Special Edge 9/25/2020

Desk of Sean Reinhart

I can’t be more proud of how our team of teachers, classified staff, specialists, nurses, and administrators have stepped up and risen to the occasion of this moment.  Providing a free and appropriate education for students in the time of COVID is difficult and different than anything we have done in the past.  As a district and a special programs department, we have been preparing and training for this moment for years.  This is an organizational “stress test”.  Undoubtedly, during this process, we will uncover practices that no longer make sense and discover new ways of helping student reach their goals.  Our priorities will continue to shift as we learn more about educating students in a new environment.  In some ways, it is exciting to think we are “moving forward” together, and what we discover now will change education forever.  You are all leading a transformational change in education. 

I was on a panel of special education administrators last night.  Each question asked by the moderator grounded me to a place of total humility by the work we do.  The final question was, “What is your Why?”  The answer came so quickly, “Because educating citizens is the keystone of our democracy”. 

Take care

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More from Sean

 

PPE and safety training:
Our fabulous team of school nurses have developed a training module for special education teams.  Please reach out to your school nurse to plan a training time for you and your team of educational assistants ASAP. 
This first training can be delivered via webex. 
Additionally, specific in-person training will be offered to school teams regarding safe practices with PPE and personalized to the context of your building and the students you serve. 
Finally, your school nurse will be available to problem solve in real-time and consult ongoing as questions and issue arise throughout the year. 
Please reach out to your nurse to set up the first training. 
Thank you.

ESD’s Special Programs Specialists – School Grid

Desk of Colleen Funderburg

Many of you have asked for clarification regarding reevaluations.  Here is the guidance again that we followed in the spring. 

During the COVID-19 school closure, what is best practice for triennial
re-evaluations?
Option 1: Waive Reevaluation
Enter into a written agreement (this is the Waiver process) with the parent that a three-year reevaluation is unnecessary. This is a new process in Synergy.  You will need to reach out to Shannon or RCC for moving into this process. Guidance Document:  Reevaluation Waiver Guidelines
Option 2: Review of Existing Information
Obtain permission to evaluate, and conduct the three-year reevaluation based on a review of existing information (file review form). Guidance Document:  Reevaluation File Review Only Guidelines
Option 3: I have a signed permission and now I am not able to conduct all agreed upon assessments
If, prior to the COVID-19 school closure, you have already agreed to administer assessments as part of the three year reevaluation process, determine if you can administer the agreed upon assessments.  If you can’t, then ask the parent if they agree to remove the assessments that cannot be conducted due to the inability to get the evaluation data due to the COVID-19 school closure. This can be documented by sending the parent a PWN indicating that additional assessments could not be performed due to the COVID-19 school closure.  (Then go to option 2 above. *YOU DO NOT NEED TO CREATE A NEW PERMISSION TO EVALUATE – just specifically list what has been changed in the evaluation in the PWN.)

What if the parent does not agree to remove the agreed upon assessments? 

• Explain to the parent that due to the COVID-19 school closure, we are not able to administer the assessment at this time. Then determine if the team has enough information to determine eligibility and hold the meeting. Document in meeting notes and in a PWN, that the team will consider conducting and completing those evaluations when traditional school resumes. If you need support a special programs administrator can participate in a meeting or communicate with the parent. 

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How do I know who the general education teacher is for a student enrolled in BLPSO?

1. Set your focus to Bend-La Pine Schools Online in Synergy 
   
2. Go to the SIS (Student), click on “classes” tab
3. Scroll down to see schedule and the name of the online teacher

BLPO coordination with SpEd
The following are the point of contacts by school for special ed students attending BLPOnline.
Please note that some schools are still needing a teacher assigned. We’ll be updating this information when we get the rest of the names.

MS:
Jen Hancock- SVMS, HDMS, WSV
Amy Douglass- PBMS, PCMS
Steph Bennett- LPMS
Lori Gascon/Nicole Macht- TRS (MS)
Tanya Everts- CMS

ES:
Denise Horton- HLE, WSVM, PES, TRS
Debbie Waldon- JES, REJ, Buckingham,
Lori Craft- LRE, NSE, WEM
Amanda Jessup- SRE, Highland, RES, EES,

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From the Desk of Shannon Watters

What do I do if a parent tells me they will be home schooling their child?
You should be very curious when the parent states they are going to be home schooling. Ask a few additional question to clarify if they are in fact home schooling, or if they have enrolled in an online school they are accessing from home.

When a student is being “Homeschooled”, there are a few things to know:

• First, you need to check with parents to determine how the student is being homeschooled:

• • Homeschool: the parent is using purchased or their own curriculum to teach the student and should be registered with the High Desert ESD. 

• Contact the parents to determine if they wish to access services.  The IEP is provided in it’s entirety.  

• • Yes, they want services: You will need to amend the IEP to denote the change in placement to Homeschool and change the Placement document.  You can do this without a meeting using the Written Agreements.  Services are offered through CDL just like the rest of your caseload.  You determine groups and times.
  • No, they don’t want services.  We will send a ​FAPE letter.  We are not responsible for updating the IEP, but are responsible for the three-year evaluation

• Either way, you MUST contact me, so I can update the student’s enrollment. Once updated you will need to set your focus to Bend-La Pine Schools to see these students in your portfolio.

• • Shared Time enrollment: students accessing services
  • Special Programs Tracking enrollment: students not accessing services, but we track the reevaluation date

What do I do if a parent tells me they are sending their child to a virtual or online school that is NOT Bend-La Pine Schools Online?
For students attending a Virtual/Online school (other than Bend-La Pine Schools Online):

• • Virtual school/Online school:  students are enrolled in an online school which they access from home. 

• • • A few examples of these schools include Oregon Virtual Academy, Oregon Connections Academy, Willamette Connections Academy, Bridge Charter, Frontier Charter, and k12

The attending online/virtual school is responsible for providing the SDI and implementing the IEP.  We DO NOT provide services to these students. Student will be unenrolled from Bend-La Pine Schools once you complete your prior written notice of moved, continuing education located in AdHoc.

Can I extend an evaluation?
Yes, you can extend evaluations for all eligibilities and can even extend extensions. 

However, you MUST have the re-evaluation done by the Three Year due date. If you don’t think this is possible, you can look at a re-evaluation waiver.  This process is still in Synergy.  You can extend Initial evaluations  with the Written Agreements.

Process for an extension:

• Contact parent.  They MUST agree.
• Go to Ad Hoc Docs and complete the Written Agreements-extension portion at the bottom.
• You CANNOT extend past the Three Year Date.
• Send to RCC to get parents signature.

When you are extending a Reevaluation,  You would be extending the 60-day timeline in only certain circumstances.  For example: Permission was signed more than 60 days before the 3-year re-evaluation date.

Example: If the teams sign permission in February for an evaluation.  However, the three-year wasn’t due until mid-November.  You can extend the 60-day timeline but can’t extend past the mid-November due date.

Process for a waiver:

• Contact parent.  They MUST agree. Explain to parents that we can readdress any evaluation components, if needed, at a later date when we are back to in-person learning.
• Ask RCC to move the student to the Reevaluation Waiver Process.
  • If the student is already in a Re-evaluation process and you have signed consent, RCC will walk you through getting the documents finalized.  You MUST complete a PWN stating what you are doing and that parents agreed to move to a waiver.
• Complete all paperwork in the Waiver process

  
  How do I get signatures on IEP documents?
  Your records clerks will help! They are obtaining parent signatures using Adobe Sign. 

  If you need a Signature:

  • • For Print ONLY documents (i.e., Written Agreements, Authorization to Exchange):
      • print it out, fill in the section you are using, and scan to Records Clerks
      • download to your computer and fill out in Adobe and scan to Records Clerks
    • For Fillable Documents (i.e., initial provision, eligibility summary, consent for eval)
      • complete in Synergy
      • email RCC letting them know which document needs signing
        • provide any outside email addresses if needed
        • RCC can see parent email address in Synergy

  *For the IEP attendance page, just write or type the name of attendee and list “attended via WebEx” on the signature line. You do not need signatures on this document during CDL or Hybrid.

  2020-2021 Parent Rights for Special Education, Procedural Safeguards.  Records Clerks will continue to send these out with Meeting notices, but in case you need to provide the information to parents use these links:

  • English
  • Spanish
  • Russian 
  • Chinese
  • Vietnamese
  • Arabic

“How to” to run several reports in Synergy. 
There is a lot of helpful information in these reports.

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Desks of Behavior Coaches

Reunite, Renew, and Thrive: SEL Roadmap for reopening school
As educators around Oregon are preparing to welcome students back to school, they are faced with the layered impact of school closures.  To aid in this transition, CASEL collaborated with more than 40 partners to illuminate a way forward focused on relationships and building upon the existing strengths of a school community.

Behavior Coaching Tools for Parents & Families
This document is designed as a tool for teachers, staff and behavior coaches to support parents and caregivers who are experiencing challenging behavior in the home setting.

Behavior Coaching Tools for Teachers
This document is designed more specifically as a tool for teachers and school staff to support students who are experiencing challenging behavior at school. 

Bend La Pine Schools District Website:  Student Mental Health and Families in Need

Stress and Resilience with Bruce Perry
“The most powerful buffer in times of stress and distress is our social connectedness, so let’s remember to stay physically distant but emotionally close.  Reach out and connect, even a short text or a smiling face on WebEx can help.   REGULATE, RELATE, REASON.”  

– Dr. Bruce Perry 

Behavior Coach Assignments: 2020 – 2021 (Same as last year!)

Jen 6-12                     Amanda K-8                Lorna K-5                    Darlene K-8
Tamarack MS/HS      North Star Behavior     Silver Rail Behavior     La Pine Behavior
Bend High                    North Star                        Silver Rail                        La Pine Elem
La Pine High                Buckingham                    Elk Meadow                    Rosland
Marshall High             Lava Ridge                       Pine Ridge                       Jewell
Mountain View HS     Ponderosa                        Juniper                            Bear Creek
Summit HS                  Ensworth                          Highland                         Three Rivers E/M
REALMS HS                Miller                                Amity                               Westside Village
Skyline HS                    High Lakes                      *Bend International      *Desert Sky
La Pine MS                   Sky View
Cascade MS
High Desert MS
Pacific Crest MS
Pilot Butte MS
REALMS MS

More from Behavior Coaches

The coaches are offering weekly Affinity Groups for elementary, middle and high school staff. The groups are voluntary, and are an opportunity for case managers to support one another, collaborate and share ideas. We will include any resources that are exchanged at the affinity groups here on the blog. 

Please MAKE A COPY to your Google Drive before editing any resources.

ERC Student Contact Log Template (Kelly Hirsch, Jewell ERC)
Phonics Screener (Digital) (Kelly McKinney, Three Rivers ERC)
High Frequency Words Screener (Digital) (Kelly McKinney, Three Rivers ERC)
DIBELS Progress Monitoring Books (Digital)  (Sara Young, Elk Meadow ERC)
How to Navigate Canvas for Students (Course in the Commons) (Vickie Trudel, Three Rivers SRC)

Examples for Implementing Social/Emotional/Behavioral Goals during CDL