August 2020

Welcome back SJCOE families!

We are excited to begin this new school year with you all, in a new way. By now, your child's classroom teacher and related service providers will have contacted you to review your child's Distance Learning Plan. Please contact us should you have ANY questions! We are here to help! Please see the "Parent Academy" tab, and the FAQ tab for Distance Learning information and phone numbers, should you need assistance.

We will continue to send you updates as we learn new information from our Superintendent, the California Department of Education, the California Department of Public Health, and the San Joaquin County Public Health Services.

In addition, we'd like to share information about our Community Advisory Committee!

• Would you like to build communication, share resources and improve knowledge about special education issues?

• Would you like to be provided with opportunities to talk with professionals who work with children with special needs?

• Would you like to provide input on parent education and training in relation to students with disabilities?

• Would you like to support activities on behalf of children with special needs?

The San Joaquin County SELPA Community Advisory Committee (CAC) is currently looking for parent members to be a part of a collaborative team of parents and other individuals with a personal or professional interest in working with parents, students, teachers, educational specialists and consultants to establish a networking system between the SELPA, LEAs, schools and the community. If you are interested in possibly becoming a member of the CAC, contact Monica Filoso, Division Director for Special Education for SJCOE, at (209) 468-9279.

We look forward to working with you this school year!

The Special Education Admin Team

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hello SJCOE Families! The following email was sent to families to inform you of our decision to begin the school year with 100% distance learning, through the month of August. Please contact your child's assigned administrator with any questions.

July 16, 2020

Good morning SJCOE Families,

Over the past several weeks, we have been working as a leadership team and with a Special Education re-opening committee to determine our plans to re-open in the Fall for in-person instruction. We have read the various available guidance documents, surveyed staff, surveyed parents, worked closely with our district partners, and discussed several options for re-opening our programs in August. Throughout our meetings, the SJCOE has kept the health and safety of both students and staff at the forefront of all discussions.

On Monday, July 13th, our SJCOE Superintendent, Jamie Mousalimas, and the San Joaquin County Public Health Office (SJCPH), Dr. Maggie Park, made the recommendation for all schools in San Joaquin county to begin the school year via a 100% Distance Learning model, at least through the end of August 2020.

Following this new announcement, the SJCOE Special Education department has worked closely with the special education counterparts in the districts we serve as well as our re-opening committee. At this time, we have determined that we will follow the recommendation made by the SJCOE and SJCPH and begin the school year via a 100% Distance Learning model, through the month of August.

At this time, we are planning to re-open schools to in-person learning beginning Monday, August 31st. The re-opening committee will continue to plan for in-person instruction models, including a hybrid model, a shortened day model, and a traditional model. With the assistance of SJCPH, we will develop a plan for re-opening with student and staff health and safety at the forefront of our plans.

Over the course of this week, each family will receive a placement letter with the teacher name, school name, administrator name and contact information, and first day of school per the district calendar. Your child’s teacher will be contacting you on the first day of school to provide information on Distance Learning and develop individual plans for your students, based on their IEP goals and services.

Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s assigned administrator with any questions, concerns, or to request additional information.

As always, we appreciate your continued patience and flexibility. We understand and are sensitive to the challenges of Distance Learning for our students in special education programs. We will continue to strive to provide your student with a Free and Appropriate Public Education to the maximum extent feasible and to support your family during this challenging time.

Thank you,

Monica Filoso

Division Director, Special Education

San Joaquin County Office of Education

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

16 de julio del 2020

Buenas Dias Familias de SJCOE,

En las últimas semanas, nosotros hemos estado trabajando como un equipo de liderazgo y con un comité de re-apertura de Educación Especial para determinar nuestros planes de volver a abrir el programa en el otoño para las clases en persona. Hemos leído varios documentos de recomendaciones disponibles, hemos realizado encuestas al personal, a los padres, hemos trabajado muy de cerca con nuestros colaboradores del distrito, y hemos analizado varias opciones para volver a abrir nuestros programas en agosto. Durante nuestras juntas, la SJCOE (Oficina de Educación del Condado de San Joaquín) ha mantenido la salud y la seguridad de los estudiantes y del personal como la parte más importante de todas las conversaciones.

El lunes 13 de julio, nuestro Superintendente de SJCOE, Jamie Mousalimas, y la Oficina de Salud Pública del Condado de San Joaquín (SJCPH), Dra. Maggie Park, hicieron la recomendación para que todas las escuelas en el condado de San Joaquín empiecen el año escolar a través del modelo de aprendizaje a distancia en un 100%, por lo menos hasta finales de agosto del 2020.

Haciendo un seguimiento a este nuevo anuncio, el departamento de Educación Especial de la SJCOE ha trabajado muy de cerca con los compañeros colaboradores de educación especial en los distritos a los que servimos; así como también con nuestro comité de reapertura. Actualmente, hemos determinado que seguiremos las recomendaciones hechas por la SJCOE y SJCPH, y empezaremos el año escolar a través del modelo de aprendizaje a distancia en un 100%, durante el mes de agosto.

Hasta este momento, estamos planeando volver abrir las escuelas para el aprendizaje en persona a partir del lunes 31 de agosto. El comité de reapertura seguirá planificando modelos de instrucción en persona, incluyendo un modelo con diferentes técnicas, un modelo con horario diario más corto, y un modelo tradicional. Con la ayuda de SJCPH, desarrollaremos un plan para la reapertura tomando en cuenta la salud y la seguridad de los estudiantes y del personal como la parte más importante de nuestros planes.

Durante el transcurso de esta semana, cada familia estará recibiendo una carta de ubicación con el nombre del maestro, el nombre de la escuela, el nombre del administrador y la información de contacto, incluyendo el primer día de clases de acuerdo al calendario del distrito escolar. El maestro de su hijo se pondrá en contacto con usted el primer día de clases para proporcionarle información sobre el aprendizaje a distancia, y desarrollar planes individuales para sus estudiantes en base a sus metas y servicios del IEP.

Por favor, no dude en ponerse en contacto con el administrador asignado de su hijo con cualquier pregunta, preocupaciones, o simplemente para solicitar información adicional.

Como siempre, le agradecemos su paciencia y flexibilidad continua. Entendemos y estamos muy concientes de los retos del aprendizaje a distancia para nuestros estudiantes en los programas de educación especial. Continuaremos esforzándonos por brindarle a su estudiante una Educación Pública Gratuita y Apropiada en la máxima medida de lo que sea posible, y para apoyar a su familia durante este difícil tiempo.

Gracias,

Monica Filoso

Directora de División, Educación Especial

Oficina de Educación del Condado de San Joaquín