Suffolk Public Schools

National Special Education Awareness Day, observed annually on December 2, marks an important milestone in the history of education in the United States. This day commemorates the enactment of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a landmark law passed in 1975, that granted access to children with special needs to free and quality public education, and helped to reaffirm the importance of inclusive education. Before IDEA, many children with disabilities were excluded from public education or did not receive the support needed to succeed.

IDEA mandated that:

• Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE): Every child with a disability has the right to a free, quality public education that meets their unique needs.
• Individualized Education Plans (IEPs): Students with disabilities receive tailored educational plans that outline specific goals, services, and accommodations to help them succeed.
• Least Restrictive Environment (LRE): Children with disabilities should be educated alongside their non-disabled peers to the greatest extent possible.
• Parent and Student Rights: IDEA established procedural safeguards to involve parents in decision-making and ensure the rights of students with disabilities are protected.

Special Education Day not only honors the signing of IDEA but also acknowledges the ongoing efforts of educators, families, policymakers, and advocates who work to uphold the principles of inclusivity. On today we celebrate the progress made, acknowledge the challenges ahead, and reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that every child receives the education they deserve.

Parents and students will have access to Interim Progress Reports via Home Access Center. The Interim Progress Reports will be issued on Friday, December 6. Click the link for step-by-step instructions on how to navigate the Home Access Center to view your child's Interim Progress Report: https://www.spsk12.net/Page/2824. Students can also access the Home Access Center from the Student Portal.

Join us on Friday, December 13 at 3 p.m. for a Facebook Live session with Suffolk Public Schools Superintendent Dr. John B. Gordon III to discuss the 2025-2026 Superintendent's Proposed Budget, first-semester transition, and the Suffolk Public Schools Cell Phone Policy. To make this event interactive, please submit your question(s) in advance for the superintendent using the link provided: https://bit.ly/4gh1S1M.

To watch this live stream, visit facebook.com/SuffolkVAPublicSchools. Live streams are available to viewers WITH OR WITHOUT a Facebook account. (You can disregard the prompt to create an account). If you need assistance viewing the live stream, please contact Suffolk Public Schools Communications and Community Engagement at 757-923-5244. If you cannot view the live stream at 3 p.m., the video will remain posted on our Facebook page to watch later. At this time, we are unable to add subtitles to the live stream. However, the video will be captioned and added to our Suffolk Public Schools YouTube channel to watch later.

Suffolk Public Schools has been awarded $218,000 from the 2024 School Security Equipment Grant Program authorized by the 2013 General Assembly. The funds will go toward the replacement of the intercom system at Northern Shores Elementary School, replacement of the intercom system at Mack Benn Jr., Elementary School, and the addition of exterior speakers at Creekside Elementary School.

Registration for the Saturday Academy on December 7 is now closed. Registration for the December 14 session will open on Wednesday, December 4 at 8:00 a.m., and close on Monday, December 9 at 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit www.spsk12.net.

All current grade 8 students are encouraged to apply for our Suffolk Public Schools Specialty Programs: The Center for Performing and Production Arts, International Baccalaureate, Project Lead the Way Engineering, and Project Lead the Way Biomedical Sciences. Students should see their school counselor for eligibility criteria.

Complete the following form to apply: Suffolk Public Schools Specialty Program Application for the 2025-2026 School Year. Please view the program requirements and additional components for the application to be considered complete. Incomplete applications will not be accepted or reviewed. The application deadline is Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ONLY SUBMIT ONE APPLICATION. For questions or to make changes to your application, contact Dr. Keisha Melvin, Coordinator of Advanced Instruction and World Languages, at keishamelvin@spsk12.net.

The latest specialty program in Suffolk Public Schools, which brings our total to four specialty programs in the school division is the Center for Performance and Production Arts. CPPA provides a comprehensive and rigorous cultural arts program to ensure that students are empowered with employable skills and knowledge needed to compete as well-rounded artists and life-long learners, not only in the business of art, but also in contemporary society. CPPA serves to provide an innovative integrated fine arts program to develop student agency and knowledge of performance and production arts in the areas of music technology, vocal and instrumental music, theatre, and visual arts.

Is your student a current 8th, 9th, 10th or 11th grade student interested in fine-tuning your artistic abilities? The Governor's School for the Arts could be for them! Students can apply for the following program departments: Dance, Instrumental Music, Musical Theatre, Theatre and Film, Visual Arts or Vocal Music. With your student, review the details for each department area to decide which program is right opportunity for them: https://www.gsarts.org/admissions. Please also view the GSA website for information and instructions for your student to submit their application AND round one submission before the December 6th deadline. For questions, contact deborah.thorpe@gsarts.net or 757-451-4711.