The Somers Special Education Parent Teacher Association (SEPTA) is a district wide PTA whose primary role is to provide resources and support for children with special needs, their families, and educators. If your child receives support in a special education classroom setting including resource room, self-contained, and special classes for math and reading, receives services such as speech and language, occupational therapy, physical therapy or counseling, is gifted and talented or twice exceptional, receives modifications or accommodations based on his or her special needs with or without a 504 plan, or if you work and support children receiving these services, then join the SEPTA network today! Anyone is welcome to join SEPTA.
SEPTA provides speakers/programs geared to parents and kids of special needs.
Is it possible to get more information from you as to what the special education parent chair does for your school. We are considering one for our school.
Unfortunately Cindy Special Education Departments don't all operate the same and although I live in a "good" school district in the 5 years I have lived here they have never sponsored a workshop on special ed. Our PTO routinely has workshops on homework without tears etc so our PTO thought it would be beneficial for our PTO's to also have special ed workshops partnered with our special ed department. The purpose of having PTO chairs within each PTO structure is to be inclusive rather than have seperate Special Ed PTO's where parents definitely would feel singled out.
I tried to email you but the message was bounced back to me. I haven't checked this discussion forum for awhile so sorry for the delay. If you reply with new email I will send it back.
Elaine, does your school board have a liason that works with the parents of spec. ed. students. This may be an avenue for you. Our SE parents have sooo many resources already in place for such things, and are offered through city and school board services.We even have a paid employee whose job it is to familiarize new parents in the system with the services. Parent participation is very low here too but I have not come up with an answer for that one. Our PTA made sure that the spec ed classes at our elementary had a room mother since they very seldom had a parent step up for it.
