
Together We Can
March 15, 2022
With spring right around the corner and a little more than three months of school left, it is exciting to see the growth and development students have made since I first met them in September. Students are excited to share their learning and are already looking forward to their new "grade" in September. I look forward to watching this continued progress.
Best,
Stacey Heiligenthaler, Ph.D.
Interim Chief Officer of Special Education and Student Supports
What We Are Seeing ๐ Around the Schools
North Street School Reads
Dr. Heiligenthaler read David Shannon's book, A Case of the Stripes, to fifth-graders in Mrs. Jags class at North Street School for the kickoff of "NSS Reads" during the month of March.
Mindfulness at Old Greenwich School
It is never too early to learn how to relax our brain and learn effective calming-down strategies. Dr. Alina Boie is teaching preschool students at Old Greenwich School mindfulness strategies to help them calm down and focus
Communication at North Mianus School
NMS Speech Pathologist Ms. Feldman is engaging a student in a puzzle play activity using an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device to facilitate expressive language. The student used his AAC to label vehicles and make requests for items using the "I want" phrase. Engaging in play activities in therapy is a wonderful way to facilitate social communicative interactions, while targeting a variety of language skills in a fun way!
Creating Art at Hamilton Avenue School
Ms. Patriziaโs preschool class made predictions on what would happen when they used a pendulum to create art.
Writing at Glenville School
Ms. Kathryn Natale worked with students using descriptive words when developing a written paragraph.
Workshops and Resources
Office Of Special Education Presentations on Bridging for the Upcoming 2022-2023 School Year
To support the bridging process, the Office of Special Education & Student Supports held meetings for families to share information. The links to the PowerPoints and recordings for the preschool to kindergarten, fifth to sixth grade, and eighth to ninth grade bridging presentations are below:
- Preschool to kindergarten presentation (February 23, 2022): Recording
- Fifth to sixth grade presentation (March 1): Recording and PowerPoint
- Eighth to ninth grade presentation (March 3): Recording and PowerPoint
CPAC Presentation on the New IEP
Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center (CPAC) has provided a recorded presentation on the new CT Individualized Education Program document and shares information about the changes in the new document. This presentation is a very brief overview of the changes in the document and not a complete IEP training.
Listening Community's Spring Session
The Listening Community's the next session will run from April 27 through June 1. Meets occur during the fall, winter, and spring for a six-week cycle and are held on Wednesdays at Greenwich Town Hall. Parents/guardians have the option of attending the morning session from 9:30-10:30 AM or the evening session from 6:30-7:30 PM.
For those that prefer, the evening session will offer participants the option to stream if they cannot attend in person. You can also find more information through the Listening Community newsletter.
The Office of Special Education and Student Supports
Email: stacey_heiligenthaler@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Website: https://www.greenwichschools.org/teaching-learning/special-education
Location: 290 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich, CT
Phone: (203) 625-7493