WESTFIELD – The Westfield Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is holding an ice cream social on Thursday, June 1 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in Chapman Park (at the intersection of Fowler and St. Paul).
The social marks the last event of the school year for SEPAC
“This year we had great support from the special education department, and had administrators, school committee members and service providers participate and attend workshops,” said parent leader Michele Douglas, in speaking about the year’s informative monthly events for families.
Douglas said the highlight of the year was the 2nd Annual Shining Star awards where students and parents acknowledged teachers, service providers and administrators for their hard work and dedication.
The Shining Star Award, nominated by parents and children, is given by the SEPAC as recognition for excellence in supporting special education, and honors those educators and support personnel who contribute to the acceptance and success of Westfield students with disabilities. At May’s event there were 27 recipients.
“We had a great turnout from parents and professionals, which was exciting to see,” said Douglas.
Douglas said one of the biggest attendances for a workshop was the Dyslexia workshop presented by Nancy Duggan from DDMA, Decoding Dyslexia Massachusetts. Duggan discussed how to identify dyslexia early, look for appropriate instruction and why it matters to have it named on the IEP (Individualized Education Plan).
“Getting more parents involved is our top goal but there are many variables as to why parents are unable to become more involved. We hope that providing child care has helped. Overall, it’s been a great year and we’re hoping for even better to come,” Douglas said on behalf of the SEPAC leadership team, which includes Dawn Altieri, Rachel Bullock, Felicita Cintron, Laura Marx and Melissa Rutkowski.
This Thursday, SEPAC invites families to bring the kids and join them for ice cream and toppings, to connect with other families, and bring any questions they have about summer school and the 2017-18 school year.
For more information about SEPAC, find them on Facebook: Westfield MA Special Education Parent Advisory Council, on the web at bit.do/westfieldsepac, or contact by email to: [email protected].
