Special Education Update - September 2019

September 2019

 

Especially for Parents

 

The Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Parent Resource Center (PRC) provides resources, information, and consultations to support the success of all students. Confidential consultations, an extensive lending library, and a year-long calendar of workshops are offered for parents, educators, and community members. Contact the PRC by phone, email, or visit us Monday – Friday during the hours of 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Dunn Loring Center for Parent Services.

Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and tune into our You Tube Channel to see some of our recorded workshops. Bookmark our PRC website to stay up-to-date with all our workshops and resources.

Join Us for Our September Workshops

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.

  • Power Struggles: Knowing When to Walk Away
    Attend this important workshop, presented by Michele Tureaud and Lori Kraden, FCPS Behavior Intervention Teachers, to understand characteristics of power struggles.

    Highlights will include:
    -Recognizing power struggles
    -Identifying why power struggles occur
    -Strategies for parents

    Friday, September 6, 2019, 10 a.m.-noon
    Register for Power Struggles: Knowing When to Walk Away

  • Getting Past Procrastination: How to Get Your Kids Organized, Focused, and Motivated…Without Being the Bad Guy
    Like any parent, you want your child to succeed. The problem is, otherwise smart and capable kids frequently find themselves stuck in a tumultuous, never-ending struggle with procrastination, motivation, and organization.

    Join us for this workshop to learn how to:
    -Discover the hidden emotional causes of procrastination
    -Put good behavior on autopilot using the power of habit
    -Use “The Organizational Arsenal”: Tools and strategies to keep even the most scattered kids on track
    -Use examples of scripts to spark motivation, address problems, and communicate with your child without being labeled the “Bad Guy”

    Presented by Ann Dolin, M.Ed., educational consultant and award-winning author. Ann is the President and Director of Educational Connections, Inc.

    Friday, September 20, 2019, 10 a.m.-noon
    Register for Getting Past Procrastination: How to Get Your Kids Organized, Focused, and Motivated...Without Being the Bad Guy

  • Voices from the IEP Table: Perspectives on Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families
    This workshop explores the individual perspectives of IEP meeting participants who work with students who are culturally and linguistically diverse.

    Join us for this workshop to learn:
    - Best practices for working with students with diverse backgrounds
    - Practical suggestions for improving the experiences of teams serving students with diverse backgrounds. Including: Home-school communication, IEP meetings, and cross-cultural interactions.

    Presented by Karrin Lukacs, Ph.D., Associate Professor at Shenandoah University and Sherry Steeley, Ph.D., Associate Professor at Georgetown University.

    Friday, September 27, 2019, 10 a.m.-noon
    Register for Voices from the IEP Table: Perspectives on Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families


Twice-Exceptional (2e) Handbook

We are pleased to share that the Twice-Exceptional (2e) Learners Handbook and Resources were made available to the public on the FCPS website the first day of school, August 26, 2019. The handbook and resources were developed to provide schools and families with insight and guidance associated with the identification, instruction, and social-emotional wellness of students who are gifted and have learning challenges or disabilities.

The content reflects a division-wide commitment to addressing the needs of 2e learners through a model of shared understanding, responsibility, and collaboration among families and school staff.

Please view this brief video to learn about the contents of the handbook.


Real Assistive Technology for Everyone (RATE) Conference to be held October 19 at Rachel Carson Middle School from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Fairfax County Public Schools will host the 2019 Real Assistive Technology for Everyone (RATE) Conference, an educational technology conference focusing on the use of assistive technology to support all students, especially those with special needs. The 2019 RATE Conference is sponsored by Assistive Technology Services (ATS), part of the Office of Special Education Instruction in the Department of Special Services.

This year's keynote speaker is Fadel, an FCPS Post-Secondary student. Fadel will be sharing how assistive technology has impacted his life and school experiences. Breakout sessions will focus on blended learning and FCPSOn supports, reading and writing strategies, assistive technology in the early childhood classroom, communication tools, Google Apps for Education, as well as other topics. All FCPS staff and parents are invited to attend. Out-of-county teachers, support staff, and parents are also welcome. FCPS employees will receive five recertification points for attending the conference. For more information and registration visit the conference website


 

Especially for Staff Members

 

Behavior Intervention Services is offering the following Academy Courses:

  • Best Practices for Educating Students with High Functioning Autism. The Office of Special Education Instruction is offering this one-credit Academy course for all educators working with high-functioning students on the autism spectrum. The course of study includes an overview of Autism Spectrum Disorder (High-Functioning Autism) including characteristics, academic and instructional supports, social skills instruction, and behavior management. This course supports: (1) Create a Student-Centered Learning Environment, (2) Plan and Teach for Student Learning, (3) Assess Student Learning--as defined in the FCPS Best Practices for Teaching and Learning Framework. This course is open to educators serving students pre-kindergarten through grade 12 and will take place beginning on October 10 from 4:45-7:45 p.m. at Willow Oaks Center. To register, please log in to My PLT and search for course #AC-2274. For more information, please call Behavior Intervention Services at 571-423-4106.   
  • 1-2-3 Magic and Positive Behavior Support. This course is designed to teach pre-school and elementary staff to design positive behavior supports including specific Tier 1, 2, and 3 interventions. Background information and literature is reviewed, and practical techniques are shared and practiced. Participants learn to use the 1-2-3 Magic Program and other behavior management strategies and interventions. This course supports: (1) create a Student-Centered Learning Environment as defined in the FCPS Best Practices for Teaching and Learning Framework and will take place beginning in October from 4:45-7:45 p.m. at Willow Oaks Center. To register, please log in to My PLT and search for course #AC-3353. For more information, please call Behavior Intervention Services at 571-423-4106.  
  • A Proactive Instructional Approach to Classroom Management. This course will address the basic proactive and reactive instructional strategies of classroom management. Participants will be provided with the opportunity to design a classroom plan and learn how to handle chronic behavior. This course is open to educators serving students elementary through grade 12 and will take place beginning in September at Gatehouse Administration Center from 4:45-7:45 p.m. To register, please log in to My PLT and search for course #AC-3356. For more information, please call Behavior Intervention Services at 571-423-4106.


Office of Special Education Instruction (OSEI) Trainings for Staff Members

During the month of September, OSEI is offering the following trainings for staff members. Registration is available in My PLT. For more information about OSEI trainings, visit: http://fcpsnet.fcps.edu/ssse/trainings/osei/

  • Classroom Wide Practices that Support Effective Instruction – Course #SS-29101
  • Collaborative Team Lead Trainings – Course #SS-22089
  • Corrective Reading Decoding/Corrective Reading Comprehension – Course #SS-27050
  • Fundations Level K – Course #SS-27003
  • Fundations Level 1 – Course #SS-27003
  • Fundations Level 2 – Course #SS-27003
  • Just Words – Course #SS-27032
  • Language! Live – Course #SS-25057
  • Language! Reading Program – Course #SS-27078
  • Read Well K-3 – Course #SS-27077
  • Rewards – Course #SS-29082
  • Transmath – Course #SS-27087
  • VMATH – Course #SS-25056

Department of Special Services

Teresa L. Johnson, Assistant Superintendent

Michael Bloom, Acting Director, Office of Special Education Instruction