Everyone Reading Illinois presents...
Dyslexia: A Conference for Parents

• Board of Education Update, September 26, 2019
• Board of Education Update, April 11, 2019
• Board of Education Update, February 21, 2019
• Board of Education Update, September 27, 2018

SNAP Website (Agendas, Resources and Presentations)

Parents and guardians, or private providers, with parental or guardian permission, may observe individual students in classroom settings for the purpose of educational collaboration. The District has a guideline of one hour of observation per trimester per observer in order to minimize educational disruptions. At times, exceptions are made to this procedure, with agreement from the District. Any variations to the guideline must be granted by the Assistant Superintendent for Special Education, Terry Sofianos Wohlgenant, at 708-215-7016 or sofianoste@sd102.net.

If small group observations are requested, permission to observe the group must be granted by the parents or guardians of the other individual students in the group. Each observer is accompanied by a District professional of like-role or background. Parent or guardian observations are accompanied by an administrator. The guidelines and procedures around classroom observations ensure that meaningful parental participation takes place while also protecting the confidentiality of individual students. 

• Classroom Observations Forms

 

Home/hospital services are provided to a student when a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches, a licensed physician assistant (PA), or a licensed Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) determines that the student will, or is anticipated to be, absent from school for a minimum of 10 days during the school year due to a medical condition. The goal of home/hospital instruction (HHI) is to afford the student experiences equivalent to those afforded to other students at the same grade level. It is designed to enable the student to return to the classroom without having fallen behind. Thus, the substance or content of the instruction, generally academic, is to enable the student to remain on pace with the other students in his or her class. Detailed information regarding eligibility is found in the memo below. If you believe that your child may be eligible for homebound tutoring, please contact your school nurse. 

• Home/hospital instruction for students from ISBE

La Grange District 102 promotes and encourages the free and open exchange of information between parents and staff members during meetings in order to best serve students. For this reason, the use of audio, visual and other recording devices at IEP, Section 504 and other student meetings, as well as meetings between school personnel and parents/guardians, shall be prohibited.

Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis when a parent/guardian, student or staff member is a qualified person with a disability and/or has a language barrier that prevents his/her access to or meaningful participation at a meeting. The decision regarding whether recording the meeting is a reasonable accommodation will be made in the sole discretion of a School District administrator.

• Special Education 101 for Parents - Part 1, 2019
• Special Education 101 for Parents - Part 2, 2019
• Dyslexia: Educational Implications
• Reading Instruction Best Practices Related to Dyslexia
• Effective Reading Instruction for Students with Dyslexia
• An Introduction to Verbal Behavior and the VB-MAPP (presented by Dr. Marrea Winnega)

District 102 offers monthly developmental screening opportunities for children ages three through five to provide early intervention for children who are suspected to have developmental delays or other handicapping conditions. Children are screened in the areas of Language Development, Fine and Gross Motor Development, Concept Development, and Vision and Hearing. Children identified through the screening process are referred for a full evaluation to determine eligibility and need for programming. Children experiencing significant risk factors in their environment but not at risk for disability may be eligible for our Blended Early Childhood Program. For information on screening or programs, contact our early childhood program at Barnsdale School at 708.482.3003.

A student is referred for a special education evaluation when there is a reason to believe he/she may have a disability requiring special education services. Referrals may be made by School District 102 personnel, the parent(s) or guardian(s) of the student, a representative from a state accredited private school within District boundaries, an employee of a community service agency, or other qualified persons as determined by Federal and State Law. The educational team, primarily the grade level or MTSS team, is the most common source of referrals in schools.

Regardless of the source of the referral, if the referral is appropriate, the school district must notify the parent(s)/guardian(s) and referring party in writing of their decision to initiate the evaluation process. Once a referral is initiated, the team, including parents, will come together at a Domain Meeting to review and evaluate existing information about the student. Upon reviewing the information, the team members shall determine whether additional evaluation data are needed, and which qualified members of the team will conduct the evaluation. The following areas (domains) may be assessed: academic/developmental skills, functional skills, cognitive functioning, hearing/vision, health, motor abilities, communication status and social/emotional status. Written parental consent must be obtained prior to conducting the evaluation. Illinois Rules and Regulations that govern special education mandate that a case study evaluation and an IEP Eligibility Conference be completed within sixty school days from the date of written consent.

A-B-C's of Special Education - Acronyms are often used within special education. Commonly used acronyms are identified within each definition.

Accommodations: Techniques and materials that allow individuals with disabilities the same access to the school environment as non-disabled peers. Accommodations do not change any learner outcomes expected from the class.

Annual Goals:  Education goals developed for a student to address identified deficits.

Annual Review (AR):  A yearly meeting with the family to review a student’s progress toward goals.

Assistive Technology and Services:  Equipment and services that are required for a student to function independently and access basic tasks related to learning. 

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD):  Any of a range of behavioral disorders in children characterized by symptoms that include poor concentration, an inability to focus on tasks, difficulty in paying attention, and impulsivity. A person can be predominantly inattentive (often referred to as ADD), predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, or a combination of these two.

Behavior Intervention/Modification Plan:  A plan that includes positive strategies, program modifications, and supplementary aids and supports that address a student's disruptive behaviors and allows the child to be educated in the least restrictive environment (LRE).

Co-Morbidity:  The simultaneous presence of one or more disorders.

Consent:  The written approval a parent gives to have their child evaluated and to receive initial services. Consent is always voluntary and a parent may revoke it at any time.

Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM):  A standardized procedure used for General Outcome Measurement (GOM) and method for monitoring student progress.  FastBridge is an example of a web-based CBM system.

Direct Instruction:  An instructional approach to academic subjects that emphasizes the use of carefully sequenced steps that include demonstration, modeling, guided practice, and independent application.

Domains Meeting:  A meeting to determine what data is needed in order to conduct an evaluation.  Parental consent is obtained through this meeting in order to proceed with the evaluation.

Due Process Hearing:  The legal proceeding between a school district and family who are unable to reach agreement on issues related to special education.

Dyslexia:  A learning disorder that involves difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words (decoding). Dyslexia affects areas of the brain that process language. (Mayo Clinic) Children with dyslexia may qualify for an IEP under the category of Specific Learning Disability or a 504 plan. Some students with milder dyslexia may have their needs met through tiered reading support through MTSS or a general education differentiation plan. 

Early Childhood Education (ECE):  Part of the special education continuum available for children three to five years of age.

Eligibility:  IDEA identifies fourteen disability categories for which special education eligibility may be considered. The categories and definitions are as follows:

• Autism: A developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age three.
• Deaf-Blindness (D-B): Concomitant [simultaneous] hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs.
• Deafness (D): A hearing impairment so severe that a child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification.
• Developmental Delay (DD): A category of disability for children ages three through nine.  The student must experience developmental delay in one or more of the following areas: physical development, cognitive development, communication development, social or emotional development, or adaptive development. 
• Emotional Disability (ED): A condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child’s educational performance:
• • An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors;
• • An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers;
• • Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances;
• • A general pervasive mood of anxiety or unhappiness or depression; or
• • A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.
• Hearing Impairment (HI): Impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child's educational performance but is not included under the definition of "deafness."
• Intellectual Disability (IntD): Significantly sub-average general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period that adversely affects a child's educational performance.
• Multiple Disabilities (MD): Concomitant [simultaneous] impairments (such as mental retardation-blindness, mental retardation-orthopedic impairment, etc.), the combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in a special education program solely for one of the impairments. The term does not include deaf-blindness.
• Orthopedic Impairment (PI): A severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by a congenital anomaly, impairments caused by disease (e.g., poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis), and impairments from other causes (e.g. cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractures).
• Other Health Impairment (OHI): Having limited strength, vitality or alertness, including a heightened sensitivity to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment that:
• • Is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, or sickle cell anemia; and 
• • Adversely affects a child's educational performance.
• Specific Learning Disability (SLD): A disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations.
• Speech or Language Impairment (SLI): A communication disorder, such as stuttering, impaired articulation, language impairment, or a voice impairment, that adversely affects a child's educational performance.
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): An acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; psychosocial functions; information processing; and speech. The term does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative or to brain injuries induced by birth trauma.
• Visual Impairment (VI): Impairment in vision that even with correction adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness.
• Eligibility Determination Conference (EDC):  A meeting within sixty school days of parental consent to evaluate which determines if a child is eligible for special education services.  In most cases, if the student is determined eligible, an IEP is also completed at the same time.  

Evaluation:  Procedures used to determine whether a child has a disability and/or determine if the effects of a disability are such that special education and related services are required.

Executive Function:  A person's ability to manage or regulate a collection of basic cognitive and emotional processes.  This includes planning, initiation, organization, and execution of tasks as well as the ability to cope with transitions or regulate emotional responses.

Expressive Language:  The aspect of spoken language that includes speaking and written language.

Extended School Year (ESY):  Special education services provided beyond the regular school year for those children whose disabilities render the traditional school year insufficient and for whom significant regression is experienced over extended periods of non-instruction. The intent of ESY is to minimize loss of skill and maintain skill level. It is not intended to promote growth, as is the focus of the traditional school year.

FastBridge: Created by FastBridge Learning, this system combines Curriculum-Based Measures (CBM) and Computer-Adaptive Tests (CAT) for reading, math and behavior, and delivers accurate, actionable reports for screening, skill analysis, instructional planning, and more to ensure educators have the right tools and the right data to provide timely and targeted supports. FastBridge assessments are used to benchmark and progress monitor students as a way to track progress in basic skills and measure achievement on IEP goals. 

Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE):  The Section 504 regulation requires a school district to provide a “free appropriate public education” (FAPE) to each qualified person with a disability who is in the school district’s jurisdiction, regardless of the nature or severity of the person’s disability. The legal framework of this is an education, which will provide some benefit to the student.

High Incidence Disability:  A disability that occurs in high numbers within a population.

Inclusion:  A philosophy and practice where children with disabilities are educated, or participate in, programming with non-disabled peers to the extent appropriate. Inclusion often refers to including children with more significant disabilities in general education settings for a variety of benefits aligned to the least restrictive environment, including increased socialization opportunities with more typical peers as well as greater exposure to the grade-level curriculum. Inclusion also refers to any opportunity where students can learn alongside more typical peers. 

Independent Educational Evaluation:  If a family is in disagreement with a school evaluation, they have a legal right to request an independent evaluation at public expense.  The school district has the right to deny a request, but must prove the evaluation performed by the district was appropriate.

Individualized Education Plan (IEP):  A plan outlining special education and related services specifically designed to meet the unique educational needs of a student with a disability.

Individualized Transition Plan:  A plan starting at the age 14 ½ for transitioning a child from school into adulthood.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA):  The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is the law that guarantees all children with disabilities access to a free and appropriate public education.

Intelligence Quotient (IQ):  A measure of someone's intelligence as indicated by an intelligence test, where an average score is 100.  In the educational setting IQ scores are used for determination of Intellectual Disability eligibility.  

Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE):  The State Education Agency (SEA) for Illinois.  The ISBE is responsible for the state supervision of public elementary and secondary schools.

La Grange Area Department of Special Education (LADSE):  LADSE is a special education cooperative that collaborates with its member districts to provide high-quality, evidence-based programs and services that result in positive outcomes for students. La Grange 102 is a member.

Local Educational Agency (LEA):  A public board of education or other public authority within a state that maintains administrative control of public elementary or secondary schools in a city, county, township, school district or other political subdivision of a state. 

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE):  The assurance that children with disabilities will be educated with children without disabilities to the maximum extent appropriate.

Low Incidence Disability:  A disability that occurs in low numbers within a population.

Mediation:  A method for solving a problem that uses persons trained in helping people resolve their own problems. In mediation, the school district and parent will try to reach an agreement with which both parties are satisfied. The Illinois State Board of Education provides mediators to school districts and parents, free of charge, in order to help resolve disputes. 

Modification:  Often incorrectly used interchangeably with the term accommodation. A modification is a change or adjustment to the classroom expectation, which alters what is expected of the student (learner outcomes). An accommodation does not change learner outcomes.

Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS): An instructional framework designed to maximize academic achievement and positive behavior. Using a tiered system of support, MTSS is an articulated process that includes: an emphasis on outcomes, data-informed decision making, responsive evidence-based interventions and a focus on progress within the classroom. MTSS also incorporates response-to-intervention (RTI) as a problem-solving process. RTI is used as the primary component to determine special education eligibility under the category of Specific Learning Disability.

Multi-Disciplinary Team/Student Services Team (Student Services Team, or SST):  A team of educational specialists that develop interventions that address targeted student problem area(s).  Targeted areas may include academics, behaviors, and speech/ language. 

Occupational Therapy (OT):  Services to improve, develop or restore functions impaired or lost through illness, injury, or deprivation, improving the ability to perform tasks (eating, dressing, toileting) for independent functioning in the school environment and necessary to benefit from special education services. These services address fine motor needs that impact a student’s educational performance and do not take the place of any private medical therapy a child may need.

Out-of-District Placement:  An out-of-district placement places a child in a specialized school specifically designed to address special learning or behavioral needs. These schools have the benefit of providing the highest degree of structure, routine, and consistency throughout the school day. However, they remove any possibility of interacting with regular education students.

Paraeducator:  Also known as instructional aides and teachers’ aides, these individuals provide assistance to students in the classroom if identified as a need in the IEP as a unique and specialized accommodation that is necessary for a student to access their education.

Physical Therapy (PT):  Services to allow the child to move about the school environment and benefit their special education services. These services address gross motor that impact a student’s educational performance; they do not take the place of any private medical therapy a child may need.

Present Level of Academic Performance and Functioning:  A statement of a student’s baseline performance from which goals originate.

Placement:  Determination of where IEP services will be delivered.  The goals drive this decision with a consideration toward maintaining least restrictive environment.

Receptive Language:  The aspect of spoken language that includes listening, and the aspect of written language that includes reading. 

Re-evaluation:  A mandated three-year evaluation to determine the on-going need for special education services.

Referral Process:  When a child is suspected of having a disability, a referral is made to evaluate the child for special education services.  Once parents give written permission for the evaluation, the school has 60 business days to complete the assessments and hold an eligibility meeting.

Related Services:  School-based services necessary for a student to meet their special education goals.  Related services are not stand-alone services but must attach to broader eligibility and specific goals. These services should not be confused with medically based services, which the family still pursues.  Related services can include, but are not limited to, any of the following:
• Speech and language therapy
• Audiological services
• Physical and occupational therapy
• School health services and school nurse services
• Social work services in schools
• Special transportation

Response-to-Intervention (RTI): The practice of providing high-quality instruction and educational interventions matched to student needs and measured against learning rate over time along with level of performance in order to make important educational decisions for students. RTI utilizes a problem-solving process in order to determine what interventions and instruction best meet the needs of individual students. It also describes a state-mandated process for determining eligibility under the category of Specific Learning Disability. 

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973:  A civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs and activities, public or private that receive federal financial assistance. This law conforms to the definition of disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA).

Standardized Testing:  A test that is administered and scored in a consistent, or "standard", manner. Standardized tests are designed in such a way that the questions, conditions for administering, scoring procedures, and interpretations are consistent and are administered and scored in a predetermined, standard manner.

October is both Dyslexia Awareness Month and Physical Therapy Month.

La Grange District 102 is ahead of the curve, compared to many districts in the state and across the country, in early identification and treatment of dyslexia. This status is the result of years of collaboration between parents and district staff that has resulted in the acquisition of appropriate reading interventions and training of staff. Although school-based evaluations do not directly assess and diagnose students for dyslexia, our school psychologists are well-versed in spotting the signs of dyslexia and how this condition affects the development of literacy skills. We also carefully consider the needs of students with private diagnoses of dyslexia in order to ensure that instruction matches educational needs, whether that results in special education, tiered instruction, and/or differentiation of instruction within the general education classroom.

Multi-sensory interventions continue to be the gold standard for reading instruction of students with dyslexia. Every school in the district utilizes a form of multi-sensory reading instruction for those students who require that type of instruction. Both general and special education teachers have received training in some form of these interventions. Many students with dyslexia who receive special education in our district receive instruction in Fundations, Orton-Gillingham, or Wilson. Some of our special education teachers have received the highest level of certification through Wilson. In fact, I know of no other district with such a large group of teachers who have received this level of distinction. 

Additionally, direct instruction and computer-assisted instruction can be used with students who have dyslexia. Which intervention to use is a highly individualized decision, informed by data and a student's unique profile. 

Physical therapy is a related service for those students who qualify. This related service is not clinical in nature, but instead functional and school-based, and requires a doctor's note for the specific concerns. We are lucky to have two full-time physical therapists in our district who are directly employed by La Grange 102. They are integral members of school-based teams and collaborate closely with all staff in order to provide this highly specialized service to students who are eligible. 

Terry Sofianos Wohlgenant
Assistant Superintendent for Special Education

Our focus in September is to learn as much as we can about where our students are at with their learning and development at the start of the school year in order to chart our path forward. It is also a time to establish important learning and management routines for individual students and classroom environments. Developing relationships and lines of communication are also major priorities. 

We are in the process of shifting our curriculum-based measurement assessments for progress monitoring from AIMSweb to FastBridge. The FastBridge system is a web-based assessment suite that provides us with the ability to track basic pre-literacy, numeracy, literacy, and mathematics skills and concepts. Some of our students are assessed with measures for both reading and math, while others may just be assessed with one or the other, or perhaps neither, depending on their IEP. We hope to have FastBridge fully up and running by the end of the month. Your child may be assessed with another type of curriculum-based measurement until the system is fully operable. 

There have also been some updates to the way we conduct meetings and provide you with advance paperwork as well as service logs for related services. Please see the announcement sidebar for more information. 

We hope that your child and your family has had time to establish your own back-to-school routines and are well on your way to a successful school year!

Terry Sofianos Wohlgenant, Assistant Superintendent for Special Education

The special education team has already begun to plan for a successful and positive school year for all of the students in our community. Much of the summer was spent communicating about the needs of our learners and ensuring that instructional materials and methods would be in place right at the start of the school year.

Part of our educational planning included the writing of an academic intervention manual, compiled by a small group of special education staff, under the coordination of Ella Farmer, a former psychologist for Ogden and Cossitt, who will now assume the role of psychologist and Lead Special Educator at Congress Park this school year. The intent of the intervention manual is to provide guidance to staff about best practices and research for reading, math, and writing interventions which will greatly enhance the individual education planning process. The creation of the intervention manual was one of two final special education department goals for the 2018-2019 school year.

The second final special education department goal for last school year was the creation of an online parent handbook with a projected publishing date of August. Although the handbook is ready to go live, the district is in the midst of finalizing a total revamp of its website at this time. The special education parent handbook will debut in September as part of the new website conversion. In advance of that time, certain components of the handbook, such as new resources available through the state, will be posted on the current website prior to the start of the school year.

We are also pleased to announce the debut of volunteer Special Education Parent Ambassadors. This is a new and exciting development in our district that is intended to provide interested families with parent-to-parent camaraderie and support. If you are a parent of a student with special needs, please consider applying for this role. https://forms.gle/khLgJwGpbSwzYymC7

Finally, we would like to welcome our new assistant director of special education, Traci Milledge, to the team, along with several new special education teachers and specialists. Look for an upcoming profile of Traci in the next community newsletter. On behalf of the special education department, I wish you a pleasant start to the school year, full of wonder, joy, and discovery.

Terry Sofianos Wohglenant, Assistant Superintendent for Special Education

Special Education Update June 2019

Special Education Update November 2018

February/March 2019
The months of February and March are very busy ones for future planning purposes in special education. We are currently working on refining special education enrollment and staffing projections for next year, along with completing our series of observations of staff for evaluations. We kicked off our spring parent education series, "Special Education 101," and we also prepared a presentation to the board. At the board meeting, our new assistant director of special education for the 2019-2020 school year, Mrs. Traci Milledge, was introduced. There was also an update on specific activities in the department, along with a featured presentation by students, staff, and a parent involved in the Nora Project. It was an inspiring and meaningful glimpse into this general and special education partnership that serves to build empathy for people with disabilities. Currently taking place at Forest Road and Cossitt, we are working to expand the program to more schools within the district. More information about the Nora Project can be found here: https://www.thenoraproject.ngo/  

January 2019
Although January marks the start of the calendar year, planning is well underway in the special education department for next school year, more than half a year in the future. During the winter, we take stock of our student numbers and begin to track projections for staffing and programming purposes. Our special education department goals have once again been updated, and plans are already underway for areas of focus for next school year. 
I think you will see that excellent progress has been made on the special education department goals, and several are currently being fully implemented. 
Stay warm out there!

December 2018
As the chronological year comes to a close, we are only midway through our academic year. There has been much accomplished in the district’s special education department, including the creation of the Special Needs Advisory Panel (SNAP); increased communication with staff, families, and the community through our November newsletter; the first phase of the creation of a parent handbook; and the announcement of a winter and spring parent education series. Each case manager has provided the first round of IEP benchmark updates for the academic year to parents and guardians. Individual student progress continues to be carefully monitored by school-based teams in order to determine whether or not current interventions are sufficient to meet student needs. On a systems level, the department has begun to develop an internal manual of special education interventions to assist with problem-solving, including the research, guidelines for implementation, and integrity checklists. Our special education teams already do an excellent job of engaging in data-based decision-making to address student needs, but the intervention manual will help to make this process even more effective through collecting intervention information into one central location. The work of continuous improvement is ongoing, and both the development of a manual for parents as well as an intervention manual for staff are examples of District 102’s efforts to strive to achieve more. 

We wish you a safe and happy holiday season, and we hope you enjoy your winter break with your children. 

Terry Sofianos, Assistant Superintendent for Special Education

November 2018
The week of November 12-16, 2018, is designated as the annual School Psychology Awareness Week. In LaGrange District 102, we believe that school psychologists serve essential and fundamental roles for all students in the areas of academic and social-emotional learning, data management, problem-solving, and mental health. Each of the schools in our district has a full-time school psychologist, with the exception of our early learning school, which is served by two part-time school psychologists. The work of school psychologists includes serving as building-based leaders for data-based decision-making within our Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). They also perform evaluations as part of the special education eligibility process, facilitate meetings, and provide consultation to teachers, administrators, and families.

The National Association of School Psychologists describes the theme for this year's School Psychology Awareness Week below.

This year's theme is "Unlock Potential. Find Your Password!"  A password is a personal key for unlocking any number of areas of potential in our lives. Our goal is to connect with how modern youth and adults unlock things (e.g., gaming levels, phones, devices, codes) and to highlight how thinking about specific skills, assets, or characteristics as "passwords" can lead to positive growth. School psychologists are particularly skilled at assisting students and staff in unlocking the resources, proactive and preventive skills, and positive connections necessary to unlock one's full potential to thrive in school and life.

More information about the week as well as school psychology, in general, can be found by clicking here.

Terry Sofianos, Assistant Superintendent for Special Education

October 2018
October is Dyslexia Awareness Month. The International Dyslexia Association is promoting the "ZYX Challenge," which is a way to simulate the experience of dyslexia in a way that is fun, challenging and encourages awareness of the difficulties encountered by the many children and adults who experience dyslexia. Similar to the Muscular Dystrophy Association's "Ice Bucket Challenge," the "ZYX Challenge" encourages those who are not able to complete the challenge to consider donating to the International Dyslexia Association and/or posting their results on social media in order to raise awareness, using the hashtags #ZYXChallenge and #UntilEveryoneCanRead. I plan to attempt the challenge on my personal Twitter account, @tersofianos, during the month. Check it out to see how I do! The challenge was sent out to principals to share with their staff as an option for adults to attempt the challenge as well as for teachers to consider introduction of the challenge to students in order to increase disability awareness. Here is a link to the IDA's web page for Dyslexia Awareness, as well as instructions for the "ZYX Challenge." Feel free to email me to let me know how you do if you choose to participate. If you are on Twitter and choose to post your results, please tag me. Good luck!

Warm regards, 

Terry Sofianos, MA, MSEd
Assistant Superintendent for Special Education

September 2018
During the month of September, I completed my series of meet-and-greets with parents and guardians, which allowed me the opportunity to connect with families in every school. Because these were smaller gatherings, conversations were more personal and in-depth about such topics as the history of special education in 102, individual student journeys, and hopes for the future of special education in the district. Additionally, the Board of Education received an update on the current activities of the special education department as well as plans for this year. In particular, the board learned more about the plan of work for the newly formed Student Needs Advisory Panel, or SNAP 102.

Warm regards, 

Terry Sofianos, MA, MSEd
Assistant Superintendent for Special Education

August 2018
Welcome to the 2018-2019 school year!

One of the most unique aspects of working in schools is the opportunity to have a fresh new start twice a year - with the rest of the world each January, but also with our educational community in August and September. Each school year is precious in the life of a child, and it brings new experiences, relationships, and challenges. During the past few weeks, special educators have been preparing for a successful school year for our many students. We are excited to welcome new families as well as reconnect with those that are returning. 

As the new assistant superintendent for special education, I started my position in the district July 1st. Since I started, I have had the privilege of meeting many staff members and some parents as well as a few students. I was able to tour our extended school year rooms, and I met with each principal and assistant principal to learn about the uniqueness of each school, as well as to receive brief tours of the buildings. Our special education director, Kateri Quiñónez, and I, have invested in our collaboration as co-administrators for special education, mindfully looking at areas of individual and also shared responsibility. Yesterday, we met with all of our special education staff to kick off the year, and we reviewed the Updated Special Education Goals with them.

The Updated Special Education Goals have been revised in accordance with the meeting that was held with parent and community members on May 18th. Additionally, progress updates and next steps have been added in order to orient everyone to the plan of work for the coming school year and beyond. 

The final objective of the updated goals includes the creation of a Special Needs Advisory Panel for the district, which will be known as SNAP 102. Two parents and one special education staff member from each building, along with at least two general educators in the district, along with Kateri and I, will serve on this committee, which will meet four times during the coming school year. The committee will address several of the objectives in the goals and will also provide a venue for ongoing collaboration between educators and parents. 

In an effort to provide equity of voice for all stakeholders, a brief application for consideration as a member of the group will be sent to parents of students who receive special education services. This way, we can strive for representation from a variance of student ages and disabilities. Special education staff members will also be recruited through an application process with the aim of creating SNAP 102 members who represent the disciplines of teaching, social work, school psychology, speech and language pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and other related services. Care will also be taken to represent the full range of ages in our district, from early childhood through eighth grade. 

The first meeting of SNAP 102 will take place in early October in order to provide ample time for the assembly of a representative group. Meeting dates and times are currently being set and will accompany the applications, which will be available and sent out to parents and staff during the week of August 27th. 

I am eager to meet you and learn about your children. I will be holding informal meet-and-greets in each building (with a combined Barnsdale and Forest Road meeting) during the next few weeks. I will post the confirmed dates and times for these on this website as well as in an email blast. 

On behalf of everyone who is involved in our special education community, we look forward to our ongoing collaboration and continuous improvement in special education in order to serve the children and families of our district at the highest possible level. 

Have a wonderful school year!

Warm regards, 

Terry Sofianos, MA, MSEd
Assistant Superintendent for Special Education

June 2018
As we end the school year, there are many things to note in accomplishments.

It's easy to see the excitement build at the end of the school year and then suddenly, the last day with students is here, followed by a couple of days of staff time together, and now the halls are quiet.  While ESY and summer school seemed a long way off, both programs began on June 11.  We are very fortunate to have several district staff members committed to work during their summer vacation.

A meeting was held on May 18 with a group of parents, special education staff members and district administration to review the special education department goals and objectives.  Parents, teachers and administrators collaborated in updating some of the department objectives that will make them more understandable for all.  The changes have been made and will be posted on the district website in the special education section.  Along with that information, selected handouts from professional development presentations will also be posted in the special education section of the website.

A number of Cossitt staff members took part in the 3rd Annual Ella's Race for a CURE 5K Fun Run/Walk, 1 Mile Walk & Kids Dash at Bemis Woods South in Western Springs on Sunday, June 3 to benefit Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE).

It truly is a great feeling to be able to end my career, having had the opportunity to know and work with the special education staff for District 102.  They are passionate and dedicated to meeting the needs of all students.  Teaching is far more challenging today than it ever has been.  Not only are teachers obligated to the academic needs, but there is a strong focus on the social-emotional needs as well. The experiences that I have had with this group of professionals is memorable and provides a very positive outlook for the future.  I have been extremely fortunate to be a part of LaGrange School District 102 and leave with very positive thoughts, but a heavy heart, knowing I will miss working with this incredible team and the wonderful students and parents.

Joyce Powell, Ed.D.
Assistant Superintendent for Special Education

April 2018
It appears that winter intends to linger around a little more, so I hope your spring break allowed you opportunities for rest, relaxation and maybe a little sunshine.

April is National Autism Awareness Month!  I have included several links for information on autism, one of which, Autism Speaks, is an organization that is dedicated to advancing research into causes and better treatments for autism spectrum disorders.  Much of this is accomplished through fundraising and collaboration with community groups.  Links to the Autism Society of America and the Autism Research Institute are also available.

The color for Autism Awareness Month is blue, and on April 2nd, World Autism Awareness Day, organizations around the world promote this day with the campaign to "Light It Up Blue".  I encourage you to explore the links included to raise awareness and increase understanding of autism spectrum disorders.

LaGrange School District 102 offers a continuum of services to meet the needs of our special education students.  I would like to highlight and give special recognition to the teachers and related service personnel currently providing services for students in our Connections programs. 

Barnsdale Staff

Claire Fleming (Teacher),  Amy Kalas (Speech and Language),  Dr. Justin Zelenka (Physical Therapist),  Joyce Kalsch (Occupational Therapist), Rebecca Tatarre (Social Worker), Thomasina Hamilton (Paraprofessional), Bonnie Stern (Paraprofessional), Charlotte Slattery (Paraprofessional)

Forest Road Staff

Lorie Reyes and Nicole Skiniotes (Teachers),  Sarah Dolezal (Social Worker),  Emily Monteagudo and Mary T. Santucci (Speech and Language),  Kathryn Champagne (Occupational Therapist),  Dr. Justin Zelenka (Physical Therapist),  Andrea Guelfi (Paraprofessional),  Jane Uckerman (Paraprofessional),
Dahlia Vargas (Paraprofessional)

The Special Education Department was very fortunate to hear Dr. Paula Kluth speak during our RSD time on March 21st.  Dr. Kluth is a well-known consultant, author, advocate and independent scholar who works with teachers and families to provide inclusive opportunities for students with disabilities.  The goal of her approach and inclusive strategies is to create a more responsive and engaging experience for students.  Dr. Kluth is a former special education teacher and inclusion facilitator.   She is the author and co-author of more than 15 books. The feedback from our staff on Dr. Kluth's presentation was extremely positive. 

I have also included information from our district Occupational Therapist Team: Kathyrn Champagne, Dr. Risa Umeno, Joyce Kalsch, and Satyra Harris.

April is National Occupational Therapy Month! School-based occupational therapy is a science-driven, evidenced-based profession that enables students to successfully engage within their educational environment. Occupational therapy is defined as a related service and helps to support children to access their general education curriculum. District 102 occupational therapists collaborate with school teams, consult with teachers and parents, and work directly with students individually or in small groups. They may provide services related to adaptation of the physical environment, analyze habits and routines, improve seating posture, address visual-motor integration and eye-hand coordination skills, and self-care needs such as feeding or managing clothing at school. Click here for tips and tricks regarding management of classroom tools, hand strengthening activities, and handwriting help provided by your District 102 occupational therapy team!

Joyce Powell, Ed.D.
Assistant Superintendent for Special Education