Looking ahead at your student’s options after high school? Here is a great list of many college programs available in North Carolina for our students. Some are residential with inclusive housing options, some offer internships, and some reward a certification or award rather than degree – depending on the needs of the student. Click here: NCPSEA Program Info Grid  And learn more with the North Carolina Postsecondary Education Alliance (http://www.cidd.unc.edu/psea/).

Planning your visit to Wednesday night’s 11th Annual Open House and Resource Fair? Come meet other parents & professionals from the community and learn more about your child’s school experience in WCPSS. Here is a sneak peak at the schedule of the evening and a description of the sessions so you can decide where to spend your time:

2019_OpenHouse_sessiondescriptions

When you post on facebook about your experience with WCPSS, please make sure you tag WCPSS and use these hashtags. Share your troubles and difficulties, but also share your successes and happy stories. #specialedvoices #wcpss

Why is there a push for inclusion in the classroom and how does it benefit your child? Researcher Shelley Moore of The University of British Columbia shares an excellent analogy of how inclusion benefits everyone in an educational environment.

You may have heard the term”Universal Design for Learning” bounced around lately. Universal Design for Learning, or UDL, is a framework for embracing diversity in the classroom to benefit ALL students. This concept is used in developing and planning special education services and is making an impact in WCPSS.

Time to prepare for your child’s annual IEP meeting? Did you know there’s a way to talk with a real live person if you have questions about special education services in WCPSS? Call Family and Community Connections at (919) 431-7334. This team is part of the Special Education Services department in central office and is available to answer questions on programs available, services offered and can help parents be sure we understand our rights as we advocate for our children. See also the Parent’s Rights handbook published by DPI https://ec.ncpublicschools.gov/parent-resources/parents-rights-handbook

Wake County parents, are you concerned about funding for your child’s school? You may be interested in the upcoming joint meeting of the Wake County Board of Education and the County Commissioners, who will vote on the funding required to meet the basic needs of our students. The meeting on Tuesday, May 22 at 2pm is open to the public, although there will not be a time for public comment.  Learn more here! 

There is also a public hearing of the Commissioners on Monday, May 21 at 7pm. You can find those details here.

When parents send our children to school, we want to know that they will be kept safe. Does your school have a detailed plan for your child’s safe evacuation in case of an emergency? Here are some tips to consider while developing a plan… Think Safety First! SEAC_SafetyFirst.docx

Wondering if your student should have an Individual Education Plan? Curious about how the process works? Come out to WCPSS’ Crossroads II (110 Corning Rd, Cary, 27511) on Wednesday, February 21 from 5:30-7pm for a Parent Training Session. This session provides information about the IEP referral process and includes tips for parents to most effectively share their concerns with the school.

If your child’s classroom will be affected by changes in regional programming for the next school year, you should have received notification from WCPSS about parent information sessions scheduled for next week. These are a great opportunity to learn more about the changes taking place as part of a 4 year plan to move students back to their base school. Everyone is welcome to attend these sessions, whether your child is immediately affected or not. Do call WCPSS’ Special Ed Services to let them know which session you plan to attend. Childcare is not provided.

ID Mild list of affected schools, parent session times and location (note the 1/29 sessions are at 11:30 until 12:30 and 6:30 until 7:30)

ID Mod and AU list of affected schools, parent session times and locations (note the 1/30 session is at Crossroads Flex High School, NOT at Crossroads II)