By NEIL ZOLOT
NORTH READING – The Special Education Parents Advisory Council (SEPAC) is planning a series of events for the 2023-24 school year.
“When I think about where I had trouble, I want to make sure families have opportunities to absorb information,” group chair Kathy O’Donnell-Bustin said at the June 12 School Committee meeting.
Among SEPAC’s goals are to “assist the school district and identify things that need to be conveyed.” To that end, they will hold parent training webinars or open meetings on student rights, understanding Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and a March disabilities college fair, in conjunction with Woburn’s SEPAC.
“I’ve been reading IEPs for years, but didn’t understand them until my son was in eighth grade,” O’Donnell-Bustin said. “I don’t hesitate to ask questions and would like to help parents absorb the information.”
They are also planning a Back to School night at the Batchelder School and will be visible on Town Day.
The plans fit in with information from the Boston-based Federation for Children with Special Needs that SEPAC duties include, but are not limited to: “advising the School Committee on matters that pertain to the education and safety of children with disabilities; meet regularly with school officials to participate in the planning, development and evaluation of the district’s Special Needs programs and cooperate with the district on their annual workshop on the rights of students, parents and guardians under state law.”
The Federation for Children with Special Needs also notes, “A SEPAC is a self-governing public body which creates its own bylaws and operational procedures. A SEPAC is different from other parent groups in a district, such as a Parent Teacher Association, Parent Teacher Organization or School Council. A SEPAC does not represent families for one school, but all families of children with disabilities in an entire district.”
SEPAC’s plans follow events held over the past school year, including a pizza night in July, visibility on Town Day in September, Meet and Greets and Parents Nights in October, a Navigating the SPED Process orientation with Woburn’s SEPAC in November, an event helping parents transition their children out of high school in February, a college fair with Woburn’s SEPAC and a Supporting Friendships orientation in March, and collaboration with the Parks and Recreation Department on “inclyousion” sports and participation in Autism Acceptance Month in April.
“How do you make friends with SPED students?” O’Donnell-Bustin asked rhetorically. “You have to determine their interests. Typical kids have trouble with friendships too and the strategy works for them too. What’s good for SPED students is good for Regular Ed students too.”
Director of Student Services Cynthia Conant called the school system’s relationship with SEPAC “important because it sends a message to the community we work together. It shows the power of collaboration between the district and parents.”
“I appreciate this relationship,” Superintendent Dr. Patrick Daly added. “It’s always been productive. As a parent of a SPED student, I appreciate the work.”
Daly would also like to see SEPAC participate in Family University orientations, the dates and locations of which are still to be determined. “At a Family University event, SEPAC would be welcome for parents and caregivers to connect with other parents of Special Education students,” he said. “Our first event will likely be a new family welcome in late summer.”
People go to Family University to learn about specific topics, which is great, but there is a huge, bonus side effect in the people-to-people networking,” O’Donnell-Bustin said. “Just talking to other parents that you would otherwise never meet is inspiring and prompts the exchange of ideas. It is also really incredible to meet and talk to school officials from all levels, but this networking is not just talk. It can bring real results.
“For example, at the last Family University I went to there was a session that included ‘Universal Design,’ techniques that are going to be rolled out to more classrooms. Parents will probably see some changes in the work their students bring home. I was able to talk to the outside consultant who has been rolling out ‘Universal Design’ and advocate that parents of disabled students need to get tips on how to recognize the techniques and how to support and work with the classroom teacher. As a result of this personal connection, the consultant obtained permission to hold a one-time parent webinar on this subject in October.”
O’Donnell-Bustin said she feels the reception SEPAC has had shows “it’s clear North Reading is listening. I’m grateful to be in North Reading. In a lot of districts there’s an adversarial relationship.”
Although state law requires all public school districts have one, School Committee Chair Scott Buckley noted, “A lot of communities don’t have as active a SEPAC.”
School Committee member Noelle Rudloff said SEPAC’s outreach is especially important for parents with children entering school or in early grades.