A Message from Tamara Schiern
Dear Member Districts of the West San Gabriel Valley SELPA,
As we close out the 2023/2024 school year, I want to thank all of our member district partners for your collaboration. Through working together, our fourteen member districts are able to provide a full continuum of special education and related services to over 9000 students. When I tell people what I do for work, I beam with pride at being able to lead the WSGV SELPA, and I always share some of the amazing things happening in our districts that support our students with IEPS.
Here at the SELPA, we understand and we see how dedicated our teachers and staff are to our students. We know how challenging the paperwork and case management can be and the last thing we want to do is make anything more difficult. That said, we are required to update IEP forms as Ed Code changes and/or when CDE requires us to add various CALPADS fields, so on occasion you may see changes to SEIS forms. Updates typically take place in January and July. There may be some small updates this July, and those will be communicated with you from your district.
Thank you to our teachers and staff for outstanding work supporting our students with disabilities. Wishing everyone a wonderful summer.
In Partnership,
Tamara Schiern
Executive Director, WSGV SELPA
Temple City USD Special Education Director Dr Geoffrey Zamarripa, WSGV SELPA Coordinator Dr Julie Fercho, and Temple City High School Principal Mrs Elena Li worked closely to coordinate the SELPA Spring Social.
TCHS students worked thoughtfully to prepare fun activities. Here they encouraged students to “mix” their own potions with different tasty flavors.
Students with Disabilities 2024
The City of El Monte teamed up with the West San Gabriel Valley SELPA to organize a dynamic Student with Disabilities Resource Fair on April 13, 2024. Attendees indulged in hot dogs, cotton candy, popcorn, and crafts while exploring offering from over 85 different vendors dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals with disabilities from infancy through adulthood. The El Monte Police were present, not only for photo opportunities, but also to engage in meaningful conversations with families, further fostering community bonds and support networks.
One of the highlights of the fair included presentations from prominent organizations such as the East Los Angeles Regional Center and the San Gabriel/Pomona Regional Center, who shed light on the Early Start program for children, aged 0 to 3. Tamara Schiern, the Executive Director of the WSGV SELPA spoke to attendees about passed and pending legislation related to special education. Additionally, Janet Barakat, Program Specialist at WSGV SELPA, offered valuable insights into life after high school for individuals with disabilities. The WSGV SELPA Community Advisory Committee hosted a booth for parents. They provided information about the SELPA, and how to get involved as a parent.
Picture (upper-right hand corner): Tamara Schiern (Executive Director of the WSGV) with Jessica Ancona (mayor of El Monte).
