BSE Bulletin for Educators

This month's issue of the BSE Bulletin for Educators contains valuable information from the BSE, timely notices on professional development opportunities, and tools and strategies used by schools in the commonwealth.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at any time. To continue to receive all future updates directly to your email address, subscribe to the BSE Bulletin mailing list by clicking the button below.

With appreciation for all you do,

The Pennsylvania BSE and PaTTAN Staff

bsebulletin@pattankop.net

• Begin with self-care. Students often mirror the emotions and skills modeled to them. Organize and plan before each day begins, get the rest you need, and practice self-care.
• Actively set the tone through body language and positive communication. Acknowledge that emotions sometimes run high at the beginning of the year. Take time to engage students in naming feelings and practicing social and emotional skills.
• Focus on using names and building community by intentionally using strategies to help you remember students’ names and by engaging the class in activities that help students learn to use and pronounce classmates’ names.
• Get to know your students as they want to be known by asking students to list five things they think you should know about them. If writing is a barrier, students may record a private video to share their list.
• Make a personal connection every day by greeting each person at the door, showing interest in students’ out-of-class interests and activities, and integrating discussions of current events into your classroom.
• Share and celebrate diverse languages, cultures, and identities by carefully planning bulletin boards, class celebrations, and activities to promote cross-cultural and neurodiversity awareness. Teachers can actively cultivate a sense of belonging through classroom routines and practices too.

This content was developed by the PDE Office for Safe Schools to link teachers to back-to-school strategies for building a positive school and classroom climate.

Submitted by: Laurie Havrisko

Assistant to the Superintendent, Student Services

Greater Latrobe School District

Double-check your roster or caseload. Between late enrollments and delays in paperwork, electronic rosters are not always immediately up to date. Check in with the school counselor for any new students and compare your new roster to your list of students from the end of the prior school year. New students will need to have IEP meetings scheduled per district procedures. Check with your special education administrator for timelines.

Make a list of due dates for IEPs and RRs. Compliance with timelines is the responsibility of the case manager. Double-check the dates of each student’s IEP and RR and make a list of due dates for the new school year so that you can plan well in advance. Do not rely on the IEP software to calculate dates for you without double-checking the dates for accuracy. Be aware of due dates that fall close to holidays or school closures.

Ensure you have access to your students’ schedules, grades, and attendance. Know what information you can access directly and what information may need to be obtained from other faculty and staff. Be familiar with what information parents can access directly, how often this information is updated, and who is responsible for the updates.

Make sure general education teachers have copies of IEPs. Touch base with general education teachers to see if they have any questions or concerns about students’ strengths, needs, goals, and accommodations. IEPs are often implemented within general education classrooms, so all teachers must have an understanding of how to follow IEPs appropriately. The time to address general education teachers’ concerns is before a problem arises during the school year.

Collaborate with elective or itinerant teachers. Elective or itinerant teachers are often overlooked during the IEP process, but are also an important part of IEP teams. Have accommodations been considered for students with fine motor skills during art class, physical accommodations during gym class, or speech accommodations during music class? Including elective teachers in the IEP process helps to provide a well-rounded system of support for students with disabilities.

Coordinate with related service providers. Review your students’ IEPs and make a list of related services, such as Speech/Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, or Physical Therapy. Email or meet with the related service providers to ensure that they also have your students on their rosters. Missed or overlooked related services are often important issues during Due Process hearings.

Check in with the school counselor or nurse. IEPs often include important information about mental health and medical needs. Creating a partnership with the school counselor or school nurse will help to ensure that all students' needs are met and that appropriate services are provided from the beginning of the school year.

Contact parents by phone or email. Take time to reach out to parents or guardians to briefly introduce yourself. Ask the parent if there are any important updates about their child from the summer months. Confirm the student’s schedule and make sure that the parent has your updated contact information. Make sure that the parent knows who to contact if questions arise.

Introduce yourself to your students. Stopping by general education classrooms to say hello or greeting students in the hallway helps to develop positive relationships with your students. For younger students, an explanation like “I’m here to help you have a great year” is a simple and friendly way to explain your role in the school. Older students may benefit from knowing that you are the “go to” person if they have any questions or concerns as the new year begins.

Relax and enjoy. You’ve worked hard for this moment, so don’t forget to enjoy it! Don’t let the stress of the new year overshadow all of the positive reasons you chose a career in education. Take time for self-care, pace yourself, and remember that each day you are making a difference in the lives of your students.

You're invited to join in conversations with fellow special education personnel and build connections with others who share similar job responsibilities. This Attract-Prepare-Retain series will serve as a venue to share effective practices, engage in problem-solving, and learn from one another. These networking and learning communities are designed for special education personnel to collaborate and grow professionally. We look forward to connecting with you this year!

On October 6, 2021 the United States Department of Education (USDE) announced a temporary period during which borrowers may receive credit for payments that previously did not qualify for public service loan forgiveness (PSLF) and Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan (TEPSLF).

You have until October 31, 2022 to apply to receive credit for payments that previously did not qualify under PSLF.

Several helpful resources are listed below:

• To learn more about the PSFL waiver, click here: https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/pslf-limited-waiver
• US Department of Education on Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Covid 19: https://studentaid.gov/articles/6-things-to-know-about-pslf-during-coronavirus/
• PSLF Help Tool: Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Help Tool | Federal Student Aid
• Student Borrower Protection Agency- Overview of Recent Changes to Public Service Loan Forgiveness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CJZ0wpML18
• NEA Common Questions on Public Service Loan Forgiveness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY_jEC-AsQc

This 30-hour PIL approved course aims to build upon a principal’s working knowledge and skillset needed to successfully innovate and program for students with disabilities. The growing field of research at the intersection of the position of principal and special education yields evidence-based practices that support outcomes for students with disabilities.

Application deadline is the close of business on Friday, October 7. For more information, view the attached flyer or click the link below.

Common Questions and Answers for Leaders of Special Education is a collection of frequently asked questions received by the Bureau of Special Education (BSE) regarding the implementation of Title 34 Code of Federal Regulations Part 300 and Title 22 PA Code Chapter 14 and 711 State Regulations. Questions related to this resource should be directed to the Bureau of Special Education.

We are looking for quick tips and tangible tools that teachers can begin using in their classrooms right away. If you are using a strategy or tool that you would like to share with others, we’d love to hear from you! Send an email to bsebulletin@pattankop.net to submit your story.

The resources contained in this newsletter do not necessarily represent endorsement by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.