Massapequa SEPTA

Every Child Can Learn

SEPTA car magnets are now available, Only $5.00 each, contact Cathy James to get yours.

We're Growing, so We're Moving! 

Due to Geocities starting to shut down we are on the move to our new web site. Over the next few months we will be starting at www.massapequasepta.com All of the information will be on both as long as Geocities allows the site to remain. We have reached the limits on what we could do and store on this site, Our membership has continued to increase, and to better serve all of our members we will keep the two sites as much alike as possible. Please be patient during the transition. Thank You!

Our News Letter "The Bridge" February 2009  issue is now out, click here for a PDF version (you may need to download the free PDF reader from adobe.com click here if you can not open the file.)

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Make A Friend

"Make a Friend" with Cool Crafts Projects for the children May 30th from 10:00AM till 1:00PM. Children who receive Special Education Services in the Massapequa School District are invited to McKenna School to 'Make a Friend' and to have a picnic lunch with with their old friends. A form will becoming home to choose the animal and an outfit. To see the animals, click here, and to see the outfits, click here, You can also download the form here now.  

SEPTA now has a list of books available through the hard work of Marie Festa. For a list of available titles please click here. To borrow one of the books please contact Marie directly or join us at our next meeting.

Officers for the 2008-2009 School Year

Proposed Slate for 2009-2010

We are also looking for Volunteers for School Liaisons, Teacher Liaisons, Fund Raising Committee People, Special Event Coordinators,  Hospitality, and BOE Representatives. Any and all Time and Talent is always appreciated. 

Click here for your
Membership Form

ADHD

As many of you already know our November meeting on A.D.H.D. was well attended, we apologize for running out of the handouts. 

• A copy of the "Letter to the Teacher" can be found here

• To see "Helping the Student with ADHD in the Classroom" click here

This year we are expanding our use of E-Mail in order to keep all of our members and friends as informed as we can. If you would like to be added to our E-Mail list you will need to join our Yahoo group. It is as simple as filling in your email address in the box below and clicking on the "Join Now" (our logo) button, or by emailing Dan at massapequa_septa@yahoo.com with the word 'join' in the subject line.

Massapequa SEPTA's Calendar
2008-2009 School Year

This year SEPTA's meetings will be held at the Senior center at Mckenna School at 7:30 P.M. All are on Tuesday except where noted

• April 22nd:(Wednesday) General/Executive Meeting-Election
• May 12th: Executive Meeting
• June 9th: General/Reorganization Meeting-Awards

You are welcome to attend both General and Board Meetings.

 Meetings will be at the McKenna Senior Center at 7:30 pm
 MCKENNA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (click here for a map). 

(you can zoom in for a closer look and get driving directions)

 We have compiled a page on some of the changes that are in effect under IDEA 2004. To download a copy please click here. For a more detail overview please go to the Wrightslaw IDEA law page

Massapequa SEPTA continues its initiative to help the parents of students living in the Massapequa District through the Parent-to-Parent Network.  The Network is intended to be a practical resource for parents of students with special needs.  Parent-Volunteers who have experienced the emotions of having children with special needs and who have navigated the special education system are offering to share their experiences with other parents.  While not professionals, these Parent-Volunteers hope to serve as a source of comfort and guidance to similarly situated parents.

The NEW brochure is done and many thanks to those who put in their time and effort putting it all together.   To download a copy please click here.

Our New York State PTA and the New York State United Teachers have collaborated on the new 'Guide to Special Education' available here to be used by parents and teachers to help prepare for CSE or CPSE meetings.

2007 

Thank you Mr. Scarello and Ms. Saland and to all who attended the Berner Middle School Orientation meeting for parents of students with disabilities, thank you for the interest in the program. The discussion was facilitated by Mr. Scarello and Mrs. Saland and did focus on curriculum, program supports, and opportunities available to students in Berner middle school. for a copy of the spring 2007 presentation click here.

Thank You Willis Mawyer from Variety Child Learning Center. If you were not able to not attend please click here for the hand-out from our January 10th 2007 meeting

2006

Thank You to Regina Brandow  of Berger & Brandow LLP for The New IDEA presentation on February 28th.Her presentation can be found here for you to read.  We also recommend looking at the changes highlighted by VESID  here

Another thank you to Vanetta LaRosa for all of her information on Social Skills You can read her presentation here, or if you want it smaller for printing click here

Massapequa SEPTA welcomes suggestions for program and topics for  future general meetings. Please E-mail us your suggestions . 

Massapequa SEPTA's E-mail
specialed11758@hotmail.com 
Massapequa SEPTA
4925 Merrick Road
Massapequa, NY 11758

Massapequa SEPTA's E-mail  specialed11758@hotmail.com 
Massapequa SEPTA
4925 Merrick Road
Massapequa, NY 11758

MASSAPEQUA SCHOOL DISTRICT HOME PAGE
Legal Links

• Wrights Law :Legal information about Special Education and Weekly Newsletter, a lot of our members have found this to be very helpful
• Education Law Education Law.net
• New York Civil Liberty Union :The NYCLU, the New York State affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union, is a statewide organization dedicated to the protection and enhancement of New Yorkers' civil liberties as enumerated in the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution and the Constitution of the State of New York
• Frequently Asked Questions about section 504:For those student's who don't qualify for an IEP but still receive services

Region and State Links

• NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION
• New York State PTA®:  A link to the home page of the New York State PTA®
• Nassau County PTA®: A link to the Nassau Region PTA® web site

National Links

• PTA® National Web Site  The official web site of our National PTA®
• National Center on Educational Outcomes: provides national leadership in the participation of students with disabilities in national and state assessments, standards-setting efforts, and graduation requirements
• National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities
• Federal Resource Center for Special Education

School Links

• Massapequa School District Home Page: there are links to all of the schools in the district along with contact information
• Massapequa PTA Council :is the organizational body for all of the Parent Teacher Associations of the 9 school buildings in the Massapequa School District.
• CONCORD SPECIAL EDUCATION PAC : Concord Special Education
• CALUMET COUNTY CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION BOARD  : An excellent site from Wisconsin.

Autism Links

• Autism Law: Your Child's Legal Rights to a Special Education
• Dan Marino's Childnett: A first-of-its-kind internet web channel
  dedicated to autism and other neurological disorders. There are many full video's here from different conferences and from different experts around the country. It's like going to a conference without leaving home. I would only recommend it to people with a fast internet connection.
• The Cody Center for Autism : is at Stony Brook University. Now part of the Department of Pediatrics with services geared toward the unique problems faced by those living with Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Tony Attwood  : has worked all over the world for years studying and detailing Asperger Syndrome
• O.A.S.I.S.  : Online Asperger Syndrome Information and Support
• AUTISM SOCIETY : The Autism Society of America
• The David Center :  THE DAVID CENTER is a not-for-profit organization serving families of children with autistic spectrum disorders on Long Island
• AHA/AS/PDD  The Advocates for Individuals with High Functioning Autism,  Asperger's Syndrome and other  Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Corp.
• Autism Speaks  Autism Speaks home page 

• Davis Dyslexia Association International :
• The Levinson Medical Center :The Levinson Medical Center for Learning Disabilities
• Dyslexia Online  : An Online Magazine Offering New Perspectives on Dyslexia
• Schwab Learning  : A Dyslexia Web Site

Down Syndrome

• National Down Syndrome Society : Comprehensive Information Source for Down Syndrome
• National Association for Down Syndrome: Provides counseling and support for parents of newly diagnosed infants with Down syndrome

Epilepsy

Transition Links

 There is a transition planning guide for Nassau County written by 'Families for Families' available for download here

• Special Education Program at Western Michigan University:  Paula D. Kohler, Ph.D. is a professor in the Special Education Program at Western Michigan University and previously a senior research associate with the Transition Research Institute at the University of Illinois.

• Taxonomy for Transition Programming: A PDF outline of a transition plan.

• National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC)! To assist states to build capacity to support and improve transition planning, services, and outcomes for youth with disabilities.

• http://www.ldonline.org/indepth/transition

• http://www.fln.vcu.edu/ld/ld.html#College

• http://www.finaid.org/otheraid/disabled.phtml

• http://www.ric.edu/uap/publications/CollegeGuide.pdf

• http://www.ncset.org/publications/viewdesc.asp?id=208

• http://www.ribghe.org/col-prep.htm

• http://www.teachingld.org/pdf/teaching_how-tos/navigating.pdf

• http://www.the-disability-site.com/s/college_disability_student

Parent Links

• LI-TECA : Long Island -Twice Exceptional  Children s Advocacy
• PARENT TO PARENT : Parent to Parent of Long Island
• Reed Martin  :Educational resource where parents, advocates, attorneys and school personnel can come for  information
• SOCIAL STORIES : To help those facing a new social situation, along with how to write a social story
• BRIDGES FOR KIDS  A non-profit parent organization providing a comprehensive system of information and referral for parents of children from birth through transition to adult life.
• AEGUS:  AEGUS, The Association for the Education of Gifted Underachieving Students, serves as an advocate for this special population.
• SNAP  :Special Needs Awareness Project
• Council for Exceptional Children The largest international professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities, students with disabilities, and/or the gifted.
• Global overview of Educational terms: It is a condensation (from a book) produced by the Texas Education Consumers Association for their web site. This glossary of terms is more Global overview of Educational terms rather than specific to Special Education. We frequently hear these terms used fluently at PTA® and Special Ed PTA® meetings and especially at School Board meetings. I hope this glossary will help you in navigating the world of education.

PLEASE NOTE:
This is a privately operated  website. We have no association with the Massapequa School District, or District Administration. The information posted here is intended  for our visitors' reference only.  If you have questions, comments or concerns about school district policies,  curriculum and/or  faculty, please contact the schools directly. Links to websites are provided solely as pointers to information on topics that others have found useful.

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