary and communication partner modeling, this session will finish with ideas for implementing AAC across the day, including strategies to be used at home. Highlights will include AAC common tools, visual strategies and ideas for modeling language, which can be useful to support students of all ages at home and school who struggle with communication.
  Friday, March 22, 2019, 10 a.m.-noon
  Register for Assistive Technology to Support Communication
• Teen Depression: What Parents Need to Know
  What is Teen Depression? This workshop presented by Dr. Kathryn DeLonga, PsyD, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Director of the Mood Brain and Development Unit Psychological Treatment Program at the National Institute for Mental Health, will highlight the prevalence of major depressive disorder and how to identify depression in teenagers. A brain-based understanding of depression will be presented along with elements of recovery and strategies for treatment. Parents will be provided with strategies to use to help their teenagers.
  Friday, March 29, 2019, 10 a.m.-noon
  Register for Teen Depression: What Parents Need to Know

13th Annual I'm Determined Youth and Parent Summit

The Virginia Department of Education’s I’m Determined project, in conjunction with the Partnership for People with Disabilities, are now accepting applications for the 13th Annual I’m Determined Youth and Parent Summit. The two-day event will be held June 12-14, 2019 at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Youth with disabilities from across the Commonwealth will meet to identify ways to become better advocates and lead more self-determined lives. The selected individuals and a parent or guardian will receive paid registration, dormitory accommodations, travel expenses, and meals for the three-day event. A concurrent Parent Summit for the selected participant’s parent or guardian will be held at the university. Deadline for application submission is March 8, 2019. For more information and to apply go to: https://summit.imdetermined.org/

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MOVE Summit for African-American Males with Disabilities

I’m Determined is currently accepting applications for the MOVE Summit for African-American Males with Disabilities. The MOVE three-day summit will be held July 14-16, 2019 at Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia. Through utilizing state leadership and mentors, young men in grades 9-11 engage in activity-based learning and unlock their potential to overcome barriers, become self-determined, and graduate high school to be college and career ready. Concurrent parent workshops offer resources and tools to promote self-determination in their sons and increase parent engagement in the education process. The MOVE Summit is sponsored by the Virginia Department of Education. All costs associated with lodging and meals are covered, as well as reimbursement for mileage to and from the event. Deadline for application submission is April 1, 2019. For more information and to apply go to: https://www.imdetermined.org/move/

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During the 2018-19 school year, Assistive Technology Services (ATS) will be offering training sessions focused on the use of high-end Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices. Participants will learn basic programming and maintenance of the devices, as well as integration ideas. These sessions are open to both staff and parents of students using the specific devices. To register, contact the ATS Resource Teacher who supports your school. February sessions will include the following topics:

• March 5, 2019, 9 a.m.-noon, Words for Life App – Virginia Hills
• March 12, 2019, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., PRC Devices – Lanier Middle School
• March 18, 2019, 9 a.m.-noon, Proloquo2Go App – Alan Leis Center
• March 19, 2019, 9 a.m.-noon, Words for Life App – Lanier Middle School

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Extended School Year (ESY) 2019

2019 SUMMER ESY direct, class-based services will be July 1-26, 2019. July 4 and 5 will be student holidays. Site information, feeder lists, and bell schedules are now posted on the Extended School Year website.

ESY and Assessment

Don’t forget to collect data for Extended School Year (ESY) discussions during IEP meetings. A specialist from ESY and Assessment would be glad to schedule a time to speak to school teams about ESY criteria and goal writing.

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Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP) Scoring Event

Selection of scorers for the VAAP Scoring Event will be completed in March 2019. Applicants will be notified if selected to score. Scorers will be required to attend one full day of scorer training and two days for the grade relevant scoring event.

VAAP scorer training dates: 

• Monday, April 8, 2019 – Gatehouse, Rooms 3050/3051
• Tuesday, April 9, 2019 – Virginia Hills, Multipurpose Room

The scoring event will be held at Virginia Hills in Alexandria on the following dates: 

• Secondary:  April 30 and May 1, 2019
• Elementary:  May 2 and May 3, 2019

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Extended School Year (ESY) Job Opportunities

Direct, class-based ESY dates will be July 1-26, 2019. July 4 and 5 will be holidays. ESY job opportunities will be available beginning February 27. Links to the various positions can be found on our ESY intranet website under ESY Employment Opportunities. Instructional staff contracts will begin in June, so please make note of the start date for these positions as all staff are expected to work on all contracted days.