The Northborough-Southborough Special Education Parent Advisory Council has announced a slate of events for the year covering important topics.
Coming up next Thursday, is a presentation co-hosted by Shrewsbury and Westborough about anti-bullying efforts. It’s followed by two more district-specific events in October.
Thursday, October 3 – Massachusetts Anti-bullying Law: IEP and Schoolwide Strategies to Prevent Bullying of Students with Disabilities
6:30 pm @ Floral Street School Media Center, 57 Floral Street, Shrewsbury
(co-sponsored by NSPAC and Shrewsbury and Westborough SEPACs.)
The workshop will address the significant changes in special education practice that are a result of the state’s anti-bullying prevention law, focusing on both school-wide efforts to create safe and supportive school environments for students with disabilities and statutory provisions that require IEP teams to address bullying of students with disabilities.
Please RSVP by 10/1 to shrewsbury.sepac@gmail.com.
Friday, October 11 – NSPAC General Meeting – Support Services*
10:00 am @ Southborough Library
Meet the district’s Student Support Services Administrative Team
Wednesday, October 16 – Autism and Insurance: What Families Need to Know.
6:00 -8:00 pm @ Northborough Library, 34 Main Street
Presented by Terri Farrell, Project Director of the Autism Insurance Resource Center, UMASS Medical School’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center. . . Learn how to navigate the autism insurance world. (AIRC provides technical assistance to families, providers, and agencies in need of information on both public (MassHealth) and private insurance. More info can be found at https://massairc.org. RSVP required at nspac1@gmail.com.
The following events are also on NSPAC’s schedule for the year. I’d consider them save-the-dates. You should probably check NSPAC’s schedule closer to the dates to confirm the details.
Monday, November 4 – Basic Rights: Transition Planning (for IEP students ages 14-22)
6:00 -8:00 pm @ Northborough Library, 34 Main Street
Presented by the Federation of Children with Special Needs. . .This workshop will provide an overview of the transition planning process for youth with disabilities ages 14-22 on IEPs. Workshop topics include: What is Transition and Why is it Important; Legal Basis for Transition Planning; Student Vision, Self-Determination, and Self-Advocacy; Student and Parent’s Roles; Transition Planning Form (TPF); Age of Majority; and Timelines, Resources and more! RSVP required at nspac1@gmail.com.
Wednesday, November 6 – NSPAC General Meeting – Special Needs Estate Planning*
10:00 am @ Southborough Library
Guest speaker: Attorney Amanda Mulhall. . . Topics to be covered include: Guardianship-How to name guardians while your children are minors and whether it’s appropriate after the child turns 18; Asset Planning-What is a Trust and what is the difference between a First Party and Third Party Trust; Supplemental Needs Trusts-How parents can ensure that their child remains eligible for government benefits; Pooled Trusts-An alternative option for families without substantial assets or who want a low cost professional Trustee; ABLE Accounts-How to put money away for your child’s future without risking his or her eligibility for government benefits. RSVP to nspac1@gmail.com.
Wednesday, December 4 – NSPAC General Meeting – Assistive Technology*
10:00 am @ Southborough Library
District Speaker: Colleen Ferguson
Wednesday, January 8 – NSPAC General Meeting*
(details TBA)
Wednesday, March 4 – NSPAC General Meeting*
(details TBA)
Tuesday, April 14 – Go the Distance Awards
6:00 pm @ Algonquin Regional High School cafeteria
Wednesday, May 6 – NSPAC General Meeting*
(details TBA)
Wednesday, June 3 – NSPAC General Meeting.*
(details TBA)
Elections and end of the year review.
Wednesday, June 17 – Annual presentation to the Combined School Committee
6:00 pm @ Algonquin Regional High School Library
*The “General Meetings” are open meetings and all are welcome to attend. (They are often followed by an informal social/support group when time allows.) However, you are asked to please use the proper channels to discuss any individual IEP or 504 concerns.
