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June '24 Ridgewood SEPAG Newsletter
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The Ridgewood SEPAG is a state-mandated, district-wide organization that exists to (1) improve special education in Ridgewood by fostering effective communication with the district; (2) support and educate families; and (3) provide enrichment to special education students.
Go to www.RidgewoodSEPAG.org for resources and information, including meeting recordings, event details, past newsletters and more.
Ridgewood SEPAG News and Updates
2024-25 SEPAG Information Meeting Schedule
June 3: SEPAG Information Meeting
On May 16th, Superintendent Mark Schwarz gave a State of the Schools presentation, during which he reported on the results of the surveys; the current status of many aspects of our district; and goals for the future.
On June 3rd at 9:30am on the 3rd floor of the Education Center -- our final SEPAG Information Meeting of the school year -- Dr. Schwarz and other administrators will join us and present on the State of the Schools again, but with a focus on the aspects pertaining to and affecting the special education community. At the meeting we will also hear updates from the Special Programs Office and a Board of Education Representative. Finally, the SEPAG membership will vote on the nomination of Cara Thapa to serve as Secretary for the 2024-25 school year. (Shakhi Majumdar, who was previously elected to this position, is unfortunately no longer able to serve.)
As always, following the meeting we will circulate links to the meeting recording, materials and minutes.
June 8: BBQ and Touch-a-Truck Event
In lieu of a Sensory-Friendly Dinner in June, on June 8th (rain date June 15th) the Ridgewood SEPAG will be co-sponsoring a BBQ and Touch-a-Truck event with Ridgewood Professional Firefighters FMBA Local 47.
RSVP required via Eventbrite
** Space is limited, and all spots have been claimed. If you have already registered, and can no longer attend, please cancel your RSVP to open up your spots for others. **
Special Programs Office Spotlight
This month, the Special Programs Office would like to put the spotlight on the Child Study Team Secretaries, who provide administrative support to facilitate all those special ed meetings! Thank you CST Secretaries for all that you do!
Nadine Macalino
Glen School
Patricia Higgins
Hawes Elementary School
HaeJin Yook
Orchard Elementary School
Julianne Brunner
Ridge Elementary School
Jamie Faccone
Somerville Elementary School
Brianne DeLucca
Travell Elementary School
Jane Parigi
Willard Elementary School
Therese Caliendo
Benjamin Franklin Middle School
LIndsey Barclay
George Washington Middle School
Judith Tringali
Ridgewood High School
News from the Ridgewood Unified Group
In this section, we feature news and updates from the Ridgewood Unified Group, a fantastic organization in our district with the mission of bringing together students with and without disabilities.
At the April 8, 2024 Board of Education meeting, Doug Aday, Unified Coordinator, presented on the Unified Group of Programs along with Dr. Michelle Fenwick and Amanda Znutas. Watch the presentation and/or view the presentation slides.
Unified Hosted a Successful Field Day!
On May 29th, Ridgewood Unified held its annual Field Day at Somerville Elementary School. Tons of fun was had by all!
RHS Unified Field Trip to the Rockland Boulders
BOE Meeting Highlights
We know with all our busy schedules it is not easy to get to Board of Education meetings, or to even have a chance to watch the replay. In this section, we include highlights from any meetings that occurred since our last newsletter that we think could be of interest to the special ed community.
Highlights from the April 29th Meeting of the BOE
- Superintendent Dr. Mark Schwarz presented on the budget for the 2024-25 school year, which was approved by the Board of Ed.
- The Board of Ed also approved proposed programming for special education extended school year.
Highlights from the May 20th Meeting of the BOE
Board Member Announcements
Federated HSA is hosting Tech Without Stress - gifting Ridgewood parents access to their resources - Tech Parenting 101: an online course that gives you research-backed tools to feel confident raising kids in the digital age.
Partnership for Community Wellbeing - growing and focusing on what wellness means.
Discussion Items
Glen School enrollments - need to be clear on how registration and wait lists work
Community Events and Information
In this section, we post flyers and information about upcoming activities and events that may be of interest in our community. If you would like to let us know of any events that could be included in future newsletter, let us know by emailing us at contact@RidgewoodSEPAG.org!
Special Ed & Individuals with Disabilities Webinars
SPAN Parent Advocacy Network (spanadvocacy.org) and the Arc of New Jersey (www.arcnj.org) are two non-profit organizations in our state that, among many other things, offer free live and archived webinars on topics related to special education and individuals with disabilities. These webinars are a source of valuable information and guidance.
Please follow the links below to view archived webinars and to learn more about upcoming webinars:
Contact us at contact@RidgewoodSEPAG.org