Fall 2018

Welcome back to the 2018-19 school year. The first weeks of school are behind us with routines and rituals being set in classrooms and schools. It is a time of building relationships with students and with each other as staff in buildings and as special education teams. If you are a returning special education team member, I want to personally thank you for all that you do, the wisdom you bring to your work, and the time you put into each day for our students and families. If you are new to MPS, welcome. The Special Education Update is one way the Special Education Department reaches out and keeps you up to date.

Our department’s major focus in the first few weeks has been staffing. We started the school year nearly fully staffed in the area of our special education licensed staff. We have made huge strides in this area due to three key levers: early contracts, the Grow Your Own Program, and mentoring. Our challenge this fall has been in the hiring of special education assistants. This has been a particular struggle as we know the valuable role these professionals play in each of our classrooms and schools. Please know we are partnering with Human Resources for creative approaches to recruiting, supporting hiring fairs, deploying SEA Cadre staff, and consulting on temporary scheduling adjustments for SEA coverage. Filling vacancies is moving in the right direction and we are looking forward to onboarding our new staff members.

I would also like to highlight one of the many professional development focuses for special educators this year. For our licensed staff, two strands of professional development have been developed that are specifically focused on Federal Setting III and IV programs. The learning focuses on the standard elements that contribute to quality programming in the areas of social emotional learning and functional communication. We appreciate all the positive feedback we received on these sessions and look forward to building on this foundation. For our special education assistants, be on the lookout for new platforms for continuing education opportunities that we are working on this fall.

Lastly, as a department our work in the area of social emotional learning is vital in learning and serving students and families. Social and emotional learning teaches the skills we all need to handle ourselves, our relationships, and our work effectively and ethically. These skills include knowing how to recognize and manage our emotions, develop care and concerns for others, establish positive relationships, make responsible decisions, and handle challenging situations. These skills also are the ones that allow children to calm themselves when angry, make friends, resolve conflicts respectfully, and make ethical and safe choices. Keep social emotional learning in the forefront of your mind. For information and resources go to the Resource and Intervention Support page

Thanks again to all of you as we move through these first months, setting up routines and rituals for our students. It truly takes a village and I am grateful that you are a part of our special education team.

Rochelle Cox