[I. Welcome and Opening Remarks]
[00:00:05]
ALRIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEETING.
I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE NOT MET IN SUCH A LONG TIME, SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL.
MY NAME IS CARLA GRIEGO AND I AM, UM, BOARD MEMBER FOR DISTRICT FIVE, UH, REPRESENTING NORTHEAST LA ALL THE WAY TO SOUTHEAST LA.
I AM ALSO CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE AND I'M REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY.
IT'S GONNA BE OUR LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR, AND, UM, SO WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT SOME VERY IMPORTANT TOPICS AS WE ALWAYS DO.
UM, BUT IN, UM, UH, SINCE IT IS MAY AND IT IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS, WE WILL BE FOCUSING ON THAT.
UH, IN PARTICULAR FOR OUR POPULATION IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.
UM, WE HAVE TWO FOLKS, NEW FOLKS TODAY FROM THE DISTRICT.
SO I WILL, WELL, THEY'RE NOT NEW TO THE DISTRICT, THEY'RE JUST SITTING HERE JOINING US, UM, UH, FROM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OTHER FOLKS ARE NOT HERE, THEY'RE IN SACRAMENTO ADVOCATING FOR US RIGHT NOW.
SO I'LL GIVE, UH, LELA A MOMENT TO INTRODUCE HERSELF.
I AM, UH, AN ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR OF TK THROUGH 12 INSTRUCTION.
TONY AGUILAR, THE CHIEF OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS, SPECIAL ED, AND TOP OF FOUR OTHER DIVISIONS ARE THE DIVISIONS I OVERSEE AND RECOGNIZING THAT OUR TEAM IS IN SACRAMENTO DOING THE REALLY GOOD WORK OF ADVOCACY.
SO, VERY HAPPY THAT WE HAVE FOLKS ADVOCATING FOR OUR STUDENTS IN SACRAMENTO.
AND SO THIS, UM, AFTERNOON, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS AROUND STRATEGIES THAT THE DISTRICT IS LEADING TO SUPPORT STUDENTS POSITIVE BEHAVIOR OUTCOMES AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL WELLBEING.
BUT BEFORE WE START OUR PRESENTATION, I WANNA GIVE SPACE TO OBSERVE SOME VERY IMPORTANT, UH, COMMEMORATIONS.
THIS MONTH IN MAY, WE OBSERVE MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS.
WE ALSO OBSERVE NATIONAL TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, AND WE HAVE SOME TEACHERS HERE THAT I'D LIKE TO CALL OUT KENYA PINEDA.
AMY BOGARTS, CHERITA ROGERS IS NOT HERE WITH US TODAY, BUT SHE IS ON OUR COMMITTEE.
AND MARIE GRAJALES ALSO NOT IN ATTENDANCE.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE OTHER EDUCATORS HERE.
WE HAVE CLASSIFIED STAFF AND WE ALSO HAVE, UM, OUT A CLASSROOM AND WE HAVE FOLKS WORKING AT BOWRY, BUT I JUST CALLED OUT THE TEACHERS THAT ARE IN THE CLASSROOM DOING THAT WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE STUDENTS.
SO, UM, AND IT'S ALSO NATIONAL SPEECH PATHOLOGY DAY, UM, WHICH IS ON MAY 18TH.
AND SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THEIR WORK AS WELL SINCE, UH, THEY WORK WITH CHILDREN AT A VERY, VERY YOUNG AGE AND IN SOME CASES, UM, ALL THE WAY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.
BUT, UM, THEY'RE SO INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING KIDS WHEN THEY DO THE WORK EARLY ON.
IT REALLY MAKES SUCH A HUGE DIFFERENCE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
SO WE WANNA HONOR THEIR WORK AS WELL.
SO, UM, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE PRESENTATION, I WANNA REMIND, UH, THE AUDIENCE THAT WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT TOWARDS THE END OF THE MEETING AND TO OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UH, WE WILL HAVE TIME FOR DISCUSSION AT THE MIDPOINT AND THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
SO PLEASE JOT DOWN YOUR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS RELATED TO, UM, UH, TO WHAT YOU'RE HEAR.
IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR A COMMENT SPECIFIC TO A STUDENT OR A SCHOOL SITE DUE TO PRIVACY CONCERNS, THE DIVISION OF SPECIAL ED WILL BE LIMITED AS TO WHAT THEY CAN'T ANSWER PUBLICLY.
SO, UH, I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE MY COLLEAGUES, SCOTT SML, OUR BOARD PRESIDENT, AND DR.
ROCIO RIVAS, OUR VICE PRESIDENT ALSO SIT ON THIS COMMITTEE.
[II.1. Supporting Students with Disabilities Through Social Emotional Learning and Positive Behavior Intervention]
DON'T WE BEGIN THE PRESENTATION WITH MS. JENNIFER NATO, WHO IS AN INSTRUCTIONAL COACH FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION.HOW DO I GET, OKAY, THERE WE GO.
NOW WE'RE ON GOOD AFTERNOON COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UH, WE ARE REALLY HAPPY TODAY TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT TO YOU SOME OF THE WAYS THAT DIVISION OF, UM, SPECIAL EDUCATION REALLY HELPS OUR STUDENTS WITH SUPPORTING DISABILITIES THROUGH SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION.
MY NAME IS JENNIFER NASCIMENTO.
I AM AN INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST WITH EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION, AND I AM JOINED TODAY WITH COLLEAGUES FROM THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE BEHAVIOR DEPARTMENT.
SO A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO ARE IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE LISTEN AND LEARN CAMPAIGN.
UM, ONE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF IT ARE THE FAMILY RESOURCE FAIRS.
[00:05:01]
THEM HAVE HAPPENED ALREADY.TWO OF THEM ARE, UM, STILL TO BE ONE OF THEM THIS SATURDAY.
SO IF YOU'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING IN THE NORTH, UM, IT'S A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY.
UM, BESIDES THAT, WE PUT FORTH TRAINING TO HELP PARAPROFESSIONALS BUILD THEIR CAPACITY AROUND BEHAVIOR.
AND THERE'S BEEN FAMILY WORKSHOPS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AT HOME.
AND WE'VE CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH IS THE CAC, OKAY? THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING REALLY HIGHLIGHTS, UM, THESE PARTS OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE REALLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO ELIMINATE OPPORTUNITY GAPS, BUILD STRONG SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SKILLS, FOSTER STRONG RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN HOME TEACHER, STUDENT, AND REALLY INCREASE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.
BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, WHEN TEACHER EFFICACY IS INCREASED, EVERYONE IS HAPPIER, RIGHT? OKAY, SO JUST TO DEFINE SOME TERMS, RIGHT, WE ARE, WE ARE GONNA GET REALLY COMFORTABLE WITH THIS SLIDE FOR A SECOND, OKAY? SO, MULTI-TIERED SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT.
MTSS IS WHERE EVERYTHING FALLS UNDER SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, SEL AND POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION AND SUPPORT PBIS.
OKAY? SO THROUGH, THROUGH THE WHOLE ENTIRE DISTRICT GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, EVERYONE BENEFITS FROM THESE SYSTEMS, RIGHT? SO WHAT DIVISION OF SPECIAL ED DOES IS WE LAYER ON TOP OF THESE DIFFERENT INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTS THAT ARE VERY ALIGNED TO THE STUDENT'S INDIVIDUAL NEEDS, OR THEIR INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN OR IEP.
OKAY? SO WITH SEL, WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO UNDERSTAND AND MANAGE EMOTIONS, RIGHT? WE WANNA BE ABLE TO SET AND ACHIEVE POSITIVE GOALS, FEEL AND SHOW EMPATHY, ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS AND MAKE RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS, RIGHT? SO THESE SKILLS ARE TAUGHT, UM, AS PART OF THE CURRICULUM, EVEN STARTING WITH OUR BABIES THROUGH CREATIVE CURRICULUM AND GOING ALL THE WAY THROUGH, YOU KNOW, TRANSITION, RIGHT? IT'S EMBEDDED IN ALL OF OUR CURRICULUM.
CLASSROOMS MAY USE ZONES OF REGULATION, CALMING CORNERS, MINDFUL BREATHING TECHNIQUES, YOGA AND OTHER SOCIAL EMOTIONAL THINGS THAT ARE JUST EMBEDDED THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
UM, THROUGH PBIS, WE ARE PROACTIVELY ESTABLISHING THE BEHAVIORAL SUPPORTS THAT WE NEED.
SO OUR CLASSROOMS WILL USE VISUAL SCHEDULES, THEY'LL USE TOKEN ECONOMIES, THEY'LL USE TIMERS, MOVEMENT BREAKS, AND WE WILL DEFINITELY SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH THEIR BEHAVIOR GOALS AND THEIR BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION PLANS, RIGHT? SO, JUST AS IT ALL WORKS TOGETHER, WANNA TO ESTABLISH THAT, OKAY, WHEN THESE ALL WORK TOGETHER, WE'VE GOT IMPROVED COMMUNICATION SKILLS, WE'VE GOT IMPROVED SOCIAL INTERACTION, STUDENTS FEEL A SENSE OF BELONGING.
THEY WANT TO BE PART OF EVERYTHING GOING ON.
THEY WANT TO NOT MISS SCHOOL AND LEADS TO HIGHER ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND GREATER STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
THIS IS THE SAME IDEA AS RESTORATIVE PRACTICES, BUILDING THAT COMMUNITY, MAKING SURE THAT WE DO EVERYTHING TO MAINTAIN THAT COMMUNITY THROUGH ALL OF THESE SUPPORTS.
OKAY? SO NOW WE'RE GONNA SWITCH OVER TO HOW WE CAN SUPPORT FAMILIES.
AND SOME OF THE WAYS THAT WE SUPPORT FAMILIES IS THROUGH COMMITTEES, WORKSHOPS, FAIRS, AND TRAININGS.
ALL RIGHT? OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, CAC, IS A WONDERFUL PICTURE OF LILLIAN MORAN AT ONE OF OUR, UM, RESOURCE FAIRS.
WITH THIS, WE SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE WITH RECORDED PRESENTATIONS, RIGHT? THESE PRESENTATIONS HELP ENSURE THAT THE RESOURCES AND MESSAGES SHARED ARE ALIGNED, ACCESSIBLE, AND SUPPORTIVE OF PBIS AND SEL, RIGHT? SO, SOME OF THE TOPICS THAT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED VERY RECENTLY IS HOW TO USE TASK ANALYSIS TO TEACH SKILLS AT HOME, HOW TO COLLABORATE WITH SCHOOL TEAMS TO ALIGN BEHAVIOR SUPPORTS, HOW EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS IMPACT STUDENTS' LEARNING, BEHAVIOR AND INDEPENDENCE, RIGHT? AND STRATEGIES FOR AT HOME SUPPORTS.
THESE, UM, ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.
WHEN YOU GO TO THE DSE WEBSITE, YOU'VE GOT YOUR RECORDINGS ALL THERE.
SO AS, AS PARENTS ARE LOOKING FOR ANSWERS, WE CAN ALWAYS DIRECT THEM OVER TO THESE RECORDED, UM, RESOURCES, OKAY? AND, UM, THOSE MEETINGS ARE IN PERSON.
WE KNOW THAT OBVIOUSLY NOT ALL, UM, MEETINGS CAN BE IN PERSON.
AND SO THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WANNA PARTICIPATE INTERACTIVELY, BUT VIA ZOOM.
SO WE HAVE OUR VIRTUAL PARENT WORKSHOPS, RIGHT? JUST, UM, THESE WORKSHOPS EMPHASIZE APPROACHES SUCH AS SETTING CLEAR EXPECTATIONS, REINFORCING POSITIVE BEHAVIORS, BUILDING ROUTINES AND SCHEDULES THAT SUPPORT SUCCESS.
SO EVEN THOUGH IT'S VIRTUAL, WE STILL INCORPORATE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES WITH THIS, RIGHT? SOME OF THE OTHER SKILLS THAT HAVE BEEN
[00:10:01]
GONE THROUGH ARE SELF-REGULATION, COMMUNICATION, AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING.WE HOSTED A SESSION RECENTLY ON THE POWER OF BELONGING, PARTNERING WITH FAMILIES TO NURTURE SUCCESS.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING TOMORROW, NO, I'M, NO SORRY.
NEXT WEEK, MAY 12TH OR MAY 14TH, WE HAVE SUPPORTING STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH BECAUSE IT IS STUDENT IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK.
SO IN COLLABORATION WITH STUDENT FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, DSE CREATED REGIONAL AMBASSADOR PRESENTATIONS, RIGHT? TO HELP INFORM SCHOOL COMMUNITIES ABOUT DISTRICT SERVICES.
SO BEFORE THE RESOURCE FAIRS, THERE WERE ALWAYS THESE REGIONAL AMBASSADOR PRESENTATIONS, RIGHT? THIS, UM, HAS COVERED A GAMUT OF INFORMATION, BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SEL AND PBIS, WE'VE DONE PRO UM, PRESENTATIONS THAT SUPPORT BEHAVIOR, COMMUNICATION, OVERALL WELLBEING.
UM, EARLY CHILDHOOD WAS ABLE TO DO ONE OF THE PRESENTATIONS THAT TALKED ABOUT RECOGNIZING CUES OF STUDENTS AND RESPONDING TO COOL MOMENTS AND HOT MOMENTS, UM, BEHAVIOR WAS ABLE TO DO PREVENTING AND RESPONDING TO BEHAVIORS AT HOME.
AND THERE WAS A WEBINAR ALSO OFFERED THAT GAVE, UM, HOME-BASED STRATEGIES AND SUPPORTS.
SO ALL THE WAY AROUND, WE HAVE TOTALLY GOT YOU COVERED.
OKAY? THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE, UM, PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR THIS.
THE RESOURCE FAIRS WERE JUST AN AMAZING WAY THAT COMMUNITY PARTNERS, DISTRICT PARTNERS, FAMILIES, COULD ALL GET INTO THE SAME PLACE, RIGHT? SO IMAGINE A BIG OLD MULTIPURPOSE ROOM WITH TONS OF TABLES AND ACTIVITIES, MAKE AND TAKE ACTIVITIES.
THERE WERE DISTRICT PARTNERS THAT DIDN'T KNOW THAT OTHER DISTRICT PARTNERS EXISTED.
UM, THERE WERE KID ACTIVITIES TOO.
THERE WERE TOYS AND GAMES, BUT, BUT THE PARENTS REALLY CAME BACK WITH A LOT OF MATERIALS TOO.
AND SO WITH THAT, I WANTED TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR DESK.
OKAY? SO THIS IS A LITTLE FOLDER, AND THIS IS A LITTLE EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE MAKE AND TAKE ACTIVITIES.
IT'S A VISUAL SCHEDULE, MUCH LIKE WHAT THE TEACHERS DO IN THE CLASSROOM, UM, AT HOME, RIGHT? SO YOU CAN HAVE THIS AT HOME IF YOU GO INTO YOUR WHITE, IF YOU GO INTO YOUR WHITE FOLDER AND JUST SPILL IT OUT FOR A SECOND, YOU'VE GOT 16 DIFFERENT ICONS THAT YOU CAN USE TO HELP YOUR CHILD BE MORE INDEPENDENT IF YOUR CHILD IS HAVING A HARD TIME PUTTING ON THEIR PAJAMAS, RIGHT? YOU SLAP ONE OF THOSE RIGHT IN THERE,
AND ONCE THEY DO IT, LIVING ON THE BACK OF YOUR FOLDER ARE SIX LITTLE HAPPY FACES TO GO, YAY.
RIGHT? AND SO YOU'VE GOT ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT OPTIONS OF WASHING YOUR HANDS, USING THE BATHROOM, ALL DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO.
SO YOU'VE GOT THAT AS A LITTLE GIFT FROM US TO YOU, UH, TO SHOW YOU ABOUT THE FAMILY RESOURCE FAIRS.
OKAY? AND WITH THAT, I'M GONNA PASS IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE ERICA GARCIA.
I'M A SPECIAL EDUCATION COUNSELOR AND I WORK WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
I'M ONE OF FOUR MEMBERS OF THE PARENT COUNSELING AND TRAINING, UM, TEAM OR PCT.
AND, UM, WE OFFER PCT ON WEDNESDAYS IN ENGLISH FROM EIGHT 30 TO 10 30 IN THE MORNING.
AND ON THURSDAYS WE OFFER IT IN SPANISH AT THE SAME TIME, EIGHT 30 TO 10 30.
AND WE OFFER THESE FREE VIRTUAL WEBINARS, RIGHT, OR, OR ZOOM MEETINGS TO ALL PARENTS OF STUDENTS WITH IEP AND SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS.
AND, UM, THE PARENTS ARE GIVEN THE INFORMATION AT THEIR CHILDREN'S IEP MEETINGS.
THE PURPOSE OF PCT IS TO ENHANCE PARENTS' UNDERSTANDING OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL NEEDS.
IN ADDITION, IT EMPOWERS FAMILIES TO REALLY HELP SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THEIR CHILD'S INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM OR IEP AND ALSO IT REALLY HELPS THEIR OVERALL SCHOOL SUCCESS.
WE OFFER A VARIETY OF KEY TOPICS IN OUR PRESENTATIONS.
UM, SOME OF THEM ARE INCLUDED HERE, PARENTING STRATEGIES BASED ON BRAIN DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL WELLBEING, POSITIVE DISCIPLINE AND COMMUNICATION, AND STRENGTHENING HOMESCHOOL RELATIONSHIPS.
WE ALSO PROVIDE PARENT SURVEYS
[00:15:01]
TO HELP IMPROVE OUR PRACTICE AND ALSO TO GAIN VA VALUABLE PARENT INFORMATION AND INPUT TO REALLY HELP INFORM OUR FUTURE SESSIONS.AND NOW WE WANTED TO SHARE A PARENT TESTIMONIAL.
IT'S A PARENT THAT WANTED TO SHARE HER EXPERIENCE AND WHAT SHE'S GAINED IN THE PCT WORKSHOPS.
SHE IS GOING TO BE SPEAKING IN SPANISH, SO I DO ASK IF ANYBODY NEEDS, UM, A HEADSET WHERE INTERPRETERS WILL BE INTERPRETING THE, PRESENT THE VIDEO INTO ENGLISH TO PLEASE USE A HEADSET AT THIS POINT.
AND IF WE'RE READY, DOES ANYBODY NEED A MOMENT TO GET A HEADSET? WE'RE SUPER EXCITED TO SHARE THIS PARENT TESTIMONIAL OF A WONDERFUL PARENT WHO JUST STARTED OUR PROGRAM IN MARCH.
ALRIGHT, SO I'LL PLAY THE VIDEO.
I JUST WANT TO SAY A LITTLE BIT, GIVE A LITTLE BIT INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT I HAVE RECEIVED IN THE CLASSES EVERY SINGLE THURSDAY.
UH, THINGS THAT ARE SHARED WITH US.
AND REALLY IT HAS BEEN REALLY USEFUL FOR ME BECAUSE MY SON HAS AN IEP.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF SITUATIONS AND WHERE YOU HAVE TO WORK, BUT YOU REALLY DUNNO HOW TO, AND SO HERE, MS. ERICA HAS BEEN HERE, MS. ELIANA HAVE BEEN TO LET US KNOW HOW WE, I AS A, WE CAN SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN.
I STARTED THIS YEAR JUST IN MARCH, BUT THE TOPICS THAT THEY HAVE PRESENTED TO THE GROUP HAVE BEEN VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE IN EACH ONE, IN EACH ONE OF THEM, WE HAVE LEARNED ABOUT WHAT THEY HAVE, UH, TOLD US OR PRESENTED ON.
AND SOMETIMES YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT CERTAIN SITUATIONS WITH CHILDREN BECAUSE YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR NEED IS.
BUT THROUGH THESE CLASSES THAT THEY PROVIDE, I WILL LEARN.
AND THEN YOU PUT IT INTO PRACTICE.
AND THEN, SO NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE THE SUPPORT AT HOME, BUT WE TOO CAN YOU KNOW HOW TO, HOW THE, HAVE THE INFORMATION SO YOU CAN PUT INTO PRACTICE WITH THEM.
AND SO THEY'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT THE IEP TEAM IS A TEAM WHERE THERE'S SEVERAL PEOPLE, BUT IT'S ALSO, WE ARE PART OF THAT TEAM.
AND IF WE HAVE THE CORRECT INFORMATION, THEN WE TOO CAN SUPPORT AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I HOPE THAT NEXT YEAR IT CONTINUES AND THAT THESE CLASSES CONTINUE BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US.
SO, UM, AT THIS POINT WE'D LIKE TO TRANSITION OVER TO, UM, GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR DISCUSSION ON HOW WE'RE SUPPORTING FAMILIES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THAT INFORMATION.
I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMITTEE, UM, TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS OR SHARING ANY COMMENTS.
UM, I THINK IT'S GREAT, BUT I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT EVERYONE UNDER THE, UH, UMBRELLA OF SPECIAL ED IS NOT REPRESENTED HERE TODAY.
UM, OUR, THOSE PARENTS OR THOSE KIDS NEED AN AWFUL LOT OF SUPPORT.
I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYBODY MENTION HOW DO YOU SUPPORT THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY UNIQUE.
UM, THE POPULATION IS VERY UNIQUE AND REQUIRE A LOT OF SUPPORT.
SO CAN YOU ANSWER WHY DHH IS NOT REPRESENTED TODAY? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING IT UP.
I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT OUR DEAF ED COMMUNITY, UM, VERY MUCH.
AND I, I CAN TELL YOU THAT OUR PROGRAMS HAVE INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES AND PROGRAM SPECIALISTS THAT WORK WITH OUR DEAF ED PROGRAMS ON ALL OF THE SUPPORTS THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN.
AND SO WHEN TEACHERS THAT NEED A SL COME TO OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, WE GET A SL INTERPRETERS.
WHEN THERE ARE PARENT WORKSHOPS FOR THE COMMUNITY, WE MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTS THAT WE HAVE, HAVE INTERPRETATION AND HAVE LIKE, AND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN, THERE HAVE BEEN CONVERSATIONS.
UM, I'VE SAT IN DIFFERENT MEETINGS WITH LIKE DIFFERENT DEAF ED MEMBERS TO SEE HOW MUCH WE CAN SUPPORT FOR THIS PRESENTATION, THE EARLY CHILDHOOD BEHAVIOR AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WE'RE ASKED TO GATHER A BUNCH OF INFORMATION FROM ALL OF THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND SEE WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE DOING TO SUPPORT, UM, SEL AND PBIS THROUGH MTSS.
[00:20:01]
YEAH.SO YOUR FOCUS IS SOLELY ON EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR YOU? MINE IS, YEAH.
BUT I WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH ALL OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
SO MENTAL HEALTH IS A BIG, BIG, BIG STRUGGLE.
MASSIVE STRUGGLE ON A WHOLE DIFFERENT LEVEL, ESPECIALLY NOW.
UM, SO HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THAT? LIKE, I HAVE BEEN, UH, I WORK AT MARLTON.
AND I'VE BEEN THERE ABOUT 11 AND ALMOST 11 AND A HALF YEARS, FOUR YEARS.
PSA AND I HAVE THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT WHEN, WHEN WE HAVE MENTAL HEALTH, UH, WELLNESS FAIRS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, I CANNOT CONNECT WITH ANYBODY THAT CAN SERVICE, UH, THAT POPULATION AS FAR AS MENTAL HEALTH AND COUNSELING IS CONCERNED.
SO THAT MAY BE AN AREA THAT, UM, YOU ALL MAY BE AS A, AS A DEPARTMENT LOOK DEEPER INTO BECAUSE OUR KIDS ARE STRUGGLING.
AND I, AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE WERE ONLY TWO PSW THAT SERVED THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING POPULATION, RIGHT? TWO THROUGHOUT FOR THE WHOLE DISTRICT.
SO, AND I DON'T KNOW IF ONE OF 'EM IS STILL WORKING WITH THE DISTRICT, BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE WORKING ON, ON GETTING A PHD, SO WE MAY JUST HAVE ONE.
DO YOU KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT, TONY? I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IF WE'VE LOST ONE, BUT I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD TO, WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK AT TO EXPANDING, I THINK IN HEARING ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH, NOT JUST IN THE DIVISION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, BUT AS A WHOLE AND HOLISTIC, I THINK IT'S A NEED.
I THINK IT'S A ALSO A, WE NEED TO KIND OF, UH, BE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH SHHS SO THAT THEY CAN BRANCH INTO THE LEVEL OF SUPPORTS THAT WE GIVE ON A GRANDER SCALE FOR THIS UNIQUE POPULATION.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP, TOLA.
'CAUSE YOUR STRUGGLE IS REAL, RIGHT? IN TRYING TO GET
IT'S A VERY, VERY STRONG NEEDS.
SO, UM, I DO WHAT I HAVE TO DO.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A COMMENT OR, YES, AMY? I HAVE A LOT TO SAY WHEN IT COMES TO DEAF EDUCATION AND PROVIDING MENTAL SUPPORT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
UM, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
OUR POPULATION HAD THE LEAST AMOUNT OF PEOPLE TO GO TO FOR SUPPORT, AND WE HAD THE LEAST AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WE CAN HAVE DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH.
BUT I'M GLAD THAT THE MOVEMENT TOWARD RECOGNIZING THAT AND PROVIDING A SL INTERPRETERS FOR, OR TRILINGUAL INTERPRETERS FOR OUR FAMILIES AT THESE EVENTS.
I, IT IS MY HOPE THAT WE BUILD UPON THIS AND INCREASE THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORTS FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO HAVE LANGUAGE DEPRIVATION AND LANGUAGE WITHHOLDING THINGS.
AND I WANT TO CONTINUE GROWING THEIR SUPPORT.
AND I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE'RE MEETING THIS WEEKEND DURING THE FAMILY SERVICE CENTERS AND DEAF EDUCATION DOES HAVE A TABLE, ACTUALLY NOT JUST A CHAIR, BUT A ACTUAL TABLE AT THIS EVENT.
I WILL BE THERE ON SATURDAY IF ANYBODY WANTS TO COME AND SEE ME, BUT I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO, IS BY BRINGING THAT AWARENESS AND BRING OUR VOICES TO THE FRONT.
AND I WANNA COMMEND THE WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING AS WELL.
UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, I, I AGREE WITH EVERYBODY.
MENTAL HEALTH IS THE NUMBER ONE.
UM, ASK MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT IS THE NUMBER ONE ASK FOR OUR PARENTS, OUR STUDENTS, OUR EDUCATORS, AND, UM, IN PARTICULAR WITH STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM.
UM, THAT CERTAINLY IS, UM, A NEED AS WELL.
AND I, YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD THAT DR. SOTO IS, IS ADVOCATING BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO ALSO ADVOCATE FOR THESE TYPES OF SUPPORTS AT THE STATE LEVEL SO WE CAN GET MORE FUNDING.
UM, ALSO THE FAIR WAS AWESOME.
I, I'M CURIOUS TO HEAR IN, YOU KNOW, HOW THE TURNOUT WAS AT THE DIFFERENT AREAS.
I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND ONE OF THEM IN REGION EAST, AND IT WAS GREAT.
I'M SO GLAD THAT WE'RE DOING IT AND I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO EXPAND IT MORE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
I ALSO APPRECIATE ALL THE TOPICS THAT YOU HAVE HERE.
UM, MY, MY ONLY CONCERN IS THAT THEY ARE VIRTUAL.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO REACH AS MANY FOLKS, BUT I WONDER ARE THERE ANY OF THESE THAT ARE DONE IN PERSON? AND A BIG ASK FROM FAMILIES WHO, UH, WHO WATCH OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS
[00:25:01]
IS THAT THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THESE AND THAT THEY WANT THEM AT THEIR SCHOOL.SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET THESE TRAININGS AT THE SCHOOL SITE? I, UM, PARENTS, INCLUDING PARENTS WHO SIT ON THIS COMMITTEE HAVE SAID THAT THEY, THEY DON'T FEEL THAT THAT SUPPORT IS AT THE SCHOOL SITE AND THEY WANT THAT.
SO ANY IDEAS FROM YOU OR EVEN FROM OUR OWN COMMITTEE HERE, THE STAFF, HOW WE CAN BRING THIS TO THE SCHOOL SITE SO THAT AT OUR, AT OUR SCHOOLS PARENTS FEEL SUPPORTED AND HAVE ACCESS TO THESE AMAZING TOPICS THAT I WISH I HAD WHEN I HAD MY KIDS LITTLE.
SO ACTUALLY NOW THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT, UM, I HAD OF A COWORKER, I'M A, A SPECIAL ED PARA, RIGHT? AND WE DO ESY DURING THE SUMMER.
AND THIS SUMMER SHE MENTIONED THAT SHE WENT INTO A DEATH, UM, A DEATH OF HEARING SCHOOL AND SHE FELL OUTTA PLACE.
SHE'S LIKE, I'M REALLY, MY A SL IS REALLY RUSTY.
AND THEN, SO WE WERE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT WORLD OUT THERE.
AND IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, I TOOK, UM, A SL YOU KNOW, JUST FOR, FOR FUN FOR ME BECAUSE I USED TO WORK WITH THE LITTLE ONES.
AND SO WE GOT INTO THAT CONVERSATION AND IT WAS VERY INTERESTING.
SO EVEN, EVEN FOR US PAIRS, YOU KNOW, WE GET INTERESTED IN THESE STUFF.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO IF IT'S OPEN TO US AS WELL, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING GREAT BECAUSE THERE ARE PAIRS THAT, YOU KNOW, WOULD GO THE EXTRA MILE FOR STUDENTS OR EVEN JUST KNOWLEDGE FOR US.
AND THEN WE WENT BACK INTO THE CONVERSATION, UM, BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, I EXPRESSED TO THEM CERTAIN THINGS, HEY, WATCH OUT FOR THIS, OR WATCH OUT FOR THAT LOOK.
YOU KNOW, AND IT'S NOT LIKE, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THIS.
IF THERE'S TRAININGS, HEY, GO TO THAT TRAINING.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, IT'S OUT THERE.
SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, YOU KNOW, US EMPLOYEES WHO ARE INTERESTED TO JUST KEEP GROWING AND LEARNING.
I CAN DEFINITELY TELL YOU THERE ARE PARENTS OUT THERE WHO WOULD ENJOY THE KNOWLEDGE AND EDUCATION OUT THERE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THE CONVERSATION, IT WAS LIKE, WOW, SHE CAME TO MY MIND, YOU KNOW? AND IT'S LIKE, DEFINITELY IT'S, IT'S AN INTERESTING TOPIC AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE PUT THE LITTLE BIT THAT WE KNOW TO USE AND IT'S, IT'S HELPFUL, YOU KNOW, AND SINCE WE WORK A LOT WITH THE KIDS, IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S BENEFICIAL TO EVERYONE, YOU KNOW, AS, AS LEAST AS A PARA, YOU KNOW.
SO I'M A RESOURCE TEACHER AND FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT'S REALLY NICE TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT PCT IS.
'CAUSE I OFFER IT AT EVERY IEP
AND SO IT'S REALLY NICE TO BE LIKE, I HEARD THEM SPEAK AT THE BOARD MEETING AND
BUT I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF BRINGING THESE TO THE SCHOOL SITES THEMSELVES.
AT MY SCHOOL WE HAVE FOUR RESOURCE TEACHERS AND WE ARE ALL CAPPED OUT, MEANING OVER A HUNDRED STUDENTS BETWEEN US.
THAT IS OVER A HUNDRED FAMILIES THAT CAN BENEFIT FROM AN ONSITE TRAINING THAT WE DIRECTLY CAN COMMUNICATE WITH AND SAY, THIS IS SOMETHING REALLY BENEFICIAL THAT WE CAN BRING YOU ON SITE FOR.
AND I KNOW MY SCHOOL IS REALLY BIG ON LIKE COMMUNITY WORK THAT WE WOULD EXTEND OUR, OUR DOORS TO BE OPEN TO THE BORDERING SCHOOLS, TO PARENTS WHO ALSO WANNA PARTICIPATE.
SO IT WOULD BE INTERESTING IN SEEING HOW WE CAN COORDINATE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
'CAUSE MY SCHOOL IS REALLY LARGE AND I THINK IT HAS THE SPACE AND CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS IN PERSON, WHICH CAN MEAN SO MUCH TO PEOPLE.
VIRTUAL IS NICE AND LOVELY, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT GETTING FACE TO FACE WITH PEOPLE AND IT BRINGS A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF LIKE, COMFORT TO LEARNING SOME OF THIS INFORMATION AND MORE CONNECTEDNESS.
I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY BENEFICIAL.
AND THERE ARE SOME REALLY BIG SCHOOLS IN OUR DISTRICT THAT CAN BE THOSE HUBS FOR HOSTING ONSITE THINGS.
AND WE CAN DO ONE IN THE FALL AND ONE IN THE SPRING.
SO THAT WAY WE OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIFFERENT PARENTS, ESPECIALLY FOR NEW PARENTS WHO GET IEPS IN DIFFERENT POINTS IN THE YEAR.
UM, ANYBODY ELSE? WE HAVE, OH, WE'RE ALREADY OVER TIME, BUT ANYBODY YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? GO AHEAD.
NO, I JUST, UM, WANNA COMMEND ALL THE WORK, UM, THAT YOU ARE DOING AND YOU KNOW, THE DEPARTMENT, DR. SOTO, I ALSO ATTENDED THE, UH, RESOURCE FAIR.
REMEMBER, I, I WAS THERE, WENT TO ALMOST EVERY, EVERY TABLE THERE AND JUST, UM, IT WAS POSITIVE ENERGY, VERY USEFUL, BUT WE WANTED TO REALLY SHARE, UM, THE RESOURCES AND SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES THAT THEY HAD.
AND I THOUGHT, UM, I, I LEFT, YOU KNOW, THAT FAIR, JUST KNOWING A LOT MORE.
AND THEN, UM, I, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THIS, I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS IT CALLED AGAIN? VISUAL SCHEDULE.
I SAW THAT AND I WAS LIKE, THAT IS, I ALSO USED THAT, YOU
[00:30:01]
KNOW, WHEN I WAS, YOU KNOW, RAISING MY SON, RIGHT? AND, UM, AND SO YEAH, IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK, BUT PARTICULARLY REACHING, IT'S SO VITALLY IMPORTANT.AND I KNOW I'M PREACHING TO THE PRIOR CHOIR YEAR ABOUT BRINGING IN OUR PARENTS BECAUSE FROM THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD THROUGHOUT IN, IN MY BOARD DISTRICT AND ALL OF THE SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT I HEAR FROM PARENTS.
UM, I WANNA BE A PARTICIPANT WITH MY CHILD AT, AT SCHOOL, AND I'M LEARNING AND I HEAR THEIR FRUSTRATION, BUT I ALSO HEAR, UM, THEIR, THEIR HOPE THAT THEY WILL GET THESE RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS FOR THEIR CHILD.
SO I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU AND, YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH, UM, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING ACROSS THE BOARD, THROUGH ALL OF OUR SCHOOL, UM, UH, STUDENT GROUPS, IMPORTANT, BUT PARTICULARLY FOR, YOU KNOW, STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS OR NEURODIVERGENT STUDENTS.
AND, UM, ALL THE WAY FROM WHEN I EVEN VISIT OUR EARLY ED CENTERS, YOU KNOW, THAT CONVERSATION POPS UP, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR TEACHERS AND, AND THE PRINCIPALS OF HOW TO, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY ADDRESS THE BEHAVIORAL OR, UM, ISSUES THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF MANIFEST THEMSELVES AND IN, IN, IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT ALSO CONNECTING THAT WITH PARENTS.
SO THE MORE WE, YOU KNOW, INTERVENE, UM, EARLY, EARLY ON IS SO, SO VITAL.
AND I'M WONDERING, UM, ARE YOU, HOW, HOW ARE YOU, HOW ARE YOU LEVERAGING KLCS AND PROVIDING MAYBE SOME, UM, VIDEOS OR MAYBE EVEN A GROUP OF PARENTS CONNECTING AND HAVING A CONVERSATION SO THAT OTHER PARENTS CAN ALSO CONNECT.
OR HAVING TEACHERS OR PRACTITIONERS, YOU KNOW, HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH OR WHAT ARE YOU DOING? YOU KNOW? UM, SO IT'S, IT'S, I KNOW WE WANNA DO IT IN PERSON, BUT ALSO WHILE PARENTS ARE, YOU KNOW, COOKING DINNER OR WHATEVER THEY'RE DOING AT HOME, THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, CONNECT WITH A VIDEO WHERE THEY'RE HEARING FROM OTHER PARENTS AS WELL.
I THINK WE SHOULD USE THOSE, UM, THAT RESOURCE THAT THE DISTRICT HAS IN PROVIDING VIDEOS WITH FOLK, YOU KNOW, PARENTS HAVING CONVERSATIONS OR THIS IS WHAT I DO AND HAVING AN EXAMPLE.
I DON'T KNOW, I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT TO DO.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING GREAT, UM, ADVOCATES FOR OUR FAMILY RESOURCE FAIR.
HOPEFULLY WE GET OUR ATTENDANCE UP, SO I APPRECIATE THAT A LOT.
UM, I WILL SAY THIS, UM, I AGREE WITH YOU AND IT'S A GREAT IDEA, UH, DR. RIVAS TO EXPAND, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO BROADCAST THIS ON KLCS.
AS WE'RE LOOKING AT EXPANDING OUR FAMILY RESOURCE FAIRS, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE SEEING IS THAT THERE'S A NEED TO MAYBE HOLD MORE WORKSHOPS.
SO WHAT I IMAGINE WITH WHAT YOU JUST SAID IS HAVING A FIRESIDE CHAT IN A ROOM, IN A WORKSHOP THAT CAN BE ALSO VIDEOTAPED BY OUR K CIES TEAM TO BECOME SOMETHING THAT COULD BE BROADCASTED FOR A FUTURE, UH, SHOW.
I THINK WE COULD DEFINITELY RUN WITH THAT.
AND IF I COULD CHIME IN JUST RIGHT ON TOP OF THAT, SORRY.
WE DID HAVE, UM, PRESENTATIONS AT OUR FAMILY RESOURCE FAIRS AS WELL.
SO THAT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PARENTS TO SEE SOMETHING IN PERSON.
AND I DO THINK SOME OF THE TRAININGS, UM, THAT JENNIFER COVERED WERE IN PERSON FOR PARENTS, JUST A HYBRID MODEL, SO MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S OPTIONS FOR PARENTS.
YES, THE REGIONAL AMBASSADOR ONES WERE IN PERSON.
UM, THE COMMUNITY, UM, ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS ALSO IN PERSON.
THEY WATCH A RECORDED VIDEO FIRST, AND THEN THEY GET TOGETHER IN A ROOM AND TALK ABOUT IT AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE THERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND GO THROUGH IT.
SO YES, THEY'RE, SOME OF THEM ARE IN PERSON AS WELL WITH THOSE REACH AND AMBASSADOR TRAININGS, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO JUST FOLLOW UP ON BECAUSE THOSE ARE, THE IDEA BEHIND THAT IS THAT WE'RE TRAINING THOSE AMBASSADORS TO GO BACK INTO THOSE PARENT CENTERS AND BE ABLE TO DELIVER THOSE, THAT PARENT EDUCATION THERE AT THE PARENT CENTERS, AT THE SCHOOLS TO EVERYONE'S CONCERN.
AND THEN I, I, AT THE, UM, RESOURCE FAIR, I SPOKE TO SOMEBODY WHO'S A MEMBER OF THE CAC, RIGHT? AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHE ASKED IS THAT WE CONNECT THEM TO THE PRINCIPALS AND THE DIRECTORS, AND MAYBE WE CAN CREATE SPACE AT THE PRINCIPALS MEETINGS OR AT THE DIRECTORS MEETINGS FOR THEM TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES SO THAT THEY CAN BE WELCOME TO A SCHOOL SITE AND DO THIS AMBASSADORSHIP THAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING.
BUT THEY NEED TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION WITH THE, UM, PRINCIPALS AND THE DIRECTORS.
SO IF WE CAN ALSO CREATE, OPEN SOME SPACE FOR THAT, SCOTT.
AND I'M NOT HAPPY TO SAY THAT THIS SATURDAY, THE RESOURCE FAIR WILL BE IN MY DISTRICT OR DISTRICT THREE AT HOLMES MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND, UH, SOMETHING THAT ROCIO MENTIONED IS SO IMPORTANT IS OUR TELEVISION STATION.
I DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER DISTRICTS THAT HAVE THE LUXURY OF A TELEVISION STATION AND WE'RE USING IT TO ITS CAPACITY.
THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS WE CAN DO WITH THAT STATION AND ESPECIALLY WITH, WITH SPECIAL ED AND PARENTS BEING ABLE TO WATCH THINGS AT HOME.
[00:35:02]
ALL RIGHT.LOTS OF GREAT IDEAS OUT OF THIS PRESENTATION.
SO THERE'S NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
WE'LL HAVE ELISE COME UP AND SHE'LL BE PRESENTING ON SUPPORTING SCHOOLS AND STAFF.
I'M A BEHAVIOR SUPPORT TEACHER, AND THIS IS ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES, DAVID HAJA, KRIS WHO, WHO'S A BEHAVIOR SPECIALIST.
WE BOTH WORK IN THE DIVISION OF, UM, SPECIAL EDUCATION BEHAVIOR SUPPORT DEPARTMENT.
THE DIVISION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SUPPORTS OUR SCHOOLS AND STAFF IN MANY WAYS.
UH, TODAY WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THE DIVISION SUPPORT THROUGH THE LENS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, CONSULTATION, AND INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL SUPPORT.
WE'RE GONNA START WITH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THE PD THAT WE PROVIDE TO SCHOOLS AND STAFF IS CONNECTED TO POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORTS, PBS AND SOCIO-EMOTIONAL LEARNING, SEO ROOTED IN THE MULTI-TIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORTS OR MTSS, UM, AS WELL AS OUR DISTRICT'S DISCIPLINE FOUNDATION POLICY.
THE GOAL OF OUR PD IS TO BUILD STAFF CAPACITY CONNECTED TO EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES THAT LEAD TO POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR OUR STUDENTS.
THE CONTENT OF EACH PD IS CUSTOMIZED TO ENSURE RELEVANCE FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS.
WE SUPPORT STAFF CAN ACCESS PD IN VARIOUS FORMATS, INCLUDING IN-PERSON, WEBINAR AND SELF-PACED ASYNCHRONOUS ONLINE MODULES.
I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE FLYERS THAT WE DISTRIBUTE TO SCHOOLS AND STAFF THAT ARE CONNECTED TO SEL AND PBS.
THESE TRAININGS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED WITH ALL STAFF IN MIND.
YOUR FIRST FLYER ON THE RIGHT IS THE PREVENTING AND RESPONDING TO ESCALATING BEHAVIOR.
ONLINE MODULES INCLUDE THREE SELF-PACED ASYNCHRONOUS MODULES, OR, SORRY, THAT'S ONE'S ON THE LEFT.
ON THE RIGHT WE HAVE OUR BEHAVIOR EMERGENCY PREVENTION AND RESPONSE TRAINING, OR B PART, AND THAT INCLUDES A TWO DAY INITIAL IN-PERSON TRAINING AND AN ANNUAL IN-PERSON RECERTIFICATION TRAINING.
THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF PD AVAILABLE TO TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS.
THE FIRST ONE, UH, WE OFFER EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH AUTISM, WHICH IS AN ONLINE SERIES.
SECOND, YOU HAVE THE DIVISION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION EARLY CHILDHOOD TEAM, UH, HAS DEVELOPED A MONTHLY VIRTUAL SERIES.
THIRD, YOU HAVE OUR FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR ASSESSMENT, OR FBA WEBINAR TRAINING THAT HAS ALSO BEEN CONVERTED TO A SELF-PACED ASYNCHRONOUS MODULES TO ENSURE THAT STAFF WHO ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND OUR WEBINAR TRAINING CAN ACCESS THIS TRAINING ALL YEAR LONG.
FOURTH, UM, THROUGH OUR LISTEN AND LEARN CAMPAIGN, WE OVERWHELMINGLY HEARD THAT STAFF WANTED OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN ENHANCED AND SPECIALIZED TRAININGS.
OUR POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT SYMPOSIUM IN PERSON TRAININGS HAVE GIVEN STAFF AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND TRAININGS ON THE WEEKEND.
PLEASE NOTE THAT A VERY SIMILAR TRAINING HAS ALSO BEEN PROVIDED FOR OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS.
HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF PD AVAILABLE TO PARAPROFESSIONALS THAT WERE DEVELOPED AS THE DIRECT RESULT OF THE LISTEN AND LEARN CAMPAIGN.
STEPPING INTO YOUR ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES, BEHAVIOR SUPPORT, AND SAFETY.
AND SPECIAL EDUCATION IS A TWO DAY IN PERSON TRAINING FOR NEWLY HIRED SPECIAL EDUCATION PARAPROFESSIONALS.
WE ALSO OFFER SEVERAL WEBINARS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR.
TOPICS INCLUDE, WELL AGENT SERVICE TRACKING, ACCESS TO INSTRUCTION AND INDEPENDENCE, IN-DEPTH BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION TRAINING, AND SUPPORTING INCLUSIVE PRACTICES.
THE FEEDBACK WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM OUR DIVISION PD IS OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE.
HERE YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE TESTIMONIALS FROM OUR POST TRAINING SURVEYS.
AND ALSO IN THE PACKET THAT YOU HAVE, YOUR FIRST PAGE, UM, IS DATA FROM OUR FIRST PBS SYMPOSIUM FOR THIS YEAR FOR, UH, CS CERTIFICATED STAFF.
UM, AND THAT WAS HELD ON, UM, APRIL 18TH.
SO YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT DATA AND I WILL HAND IT OVER TO DAVID.
WE ALSO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TAILORED TO SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS CONNECTED TO EVIDENCE-BASED STRATEGIES AND BEST PRACTICES SURROUNDING OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES TO ADDRESS SEL FOR STUDENTS.
ANOTHER WAY WE SUPPORT SCHOOLS AND STAFF WITH SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING IS THROUGH A CENTRALIZE LIBRARY OF RESOURCES CREATED BY OUR PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS USE THE PADLET PLATFORM TO SHARE RESOURCES WITH SCHOOL STAFF THAT
[00:40:01]
IN TURN CAN BE PROVIDED TO PARENTS AND FAMILIES.A FEW EXAMPLES OF THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING LESSON PLANS, MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES, POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT STRATEGIES, AND DISTRICT CRISIS RESPONSE PROCEDURES.
CONSULTATION IS A BIG PART OF OUR PBIS AND SEL SUPPORT TO SCHOOLS AND STAFF.
WE COLLABORATE WITH SCHOOL TEAMS TO PROBLEM SOLVE AND TO PROVIDE ONGOING IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT.
OUR CONSULTATION CAN BE ACCESSED THROUGH EMAIL, VIRTUAL MEETINGS, OR IN PERSON.
WE SUPPORT SCHOOL STAFF WITH PBIS STRATEGIES AND ELEMENTS OF OUR ADOPTED CURRICULUM THAT LEND TO ROUTINES, SCHEDULES, AND CLEAR EXPECTATIONS.
SOME EXAMPLES INCLUDE SPECIALISTS, PROGRAM SPECIALISTS AND BEHAVIOR SPECIALISTS PROVIDE REGULARLY SCHEDULED AND AS NEEDED, CONSULTATION OPPORTUNITIES TO SCHOOLS THEIR LEADERS AND INDIVIDUAL STAFF.
WE ALSO PROVIDE BI-MONTHLY MODIFIED CORE CURRICULUM OFFICE HOURS VIA ZOOM.
WE COLLABORATE WITH THE PBIS RP TEAM AND PROVIDE BIMONTHLY DROP-IN SESSIONS VIA ZOOM IN WHICH ALL DISTRICT STAFF HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOG ON AND ASK CRUCIAL QUESTIONS RELATED TO POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT.
WE OFFER CONSULTATION FOR SCHOOLS AND STAFF THROUGH A ZOOM PLATFORM.
THROUGH WEEKLY SPECIAL EDUCATION BEHAVIOR SUPPORT CLINICS, SCHOOL STAFF CAN LOG IN AND CONSULT WITH BEHAVIOR SPECIALISTS REGARDING BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS, BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION PLANS, AND FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR ASSESSMENTS.
WE ALSO OFFER DROP-IN SESSIONS THAT ARE TAILORED TO SPECIAL EDUCATION PARAPROFESSIONALS ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
ANOTHER WAY THE DIVISION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SUPPORT SCHOOLS AND STAFF IS THROUGH INDIVIDUALIZED SCHOOL SUPPORT.
WHEN IMMEDIATE AND OR URGENT CONCERNS ARISE AT SPECIFIC SCHOOL SITE, THE DIVISION STAFF, BOTH AT THE REGIONAL AND CENTRAL OFFICE LEVELS RESPOND AND WORK ALONGSIDE SCHOOL STAFF TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SEL AND PBS STRATEGIES THROUGH A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH.
EXAMPLES OF INDIVIDUALIZED SCHOOL SUPPORTING INCLUDE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS, CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, AND SEL CURRICULUM AND LESSONS, CRISIS AND THREAT ASSESSMENT RESPONSE GUIDANCE ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION PLANS, FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR ASSESSMENT PLANNING, AND PROBLEM SOLVING AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE DSE MODIFIED CORE CURRICULUM TEAM AND GENERAL EDUCATION GRADE LEVEL COLLEAGUES TO ALIGN SEL INSTRUCTION FOR ACCESSIBILITY PURPOSES.
I JUST WANNA POINT OUT, UM, THE REST OF YOUR FOLDER IS THE FLYERS THAT WERE SO TINY ON THE SCREEN SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THEM IN REAL LIFE.
AND I'LL HAND IT OVER TO JANINE.
JANINE POLIAN, AND I'M A SPECIALIST IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES REGION NORTH.
AT THE CORE OF EVERYTHING WE DO IS SUPPORTING STUDENTS FROM EARLY START AND LOW INCIDENT PROGRAMS TO CAREER TRANSITION CENTERS.
WE ENSURE THAT STUDENTS ARE SUPPORTED ACROSS THEIR ENTIRE EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY.
OUR FOCUS IS NOT ONLY ACADEMIC SUCCESS, BUT ALSO INDEPENDENCE, LIFE SKILLS, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL GROWTH, AND PREPARATION FOR LIFE BEYOND SCHOOL.
WITH THAT IN MIND, LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT WHAT THIS ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE IN PRACTICE.
THIS IS WHERE OUR MTSS BEHAVIOR FRAMEWORK COMES IN.
IT BRINGS ALL OF THESE IDEAS TOGETHER INTO A CLEAR TIERED APPROACH TO SUPPORTING STUDENTS BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL NEEDS.
OUR MTSS FRAMEWORK ENSURES TO SUPPORTS FOR ALL STUDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE WITH IEPS.
WE EMPHASIZE THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION IS NOT SEPARATE, IT STRENGTHENS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.
CLASS CLASSIFYING BEHAVIORS WITHIN THE MTSS BEHAVIOR FRAMEWORK HELPS TEAMS MATCH INTERVENTIONS TO BOTH STUDENTS' NEED AND BEHAVIOR INTENSITY.
[00:45:02]
IDENTIFIES TIERED SUPPORT LEVELS, THE BEHAVIOR CLASSIFICATION OF LOW, MILD, MEDIUM, AND HIGH GUIDE SELECTION OF THE RIGHT SUPPORTS TOGETHER, ENSURING ALIGNMENT.THIS PROCESS IS FLUID DATA-DRIVEN WITH SUPPORT LEVELS ADJUSTING A STUDENT'S NEEDS CHANGE.
THIS FRAMEWORK ENSURES EQUITY AND ACCESS BECAUSE EVERY STUDENT BENEFITS FROM STRONG, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND BEHAVIORAL SUPPORTS.
AT TIER THREE, STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES REQUIRE IMPLEMENTATION OF IEP DESIGNATED SUPPORTS, INCLUDING BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION PLANS, ERIC'S ACCOMMODATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS.
THE DIVISION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION WORKS TO BUILD SCHOOL STAFF CAPACITY BY GUIDING TEACHERS AND PARAPROFESSIONALS IN IMPLEMENTING INDIVIDUALIZED STRATEGIES, COLLECTING AND USING DATA, AND RESPONDING TO HIGH INTENSITY BEHAVIORS.
PARTNERSHIPS WITH ADMINISTRATORS SUPPORTS WITH IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING OF BEHAVIOR PLANS AND USE OF ONGOING DATA TO ADJUST PLANS AS NEEDED, ENSURING CONSISTENCY, FIDELITY, AND RESPONSIVENESS ACROSS THE SCHOOL TEAM.
THIS ENSURES STUDENTS RECEIVE THE RIGHT LEVEL OF SUPPORT AT THE RIGHT TIME TO PROMOTE POSITIVE OUTCOMES.
ONE OF THE KEY WAYS WE PROVIDE THE SUPPORT IS THROUGH OUR COUNSELING SERVICES, WHICH SERVES AS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF OUR OVERALL STUDENT SUPPORT SYSTEM.
WE PROVIDE SCHOOL-BASED COUNSELING SERVICES, DESIGNATED INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES, COUNSELING, AND EDUCATIONALLY RELATED INTENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
THESE SERVICES ARE DETERMINED BASED ON ASSESSED NEED AND FOCUS ON SUPPORTING ACCESS TO INSTRUCTION THROUGH SOCIAL EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
STUDENTS BUILD TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH CONSISTENT PROVIDERS.
THESE SUPPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL NOT ONLY FOR STUDENTS WITH IDENTIFIED NEEDS, BUT ALSO FOR CREATING HEALTHY SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS FOR EVERYONE.
AND BEYOND COUNSELING, WE ALSO SEE THESE SUPPORTS COME TO LIFE EVERY DAY THROUGH SCHOOL-WIDE INNOVATIVE SEL AND PBIS PRACTICES.
COLLABORATION IS INTENTIONAL BETWEEN PSYCHOLOGISTS, OTHER SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS, TEACHERS AND STAFF.
THESE PARTNERSHIPS CREATE SUPPORTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AND STRENGTHEN STUDENT OUTCOMES.
WE ALSO SEE STRONG COLLABORATION THROUGH PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE SCHOOL ANTI-BULLYING AND KINDNESS CHALLENGE PROGRAM AT HAZEL TEEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THE SCHOOL WELLNESS ROOM AT HUBBARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THESE ARE SCHOOL-WISE, SUPPORTS UNIVERSAL IN NATURE THAT HELP STUDENTS FEEL SAFE, CONNECTED, AND SUPPORTED BY FOSTERING BELONGING RELATIONSHIPS AND POSITIVE SCHOOL CULTURE, WHICH ARE THE KEY COMPONENTS OF SUCCESS FOR ALL STUDENTS.
AND NOW WE WILL EX PRESENT EXAMPLES OF THE EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS OUR DEPARTMENT UTILIZES.
MY NAME IS MIRIAM CHOW, AND I'M A SPECIALIST IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES IN REGION EAST.
IN ALIGNMENT WITH LA USD'S GOAL OF STRONG SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SKILLS AND PILLAR TWO, JOY AND WELLNESS FOR STRONG SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SKILLS.
OUR WORK IS GROUNDED IN EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS AND SUPPORTS SUCH AS Y TRY, ZONES OF REGULATION, RIPPLE EFFECTS, AND BOUNCY, READY TO LEARN RESILIENCE.
Y TRY IS A SOCIAL EMOTIONAL CURRICULUM FOR STUDENTS IN THE ELEMENTARY THROUGH SECONDARY LEVEL TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH TRAUMA, IMPROVE ENGAGEMENT, AND INCREASE ACADEMIC SUCCESS.
THE ZONES OF REGULATION IS A SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING CURRICULUM AND REGULATION PROGRAM THAT FOSTERS LEARNING AND WELLBEING FOR STUDENTS FROM PRESCHOOL THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL.
RIPPLE EFFECTS IS AN ONLINE PROGRAM THAT PROMOTES POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL HEALTH FOR STUDENTS IN ELEMENTARY THROUGH SECONDARY GRADE LEVELS.
BOUNCY READY TO LEARN RESILIENCE SUPPORTS WITH ASSISTING YOUNG STUDENTS WITH POSITIVE SELF-TALK TO BUILD EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE AND INDEPENDENCE.
ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS EXPLICITLY TEACH STUDENTS SKILLS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, EMOTIONAL REGULATION, RESILIENCE, SELF-AWARENESS, DECISION MAKING, AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING.
THESE ARE SKILLS THAT BENEFIT EVERY STUDENT, INCLUDING OUR EARLY EDUCATION STUDENTS.
THESE PROGRAMS BUILD SOCIAL EMOTIONAL COMPETENCIES AND SUPPORT EARLY INTERVENTION.
WE WILL NOW SHARE EXAMPLES OF HOW
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SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING IS INTEGRAL.OUR TEAM ADAPTS SEL INSTRUCTION USING EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES AND APPROPRIATE MODIFICATIONS TO INCREASE STUDENT UNDERSTANDING AND INDEPENDENCE.
FOR EXAMPLE, WITH VISUAL CUES, NARRATIVES, AND SENTENCE FRAMES.
THEY SUPPORT WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF DISTRICT PROVIDED SEL LESSONS AND TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL STUDENTS ON THE MODIFIED CORE CURRICULUM, SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFF COLLABORATE WITH GENERAL EDUCATION GRADE LEVEL COLLEAGUES TO ALIGN SEL INSTRUCTION AND LANGUAGE, PROVIDE TEACHERS WITH SEL RELATED TOOLS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN EXPRESSING THEIR NEEDS, WANTS, AND PREFERENCES.
NOW WE WILL SHARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF OUR SPECIALIZED, UH, SETTINGS, OUR TRANSITION PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE BRIDGESTON INDEPENDENCE PROGRAM AT LEACHMAN CAREER AND TRANSITION CENTER, FOCUS ON PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE BEYOND SCHOOL THROUGH DAILY ROUTINES, TRANSITIONS, SOCIAL INTERACTIONS, AND FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITIES IN REAL WORLD CONTEXTS.
STUDENTS PRACTICE SEL SKILLS IN MEANINGFUL WAYS.
MODIFIED CORE CURRICULUM INCLUDES SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS AND SUPPORTS TO PROMOTE IN THE DEPENDENCE RESPONSIBILITY AND SELF SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH PERSONALIZED LEARNING AT SCHOOL, AT HOME, AND IN THE COMMUNITY.
FINALLY, PHOENIX ACADEMY DEMONSTRATES HOW WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ALL L-A-U-S-D STUDENTS ACROSS MULTIPLE SCHOOL COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING RECEDA, CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL, LOS ANGELES HIGH SCHOOL, AND WILSON HIGH SCHOOL.
PHOENIX ACADEMY IS A SPECIALIZED PROGRAM SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH SIGNIFICANT SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, INTERNALIZED BEHAVIORAL NEEDS.
IT PROVIDES A THERAPEUTIC STRUCTURED ENVIRONMENT FOCUSED ON CONTINUITY, RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, AND STUDENT WELLNESS.
THESE PROGRAMS DEMONSTRATE OUR COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS THROUGH TARGETED, MEANINGFUL SUPPORTS.
THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PATHWAYS AND OPPORTUNITIES ENSURING THAT STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THE SUPPORTS THEY NEED TO SUCCEED.
IN CLOSING, WHAT WE HOPE YOU SEE IS THAT DIVISION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION IS NOT SEPARATE FROM GENERAL EDUCATION.
IT IS A SYSTEM OF SUPPORT THAT STRENGTHENS OUTCOMES FOR ALL STUDENTS.
THROUGH COLLABORATION, CAPACITY BUILDING, INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORTS, AND EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES, WE ARE ENSURING THAT ALL STUDENTS IN L-A-U-S-D HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE AND BE READY FOR THE WORLD.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TODAY.
WE HAVE CONCLUDED OUR PRESENTATION, AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO THE BOARD FOR DISCUSSION.
THAT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE AND HELPFUL.
I'M OPENING IT UP TO THE COMMITTEE FOR ANY COMMENTS.
WHY DON'T WE BEGIN WITH CHRISTINA AND THEN TAMALA.
SO I ACTUALLY WAS EXCITED ABOUT THIS WHOLE TOPIC BECAUSE, UM, I'VE SEEN THESE FIRES AND IF THEY'VE INTRIGUED ME, AND I'VE TAKEN A COUPLE OF THEM, AND SO WITH, WITH THERE'S MORE NEW ONES AND IT'S LIKE, OOH, I WANNA TAKE THAT ONE TOO.
LIKE I SAID, IT ALL GOES BACK TO THE SAME THING.
THERE ARE PARAS OUT THERE THAT WANNA GET EDUCATED, AND ACTUALLY THE ONE THAT REALLY INTRIGUED ME WAS THE WEBINAR FOR PARA PARAEDUCATOR SERIES.
I ACTUALLY WATCHED IT AND I RECOMMENDED THAT TO OUR SUPERVISOR.
I'M LIKE, I THINK THIS ONE IS REALLY GREAT FOR MANY OF THE NEW PARAS.
UM, I'VE BEEN A PARA FOR SO MANY YEARS, SO TO ME IT WAS LIKE, OH, I KNOW ALL OF THIS, BUT I LEARNED IT IN THE FIELD AND I KNOW A LOT OF PARAS COME IN, IT WAS LIKE, OH, I DON'T HAVE THE TRAINING, OR I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
AND I THINK THIS ONE, BERNARD WAS REALLY GOOD FOR ALL THE NEWCOMERS.
SO LIKE I SAID, I RECOMMENDED IT TO MY SUPERVISOR AND I WAS LIKE, I THINK WE SHOULD DEFINITELY, WHEN, YOU KNOW, UM, WE HAVE THOSE DAYS THAT WE CAN COME IN EARLY, THAT'S A GOOD TRAINING.
IT WAS AN ALL DAY THING,
SO LIKE I SAID, I I, I, I LIKE TO GO TO THESE TRAININGS AND I'M SURE THERE'S OTHER PARAS THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, IN DOING THIS, SO I, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, BECAUSE AS PARAS, WE SOMETIMES WE'RE JUST THROWN IN THERE, YOU KNOW, WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE KIDS, SO SOMETIMES WE WANNA HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF KNOWLEDGE AND BACKGROUND TO, YOU KNOW, TO BE PREPARED OF WHAT TO EXPECT OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, NOT EVERY CLASSROOM RUNS THE SAME WAY.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST TEACHERS BUT PAIRS BECAUSE WE'RE THE ONES THAT WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE STUDENTS.
AND THEN WE CAN ALWAYS GIVE THE TEACHER THAT FEEDBACK LIKE, HEY, THIS WORKS, THIS DOESN'T WORK.
[00:55:01]
TOUCH BASE WITH THEM AND IT'S LIKE, HOW, HOW CAN I IMPROVE MYSELF? YOU KNOW? SO DEFINITELY IT'S, IT'S A GREAT TOPIC AND THE MORE YOU GUYS PROMOTE IT OUT THERE, DEFINITELY THERE'S GONNA BE PAIRS THAT YOU'RE GONNA CATCH THEIR ATTENTION AND THEY'RE GONNA TAKE IT.SO I'LL BE SIGNING UP FOR SOME OF THESE TRAININGS, LIKE, OOH, I WANNA TAKE THAT ONE
WHY DON'T I START WITH FOLKS WHO HAVE NOT SPOKEN YET.
I WANTED TO THANK THE DIVISION OF SPECIAL ED FOR ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTING A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE, UH, DISCUSSED AND HAD FEEDBACK LAST YEAR ON THIS COMMITTEE.
UM, ESPECIALLY WITH THE LISTEN AND LEARN CAMPAIGN.
UM, I DO REMEMBER, UM, ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL, UM, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR PARA EDUCATORS.
AND I REMEMBER THIS COMMITTEE ASKING THAT WE ROLL OUT RESOURCES FOR PARENTS, UM, BECAUSE AS THE PARENTS ARE MORE INVOLVED, THE STUDENTS PRACTICE MORE SO THEY GET BETTER FASTER.
SO I WANTED TO ACTUALLY COMMEND THE, THE SPECIAL EDUCATION DIVISION FOR IMPLEMENTING THOSE THINGS.
BUT, AND, AND AS ALWAYS, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE IMPLEMENTATION CLOSER TO HOME AS THE PARENTS CONTINUE TO REQUEST.
HAVING WORKED WITH PARENTS DIRECTLY AS A SPECIAL EDUCATION OFFICE TECHNICIAN, THEY NEED, UM, THE SUPPORT, THEY NEED INFORMATION AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE TO GET IT FOR THEM.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, THE SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT FOR A LOT OF THESE CLASSES, BUT I JUST WANNA PIGGYBACK A LITTLE BIT ON THE ONBOARDING, UM, FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, THE NEWCOMERS, UH, THE PROGRAM THAT, BECAUSE I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR SEIU AND I GO INTO THE ONBOARDING, UM, ORIENTATION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SESSION, UM, A LOT OF THIS ONBOARDING TRAINING IS NOT AVAILABLE TO ALL SPECIAL EDUCATION DUE TO THE FACT THAT THERE HAVE TO BE THREE YEARS OR LESS WITH DISTRICT IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM.
SO IT'S NOT OFFERED TO EVERYONE.
UM, AND I DO KNOW THAT FOR A FACT.
SO THAT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE IDEAL THAT IT WOULD BE OFFERED TO EVERYONE THAT COULD TAKE THIS TRAINING BECAUSE A LOT OF THE, UH, TRAINING THAT WE NEED IS GOOD TO HAVE A REPETITION OF SOME THINGS.
AND THEN THE FLYERS THAT YOU ALL HAVE HERE WOULD BE GREAT TO PLACE THEM TO TALK TO THE ADMINISTRATORS, TO PLACE THEM ON THE BOARD SO THAT THE, SO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE NEW THAT MAY NOT CHECK THEIR EMAILS CAN BE ABLE TO SEE SOMETHING VISUALLY THERE.
BUT I THANK YOU FOR ALL THE CLASSES THAT YOU'RE OFFERING, BUT THE ONBOARDING SHOULD BE OPEN TO EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF THE YEARS OF SERVICE WITH DISTRICT.
BECAUSE IF WE WERE NOT DOING IT BEFORE, THERE ARE FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN WORKING WITH US FOR A LONG TIME WHO NEVER RECEIVED IT, SO TOTALLY AGREE WITH THAT.
IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY HAS A RESPONSE TO THAT.
IF I, IF I MAY, JACKIE MORA, DIVISION OF SPECIAL ED BEHAVIOR SUPPORT DEPARTMENT COORDINATOR.
UM, THAT IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED.
UM, WE STARTED WITH ONBOARDING FOR ALL OF OUR NEW PARAS, AND WHAT WE FOUND WAS THROUGH THE LISTEN AND LEARN CAMPAIGN THAT WE NEEDED MORE TRAININGS IN THE REGION.
SO WHAT WE DID, YOU DON'T HAVE A FLYER FOR IT, BUT WE EXPANDED THE TRAINING.
SO THE SAME TRAINING THAT WE PROVIDE FOR ALL OF THE NEW PARAS AVAILABLE THROUGH REGISTRATION, WE ACTUALLY DID ONE, UM, IN EVERY SINGLE REGION.
AND NEXT YEAR WE WILL BE EXPANDING THAT TO MORE, BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT OUR TEAM CAN ONLY TRAIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PEOPLE AT ONE TIME.
BUT THE MORE TRAINEES YOU PROVIDE, THE MORE PARAS WILL HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AND I WANT TO TELL YOU, CHRISTINA, I WAS THE PARA EDUCATOR FOR 10 YEARS FOR THIS DISTRICT, AND I HAD ZERO TRAINING.
THAT WAS MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
IT IS NO TIME, UM, UM, COMING THAT WE NEEDED TRAINING FOR OUR PARAS, AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT FOR YEARS.
BUT THIS YEAR WE HAVE TRULY EXPANDED THE ONBOARDING TRAINING THAT WE HAVE FOR NOT ONLY NEW PARAS, BUT FOR ALL OF OUR PARAS THROUGH OUR SATURDAY TRAININGS ALSO.
AND WE ARE GOING, WE ARE LISTENING, AND WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE IT EVEN MORE OFTEN.
I'M WONDERING, DO THEY GET CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION? IS THERE YES, DEFINITELY.
UM, SO ALL OF OUR TRAININGS ARE PUT INTO, INTO MY PLN.
SO ONCE A PARAPROFESSIONAL HAS COMPLETED THE TRAINING COMPLETELY, THEY ARE GIVEN CREDIT AND THEN THEY CAN PRINT OUT THEIR OWN CERTIFICATE.
I SEE CHRISTINA NODDING HER HEAD.
UH, CHRISTINA, YOU SAW ME AT THE TRAINING.
I REMEMBER SEEING YOU AT THE TRAININGS.
UM, YEAH, THEY GET TO PRINT OUT THEIR CERTIFICATE SO THAT THEY CAN SHOW, LOOK AT ALL THE THINGS I'VE DONE, AND THEY CAN, IF IT'S A TRAINING DURING THE WEEK, DURING THE WORK WEEK, THEY CAN TAKE THAT CERTIFICATE BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATOR SO THE ADMINISTRATOR KNOWS THEY ACTUALLY ATTENDED THE TRAININGS.
ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT, SCOTT? YEAH.
UH, SLIDES 18 AND 19 TALK ABOUT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND YOU HAVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS, FOR PRINCIPALS, AND FOR
[01:00:01]
PARAPROFESSIONALS.NOW I BELIEVE IN DIFFERENTIATION, BUT I ALSO BELIEVE IN NOT HAVING SILOS.
SO HOW DO THESE THREE GROUPS, SPECIFICALLY TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS, AND PARAPROFESSIONALS, HOW DO THEY SUPPORT EACH OTHER? HOW DO THEY KNOW WHAT EACH GROUP HAS LEARNED TO SHARE THE INFORMATION? ACTUALLY, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL TAKE DOWN AND JOT DOWN AND TAKE IT BACK AND BRING IT, UH, AND GET A RESPONSE FOR YOU.
I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING BECAUSE I, I THINK AS A SPECIAL ED TEACHER, I WISH I COULD HAVE GONE TO TRAINING WITH MY PARA AND WE BOTH, I MEAN, YOU COLLABORATE ALL THE TIME, SO IF YOU CAN BE IN THE SAME SPACE, HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS, IT IS REALLY HELPFUL.
SO IF IT'S NOT HAPPENING, I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO CREATE THOSE TRAININGS SO THAT EVERYBODY, AND I AGREE WITH ADMIN AS WELL.
I, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT MY PRINCIPAL LEARNED AT THE MEETING TOO.
OKAY, SO I'M GOING TO BE THAT PERSON TODAY.
ONE IS, WHEN YOU MENTIONED SUPPORT FOR ALL STUDENTS OR THE DEAF ED, ARE THEY INCLUDED IN THE ALL AS AN EX PARA MYSELF, UM, I REQUESTED TO WORK BECAUSE I DO SIGN, I REQUESTED TO WORK IN, UM, A DEAF SCHOOL, SO I WAS PREPARED.
BUT HOW DO YOU TRAIN? UM, OR CAN YOU GET SOME ONBOARDING TO TRAIN PARAS THAT ARE COMING TO WORK IN THOSE ENVIRONMENTS? BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CULTURE SHOCK.
SO MAYBE I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT MY PLN, UM, MAYBE HAVING SOME TRAINING ON, UM, THAT, THAT COMMUNITY WOULD BE GOOD.
AND THEN CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW THE PHOENIX ACADEMY CAME TO BE? SO I'M GONNA, UM, ADD FOR THE PARA TRAINING.
UM, SO NEXT YEAR COMING, WE WILL HAVE MORE ONLINE PPL, MY PLN TRAININGS FOR ALL OF OUR STAFF, UM, ESPECIALLY OUR PARAS.
AND THROUGH THAT, THE, THE DIVISION HAS BEEN WORKING WITH OUR DEAF COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE, UM, MODULES SPECIFIC FOR THAT POPULATION.
SO NOT ONLY WILL EVERYONE BE ABLE TO GET THE BASIC, BUT THEY'LL GET THESE SPECIALIZED PIECES.
SO, UM, WE'RE EXPANDING OUR TRAININGS FOR ALL OF OUR PARAS FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
AND I'M GONNA LET SOMEONE ELSE ANSWER ABOUT PHOENIX ACADEMY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION.
'CAUSE THIS IS MY PASSION, SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND RESPOND.
SO WILSON HIGH SCHOOL HAD THE PHOENIX, THE FIRST PHOENIX ACADEMY.
UM, AND WHEN NORTH WAS CONSIDERING OPEN UP THIS PRO, I WAS CONSIDERING OPENING UP THE PROGRAM AND NORTH, UM, I SPENT THE WHOLE DAY OBSERVING AND SEEING WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS, HOW TO PSYCHOLOGIST, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT HER ROLE WAS AND WHAT THE TEACHERS DO, WHAT TYPE OF, UH, HOW DO STUDENTS GET REFERRED TO THIS PROGRAM.
SO, UM, THE SYSTEM WAS THERE AND WE ADOPTED IT FOR THE NORTH IN THE SENSE THAT WE, IT'S A REFERRAL PROCESS.
STUDENTS WITH, UM, IEPS WHO ARE EMOTIONAL, WHO HAVE EMOTIONAL DISABILITY MOSTLY, WHO NEED A STRUCTURED SETTING THAT IS NOT AN NPS, BUT MORE OF A GEN ED CAMPUS, BUT ON A SITE WHERE IT'S SIGN UP KIND OF SECLUDED IN AN AREA BECAUSE A LOT OF THE STUDENTS ARE DEPRESSED, THEY'RE ANXIOUS, THEY CAN'T GET TO SCHOOL, THEY CAN'T GET, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THE INTENT TO GET OUT THE DOOR, THEY PUT THEIR CLOTHES OUT IN THE MORNING, BUT THEY JUST CAN'T MAKE IT OUT THAT DOOR.
AND, UM, SO IT'S ON A DIFFERENT, LIKE, PART OF THE CAMPUS, BUT IT'S STILL GEN ED.
IT'S CONSIDERED A SPECIAL DAY PROGRAM AND IT'S A VERY THERAPEUTIC 'CAUSE YOU HAVE A SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST WHO'S THERE, UM, FULL-TIME WHO PROVIDES THE EDUCATIONALLY UM, RELATED INTENSIVE COUNSELING SERVICES TO THEM.
AND THEN YOU HAVE A REFERRAL PROCESS BECAUSE WE WANNA ENSURE AS WELL THAT IT'S A LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT IS BEING ALWAYS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND WE DON'T JUST TAKE STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT AS SIGNIFICANT AND THEY DON'T NEED IT.
AND THERE'S A MAXIMUM NUMBER OF STUDENTS WE CAN TAKE BASED ON THE NUMBER OF WHAT SPECIAL ED SAYS.
DOES THAT GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND? YES.
UM, WHEN YOU SAY THERAPEUTIC, LIKE ARE THERE LCS WS ON CAMPUS? UH, PS WS ON CAMPUS.
SO I WILL SAY THAT SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS HAVE THAT UNIQUE TRAINING WITH EDUCATION AND MENTAL HEALTH WHERE WE COULD BRING THAT IN AND SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS PROVIDE THE ERIC'S COUNSELING ON THE SITES.
AND, UH, WHAT WE MEAN IS THAT WE DO PROVIDE, WHERE YOU GUYS WERE SPEAKING ABOUT THE PARAPROFESSIONALS AND HOW DOES THE TEAM WORK TOGETHER.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THEY DO IS THEY MEET WITH THE PSYCHOLOGIST, THEY MEET WITH THE TEACHERS AND THE PARAPROFESSIONALS AS A FAMILY AS A COMMUNITY, AND THEY DISCUSS, UH, CASES BECAUSE THERE ARE HIGH INTENSE NEEDS AND SIGNIFICANT BEHAVIOR.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE STUDENTS ARE ALWAYS
[01:05:01]
BEING WATCHED.IF WE SEE SIGNS, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE STUDENTS ARE NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, MASKING THINGS.
SO IT'S A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS AND THEY GET EDUCATED AS WELL ON FACTORS OF WHAT DEPRESSION COULD LOOK LIKE, WHAT THE ANXIETY COULD LOOK LIKE.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF TRAINING TO MAKE SURE, UM, THE STUDENTS ARE, YOU KNOW, THE PARAS AND THE TEACHERS ARE WELL AWARE BECAUSE IT'S VERY SIGNIFICANT BEHAVIORS, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S COVERED.
LET ME JUST GIVE SPACE TO, LET ME ASK MARIA IF SHE HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SAY.
HOW, HOW COULD YOU HAVE THESE WORKSHOPS IN SCHOOL? BECAUSE AS A PARENT, WE DON'T KNOW.
AS A PARENT, I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW CAN WE HAVE WORKSHOPS IN SCHOOLS? HOW CAN WE MAKE THEM, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THESE WORKSHOPS AS PARENTS.
AND EVEN THERE ARE HERE AT SCHOOLS IN GENERAL SCHOOLS, THEY'LL HAVE SOME, BUT FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, THERE AREN'T ANY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'D LIKE TO KNOW AS PARENTS IN SCHOOLS.
SO THAT WAY WE'D BE ABLE TO INVOLVE OURSELVES MORE AS PARENTS FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN IN SPECIAL EDUCATION, BECAUSE THERE ISN'T.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION.
UM, MOST IMPORTANTLY, AS A PARENT, YOU HAVE A LOT OF POWER.
YOU HAVE A LOT OF SAY YOUR VOICE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND SO THEREFORE, IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING.
IF YOU'RE AT A SCHOOL SITE, IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE NOT GETTING YOUR NEEDS MET, THEN IT'S TIME TO SPEAK UP.
DON'T GO AND SPEAK TO THE TEACHER.
TOUCH BASE WITH THE PRINCIPAL, TOUCH BASE WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR AND LET THEM KNOW, HEY, I HEARD ABOUT ALL THESE GREAT PROGRAMS, BUT WE'RE NOT, WE DON'T HAVE THEM HERE AT THE SCHOOL.
WE DO WE NEED TO DO TO BRING THESE PROGRAMS INTO THE SCHOOL.
SO TOUCHING BASE WITH THE RESOURCES THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE AT THE SCHOOL.
ALSO, UM, PARENT CENTERS HOLD SPECIAL EDUCATION MEETINGS.
SO IF THERE IS, UM, QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE AND THE SCHOOL'S NOT HOLDING IT, THAT'S SOMETHING TO ALSO, AS, AS MIRIAM MENTIONED, TO LET THE ADMINISTRATORS KNOW.
BECAUSE SPECIAL EDUCATION ALWAYS HOLDS A PARENT CENTER.
AND WE PRESENT, I KNOW PSYCHOLOGISTS HAVE PRESENTED, I KNOW OUR INTERNS PRESENT AT THE SCHOOL SITES.
UM, AND WE JUST DISCUSS THE TOPICS THAT PCT ALSO DISCUSSES.
SO WE BRING THOSE INTO THE SCHOOL, AND I BELIEVE THEY DO OFFER A HYBRID MODELS AT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, DEPENDING ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
IF PARENTS ARE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND IN PERSON, UM, THEY ALSO OFFER FOR THEM TO GO AHEAD AND ZOOM IN.
BUT I, AGAIN, LIKE MARIA SAID, I THINK SPEAKING UP AND SAYING, WHY ARE THESE MEETINGS NOT BEING HELD, PERHAPS WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO GO.
AND I, I WANNA JUST, UM, I APPRECIATE YOU ENCOURAGING PARENTS TO SPEAK UP AND USE THEIR VOICE.
AND I'VE HEARD FROM PARENTS, INCLUDING HERE IN OUR COMMITTEE, WHO'VE SAID THAT THEY HAVE DONE THAT AND STILL NOTHING HAPPENS.
OR THAT THEY'RE DISCOURAGED FROM EVEN COMMUNICATING WITH ONE ANOTHER ABOUT THE IEP AND SUPPORTING ONE ANOTHER WITH, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE PROCESS.
AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY DOES FEEL SAFE TO SPEAK UP.
AND SO CREATING THESE ENVIRONMENTS, UH, UH, BELONGING AND SAFETY AND WELCOMING IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR PARENTS.
UM, SO I WANNA GO BACK TO HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THIS MESSAGE GETS OUT TO THE REGIONS, TO THE PRINCIPALS, TO EVERYBODY AT A SCHOOL SITE, SO THAT WHEN A PARENT DOES COME UP AND THEN THE PRINCIPAL'S REMINDED, LIKE, OH, YEAH, I AM SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO DO IS LET ME CALL, YOU KNOW, THE DISTRICT AND FIND OUT WHO CAN COME AND DO A WORKSHOP.
BUT IF WE CAN MAKE THAT ACCESSIBLE, I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN HAVE A, A CHECKLIST OR SOMETHING, BUT, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, TO SEE THAT AT SCHOOLS.
UM, ANYBODY ELSE? WE HAVE A FEW MORE MINUTES.
UM, YES, KENYA, UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY LIKE A BIG, BIG THANK YOU TO THE PHOENIX ACADEMY.
'CAUSE I, LIKE, AS A MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER, I ADORE FINDING PLACES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR MY STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW GRADE LEVEL, BUT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT MENTAL HEALTH, BEHAVIORAL, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL IMPACT.
AND I FIND THAT THIS IS A GAP IN OUR DISTRICT, A MASSIVE GAP, SMALL CLASSROOM SETTINGS FOR CHILDREN WHO STILL NEED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SUPPORT.
UM, SO I'VE DEFINITELY RUN ACROSS PHOENIX ACADEMY AND MY RESEARCH FOR SOME OF MY EIGHTH GRADERS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE BY THE END OF MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE GET REALLY CONCERNED WITH STUDENTS WHO HAVE HAD IEPS SINCE EARLY ELEMENTARY.
AND STILL, WITH ALL THE SUPPORTS WE'RE GIVING, WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN BEHAVIORS AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL NEEDS.
[01:10:01]
PHOENIX ACADEMY IS JUST SUCH AN AWESOME OPTION THAT FITS THIS POPULATION OF STUDENTS THAT REALLY IS UNDER SERVICED, APPROACHING AND AT GRADE LEVEL CHILDREN WHO STILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT LIMITED ACCESS TO THE CURRICULUM.SO I THINK IT'S GREAT TO HAVE A RIGOROUS ENVIRONMENT THAT'S A SMALL GROUP SETTING, BECAUSE I'M FINDING SO MANY CHILDREN THAT I'M COMING ACROSS WHERE THAT'S THE BENEFIT, BUT THE ONLY OPTION WE CAN GENERALLY PROVIDE THEM IS AN SLD OR AN OC CORE, WHICH ACADEMICALLY DOES NOT MEET THEIR NEEDS AND WOULD IN TURN NOT PROVIDE THEM FAPE.
SO I THINK IT'S REALLY GREAT THAT WE HAVE THESE OPTIONS THAT ADDRESS THOSE ACADEMICALLY HIGHER PERFORMING CHILDREN WHO STILL NEED ALL OUR LOVE AND ATTENTION AND LIKE, SUPPORT.
I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT PHOENIX ACADEMY.
I'M SURE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
AND I'M WONDERING IF IT'S AN OPTION THAT IS WHEN THE, WHEN YOU ALREADY KNOW RIGHT, THAT THE STUDENT MAY BE, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD PLACEMENT FOR THEM.
IS THAT OFFERED AT, SO IT'S NOT OFFERED BECAUSE IT'S, AGAIN, LIKE I MENTIONED, WHERE IT'S, IT'S A VERY SIGNIFICANT, THERE'S A LIMITED NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT MAY ATTEND BECAUSE OF THE PROGRAM, BUT ALSO WE DON'T WANT IT JUST OFFERED BECAUSE IT ALSO MAKES A DIFFERENCE ON THE, UM, SEVERITY OF A STUDENT AS KENYA MENTIONED.
UM, IT'S, IT'S A A TO G UH, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY TAKE COLLEGE READY, WHATEVER COURSEWORK, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE KIDS WHO HAVE AVERAGE OR ABOVE COGNITION WHERE THEY'RE ABLE TO ACCESS THE CURRICULUM, BUT THEY ALL ALSO TAKING MAYBE SOMETIMES COLLEGE CLASSES.
UM, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY, THEY'RE JUST NOT PLACING THEM JUST FOR THE SAKE OF, THIS IS A PLACEMENT, LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO IT.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT NEED INSTEAD OF, UM, DOING IT, THERE'S A REFERRAL PROCESS.
AND WE'VE ESTABLISHED ALSO A DIFFERENT PROCESS WHERE THEY WOULD COME TO CASE REVIEW WITH THE SPECIALIST WITHIN EACH REGION PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES SPECIALIST, WHERE WE WOULD REVIEW THESE REPORTS AND THEN CONSIDER DIFFERENT OP OPTIONS.
AND THEN WE ALSO INVITE PARENTS IF THEY SEEM LIKE THEY MAY BE A GOOD FIT TO COME AND OBSERVE THE PROGRAM, BECAUSE WE WANT PARENT BUY-IN WITHOUT PARENT BUY-IN THE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO PULL 'EM OUT OF THE HOUSE TO BRING 'EM TO THE SCHOOL.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE PARENTS ARE BUYING IN TO HELP SUPPORT US IN THAT PROCESS TO GET THEM TO SCHOOL OR GET THEM ON THE BUS TO GET TO SCHOOL.
UM, SO IT'S A REFERRAL PROCESS.
AND THEN IEP TEAMS MAY CONSIDER THE CONTINUUM OF PLACEMENT NEEDS, INCLUDING PHOENIX, UH, DEPENDING ON IF PHOENIX IS ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENT AS WELL.
AS, AS A TEACHER, I WILL SAY IT WAS A PAIN TRYING TO BRING THIS UP AT MY SCHOOL.
UM, I DO THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE TRANSPARENCY AND LIKE DISBURSEMENT OF INFORMATION DIRECTLY TO TEACHERS, BECAUSE I HAVE GONE TO MY ADMINISTRATION ASKING FOR WHAT ARE OPTIONS FOR CHILDREN THAT FIT THIS KIND OF CATEGORY? AND PHOENIX ACADEMY WAS NOT ON THEIR RADAR, UM, AS WELL AS LIKE COMMUNITY DAY SCHOOLS WEREN'T THERE.
SO OF OFTENTIMES ON OUR END, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF OUR OWN RESEARCH AS TEACHERS AND LIKE TALKING TO ONE ANOTHER.
BUT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THIS IS COMMUNICATED TO US IN A WAY THAT LIKE, THIS IS THE UMBRELLA OF OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU GUYS KIND OF CAN LOOK AT.
BUT LIKE YOU SAID, LIKE IT'S AN APPLICATION PROCESS.
SO I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE EXPLICITLY COMMUNICATED TOO, BECAUSE THERE'S PROGRAMS ALSO LIKE IDEC THAT'S ALSO AN APPLICATION PROCESS AND TWICE EXCEPTIONAL.
SO I THINK THERE'S THINGS THAT NEED TO BE SHARED WITH US THAT LIKE, THIS ISN'T, UH, A RESOURCE, BUT THIS IS HOW THE RESOURCE IS ACCESSED.
AND OFTENTIMES I DON'T FIND THAT THAT INFORMATION IS READILY AVAILABLE TO NOT JUST THE ADMINISTRATION, BUT THE TEACHERS AS A WHOLE.
WE'RE ALL KIND OF DOING HALLWAY TALK, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP AND WHAT'S THE NEXT OPTION.
SO I DO HOPE THAT WE CAN GET SOME OF THIS INFORMATION DIRECTLY TO THE SCHOOL SITES.
'CAUSE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE I TALKED TO DIDN'T KNOW WHAT PHOENIX ACADEMY WAS.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S, IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY.
BUT YEAH, JUST MORE INFORMATION.
YEAH, AND TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT, AND IT IS WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE EARLIER, IT'S LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE MORE THAT PARAS KNOW I SPEAK AS, AS A PARA, I WAS LIKE, THE MORE WE KNOW, THE MORE WE CAN SPREAD IT OUT.
BECAUSE IT'S HAPPENED WHERE IT'S LIKE, HEY, I LEARNED THIS, YOU KNOW, AND I, AND I FEEL THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS COMMITTEE.
WE LEARN A LOT OF THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE TRANSITIONING CENTER, I, YOU KNOW, I KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS IN IT, BUT I WAS LIKE, WHAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT WORLD? I WAS LIKE, AND I EVEN TOLD MY SUPERVISOR, IF I LEAVE, YOU KNOW, MY SCHOOL SITE IS TO DO THAT BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS OUT THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NOT AWARE OF.
AND THEN SO I COME BACK AND I SHARE IT WITH MY COWORKERS OR LIKE, HEY, THIS, YOU KNOW, I LEARNED THIS OR I LEARNED THAT.
AND LIKE KENYA SAID, IT'S LIKE WE DO OUR OWN RESEARCH BECAUSE WE'RE INTERESTED, YOU KNOW? AND, UM, I ACTUALLY, THIS WEEKEND I WENT TO CAREER LADDER, UM, FAIR.
UM, AND I BROUGHT BACK THE, THE ONE THAT SAYS THE IEP AND YOU, RIGHT? AND IT HAD ALL THIS ABBREVIATION AND I, I WAS LIKE, OOH, LET ME TAKE IT TO MY COWORKERS.
AND I WAS LIKE, HEY GIRLS, I BROUGHT YOU THIS.
AND IT'S A, IT'S A BRIEF, UM, RUNDOWN OF EVERYTHING.
AND THEN LIKE, IF WE CAN EXPAND, OH, THESE TRAININGS ARE
[01:15:01]
SPECIFIC FOR THIS, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS GROUP AND STUFF.UM, AND THEN WE WERE TALKING WITH THE COWORKERS.
SHE'S LIKE, OH, I'M, YOU KNOW, WORRIED ABOUT MY DAUGHTER AND THEN BECAUSE I'M A SPECIAL, UM, I'M, I'M AN EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT MAJOR.
I WAS LIKE, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S NORMAL BECAUSE SHE'S STILL LEARNING.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, SO THEN LIKE I SAID, IT GOES BACK TO THE EXPERIENCE THAT I HAVE IN SO MANY YEARS OF, OF, YOU KNOW, OF EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND YOU DON'T GETTING INTO SPECIAL ED, IT'S LIKE, SO EVERYTHING IS BY WORD OF MOUTH.
THE MORE THAT WE KNOW, THE MORE WE CAN SPREAD IT OUT.
OR, HEY, LET ME FIND OUT WHO CAN GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION.
YOU KNOW, AND THE WORD OF MOUTH, LIKE SHE SAYS SOMETIMES IN THE HALLWAYS, HEY, YOU KNOW, CATCH THIS TRAINING OR DO THIS, OR, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THE MORE YOU GUYS PROMOTE IT OUT THERE, IT'S GONNA CATCH SOMEBODY'S ATTENTION AND THAT PERSON CAN SPREAD IT OUT TO EVERYONE AND EXPAND IT.
FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THAT, UM, ALL OF THE TRAININGS AND PDS THAT YOU'VE, UM, UM, COMMUNICATE WITH US IS SO IMPORTANT FOR THE, NOT ONLY THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS WHO WANNA ENTER THIS FIELD AND KNOWING THAT WORKING WITH L-A-U-S-D, THIS IS ALL OF THE SUPPORT THAT YOU WILL BE RECEIVING.
SO, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT ENCOURAGES, UM, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT TO ENTER INTO THIS WORK AND WANNA WORK FOR L-A-U-S-D AND ALSO FOR RETENTION, BECAUSE THE MORE WE'RE PROVIDING THAT CAPACITY, THOSE STRATEGIES AND RESEARCH, UM, WE ABLE TO RETAIN, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE THIS IS, THIS IS AN AREA, UM, THAT WE LOSE A LOT OF FOLKS BECAUSE IT IS, IT IS VERY INTENSE.
IT'S VERY HARD WORK, AND YOU NEED TO HAVE CONSTANT, YOU KNOW, UM, SUPPORTS AND TRAININGS AND, AND ALL THAT.
SO THIS IS BEAUTIFUL AND THIS IS GREAT.
AND THE MORE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, UM, BUILD UPON, UM, THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINEES, I THINK IT WOULD BE I IMPORTANT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AS CHRISTINA WAS SPEAKING AND ALSO KENYA, UM, I THINK WE NEED TO BE MORE INTENTIONAL AND SORT OF, IT IS NOT JUST WORD OF MOUTH BECAUSE YOU KNOW ABOUT THESE TRAININGS AND YOU WANNA SHARE, WONDERING IF WE CAN CREATE, UM, LIAISONS, LIKE CHRISTINA CAN BE A LIAISON SO YOU CAN CONNECT WITH HER SO THAT SHE CAN COMMUNICATE WITH HER, UM, COLLEAGUES ON, ON ALL OF THESE TRAININGS.
AND I'M ALSO WONDERING, IS THERE A MENTORSHIP PROGRAM? SO PRO PROFESSIONALS WHO HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, WORKING FOR 10 PLUS YEARS CAN ALSO BE THERE AS SUPPORTS FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR A NEW, YOU KNOW, A NEW SORT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, UM, PARAPROFESSIONALS.
SO WONDERING IF THAT IS IN PLACE, LIKE A MENTORSHIP PROGRAM, A LIAISON.
SO IT'S NOT JUST ON WORD OF MOUTH, BUT IT'S MORE INTENTIONAL THAT YOU'RE, THERE IS SOMEBODY IN YOUR SCHOOL OR, UM, IN YOUR CLUSTER OF SCHOOLS THAT HAS ALL OF THIS INFORMATION AND SHE'S THE PERSON, SHE OR HE ARE, ARE, YOU KNOW, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU CAN CONNECT WITH.
UM, ANYWAY, JUST SOME THOUGHTS THAT CAME AS I WAS LISTENING TO, TO ALL THIS.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS A, A BIG, UM, GRATEFULNESS AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, KNOWING THAT THE, THESE TRAININGS ARE BEING DEVELOPED AND THEY'RE BEING OFFERED.
UM, BUT I THINK IT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO REALLY SPREAD IT, YOU KNOW, AND SO THAT THERE'S MORE SORT OF CONNECTIONS THAT ARE OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS CAN MAKE IN THIS.
SO, UM, AND I LOVE CHRISTINA'S JUST YOUR ENTHUSIASM.
IT'S LIKE, OH MY GOD, I WANT, IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMEBODY LIKE ME IS LIKE, OH, THAT'S SOME GREAT RESEARCH.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I LOVE THAT ENTHUSIASM OF YOURS.
SO ANYWAY, JUST SOME THOUGHTS.
SHE'S BASICALLY AN EXEMPLARY PARAPROFESSIONAL.
I WOULD'VE LOVED TO HAVE YOU NOT, I LOVE MY PARAPROFESSIONALS TOO THOUGH, BUT YOU OBVIOUSLY ARE VERY EXEMPLARY.
UM, ANY OTHER LAST WORDS FROM YES, ELIZABETH? HI.
UM, I THINK WHAT WE ARE MISSING A LITTLE HERE, UH, NOT ALL PARAPROFESSIONALS ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE INFORMATION THAT CHRISTIAN CHRISTINA IS SHARING.
NOW, IT MAY DIFFER DEPENDING ON WHAT AREA YOU IN.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PARAS THAT ARE NEW TO THE DISTRICT.
SOME ADMINISTRATORS ARE NOT SHARING INFORMATION THAT YOU GUYS HAVE EVEN AT THE PRINCIPAL'S MEETING.
SO A LOT OF OUR MEMBERS ARE NOT GETTING THIS.
AND, UH, JUST, WE WERE JUST SPEAKING ON THE ONBOARDING.
THERE IS NO CERTIFICATE GIVEN TO THE MEMBERS THAT ARE COMPLETING.
THEY'RE ASKED TO COMPLETE AN EVALUATIONS AT THE END OF THE ONBOARDING.
THERE'S NO CERTIFICATE GIVEN TO THEM FOR THOSE TRAININGS.
AND SO I, I THINK WE JUST NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MINDFUL TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PRINCIPALS ARE SHARING THIS INFORMATION.
IF YOU GUYS ARE GIVING THESE FLYERS TO THAT ADMIN, IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT THAT THEY SHARE.
'CAUSE A LOT OF OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS ARE STRUGGLING AT THESE WORK SITES.
I'M NOT GONNA SIT HERE AND MAKE SURE, MAKE YOU GUYS THINK THAT IT'S ALL PEACHES AND CREAM.
IT MIGHT BE PEACHES AND CREAMS AT HER WORK SITE.
BUT BECAUSE I'M A VICE PRESIDENT AND I SEE A LOT OF ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON IN WORK SITES, AND I'M A ADVOCATE FOR MY MEMBERS FOR ALL AREAS, NOT JUST ONE AREA.
[01:20:01]
VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE COMMUNICATE WITH OUR PRINCIPALS AND OUR ADMINS TO LET THEM KNOW THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THESE MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE THIS INFORMATION, PLACE INFORMATION ON THE BOARD, GIVE IT TO THEM IN THEIR SIGN IN AND SIGN OUT SHEETS, MAKE SURE THEY'RE POSTED IN THE CAFETERIA AREA ALL OVER SO THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF WHAT THEY CAN DO AND HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT THE STUDENTS AND BE A BETTER ADVOCATE FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.AND I MEAN, FRANKLY, THE MORE TRAINING THAT ALL OF US RECEIVE, THE BETTER WE WILL BE FOR OUR STUDENTS, RIGHT? SO IT ALL OF US SHOULD, UM, HAVE THESE TRAININGS, UM, ACCESSIBLE.
ANY LAST WORDS? LAST CALL? ALL RIGHT.
WELL I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
I WANNA GIVE SOME LOVE TO OUR BEHAVIOR SUPPORT TEAM.
I'VE REACHED OUT WHEN I WAS A TEACHER AND YOU ALL CAME AND HELPED ME OBSERVE STUDENTS WRITE NOTES, HELP ME WITH THAT.
AND OF COURSE WE LOVE OUR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS 'CAUSE YOU'RE JUST ALWAYS THERE AND VERY SUPPORTIVE AND OUR EEC TEACHERS AND ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT YOU DO.
UM, WE HEARD SOME GREAT THINGS, SOME GREAT IDEAS.
WE HAVE GATHERED ALL OF THESE, UM, IDEAS.
WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT THESE TO THE DIVISION OF SPECIAL ED AS RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO PRESENT IT TO THE BOARD.
AND, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOME WORK IS ALREADY HAPPENING FROM LAST YEAR'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
THAT IS AWESOME, AWESOME IDEAS.
AND THEY SHOULD NOT COST THAT MUCH MONEY.
IF WE CAN GIVE HIM A STIPEND, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
SO WE GOTTA FIND SOME MONEY FOR STIPENDS.
AND THEN I, I APPRECIATE WHAT, UM, SCOTT OFFERED NOT, UH, WORKING IN SILOS.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS INTEGRATED.
I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SHARE THAT WHEN WE SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS IN THE SPECIAL ED PROGRAM, WE'RE SUPPORTING EVERYONE, RIGHT? AND SO WE WANNA KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE MAKE DECISIONS THAT WHEN WE ARE DOING THIS, WE ARE INVESTING IN EVERYONE AT OUR SCHOOL SITES.
I'M GONNA HAND IT OFF TO MR. MCLEAN
[III. Public Comment]
FOR, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT.ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF FOLKS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'LL CALL ON THE FOLKS WHO LISTED THEMSELVES AS BEING HERE IN PERSON FIRST, AND THEN WE WILL CALL ON THOSE WHO LISTED THEMSELVES AS BEING REMOTE.
ALRIGHT, SO ELLIOT PACK, ARE YOU HERE? ELLIOT P COME ON DOWN.
YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
MY NAME IS ELLIOT PACK AND I'M A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT AT LARGEMONT CHARTER SCHOOL.
CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN A CIVICS PROJECT.
UH, ME AND MY, MY PARTNER AND I CONDUCTED RESEARCH ON PHONE POLICIES AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ACROSS LOS ANGELES AREA SCHOOLS, INCLUDING SEVERAL L-A-U-S-D CAMPUSES.
LA USD'S CURRENT POLICY REQUIRES THAT PERSONAL DEVICES BE TURNED OFF AND STORED AWAY UNLESS A TEACHER GIVES PERMISSION.
WHILE THIS POLICY IS CLEAR, OUR RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT IT MAY BE OVERLY RESTRICTIVE AND DIFFICULT TO IMPLEMENT EFFECTIVELY IN REAL CLASSROOMS. WE SURVEYED STUDENTS FROM MULTIPLE HIGH SCHOOLS WITH DIFFERENT PHONE POLICIES, AND THE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT STRICT PHONE RESTRICTIONS DO NOT NECESSARILY LEAD TO STUDENTS VIEWING THOSE POLICIES.
MANY STUDENTS SUPPORTED THAT HIGHLY RESTRICTIVE POLICIES OFTEN RESULT IN INCONSISTENT ENFORCEMENT AND FRUSTRATION, FRUSTRATION RATHER THAN IMPROVED CLASSROOM FOCUS.
OUR DATA ALSO SHOWED THAT MOST STUDENTS SUPPORTED ONLY LOW TO MODERATE LEVELS OF DISTRACTION FROM PHONES.
IN ADDITION, MANY STUDENTS SHARED THAT PHONES CAN SUPPORT LEARNING WHEN USED APPROPRIATELY.
FOR EXAMPLE, ACCESSING INFORMATION QUICKLY WHEN SCHOOL ISSUED DEVICES ARE LIMITED OR BLOCKED AT THE SAME TIME.
STUDENTS WERE HONEST, THAT PHONES CAN ALSO BECOME DISTRACTIONS THROUGH TEXTING, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND OTHER NON-ACADEMIC USE.
THE SOLUTION SHOULD NOT BE A COMPLETE BAN, BUT RATHER A BALANCED POLICY THAT REFLECTS HOW STUDENTS ACTUALLY LEARN.
WHEN ASKED WHAT POLICIES WORK.
BEST STUDENTS COMMONLY SUPPORTED ALLOWING PHONE USE DURING BREAKS AND LUNCH, WHILE GIVING TEACHERS CLEAR BUT FLEXIBLE CONTROL OVER PHONE USE IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. BASED ON OUR FINDINGS, WE RECOMMEND THAT L-A-U-S-D RECONSIDER ITS CURRENT APPROACH AND ADOPT A MORE BALANCED POLICY THAT LIMITS PHONE USE DURING INSTRUCTION TIME, WHILE ALLOW, ALLOWING APPROPRIATE USE DURING NON-INSTRUCTIONAL TIME.
EFFECTIVE POLICY IS NOT ABOUT BEING THE STRICTEST, IT IS ABOUT CREATING ROLES THAT STUDENTS WILL RESPECT, TEACHERS CAN ENFORCE, AND CLASSROOMS CAN REALISTICALLY SUSTAIN.
AUDREY GRANT, ARE YOU HERE? AUDREY GRANT, SHE'S, UH, ON LOCKDOWN AT HER SCHOOL.
AUDREY GRANT IS NOT HERE RIGHT NOW.
[01:25:01]
ON FOLKS WHO ARE LISTED AS SPEAKING REMOTE.SHIRLEY GRUBER, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? I DO NOT HAVE SHIRLEY GRUBER ON THE LINE.
PARENT, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? YES.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
GOOD AFTERNOON COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
I WANNA POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS REGARDING SAFETY AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING AS THEY PERTAIN TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
SPECIFICALLY, THERE IS A SENSE THAT SAFETY IS ONLY PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL.
UH, THERE IS A COMPONENT WHERE IT HAS TO BE ALSO EDUCATIONAL.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT IN ORDER FOR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR EDUCATION, THEY NEED TO BE PROVIDED WITH AN APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTION.
APPROPRIATE SERVICES IMPLEMENTED APPROPRIATELY AND FIDELITY.
NOW, SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT YOU SHOW HERE ARE POSITIVE, AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT WE SOMETIMES HAVE TO HEAR ABOUT THE NEGATIVE.
THE NEGATIVE IS THAT SOME STUDENTS EXPERIENCE NOT FEELING SAFE BECAUSE TEACHERS ARE NOT TRAINED.
AND WHEN WE SAY TEACHERS, I BELIEVE WE NEED TO MAKE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN GENERAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AND SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS BECAUSE IT'S A COMMON TOPIC THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION IS ONLY DELIVERED IN SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSES, AND THAT IS JUST NOT TRUE.
IT'S DELIVERED MOSTLY IN GENERAL EDUCATION SETTINGS.
SO WHEN TEACHERS PARAPROFESSIONALS ARE NOT PROVIDED WITH THE REQUIREMENT TO TAKE THESE, UM, TRAININGS, OR THAT THEY NEED TO BE TRAINED, BECAUSE THAT IN TURN IMPACTS STUDENTS' ACCESS TO DISABILITY WITH DISABILITIES TO BE PLACED IN MORE RESTRICTIVE SETTINGS, THEY, IT ESCALATES BEHAVIOR.
AND THEN THEY ARE, THEY ARE MISSING OPPORTUNITIES TO SPEND TIME WITH TYPICAL DEVELOPING PEERS.
SO I URGE THE DISTRICT TO REALLY LOOK AT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAMS AND THE OUTCOMES THAT WE ARE SEEING BECAUSE UNLESS WE SEE THAT WE HAVE A SYSTEM THAT IS NOT WORKING FOR ALL.
I SEE YOU'RE LISTED AS SPEAKING REMOTELY, BUT I DON'T HAVE YOU SEE YOU IN THE ROOM.
ARE YOU HIDING SOMEWHERE, MR. DAVID TOSKI? NOPE.
LUCAS COOK, FORMER COMMITTEE MEMBER, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
I WAS THE FORMER REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISTRICT THREE TO THIS COMMITTEE.
I USED A WHEELCHAIR AND I NOW TEND HEADING TOWARDS MY JUNIOR YEAR AT UC.
BERKELEY, FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY THINKING THAT PARENTS AND TEACHERS
SECONDLY, I CONDEMN THE DECISION REFLECT POINT AT LEAST ONE.
THERE'S NO WAY THAT THERE IS NOT ONE QUALIFI TO BE ON THE COMMITTEE.
THAT TRULY, THAT A LOT SPECIAL RAISED THE PROPAGANDA MACHINE THAT THIS COMMITTEE HAS BECOME
THERE'S BE A FOLLOW REPORT ABOUT HOW
UM, WE'VE HAD OTHER CALLERS WHO, WHO ARE NOT CUTTING IN AND OUT.
UH, CAN YOU MAYBE SPEAK A LITTLE MORE CLEARLY INTO YOUR DEVICE AND, AND, AND PERHAPS A LITTLE BIT SLOWLY
GIVEN, UM, THERE, THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE A FOLLOW UP REPORT ABOUT HOW PROGRESS WAS GOING LAST NOVEMBER, GIVEN THAT I CANNOT FIND IT ANYWHERE.
AND L-C-L-A-U-C HAS BEEN SUED CLOSE TO YOU 1,800 TIMES IN JUST OVER FOUR MONTHS THIS SEMESTER, UH, FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION VIOL VIOLATIONS.
I'M ASSUMING THE IMPLEMENTATION HAS NOT GONE WELL GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF LAWSUITS REGARDING SPECIAL EDUCATION IN THE PAST FOUR MONTHS, HAS ALMOST SURPASSED THE TOTAL FOR 2025.
I HAVE TO ASK, WAS POINT OF LESSON LEARNED TO ACTUALLY HELP STUDENTS OR WAS IT TO IDENTIFY NEW TARGETS? I ALSO STRONGLY OBJECT TO THE VISION STATEMENT LAID OUT DURING THAT MEETING STATING THAT THEY WANT TO INSPIRE STUDENTS TO COME PREDICTABLE CITIZENS.
JUST OVER 50 YEAR YEARS AGO, I AND A MAJORITY OF OTHER STUDENTS RECEIVING SPECIAL EXCHANGE SERVICES WOULD GO TO JAIL FOR BEING OUT IN PUBLIC IN MOST MAJOR US CITIES AND WERE OFTEN CONFINED TO INSTITUTIONS.
IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE ACTIONS OF UNPREDICTABLE DISABLED PEOPLE, MY COMMUNITY WOULD STILL LIKELY BE IN THOSE INSTITUTIONS.
DURING THE SECOND MEETING, A LOT WAS SAID ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION CENTERS.
AND CTCS MAY REMIND THIS COMMITTEE WHY THERE ARE SO FEW SPECIAL EDUCATION CENTERS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
IT'S BECAUSE YOU USE IN A WAREHOUSE AND SEGREGATE DISABLED STUDENTS.
WHEN I WAS GOING FROM PRESCHOOL TO KINDERGARTEN, MY TRANSITIONAL
[01:30:01]
IEP UH, TEAM TOLD MY FAMILY LOW CRAMPS WOULD'VE BEEN THE BEST PLACEMENT FOR ME.AS SOMEONE WHO'S ONLY HAS A PHYSICAL DISABILITY, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE RIGHT PLACEMENT TO, UH, TO ME FOR ME.
BUT THAT'S DIDN'T MATTER TO THEM.
UH, I WOULD, IF I HAD BEEN PLACED IN LOW CRIMES, I WOULD NOT BE ATTENDING THE NUMBER ONE PUBLIC UNIVERSITY RIGHT NOW.
AS SOMEONE WHO, UH, WENT TO CLEVELAND HIGH SCHOOL AND WHO RODE THE SHORT BUS, MY PEERS ON THE BUS ATTENDED MILLER CTC.
THE TREATMENT THAT WE FACED ON THAT BUS FROM THE STAFF AT MILLER WAS SOME OF THE WORST DEHUMANIZING TREATMENT OF WHICH I'VE EVER RECEIVED.
WHILE THE STAFF YOU HEARD FROM, UM, CLAIMS TO HAVE.
RE REMEMBER THAT THE STAFF AND FAMILIES THAT HAVE YOU'VE HEARD FROM OR ARE HAND SELECTED, UH, TO TELL YOU WHAT THE DISTRICT WANTS YOU HERE.
ALL RIGHT, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CLARA BASS.
I DON'T HAVE YOU ON THE LINE IN FRONT OF ME.
ARE YOU IN THE ROOM? MS. BASS LOOKS LIKE, UH, SHIRLEY GRUBER IS NOW ONLINE.
SHIRLEY GRUBER, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
THINK SHIRLEY, UH, MAY SPEAK IN SPANISH.
SO IF YOU HAVE THE TRANSLATION HEADSETS TO BE PREPARED.
GOOD AFTERNOON BEFORE ANYTHING UNFORTUNATELY.
UH, I'VE BEEN WANTING TO MAKE THIS COMMON IN PERSON BECAUSE I WANT TO BE GRATEFUL FOR THIS INFORMATION.
THIS INFORMATION IS VERY IMPORTANT IN OUR CLASSROOMS AND OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION IN GENERAL EDUCATION, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF US WITH IP NORMALLY THE BEHAVIORS OF OUR, OF OUR CHILDREN AND ARE RELATED BECAUSE IT'S DIFFICULT OR THEY'RE AGGRESSIVE AND NOT BECAUSE OF THEIR DIFFICULTIES WITH COMMUNICATION, BUT ALSO THEIR SENSORY.
I ALSO LIKE TO SAY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY OF CARLA, WHO'S ALWAYS BEEN VERY ASSERTIVE WHENEVER SHE MAKES HER COMMENTS, WHY IT'S NECESSARY FOR THE TEACHER'S ASSISTANTS TO HAVE THIS INFORMATION THAT HAD NOT JUST THE PARENTS.
AND I, I RECOGNIZE AND I VALUE THE DIVISION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION THAT HAS THESE WORKSHOPS WITH PARENTS, BUT US.
WE ARE NOT IN THE CLASSROOMS. IT'S THE TEACHERS.
IT'S THE ASSISTANTS, THE THERAPISTS.
AND THEY NEED TO KNOW WHAT ARE THE EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS OF EACH STUDENT? WHAT ARE THE THINGS THEY NEED THAT ARE PRESENT, THE CAUSES, AND HOW THEY'RE ABLE TO HELP THEM BETTER.
I WOULD LIKE FOR THIS TO BE INSPIRATION, TO BE PRESENT FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, AND ALSO LIKE TO SAY HI TO MS. CLEAR AND ALSO FINISH MY COMMENT WITH OUR RECOGNITION FOR THE DIVISION FOR ONE YEAR.
THEY'VE BEEN PRESENTING ME IN PERSON.
I'VE BEEN GOING IN PERSON AND THEY'VE BEEN PUTTING A WHOLE BUNCH OF BARRIERS.
AND I JUST WANNA MAKE ANOTHER COMMENT FOR THE POSITIVE.
I ALSO WANT SOMETHING POSITIVE THAT I WANNA ACCEPT, UH, THE FAIR THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN THE REGION SOUTH THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN THIS WEEKEND.
I APPLAUD THIS BECAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE SO MUCH INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES, AND I RECOGNIZE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE ALL DOING AND PROVIDING FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND I WOULD ALSO, LIKE I HEAR ALL THE INFORMATION AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING, AND ALSO A, A FAIR FOR ART WHERE MY SON OF SIX YEARS OLD FROM THE FIRST GRADE PARTICIPATED IN.
I WOULD ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE ALL THIS BECAUSE YOU ARE ALL DOING A GREAT JOB.
AND, UH, YOU ARE SHARING, YOU'RE DOING THE PRINCIPLES AND THE VICE PRINCIPLES, THE INFORMATION WE NEED TO WORK A LITTLE BIT HARDER, BUT ALSO WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THE POSITIVE THAT'S ALSO HAPPENING.
AND THANK YOU AND EVERYBODY HAVE A PLEASANT DAY.
AND THE LAST CALLER IS IDENTIFIED AS MEGAN.
MEGAN, I SEE YOU'RE ON THE LINE.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THE COMMENTS TODAY.
I'M HERE TO CONTINUE OFF OF PREVIOUS STATEMENTS MADE BY LUCAS COOK.
UH, THE THIRD MEETING, WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE FOURTH MEETING I FOUND EGREGIOUS IN THE TOPIC OF CONSERVATORSHIPS, WAS BROUGHT UP AS IF IT WAS JUST A REGULAR LEGAL PROCEDURE.
IT'S NOT, AND IT'S EXTREMELY CONSTRAINING.
IT'S AN EXTREMELY CONSTRAINING LIFE SENTENCE THAT SOMEONE RECEIVE.
THE PERSON WHO IS CONSERVES RIGHT TO DETERMINE THEIR MEDICAL PROCEDURES, WHERE THEY LIVE, WHO THEY'RE FRIENDS WITH, THEIR FINANCES, AND WHO THEY MARRY, ALL DISAPPEAR.
GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT TEACHERS ON THIS COMMITTEE AND THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN PUBLIC COMMENT HAVE TESTIFIED BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE, THAT THEY UNINFORMED, THEY'RE UNINFORMED ON HOW EVEN AN IEP MEETING IS SUPPOSED TO FUNCTION.
IT SHOULD BE A GREAT CONCERN TO EVERYONE THAT THIS ARCHAIC PROCESS IS COMMONLY RECOMMENDED.
YES, SOME STUDENTS MAY NEED IT, BUT AS A 2018 REPORT FROM THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY NOTES, THE PROCESS IS OVER RECOMMENDED DUE TO IT BEING MISUNDERSTOOD.
WHILE PARENTS MAY THINK THIS IS THE BEST DECISION FOR THEIR CHILD, NOW WHEN THE PARENTS INEVITABLY PASS AWAY, THE STATE CAN THEN APPOINT AN INDEPENDENT CONSERVATOR LEAVING THE CONSERVED PERSON OPEN TO ABUSES OF ALL SORTS.
ADDITIONALLY, THE MATRIX OF PARTICIPATION IS INCORRECTLY ORGANIZED.
THE DISCUSSION OF POST HIGH SCHOOL GOALS SHOULD BEGIN WHEN IT BEGINS FOR EVERY CHILD IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
[01:35:01]
SCHOOLS ACT AS A LAUNCHING PAD TO HELP STUDENTS UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY LIKE, WHAT THEY DON'T LIKE.EVERY HIGH SCHOOL HAS DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. SO IF A STUDENT IS ALREADY SHOWING SIGNS OF WANTING TO WORK IN A CERTAIN FIELD, THEY SHOULD GO TO A HIGH SCHOOL THAT WILL HELP THEM ACHIEVE THEIR GOAL.
THE DISCUSSION ON ADULT TRANSITION SHOULD NOT BEGIN AFTER HIGH SCHOOL AS WAITING TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION TO OCCUR UNTIL THE STUDENT IS IN A CT C IT PREVENTS THE CONVERSATION ON IF A CTC IS THE BEST PLACE TO BEGIN WITH FROM EVEN OCCURRING.
AS PEOPLE ON THIS COMMITTEE HAVE POINTED OUT, THE DISTRICT STANDARDS FOR DISABLED STUDENTS ARE OFTEN TOO LOW AND ACTIVELY HARM THEIR FUTURE OUTCOMES.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.
I WANNA THANK AGAIN, OUR PRESENTERS AND OF COURSE THE DIVISION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION.
I WANNA THANK ALL THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE, TRAVELING ALL THE WAY HERE TO BORE AND, UM, SHARE YOUR IDEAS, YOUR THOUGHTS, AND OFFER SOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
I WANNA THANK PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO PARTICIPATE IN, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT AS WELL AS OUR BOARD SECRETARIAT, HIS WHOLE TEAM, THE ITS AND TRANSLATION UNIT.
AND BEFORE WE LEAVE, AND I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES, UM, UH, VICE PRESIDENT ROSIE RIVAS, AND BOARD PRESIDENT, UH, SCOTT SCHUREN.
AND BEFORE WE LEAVE, IF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS CAN COME TO THE FRONT, WE CAN TAKE A PICTURE AND, UM, YEAH, I GUESS I WILL SEE YOU ALL NEXT YEAR.
LET ME, UM, REAL CAN SHE YOU CAN.
IS THIS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? IT IS PUBLIC COMMENT, YEAH.
I CAN'T GET A CHANCE TO MAKE A ADJUSTMENT.
WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD, BUT CAN YOU TURN THE MIC ON? YES.
SORRY YOU GUYS, I JUST COULDN'T LEAVE WITHOUT SHARING THIS.
SO WHAT JESSICA SHARED, UM, WITH ME WAS, UH, THERE WAS A RECENT CHANGE IN THE STATE RESPIRATORY REGULATIONS WHILE INTENDING TO IMPROVE SAFETY IN THE SPECIALIZED SETTINGS, THEY HAVE, UM, INADVERTENTLY DISRUPTED THE SCHOOL-BASED CARE FOR RE BY REMOVING ESSENTIAL TASKS FROM THE SCOPE OF L-A-U-S-D HEALTHCARE ASSISTANCE.
THE SHIFT HAS FORCED THESE DEDICATED CLASSIFYING EMPLOYEES TO LOSE CRITICAL HOURS DURING SUMMER SCHOOL AND ON THE BUS, ON BUS ROUTES.
AS THE NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL AGENCY NURSES, UM, TOTAL MEDICAL CARE FOR STUDENTS THAT THEY SERVE.
WE URGE THAT YOU REVIEW HOW THESE REGULATIONS HAVE IMPACTED THE LIVELIHOODS OF THE SCHOOLS AND THE HEALTHCARE ASSISTANCE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THAT THE CONTINUALLY OF THE CARE FOR OUR STUDENTS.