Superintendent's Special Education Council

2022-23 Special Education Council Members

• Ariann Arana, Special Education Teacher
• Jason Bruzik, Parent or Legal Guardian
• Rachel Boudreaux, Special Education Teacher
• Ashley Blackwell, Special Education Teacher
• Jennifer Macias, Parent or Legal Guardian
• Tara Rosenkranz, Parent or Legal Guardian
• Chelsea Moore, Special Education Community Stakeholder
• Jennifer Theriot, Parent or Legal Guardian
• Trina Freeman, Parent or Legal Guardian
• Grant Hebert, Special Education Teacher
• Patricia Houin, Special Education Community Stakeholder
• Windy Hasson, Parent or Legal Guardian

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2022-23 Meeting Dates

Council members’ discussions and input are highly valued and member attendance at all council meetings is encouraged. The council will meet four times during the 2022-2023 academic calendar year from 1:00 to 2:30 PM at alternating sites. 

• October 18, 2022 at 501 Manhattan Blvd.
• December 9, 2022 at Emenes Building
• February 6, 2023 at 501 Manhattan Blvd.
• April 18, 2023 at Emenes Building
• April 27, 2023 Collaborative Meeting at 501 Manhattan

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2022-23 Council Recaps

October 18: The Superintendent Special Education Council was led by Paulette Fairchild, the Executive Director of Compliance, Pupil Appraisal, and Student Services. The council members discussed council norms and meeting outcomes. The team then conducted an interactive team-building exercise where members got to know one another and share more about what they bring to the council.

Followed by the icebreaker activity, Ms. Fairchild shared Special Education updates, including an update about the Special Education Reporting (SER) System and the improvements made. Jade Gambino, the Director of IDEA, shared information about recent accommodation shifts and updates to the Student Bill of Rights for students with visual impairments that will be made this year based on updates from the Louisiana Department of Education. Ms. Fairchild and her team will be sharing updates regularly with special education teachers and administrators about these shifts, including updating the Special Education Procedural Manual in the Google Classroom. 

Ms. Fairchild then shared information about the Student Support team’s focus this school year, which was guided by data and information collected from visits to schools last year. The team’s focus this year includes assisting teachers in writing meaningful IEPs that will impact student growth and partnering with external organizations to provide additional support to teachers with addressing students who have the most challenging behaviors.

As a next step from last year’s Special Education Council, the Student Support team promised to create more resources to share with our special education families. The council members reviewed an IEP Checklist resource created by the team and provided feedback to ensure the resource is as inclusive and helpful as possible. This resource will be shared with families at a future date.

The council members then broke up into two focus groups to share more about what is working and what could be improved for special education students. Some ideas shared include:

What’s working:

• Collaboration with general education teachers and special education school and district staff members
• Continue opportunities for families to engage in learning (like computer literacy nights)
• Identifying trends in the district to pinpoint needed professional development opportunities for teachers
• Provide a variety of professional development opportunities for teachers
• Issues are addressed immediately by school personnel
• Partnerships with Thrive Kids and Ochsner
• Full team being present at IEP meetings
• Community access encourages community buy in to district initiatives
• Parenting classes offered after school during the 21-22 school year

Suggestions for improvement:

• More resources for special education teachers
• More after-school hours for IEP meetings
• More opportunities for parents to engage via school-based councils
• Bring back more art and extracurricular activities
• Increase recess time, extend school day if needed
• Extracurricular activities that allow students with more significant cognitive disabilities to interact with their non-disabled peers
• Parents have to identify the areas of concern
• More time to observe and interact with their child in the classroom setting
• IEP team members are often leaving the meeting early
• Limited social work services at school (SPED social worker is only present at school 2 days/week)
• Qualified personnel for assessing dyslexia and Gifted/Talented student evaluations
• School Wide “Lost in School-Ross Greene” Book Study
• Paperwork reduction for paperwork

Ms. Gambino conducted a meeting evaluation, where members shared reinforcements and refinements for the meeting.

To conclude the meeting, Superintendent Dr. James Gray addressed the council members. “We are the largest and most diverse district in the state, and I believe that we can be the number one district in the country,” he shared. Jefferson Parish Schools have shown two years of student growth, and Dr. Gray noted, “We can accomplish anything if we continue to work together.” He shared how these council meetings give the district a chance to truly hear how we function and how much he valued each member’s unique perspective.

December 9: The Superintendent Special Education Council was led by Paulette Fairchild, the Executive Director of Compliance, Pupil Appraisal, and Student Services. Mrs. Fairchild started the meeting with guest speaker introductions. The council members discussed council norms and meeting outcomes. The team then participated in a team building exercise. This exercise was a 10-minute video titled “snack attack”. After the video, Mrs. Fairchild asked the members to think about one word that would describe the video in relation to how students may feel in the classroom. Council members were divided into three groups to participate in team discussions. Once the group resumed, members presented one word descriptions on the video such as: perception, awareness, righteousness and communication. Mrs. Fairchild shared the importance of communication within the classroom. Mrs. Fairchild also expressed that the communication model should be present in the classroom by teachers. 

Next, Lillian Guilbault, Director of Pre-K, and  Lynsey Jackson, Coordinator of Pre-K Instruction, presented the learning objectives of understanding the basics of conscious discipline (CD), building awareness of the use of CD in JP early child development and interpreting the social-emotional foundations of young learners. Mrs. Jackson explained the importance of the schools supporting students feeling safe in the classroom. Mrs. Jackson said,  “Students are in transition roles. They are coming to school being someone's daughter, son or sibling and transitioning into a person that's a part of a school family.” Mrs. Jackson continued to describe that teachers use resources daily in efforts to support students. Teachers utilize Frog Street and other classroom structures that support social-emotional learning include: greetings, safe place, kindness tree and wish well board. Additional structures are used in the classroom to provide more SEL through conscious discipline. Mrs. Jackson brought examples of items used.

Next, Erin Valls, PBIS Coordinator, conducted a presentation on conscious discipline in upper grades. Mrs. Valls explained that older students have the same fears as younger students. She explained that teachers and students will benefit from teachers building relationships with their students. Mrs. Valls explained traditional discipline vs conscious discipline. “Discipline and punishment aren't the same thing”, she said. Council members watched a video titled “Gang leader to graduate: a conscious discipline transformation.” Mrs. Valls then reviewed discipline and behavior intervention structures utilized in schools throughout the district. 

Mrs. Fairchild proposed that the focus groups be scheduled for the next meeting to allow time for questions and topic discussion. One member questioned if all schools, including charters, receive the same CD training. Collectively the guest speakers explained that all schools’  SPED and Pre K teachers are trained through PBIS training. Another member asked if other teachers that are not SPED or Pre-k, would be allowed to attend conscious discipline training. Mr. Fairchild explained since the pandemic many trainings have not been available. Mrs. Jackson explained how all teachers can access CD training and tools online. Members continued in discussions focusing on pros of CD, the need for more teacher training, and the hope of the district implementing CD for everyone. AJ Pethe, Chief of Schools, closed this portion of the meeting with constructive feedback based on questions asked. 

To conclude the meeting, Superintendent Dr. James Gray expressed that the district hears everything that is being heard and expressed.  Dr. Gray expressed that the goal is to have communication across the district. He explained that we are constantly teaching teachers about conscious discipline. “Conscious Discipline starts the first time that a child walks into a classroom”, said Dr. Gray. Dr. Gray reviewed the district's scores with the members and then thanked members for their hard work and encouraged them to attend forums so they can share experiences with others.

Mrs. Fairchild conducted a meeting evaluation, where members shared reinforcements and refinements for the meeting. 

February 6: The Superintendent Special Education Council was led by Paulette Fairchild, the Executive Director of Compliance, Pupil Appraisal, and Student Services. Mrs. Fairchild started the meeting discussing council norms and meeting outcomes. The team then participated in a team building exercise where they had to draw a picture based on how their partner described it. Mrs. Fairchild encouraged team members to share feedback on their partners' drawings. She expressed that the activity was to show how important communication is and how it relates to students with disabilities.

Next, Mrs. Fairchild introduced Suzanna Nugent, Gifted/Talented Assistive Technology Coordinator. She informed members that Mrs. Nugent would be conducting a presentation.  Before the presentation, the council members discussed assistive technology that they’re most familiar with. 

Next Mrs. Nugent conducted a presentation on assistive technology for students with disabilities. Mrs. Nugent began the presentation with the definition of assistive technology and eligible characteristics.  Ms Nugent explained that assistive technology is not for every student with disabilities. Students are evaluated to determine if assistive technology is needed. Students are continuously assessed and monitored to ensure that they’re supported with assistive technology. She explained the difference between low tech and high tech assistive technology. 

The group started discuss the use of personal devices within the classroom. Ms. Nugent provided her contact information to the council who had follow up questions. Afterwards the group was divided into two focus groups to review flyers that will go out to parents. 

To conclude the meeting, Superintendent Dr. James Gray shared that the board is requesting a consolidation and efficiency plan. This may be done by reviewing the facilities, safety and security of the buildings. The discussion among the committee members centered around the topic of consolidation of schools and invited all members are invited to the upcoming community townhall meetings.

Mrs. Fairchild conducted a meeting evaluation, where members shared reinforcements and refinements for the meeting.

April 18: The Superintendent’s Principal Council was led by AJ Pethe, Chief of Schools, and Paulette Fairchild. Members of the Special Education Council reviewed the meeting agenda, norms, and outcomes. They then participated in a team-building activity where one word was shared. This month the word was transition, and had to explain what transition meant to them.

Next, Ms. Rhonda Cook and Ms. Kaye Morrision shared a presentation on Transition Planning which discussed options for students with significant disabilities in Jefferson Parish. Ms. Cook and Ms. Morrison also shared a Transition Plan with Action Steps. Next, they discussed vocational programs that are available in Jefferson Parish for students.  

The biggest takeaway from this training is that transition planning needs to start when they receive services. The presenters then took questions from council members. 

Ms. Fairchild then invited Superintendent Dr. James Gray to share a few words with council members. Dr. Gray shared a story about the first school he led and how that school didn’t have the highest rating, but they were performing at a high rate. Then he shared and opened the floor for council members to ask about the consolidation process. 

Finally, Mr. Pethe wrapped up the meeting with a meeting evaluation.

April 27 (Collaborative Council): The Superintendent’s Collaborative  Council was led by A.J Pethe, Chief Schools. He introduced guests from the school district. Next, he asked the council members to review the meeting agenda,purpose of the council, meeting norms and outcomes. The team then conducted an interactive team building exercise where members were asked to independently read an excerpt from, The Power of Positive Leadership,  by Jon Gordon. They participated in group discussions and presented their thoughts. 

Next, Mr. Pethe introduced Ms. Gabrielle Misfeldt, Chief of Staff. Ms. Misfeldt began with a presentation on Jefferson Parish Schools 2024 Strategic Plan. The presentation included the blueprint of the new plan and changes for the new school year. Members participated in an interactive group activity where they reviewed the current strategic plan and presented how the plan played a role in students' success and listed practices and actions schools are currently doing  that are not included in the plan. Groups presented that the following things in the strategic plan supported student success: quality assessments, weekly cluster meetings at schools, communication with stakeholders, quality teachers, creating safe and positive environments, access to tier 1 curriculum, supporting struggling learners, student voices are heard, and social media engagement and value school/district culture. Groups presented that the following things are not in the strategic plan but are things schools and the district are currently doing: technology support for all, communication regarding the facilities plan, more vocational and dual enrollment options, increase social workers on campuses, literacy cohorts for principals, SPED supports, and visitors being accounted for and identified while on campus and promotion of attendance.

Next, Mr. Pethe asked the group to create a list of key insights and topics of interest for next school year's council meetings. Members participated in a group discussion and shared out various topics, including. 

Mr. Pethe then invited Superintendent Dr. James Gray to share a few words with council members. Dr. Gray welcomed members and opened the floor for council members to ask 

about the strategic plan. He shared the district’s efforts to continue to support students, families, and employees. “Having these conversations helps us do things better,” he shared. “I appreciate the fact that you’re giving us ideas about where we are successful and where we have to go for our kids.”

Finally, Mr. Pethe wrapped up the meeting by reviewing things that work and things that can make council meetings better. Members shared that things that work for council meetings are: having mixed groups, diversity of perspectives, parent voice, ability to see trends, open and honest conversations and review of previous meetings. Members shared that things that would make  council meetings better are: adding ESL stakeholders, recaps sent out, having a mid-point collaborative meeting, more organic coverstations and longer meetings. Mr. Pethe closed the meeting by thanking everyone for participating.

2021-22 Special Education Council Members

• Sarah Aucoin
• Ariann Arana
• Ayesha Ayyad
• Jason Bruzik
• AnnMarie Dunn
• Lacey Ellis
• Windy Hassan
• Patricia Houin
• Jennifer Macias
• Chelsea Moore
• Jamilia Trench

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2021-22 Meeting Dates

Council members’ discussions and input are highly valued and member attendance at all council meetings is encouraged. Due to Hurricane Ida, the council will meet three times this school year (instead of four) from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. at alternating sites. All meeting attendees will adhere to the health and safety protocols outlined in our Start Strong Jefferson plan.

• December 16, 2021 at the JP Schools Administration Building located at 501 Manhatten Blvd. in Harvey 
• February 10, 2022 at the JP Schools Administration Building located at 501 Manhattan Blvd. in Harvey
• April 7, 2022 at the Paul Emenes Building located at 822 S. Clearview Pkwy. in Harahan

• 2021-2022 ACT 274 Letter

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Council Recaps

April 7: The final Superintendent Special Education Council meeting began with Miriam Wall, a JP Schools social worker, presenting on two programs called Rethink and Second Step. These programs focus on meeting the needs of the special education population regarding broadcast and communication skills, how to ask questions, calming strategies, identifying feelings, social emotional learning, and emotion regulation. 

The council members then participated in an ice breaker activity called Me Too, where the group read comments and whomever shared similarities, would step forward and say Me Too. Examples of some questions were: 

• Are you a coffee or tea person? 
• What is your biggest fear?
• If you could have anyone over for dinner, who would it be?
• What kind of music do you like? 
• Are you a morning person or a night owl? 

Followed by the ice breaker activity, the council broke into two focus groups to discuss the IEP process in terms of what works well and what could be done better or differently. 

The meeting concluded with Superintendent Dr. James Gray addressing the members by reiterating how important these councils are by bringing people together from unique backgrounds to hear their diverse perspective and allow for two way communications. Dr. Gray then took questions from the group, and parents thanked  Dr. Gray for the opportunity to meet and allowing them to speak authentically about their experiences. 

February 9: The second Superintendent's Special Education Council began with a welcome and introduction from AJ Pethe, Chief of Schools.

The council was introduced to Paulette Fairchilld, Director of IDEA, and she began the meeting with a  team building activity called Know Your Why. The council was shown a video excerpt from a public speaker who spoke about the power of knowing your why. The council members were then instructed to think about their personal why, why they applied to be on this council group, and what their purpose was. A quote displayed that read “When you know your why, your what has more impact because you’re walking in or towards your purpose” was displayed during the activity. 

The council directed their attention to Dr. Rosemary Kerrin, a speaker who presented from the district’s Autism Support Team, where she explained the roles of the team and the support offered. The Autism Support Team’s focus is to provide support for students, schools, and families. They provide professional development for special education teachers through school visits, consultations, and modeling of materials and strategies. She also reviewed the goals of the support team which is to support students and families, be proactive with strategies for all students, and have multidisciplinary perspectives for problem solving. 

The meeting concluded with a message from Dr. Gray. “We have needs in our district, but they will not be fixed instantly,” he said. ”I want you to be able to say that there is a stark contrast from where we were from the beginning of the year to where we are now. Your children are our children, and because they have such a unique set of needs, we are here to provide extra support to help them be successful.” 

To offer context, Dr. Gray alo informed the council of some specific plans underway to address student mental and emotional health. Dr. Gray informed the council that the district is partnering with external mental health providers, hiring 11 additional external mental health providers, 117 JP social workers currently staffed, and hiring four additional external bilingual mental health providers. 

The group then engaged in rapid fire topics. Concerns shared included: 

• More professional development for special education teachers
• The need for schools to host an FAQ session for parents with questions regarding IEP’s

December 16: The Superintendent’s Special Education Council was led by Ajit “AJ” Pethe, Chief of Schools. Mr. Pethe opened the meeting by introducing Paulette Fairchild, Director of IDEA for JP Schools. 

After reviewing the meeting outcomes, the council members were asked to answer survey questions regarding how familiar they were with special education laws. The group was then shown a presentation on policies and procedures for special education students. Following the presentation, council members were provided information that explained where they could locate resources pertaining to special education policies and guidelines. After these resources were shared, the council members were asked to share areas of improvement regarding ways to better serve special education students. The areas of improvement were as follows: 

• Educate parents on how to read an IEP
• Find ways to make the IEP process less daunting and intimidating for parents 
• Implement more supportive messaging for special education 
• Divert more attention to parents of special education children who are unable to read, need larger print, are in need of interpretation, or are in need of computer access 
• Continue to partner with community partners such as Oschner 
• Provide more positive feedback to parents on the progress of their child 

The council then turned their focus to a discussion regarding social and emotional support.. Monique Soignet, Director of Family and Social Services, spoke to the council about social and emotional health and played a video that helped lay the groundwork for ways in which special education teachers can intentionally create learning experiences that help others become lifelong learners of social and emotional health.

The council meeting concluded when Dr. Gray spoke to the group about some of the issues raised at the meeting. 

 

2020-21 Special Education Council Members

• Jennifer Chastant
• Urania Chong
• Windy Hassan
• Della Hunter
• Mary Jacob
• Kaye Morrison
• Laura Nata
• Michele O'Steen
• Rana Ottallah
• Tara Rosenkranz
• Phyllis Tassin-Rogers
• Anayansi Torres

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2020-21 Special Education Council Recaps

April 13: At the fourth and final meeting of the Superintendent’s Special Education Council meeting, AJ Pethe, Chief of Schools, opened the meeting and welcomed the group. He then introduced Paulette Fairchild, who was recently hired as the Director of IDEA, to lead the group in a team building activity.

Then, Judy Weekley and Pam Allen, IEP Coordinators, led focus groups to discuss the process of IEP’s, and how we utilize those meetings to ensure students with an identified disability receive specialized instruction and services. As with many of our services, the pandemic and inability to meet with families in person presented unique challenges to the IEP meetings. Our special education employees have had to go above and beyond to communicate with virtual families using alternative methods, such as virtual meetings and phone calls. During the focus groups, we learned of some effective strategies being implemented that supportIEP compliance. From this discussion, the district will work to incorporate these strategies into the IEP process to ensure they are consistently and appropriately applied.

Next, Darvell Edwards, Executive Director of Special Programs, and Terri Trahan, Executive Director of Compliance and Pupil Appraisal, presented to the group the Expulsion Hearing/Manifestation Determination Review (MDR) Process.

At the end of the meeting, Superintendent Dr. James Gray thanked the group for their time and invaluable insight. He summed up the importance of these councils in two ways: (1) they provide a lens into the work we’re doing at the district level, and (2) the insights gained truly help to shape the work we do.

February 11: At the third Superintendent’s Special Education Council meeting, AJ Pethe, Chief of Schools, opened the meeting with an inspirational video and team building activity on the importance of shared leadership. When geese fly in formation, their flight range is extended by 77%. Similarly, when we tackle hard tasks together and embrace interdependence, we are more effective and can better support our students, teachers and support employees.

Council members then participated in a focus group discussion centered around virtual learning and curriculum. The insights gleaned from the Focus Group will be shared with the Teaching & Learning department to improve instruction. Focus group questions included:

• What is the biggest challenge to virtual learning for their children?
• How can the district support all stakeholders in helping children to be successful virtually?
• What is the biggest challenge for them in relation to curriculum?
• What would Tier 1 curriculum support for all stakeholders look like?

The general consensus from the Council is that virtual learning would benefit from additional technology and support for teachers, flexibility for families, and an understanding/nurturing approach to help students stay positive and engaged. Insights gleaned from the Focus Group will be shared with the Teaching & Learning department to improve instruction. 

Germaine Gilson, Chief of District Affairs, led a discussion focused on the 2021-22 academic calendar. First and foremost, we want to develop a calendar that is student, teacher and family centered. Listed below are some other points taken into consideration when creating the Academic Calendar.

• Reduces the summer learning slide 
• Provides frequent breaks, while eliminating mid-week breaks to the extent possible 
• Provide opportunities for district professional development
• Adheres to the required 63,720 instructional minutes
• Honors the 183 teacher contract days

The Council discussed factors that can impact the calendar, including Parent/Teacher conferences. With the increased use of technology, the group would like to see Parent/Teacher meetings spread throughout the week to aid scheduling. Additionally, there is an opportunity to incorporate intersession days to offer targeted interventions for students and professional development for teachers. Following the meeting, the group provided formal feedback on the 2021-22 Academic Calendar to be considered by the calendar committee.

Dr. Gray ended the meeting by addressing the group with an update on District and State initiatives.  Recently, the Louisiana Department of Education released its Believe to Achieve educational priorities. This plan aligns closely with the goals we have set forth as a District in 2024: The Future Our Kids Deserve. Dr. Gray also drilled home on the importance of our Career and Technical Education programs to ensure students graduate career and college ready. 

December 17: The second meeting of the Superintendent’s Special Education Council focused on impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. We know this year has been challenging for everyone, and there is a critical need for additional student support. 

Edna Metcalf, Executive Director of Health and Human Services led a discussion on mental health and how we can better support students. Some of the suggestions made by the group included:

• Build in breathing exercises 
• Make sure we’re catching potential issues through preventative services 
• Above all, ensure we are allowing students to learn through difficult times
• Provide support that addresses individual needs and are age appropriate

Then, Monique Soignet, Director of Family and Social Services, gave an overview of the current mental health services offered by Jefferson Parish Schools, including:

• School-based mental health services, groups and individual counseling
• School-based health centers at designated schools
• Trauma-informed social workers and SPED social workers at designated schools
• Trauma informed training 
• Universal screening to support all students
• Mental Health leadership team

The District also presented an overview of the COVID-19 Impact Services and Support. 

November 11: At the first Superintendent’s Special Education Council meeting of the year, members laid the groundwork to help set the agenda for future meetings. Following a get to know you session with Superintendent Dr. James Gray, members discussed the big picture of what's working and what could be improved in regards to special education. The implications of virtual learning was a common theme, and the group felt there were both advantages and challenges with this instructional model. Summarized below are some of the challenges and successes of virtual learning noted by the group.  

Successes of Virtual Instruction

• Eliminated social pressures and decreased bullying 
• Creation of a sustainable “technology structure”
• Increased independence with student-driven learning
• Increased ability to multitask
• Eliminated distractions
• Increased communication with parents
• Guides students to adapt to change

Challenges Of Virtual Instruction

• Virtual special education students have “virtual fatigue,” and feel disconnected from teachers and peers
• Difficulty providing accommodations
• Benchmark data skewed because of additional help from parents 
• Language access - ESL and ASL
• Visual impaired - access to virtual
• One on one with students - can’t private chat or talk one on one
• Children being left alone
• Multitasking during virtual - some students can’t multitask successfully and get off-task
• Internet issues/computer issues
• Parents who are not tech savvy are not able to help students
• Expectation for parents
• Attendance

Suggestions For Improvement

• Develop opportunities to engage with dynamic content
• Not teaching virtual and hybrid concurrently
• More virtual extracurricular programs
• Smaller teacher caseloads
• IEP tailored for virtual instruction
• 1:1 - specific job descriptions tailored for virtual instruction 
• Helpline for parents, build a connection team
• Workshops for parents on curriculum and instruction
• More chromebook availability for schools
• Better school communication
• Safety - background

The Superintendent’s Council meetings provide valuable insights to inform and improve our decisions at the district level. We will continue to share these recaps with you to ensure we are all working towards our shared goal of delivering the best outcomes for the students of Jefferson Parish.