The Newton SEPAC is pleased to present: Basic Rights: Evaluation and Eligibility, a free virtual workshop for parents and professionals. Jessica Sales Cohen will discuss student and family rights under special education laws and regulations for those new to and experienced with special education. Come and join us virtually on October 18th from 7-9pm!
Register here: https://fcsn-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIpcuitrT0uGdcFX2NZf-S60lsrlEWEn3Ag
Does your child have an IEP or 504 plan? Are you interested in getting support services for your child? Then you need to know about the Newton Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) at NewtonSEPAC.org.
We are a volunteer organization of parents of children with special needs from preschool through high school. We run an online forum where parents and caregivers can ask each other about special education programs, issues, policies and resources both within and outside of the public school system. We work directly with the school administration regarding our childrens’ special education through our school liaisons, meetings with the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, and by attending Newton School Committee meetings.
We hold monthly board meetings that are open to all families; dates and Zoom links are listed on our website NewtonSEPAC.org under the “Meetings” tab. In the meantime, you can join our “Newton SEPAC” Google Group by clicking on the link on our website. On this online forum, you can post any questions or concerns about anything related to your child with special needs. We also use this group to publicize local/online presentations and conferences as well as DESE policy updates.
Other ways to contact the SEPAC:
Email: Info@NewtonSEPAC.org
Facebook: Newton Special Education Parents – SEPAC
Next SEPAC Open Board Meeting: Thursday, 10/13/2022, 7:30-9pm
Find the Meeting Agenda and Zoom link on newtonsepac.org under the “Meetings” tab
SEPAC AT Lincoln-Eliot
As the SEPAC Liaison for Lincoln-Eliot, my role is to answer any questions and discuss any concerns about your child’s special education services and evaluations at Lincoln-Eliot. As a SEPAC member, I can also help with any issues outside of NPS relating to your child’s disability including private therapies and evaluations, community resources and social opportunities. You can always contact me directly for more information about the SEPAC or with any questions or concerns about your child:
Wenkang (Winko) An
winkoan.boston@gmail.com
Thank you to all the students who participated in our Inclusive Schools Week paw print activity. Check out over 220 paw prints decorating the LE hallway and window! Thank you to our SEPAC liaisons, Lauren and Winko for organizing this beautiful display! 
Lincoln-Eliot Leopards Choose to Include
Lincoln-Eliot is proud to be an inclusive school that recognizes that great things happen when everyone is included. Inclusive Schools WeekTM is celebrated annually the first week in December by families, schools and organizations in the U.S. and abroad. The Week highlights and celebrates the progress that schools have made in implementing inclusive practices to ensure a quality education for an increasingly diverse student population. Learn more at www.inclusiveschools.org.
This week in your child’s blue folder, there will be a paw print that your child is invited to decorate. Please send the decorated paw print back to school in your child’s blue folder so it can be included in our school’s Inclusive Schools Week banner in the window on Jackson Road. We will be collecting the paw prints all week long 12/6-12/10, so be sure to get it back to school this week.
In addition, we are encouraging all students to participate in a school-wide Spirit Day on Friday, December 12th. All students are invited to wear a “kaleidoscope of colors” on Friday. Be creative and let your unique personality shine!
Thank you for your support!
Does your child have an IEP or 504 plan? Are you interested in getting support services for your child? Then you need to know about the Newton Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) at newtonpac.org.
We are a volunteer organization of parents of children with special needs from preschool through high school. We run an online forum where parents can ask each other about special education programs, issues, policies and resources both within and outside of the public school system. We work directly with the school administration regarding our childrens’ special education through our school liaisons, meetings with the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services and by attending Newton School Committee meetings.
We hold monthly board meetings that are open to all families and interested community members whose dates and Zoom links are listed on our website NewtonSEPAC.org under the “Meetings” tab. In the meantime, you can join our “Newton SEPAC” Google Group by clicking on the link on our website. On this online forum, you can post any questions or concerns about anything related to your child with special needs. We also use this group to publicize local/online presentations and conferences as well as DESE policy updates.
Other ways to contact the SEPAC:
Email: Info@NewtonSEPAC.org
Facebook: Newton Special Education Parents – SEPAC
Next SEPAC Open Board Meeting: Thursday October 21 at 7:00pm
Find the Meeting Agenda and Zoom link on newtonsepac.org under the “Meetings” tab
SEPAC at Lincoln-Eliot
As the SEPAC Liaison for Lincoln-Eliot, you can also contact me directly for more information about the SEPAC or with any questions or concerns about your child: Lauren McMinn (laurenpeppers@gmail.com)
Please join Newton SEPAC for a virtual presentation on:
Basic Rights under Special Education Laws
with Eileen Hagerty
Partner, Kotin, Crabtree & Strong, LLP
Thursday, September 30, 2021
7:30-9:00pm
Zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89725379370?pwd=bW5nZlNTQlIzY2VPWWJQd2Z6dDFDdz09
Meeting ID: 897 2537 9370
Passcode: 643973
Description: This event will present information on student and family basic rights
under special education laws and regulations for those new to and experienced
with special education. Eileen will present for approximately
1 hour, followed by 30 minutes of Q&A.
Please send questions in advance to: Eliza Spaulding, SEPAC Treasurer at:
treasurer@newtonsepac.org
SPECTRUM, a volunteer group from Brandeis University, works with kids with autism and other developmental disorders. We offer three free programs where volunteers from Brandeis work with kids from ages 5-18, but if need be we do have volunteers who can work with younger children. Our three programs are playgroup, mentoring, and tutoring. A description image of each program is attached below. We will also be offering virtual mentoring/tutoring if requested and available.
Are you interested in being a Special Education Decision-Maker for students in your community? Volunteers, known as Special Education Surrogate Parents (SESPs) under Massachusetts law, serve as appointed educational decision-makers for students in the custody of the Department of Children and Families (DCF) who are in need of special education services. Once appointed, SESP volunteers have the legal authority of a parent or legal guardian to attend special education team meetings, approve or reject IEPs, and, if necessary, file a complaint or appeal. On average an SESP spends about 30-40 hours a year volunteering his/her time.
In this FREE Orientation Training, you will learn about the role of a SESP, how traumatic experiences can impact learning, and how to incorporate the appropriate supports into the IEP.
Register at: https://fcsn.org/rtsc/events-calendar/ or contact Emma Gregory at egregory@fcsn.org or 617-399-8342.
Upon registration, please use the following link to complete the SESP application in advance to expedite the process: https://fcsn.org/sesp-online-application/
Anyone interested can register for these events at: https://fcsn.org/rtsc/events-calendar/
We also have these upcoming dates in September:
For more information, here is our brochure: https://fcsn.org/rtsc-updated-brochure/
Please join the Newton Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) for a presentation and discussion about Basic Rights in Special Education with Tim Sindelar, a Newton lawyer specializing in representing children and adults with disabilities.
This event is geared towards parents new to special education, and for those who would like to know more about their basic rights.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
7:30-9:00pm
Newton Education Center
100 Walnut Street
Room 210
No RSVP necessary. Questions? Please contact Newton SEPAC Board Member
Eliza Spaulding at spaulding@newtonsepac.org.
Please join the Newton SEPAC for a meeting with
Beth Fitzmaurice, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services
7:30-9:00 pm
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Room 210
100 Walnut Street
Newton, MA 02460
Beth Fitzmaurice, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services, is responsible for special education across Newton Public Schools. Beth joined NPS in August 2019 and has spent her first couple of months on the job getting to know the schools, staff, and programs. We will have the opportunity to hear from Beth on her impressions of special education in Newton, her thoughts on current special education issues, and her priorities for this academic year and beyond. There will also be time for parents to ask questions.
We hope you will be able to join us to meet Beth and hear from her about special education in Newton!
Please contact info@newtonpac.org with any questions.