Welcome to the Pleasanton PTA Council Special Needs Committee
The Pleasanton PTA Council Special Needs Committee (SNC) is made up of dedicated parent volunteers committed to making a difference in the lives of our special needs students and their families. Committee members include PUSD administrators from Special Education and PBIS as well as Parent Liaison. Our goal is to foster and maintain positive relationships between parents and PUSD, and spread awareness as well as acceptance of ALL abilities within our community.
SNC sponsors free evening speaker events with well-known local authorities on topics such as learning and behavioral challenges, anxiety in children and teens, ADHD, understanding the Individual Education Plan (IEP) and 504 processes, and building blocks to a successful collaboration between parents and schools. We also sponsor the Ability Awareness Week program with participating schools throughout the district. Students learn about the challenges a child with special needs faces on a daily basis, and learn how to ACCEPT–UNDERSTAND–SUPPORT everyone and their differences.
SNC defines “special needs” as a term that applies to children who are gifted learners, any child with a learning or processing difference, physical disability, cognitive delay, speech & language delay, behavioral challenges, social or emotional difficulty, and those with food allergies.
Updated 10-1518
Disclaimer: PUSD or the PTA Council does not necessarily endorse or sponsor the content of any written or electronic material displayed or provided. This information is provided for your convenience. Parents/guardians are responsible for determining the potential merits of the information posted.
If you would like to provide feedback regarding these listings, please email Belle Musfeldt, Communications.
Click on the Live Images & Flyers Posted Below
 Thursday, November 8 9:15 -11:00 a.m. PUSD District Offices 4665 Bernal Avenue Room Location TBD  An Update from The Director of Special Education To download the full document, click on the document image below.  SNC Needs Volunteers for Vintage Hills Abilities Awareness Week November 5–9 Vintage Hills Elementary School 1125 Concord St., Pleasanton The Special Needs Committee is organizing Abilities Awareness Week at Vintage Hills Elementary. We plan to Celebrate All Abilities during the week of November 5th-9th and will be looking for volunteers to assist in that week. SNC members, school reps and volunteers, please keep your eye out for a Signup Genius invitation in the coming weeks and submit your volunteer clearance form to your child's school now because it can take several weeks before you are cleared to volunteer. Details on how to volunteer will also be posted on this website. Please check back soon! The Key to Improving How IEP Teams Support Children’s Social and Emotional Needs by Mona Delahooke, Ph.D.Click on the image to be directed to the article.
  YLF Application Deadline October 31, 2018
 Email all applications to ylf@dor.ca.gov.
For more information about YLF, Click Here.
 To register, click anywhere on the flyer.
   Click anywhere on the flyer to download a copy or
for a Chinese or Vietnamese version.
  2018-19 SELPA CAC Meetings
Open to the Public
PUSD District Offices 4665 Bernal Avenue, Bldg 400 6:00-7:30 p.m.
October 29 - Kottinger Room December 3 - Bernal Room January 23 - Bernal Room March 4 - Bernal Room April 22 - Kottinger Room
  To register, click anywhere on the flyer.
 The Livermore Special Needs Parent Group is made up of parents and guardians in the Livermore area whose children have various special needs. It was established by parents, for parents. Our group has monthly meetings on the 3rd Wednesday of each month (except for December, June, July, and August) from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm. Address and meeting topics listed below.
 Livermore Valley Tennis Club
2000 Arroyo Road Livermore, CA 94550 2018-19 Meeting Topics
September 19 – Special Education
(for parents whose child attends Livermore Unified)
October 17 – Behavior
November 14 – Depression
January 16 – Screen Time
February 20 – IEP
March 20 – Alternative Therapies
April 17 – Transitions
May 15 – Summer Strategies
Your Child’s Class May Participate in the Tri-Valley SELPA Special Olympics. Check with Your Teacher, Save The Date to Your Calendar and Come Out and Cheer!
       There’s a Big Difference Between “Bad Behavior” and “Sensory Overload”
 
SNC needs your help! We still have some positions open for the school representatives listed below. We'd love to have you, so come and join us and make a difference in the lives of our special needs families!
School Representative
Hearst Elementary Mohr Elementary Harvest Park Middle Village High
If you wish to be a representative for your school, please complete the Membership Form or contact Linda Fazzio if you have questions.
      PUSD Facilitated
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Training for District Staff
Two half-day IEP Facilitated Stakeholder Trainings were offered on Tuesday, August 21st. The Kottinger training room was filled both sessions with teachers, administrators, district leaders, psychologist, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and other support staff. Dr. Joyce Little, from www.Key2Ed.com presented on the rationale and process of a Facilitated IEP; how to be an effective participant and team member; how to set a meeting up for success from the onset; roles and responsibilities of all team members; preventative measures; effective communication strategies; as well as, pre-and post-meeting success strategies. A survey is being conducted of attendees for more specific feedback; however, initial responses from many staff leaving the training were positive with some staff seeking additional more in-depth training.
WOULD YOU LIKE AN INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND IN PLEASANTON?  Heidi Murphy
Terry Snyder
A Welcome Back Letter from the Director of Special Education
 Deej
'Every child deserves the chance to achieve literacy and become fully educated. Competence must be presumed. Whenever possible, autistic children should be included in regular classes and not, as DJ has put it, in "segregated classes of easy lessons."' “Deej is the best film on autism I’ve ever seen. So much of DJ’s experience resonates deeply with me; it feels authentic from start to finish. Deej is an important film for anyone who wants to understand autistic lives.” Brent White Brent White
Adult Transition Program Director, Ala Costa Centers, Berkeley, CA   Students with Special Needs are Welcome
Please Contact Valley Humane for Details
925 426-8656
    Regina Stoops was born and raised in a town called Normal, though her humor is anything but. Regina has her own unique perspective on what most might consider the mundane details of ordinary life: raising three boys, being married (or not), aging parents, health care, navigating the world of special education, mini-van motoring and the grocery store.
Regina has created a blog called NORMAL NOTES which is filled with humorous ramblings that are heartfelt, touching and insightful. Click on the clipart below to read her latest rambling.
Here We Go Again...
By Regina Stoops
  A Warm Welcome to Our
New Special Ed Director! June 12, 2018
Dear Site Administrators, Special Education Teachers, Instructional Assistants and SPED support staff,
During the Board meeting tonight, Mary Jude Doerpinghaus, was approved to serve as our Director of Special Education. Please join me in welcoming Ms. Doerpinghaus to PUSD, the Special Education department and to the Leadership team.
Ms. Doerpinghaus joins us from the San Carlos School District where she is currently serving as the Interim Superintendent. Over the last 10 years in San Carlos, she also served as the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, Director of Student and Educational Services, Director of Special Education, and Coordinator of Special Education. In the Palo Alto Unified School District, Ms. Doerpinghaus served as a speech-language pathologist for approximately 11 years. I anticipate that Ms. Doerpinghaus will officially join the district on July 1.
I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to our Interim Director, Doris Kwok, and our Acting Assistant Director, Emily Knaggs. Ms. Kwok and Ms. Knaggs have both provided exceptional leadership to the special education department during this year of transitions. Many thanks to both of these outstanding educators.
Please feel free to forward this email to your student’s parents/guardians, so they are informed of our personnel changes. I will also ask Patrick Gannon to send out a communication to our Pleasanton community regarding the appointment of Mary Jude Doerpinghaus.
I hope you enjoy your summer break!
Sincerely,
Ed Diolazo
Assistant Superintendent
Student Support Services
Pleasanton Unified School District
925-426-4290
Ryan's Poem
Just because I have Autism, please don’t stereotype me.
I have Autism and that makes me different.
It does not make me stupid.
It does not make me weird.
Because I have Autism, I have Superpowers.
I can memorize TV and movie lines.
I can remember lots of things like the name of every kid at my Middle School.
I have great eyesight.
I can tell the difference between a Cessna and Beechcraft airplane
when they are high in the sky.
I can also tell the difference just by hearing the engine.
Autism makes it hard for me to keep track of things like homework.
It makes it hard for me to talk to other kids and
sometimes I don’t know what to say.
I am a regular guy who wants to make friends.
I am just a regular guy who has Autism.
 To learn more, click anywhere on the program flyer.
 | Contact the Special Needs Committee:
SNC Events Please check back often as we will be adding new events when they are confirmed! August 20 General Meeting Kottinger Room September 5 Welcome Back Families of Students with IEPs and 504 Plans September 13 General Meeting Bernal Room September 24-28 Donlon Elementary Ability Awareness Week October 3 (New!) IEPs and 504s–The Basics and Beyond October 11 General Meeting District Board Room November 5-9 Vintage Hills Ability Awareness Week November 8 General Meeting TBD December 13 General Meeting Kottinger Room January 10 General Meeting Kottinger Room February 14 General Meeting Kottinger Room March 14 General Meeting Kottinger Room April 9 (Tuesday) General Meeting Kottinger Room May 9 General Meeting Bernal Room Join SNC!  Stay Connected!
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