Together We Can

As always, I am excited to share and highlight the amazing work being done out at our schools. I appreciate your continued partnership and support as we work together to create an inclusive and nurturing environment for all of our students.

Below, you will find an important reminder about the preschool lottery and details about the upcoming information sessions about bridging. I encourage you to reach out with any questions or ideas you would like to share. Your feedback is valued.

Best,

Stacey Heiligenthaler, Ph.D.

Chief Officer of Special Education and Student Supports

stacey_heiligenthaler@greenwich.k12.ct.us

Ms. Verdugo-Morales from Julian Curtiss School works with a student on the Wilson Reading Program. This program is a structured literacy program focusing on teaching phonemic awareness, decoding and encoding skills through a multi-sensory approach.

The Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich Advance Program serves students at New Lebanon School after school hours. Groups focus on reading skills and beyond, providing students with even more instruction outside of the school day.

Ms. Chambrello at North Mianus School utilizes play-based learning to assist students in working on their pragmatic language skills. Pragmatic language refers to the use of language in social contexts.

Kindergarteners read to Pre-K students at Julian Curtiss School. It is a wonderful way to build community while also working on reading skills.

In Ms. Franzese's sixth grade science class at Central Middle School, students are preparing for an upcoming dissection by reviewing safety procedures and handling of safety equipment. The class concluded with students using a rubric to guide the creation of their model to answer the question, "How do our bodies produce and use the energy needed to move objects?"

Ms. Karina Magana, a counselor at Western Middle School, works with one of her eighth grade students as she co-teaches an SEL lesson using "Second Step." The lesson focused on learning the difference between stress and anxiety and how to identify the feelings in our bodies. "Second Step" is used at Western MS to help students develop social skills and become more successful academically, socially, and emotionally.

Ms. Palmiero-Sampel, teacher of the hearing impaired, and Ms. Alyssa Cohen, one of Western Middle School's speech & language pathologists, are seen here engaging a student in a co-treating service. In this lesson, visuals were displayed and the student was asked to express what was occurring using sign language. Felt squares, which represented a specific word or phrase, and prompting from both educators were provided to support the student in expressing his thoughts. The activities in this lesson led up to the teachers engaging the student in building his communication skills within natural conversation. This dual-focus approach ensures that all aspects of communication are targeted, making the service more effective and aligned with the student’s IEP goals. Furthermore, the student is not only supported in his academic communication, but is also building skills to equip himself with the tools he needs to navigate social situations. By working together, the teacher of the hearing impaired and the speech & language pathologist can create a more comprehensive and individualized plan that directly addresses the communication and learning needs of their students, improving their overall educational experience and outcomes.

Ms. Balducci and Mr. Magano's eighth grade co-taught English language arts class at Central Middle School engages in whole group discussions of the elements of contemporary fiction. Students work in small groups to review their personal memoir proposals and further discuss the rubric requirements. Students share their ideas and provide feedback to their peers.

Counselors at Central Middle School work with students using our SchooLinks platform, which helps students as they explore their college and career options.

Sixth grade students at Eastern Middle School are mastering the art of email writing in Ms. Gale and Ms. Espinoza's co-taught ELA class. Students learned how to craft clear and professional emails by including a proper greeting, a focused body, an appropriate salutation, and tailoring an email to suit the audience. The sixth grade participated in a week-long "Student Skills Reboot," focusing on the essential skills to prepare our students for success in school and beyond.

Seventh graders at Eastern Middle School tackled two-step questions in Mrs. Barocas and Ms. Tripi's co-taught math class. Students engaged in collaborative problem-solving to master this foundational algebra skill. By breaking down each step, they gained confidence and strategies to approach more complex equations.

School counselors meet with seniors during advisor base to share information about the Senior Options program. Seniors in good academic standing have the opportunity to participate in a senior option (i.e. Internship or project) in the last four+ weeks of senior year instead of attending classes at Greenwich High School. To learn more about this amazing program, please check out Senior Options on the GHS website.

Ms. Mayo of Greenwich High School's Cantor House is working with one of her 10th grade students to review her second semester schedule and a credit review of the clusters and subjects she has completed toward graduation. School counselors meet with students regularly to support academic, college, and career goals.

Greenwich High School Unified Sports is in midseason form for its basketball season. The program continues to be an inclusive, athletic, and fun outlet for all interested. The GHS Unified basketball team has an away game on January 30 at Stamford HS and a home game on March 6. The team looks forward to seeing you then.

The SESS staff at Cos Cob School facilitated a parent coffee focusing on activities that parents can implement to support their children at home. At this parent coffee, parents explored a number of stations, created and led by the SESS team members, that focused on a variety of topics, such as math games & apps, phonemic awareness support, car talk, behavioral strategies, and homework help. There was a very nice turnout of parents for this event and a lot of in-depth conversations among staff and parents, enabling families to engage their child in different ways in the home environment!

Parents at Julian Curtiss School engaged in station learning focused on different tools to use with students with learning differences. Stations were led by special education teachers and related services providers!

Dr. Alina Boie and Mr. Brent Reeves presented an informative workshop designed to help parents navigate the challenges of keeping their children safe online. Parents learned practical strategies for managing screen time, understanding social media, identifying online risks, and fostering open communication with their children.

The preschool lottery application for the 2025-2026 school year is open with a Sunday, February 2 deadline. The GPS Integrated Preschool Program targets instruction for children with identified special needs alongside their typically developing peers and is a structured, center-based program, where each child participates in instructional activities/experiences, which address the areas of communication, cognition, self-help, fine/gross motor and social emotional development. For more information, head to the preschool program website or reach out to preschool coordinator, Ms. Kathryn Natale.

The SESS Department will be hosting virtual information sessions on the bridging process during the month of March. Please join us if you have a child transitioning in Fall 2025 from preschool to kindergarten, elementary to middle school, or middle to high school. We will be recording and posting the information on our website if anyone cannot make it. Please see the dates and Google links below:

Our SES PTAC representatives want you to know that they are available to anyone who wants to talk with someone about your childs' receiving school to learn a little bit more about the day to day. Please email them at ses@greenwichptac.org with what the new school will be and they will connect you with the correct person.

Pre-K - Elementary

March 11: Preschool to Elementary School → Special Education Parent Orientation SESS (6:30-7:30, Virtual)

Google Link: https://meet.google.com/zkr-iapo-fnq

Elementary - Middle School

March 5: Elementary to Middle School → Special Education Parent Orientation SESS (6:30-7:30, Virtual)

Google Link: meet.google.com/scf-nbwo-dnz

Middle School - High School

March 4: Middle to High School → Special Education Parent Orientation SESS (6:30-7:30, Virtual)

Google Link: https://meet.google.com/aos-drcv-adq

The GHS PTA is hosting SummerFare on Tuesday, January 28 from 6:00-8:00 PM in the high school’s Student Center. SummerFare is an annual event focusing on summer activities, camps and employment for children. Last year, they had more than 725 attendees and 100 exhibitors. For more information, see their flyer.

With Michele Iannello

An area that often confuses students and families is understanding the difference between accommodations and specialized instruction. Accommodations are generally included in a 504 plan, while specialized instruction is an essential component of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

Accommodations are adjustments that allow students with disabilities to access the curriculum on an equal playing field with their peers who do not have disabilities. These adjustments enable students to demonstrate their knowledge without altering the content itself.

In contrast, specialized instruction involves tailoring both the content and delivery of instruction to meet a student's unique needs. A special education teacher often provides this type of instruction.

Accommodations modify how students learn the same material as their non-disabled peers, while specialized instruction modifies what students are expected to learn.

Accommodations help students with disabilities access the general education curriculum, while specialized instruction changes the content or teaching strategies to meet specific learning needs.

Accommodations can often be implemented with minimal adjustments in a regular classroom, whereas specialized instruction generally requires a more individualized approach, often supported by a special education teacher.

Examples of accommodations include extended time on tests, preferential seating, alternate locations for instruction, and materials in large print.

Examples of specialized instruction include breaking down concepts into smaller, manageable steps and providing alternative learning activities that align with a student’s strengths and individual needs.

If you have any questions about your child's learning needs, please feel free to contact the assistant principal at the elementary level or the school counselor at the secondary level. I am also available to discuss any concerns. We are always happy to help.

Please visit the new Special Education and Student Supports Department webpage on the Greenwich Public School Website. Information about Special Education supports and services as well as contact information is provided

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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