East San Gabriel Valley SELPA News

Welcome to 2024! I hope that everyone enjoyed a restful holiday season with their closest friends and family. With the start of a new year, there is time to reflect on the success of 2023 while also looking forward to many exciting events in 2024. The SELPA Newsletter will continue to provide updates and highlight the amazing work taking place across the SELPA. We are excited to feature numerous districts this month and look forward to featuring updates and highlights from other districts in future newsletters. As always, we encourage our parents and district partners to reach out to the SELPA with any needs. We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event, training, or meeting.

The East San Gabriel Valley SELPA Newsletter is released in August, January, and May. For questions, assistance, to be featured in a future newsletter, or to notify us of any events or activities throughout the SELPA, please contact us at 626-966-1679.

Baldwin Park USD and the ESGV SELPA are proud to announce the launch of the Project Search Program at Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park Medical Center! This one-year program for adult students in the last year of their Adult Transition Program takes place entirely at Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park, as an additional placement option on the continuum of the ESGV SELPA Provider Programs. The Project SEARCH program, originating out of and supported by Cincinnati Childrens' Hospital, offers unique opportunities for workplace immersion by providing a blend of classroom instruction, career exploration, and hands-on training for student interns in selected departments of the hospital. The heart of the program lies in the immersive experience designed to prepare interns for the challenges and opportunities they will encounter in future jobs.

The program started on January 16th, 2024 for our first cohort of students and planning is underway for an official kickoff event that will bring together agencies involved in the steering committee, including Project SEARCH support staff, Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park, Baldwin Park USD, ESGV SELPA, Ability First, San Gabriel Pomona Regional Center, Department of Rehabilitation, program coaches, and interns. We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has collaborated together to make this program happen and we are excited about the positive impact this program will have on the lives and careers of our interns!

For more information about the Project Search Program at Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park, please contact Sarah Ammon, Senior Director of Special Education at Baldwin Park USD, at sammon263@bpusd.net or 626-962-3311 ext 87596.

The ESGV SELPA is hosting a training for private and public school administrators and educators on February 15, 2024 at the SELPA office. The workshop will focus on strategies to improve executive functioning skills. At the end of the workshop participants will be able to identify and articulate five components of competent executive function, express how executive function deficits impact learning and behavior, and describe at least five evidence-based practices that support the learning and behavior of individuals with executive function deficits in all school environments. For more information please contact Nassim Saeedy, ESGV SELPA Private School Consultant at 626-966-1679.

The East San Gabriel Valley SELPA supports the coordination of close to 100 Provider Program classes and itinerant services available to all member Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) based on unique student need. The classroom-based programs serve over 1,000 students with disabilities and are operated by member LEAs to provide a rich continuum of placement options based on student needs. The Provider Programs supported across the ESGV SELPA include ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), DHH (Deafness/Hard of Hearing), VI (Visual Impairment), OI/OHI (Orthopedic Impairment/Other Health Impairment), SH (Severely Handicapped) and ED (Emotional Disturbance) programs. The SELPA office directly supports member LEAs with the coordination of programs, transportation to programs, confirmation of student data/attendance, and an ongoing billing process to streamline efforts on behalf of member LEAs. Thank you to all our district staff involved in supporting these programs!

The Governor’s Budget Proposal for the 2024-2025 fiscal year was released earlier this month. The SELPA is working with member LEAs as additional details about the budget are released.

Please contact the SELPA Financial Operations Analyst Michelle Dela Cruz at mdelacruz@esgvselpa.org for any fiscal-related questions.

A big thank you to all of our amazing Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) for submitting their Fall 1 CALPADS data!

The amendment window is currently open and will close on January 26, 2024. In the coming weeks, the ESGV SELPA will review your Fall 1 data and contact you if any revisions are needed.

Fall DRDP assessments are currently under certification! Any student who began services on or before Nov 1st, 2023 and is an infant or toddler on an IFSP or a preschool student on an IEP will need a DRDP assessment completed. The submission window to SEIS recently closed and the SELPA is in the process of supporting final certifications.

For technical support or assistance with CALPADS, please contact Lucky Do at ldo@esgvselpa.org.

The SELPA ASD Program has adopted the element "GOLD" as our symbol. Not only does the AU represent Autism, but it also represents the fact that our students, families, and staff are precious, rare, and highly valued.

Through collaboration between the SELPA program staff, site special educators, and site administration, we are thrilled to share that Goddard's Best Buddies program is off to a tremendous start, with over 100 students expressing their interest and signing up! It warms our hearts to see so many students eager to make meaningful connections and foster inclusivity within our school community. Special thanks to our ASD teacher, Ms. Leslie Haywood; our SELPA Autism Program Specialist, Jennifer Martinez; and our Glendora Education Specialist, Jennifer Sullivan, for all of their planning, communication, and facilitation of activities to make this program a success!

We would also like to extend our appreciation to Mr. Bobby Antillon, SELPA School Psychologist, for his exceptional training of our Buddy Leaders. They have shown remarkable dedication and are doing an outstanding job in assisting our SELPA students, as well as other students with disabilities on campus. The support and kindness they provide truly create a nurturing environment for everyone involved.

Goddard MS has already hosted two wonderful events as part of the Best Buddies program. The first event was a pumpkin decorating activity, where students from different backgrounds came together to unleash their creativity and bond through shared experiences. Additionally, students participated in an exciting ugly sweater decorating contest that brought joy and laughter to all.

The smiles on students' faces and the friendships they are forming demonstrate the impact of this program. They are genuinely enjoying getting to know their Best Buddies and making new friends at Goddard.

For more information about Goddard's Best Buddies program, please contact Jennifer Martinez (jennifermartinez@esgvselpa.org) or Bobby Antillon (rantillon@cusd.claremont.edu).

We are excited to announce an addition to our SELPA Autism Program with a new Preschool Classroom!

In collaboration with Charter Oak Unified School District and with support of our member districts, our program has added an extension to the continuum of services offered by our Autism Program. We are pleased to introduce Ms. Veronica Gonzalez as our new teacher!

We look forward to building our partnership with Charter Oak Unified in developing an amazing program for our students and families who are just beginning their educational journey.

La Verne Heights Elementary School hosted their very first "Annual Specialized Services PJ Night" on Thursday, December 7th, 2023 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This festive event was for students in our specialized services programs in K-5th grade. While students were enjoying festive movies, food, and activities, parents were able to take advantage of this time to get a jump start on holiday shopping or take a moment of pause as we entered into the holiday season.

Walnut Valley USD has been working on establishing more opportunities for our parents and community to connect with one another and to provide trainings in areas that support children with disabilities and for the families through the IEP process.

The focus this year for our parent training is titled "Getting Ahead of It: The Balancing Act of Supportive Parenting", which is a 2-part series. The first series was held on December 5, 2023 at the District office. In order to accommodate the families to attend, childcare was provided. Knowing the growing needs of our students and families related to behavior and their social/emotional well-being, we had our District Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA) Vienna Taylor and Educationally Related Intensive Counseling Services (ERICS) School Psychologist Elizabeth Hamilton present on the topic. The areas of focus were on the proactive and preventative behavioral and social/emotional strategies, incentivizing positive behaviors, establishing supportive communication, and addressing self-care for parents and families.

In order to meet the needs of our parents and community, we received feedback from the parents who attended the training so we can better meet their needs and focus on the areas they would like to learn more about for our February 27th, Part 2 of the series.

With the dedicated support of our Community Advisory Committee (CAC) members, workshops and other events will be made available to families throughout the SELPA and can be found on our website or our social media page linktr.ee.

Our annual CAC Holiday Luncheon with Directors was held December 19th. Representatives from all ESGV SELPA Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) were in attendance along with Santa himself. The annual luncheon is a great opportunity for our LEAs to share ideas and suggestions. Also at this annual event, our LEAs are recognized for their accomplishments. The top three LEAs recognized were 1) Bassett USD, 2) Walnut Valley USD, and 3) Claremont USD. Bassett USD will hold the CAC's "Santa's Cup" until next year's Holiday Luncheon!

The 9th Annual CAC Arts Festival was once again a huge success with over 1,000 students attending. This year's event was held on October 30th, 2023 at Royal Oak Middle School in Charter Oak USD. The theme "WE ARE THE WORLD" was well represented throughout the festival via the artwork submitted by all our amazing students. THANK YOU to our member districts and volunteers. Your contribution and support has made this event extremely successful. Teachers should have all received their class photos via email, but please reach out to the SELPA at 626-966-1679, if needed.

In celebration of Disability Employment Awareness Month, the ESGV SELPA CAC held their very first Employment Expo on September 30, 2023 at the Hockwalt Adult Resource and Transition Training Center in Walnut Valley USD. Students had a chance to meet with entrepreneurs and local businesses to explore career opportunities. Guest speaker Dr. Amanda Alonzo shared her experience as someone on the Autism Spectrum and discussed the importance of exploring different opportunities. The event was a success with over 100 participants attending. A huge Thank You to the 17 business that provided information to students and everyone in the community who made this event possible.

The ESGV SELPA CAC is hosting another parent training on February 6, 2024 from 6:15 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. in-person at the East San Gabriel Valley SELPA office. Dr. Scott Turner, SELPA Executive Director and Tavia L. Lawson, ESGV SELPA CAC Chair will discuss the Individualized Education Program (IEP). This workshop is intended for parents, educators, and service providers. To register for this event please click here.

The Annual Making a Difference Award recognizes students, parents/guardians, volunteers, classroom staff, and other support staff for their outstanding contributions and dedication to promoting academic, social, and/or emotional growth of students with disabilities. Individuals are recognized for taking extra time to ensure student success, supporting inclusion of students, recognizing and promoting student value and worth, and working beyond the limitations of job description, time, and resources. Nominations for the 4th Annual Making a Difference Award are due March 16, 2024 and can be submitted using this form. The ceremony (recognition event) will be held on April 19th, via Zoom, from 9:00 am to 10:00 am.

For questions, assistance, or to receive information on upcoming CAC events please email the East San Gabriel Valley SELPA Community Advisory Committee (ESGV SELPA CAC) at cac@esgvselpa.org or visit our social media page linktr.ee.

We are thrilled to share the latest updates from the ESGV SELPA Transportation Department. We have had an incredibly successful year and are proud of what we have accomplished. We are pleased to have had the opportunity to participate in many events and activities within our member districts over the past few months.

In October, the SELPA Transportation Department took part in the 9th Annual CAC Arts Festival at Royal Oak Middle School with the theme of "We Are The World." During this remarkable event, we were honored to transport over 1000 students and accompanying staff. We are grateful to everyone who participated in the festival, including the students, parents, staff, and Durham School Services, for making it such a great success.

During the month of December, we conducted our annual school bus evacuation drills. These drills are crucial for ensuring the safety and well-being of students in emergency situations. The drills teach students how to exit the bus quickly and safely in the event of an accident or any other unforeseen incident.

Proper training and practice help students build confidence, enabling them to respond effectively during high-stress situations. During the drills, students were shown how to remain calm and composed during emergencies, activate emergency exits and escape hatches, form an organized evacuation line, assist younger and/or other peers, and exit the bus safely.

The safety and well-being of our students are of utmost importance to us, and we consider it our top priority. We take these drills very seriously, and our efforts were met with success as our evacuation exercises progressed smoothly. We are proud of the dedication and commitment shown by our staff and students in ensuring that our evacuation drills were carried out effectively and efficiently. Thank you to all staff at school sites who supported these drills. We remain steadfast in our commitment to prioritizing safety in all aspects of our school operations, and we will continue to implement measures to ensure the safety and security of our students and staff.

Also in October, Durham organized a Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration for our school bus drivers. The occasion was a great opportunity for our drivers to gather together and pay homage to their loved ones who have passed away. The drivers had an altar where they put pictures of their loved ones, and they were treated to a variety of traditional Mexican foods that are commonly associated with the Day of the Dead, such as mole negro, hot chocolate, and pan de muerto (bread of the dead). We are extremely grateful to our amazing drivers for their hard work and dedication to our students.

Thank you for your continued support of the East San Gabriel Valley SELPA Transportation Department. We look forward to another successful year this 2024!

For transportation related questions please contact 626-966-1670, option 2.

The ESGV SELPA is composed of 15 Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) with a combined average daily attendance of approximately 83,000 students. Member LEAs include Azusa USD, Baldwin Park USD, Bassett USD, Bonita USD, Charter Oak USD, Claremont USD, Covina-Valley USD, Glendora USD, Walnut Valley USD, West Covina USD, San Jose Charter Academy, California Virtual Academy @ Los Angeles, iQ Academy, Opportunities for Learning - Baldwin Park, and Options for Youth - San Bernardino.

Email: sturner@esgvselpa.org
Website: www.esgvselpa.org
Location: 1400 Ranger Drive, Covina, CA, USA
Phone: (626) 966-1679