Welcome to the November Special Education Newsletter. As our district continues to grow, we thrive to increase our customer service, family engagement and prioritize communication. The first step towards these goals begins with our monthly newsletters where we will keep you updated on the latest and greatest news surrounding Special Education. If you would like the monthly newsletter directly emailed to you, please fill out the following form using this link below:

Newsletter Subscription

The students of T4L presented SWISD's Superintendent, Dr. Ball, with a holiday wreath. They discussed their process, the materials, and the time it took for them to create these beautiful crafts and their hopes to start a small business in the near future.

The Southwest ISD Transition for Life (T4L) program is designed to help students acquire a specific set of skills in alignment with their post-secondary goals. Students receiving special education services have the opportunity to experience, perform, and develop meaningful vocational skills in a "real-life" campus/community environment used as teaching tools. The T4L program is directly related to the preparation of the student for paid or unpaid employment or placement in a work/day program setting.

SWISD is happy to announce that we will continue to partner with the San Antonio Food Bank to provide food to our SWISD Families. Our monthly food distributions will resume on November 13, 2024. Registration Begins at 8:00am and the Food Distribution begins at 10:00am. Food is distributed on a first come, first serve basis while supplies last or until 12:00pm.

If you would like to volunteer or are aware of any community partners/organizations who would like to volunteer, please have them contact the Director of Social Services at 210-622-4330 for more information.

Dear SWISD Family,

We’re excited to invite you to join us for The SWISD Penguin Project Sausage Wrap Fundraiser! Help support our students by purchasing a delicious lunch plate on Friday, November 15th, from 11 AM - 1 PM.

• Plate includes: 2 sausage wraps, chips, and a drink
• Desserts will also be available for purchase on-site

This is a great chance to enjoy a tasty meal while supporting a wonderful cause.

Please feel free to spread the word and share this fundraiser with friends and colleagues! A portion of the proceeds will go directly to scholarships for our graduating Penguin Project members.

For more information, please visit: www.swisd.net/penguinproject

Purchase your plate here!

Thank you for your support, and we look forward to making this fundraiser a huge success!

The SWISD Penguin Project Team

The SWISD Penguin Project rehearsals for the highly anticipated production of Moana Jr. are progressing smoothly. These rehearsals take place every Tuesday and Wednesday after school, providing students with a supportive space to practice and develop their performance skills. The enthusiasm and commitment from the cast and crew are evident, as they work together to bring this unique and inclusive project to life.

This year's performance is scheduled for January 31st and February 1, 2024, promising an unforgettable theatrical experience. The Penguin Project continues to foster creativity and collaboration, providing students with the opportunity to shine on stage. Stay tuned for more updates as the journey to the big performance begins!

It's never too early to start planning your child's future. In the following video, Laura Buckner talks about the importance of building a student's independence. If you would like assistance with getting started, please reach out to SWISD's TED, Andrea Donelson.

Phone: (210)622-4355 ext. 3786

Email: adonelson@swisd.net

Additional Resources

Texas Transition and Employment Guide-(updated in August 2024)

Next Steps to Independence: Skills and Strategies | Texas SPED Support

Roadmap to Texas Transition Resources

The Special Education Information Center (SPEDTex) provides resources and interactive features for increasing family awareness of disabilities and special education processes, with the goal of improving partnerships between schools and families. Click here to Stay Connected!

The ESC-20 Family Engagement Program provides training and support to families, school districts, and the community to help strengthen home-school partnerships. For additional information, please click the link below:

https://www.esc20.net/apps/pages/parent-resources

The following FREE sessions are available this month:

Mandy Young, Special Education Technical Assistance Manager at the Texas Education Agency, will provide an informative presentation on Special Education Evaluations, designed specifically for parents navigating this complex process. She will begin with an introduction to the importance of understanding special education, followed by an overview of the legal framework and rights of parents and students. The session will review the evaluation process, including where to find eligibility criteria, categories of disabilities, and the essential steps involved. A case study will provide real-world context, highlighting a student's journey through the evaluation and emphasizing parent advocacy. Finally, Mandy will provide answers to frequently asked questions and valuable resources and support options for parents to empower them in advocating for their children. Parents and interested stakeholders are encouraged to register for this free event offered in English and Spanish.

Click here to register. Oprima aquí para inscribirse.

The PFE Statewide Initiative is excited to invite you to join us virtually on November 7, 2024 at 9:00am CST for an insightful presentation by Jerry Brown from Windham School District. Jerry will discuss how their unique program empowers incarcerated parents to become effective educational partners, transforming family dynamics and positively impacting the next generation. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn how education can play a pivotal role in building stronger families and communities.

The Expo will focus on ESSA 1116, subsection E, which addresses Building Capacity for Involvement, a crucial aspect of family engagement in education.

Don't miss this chance to gain valuable insights and strategies for fostering deeper parental engagement at no cost.

For more information and to register for free, please visit: https://pfetexas.net/bestpractices

TX-ADDM is hosting their second ever webinar, "Understanding Autism Part 2". This webinar flows from "Understanding Autism", our September webinar. Watching the September webinar is not required to attend or watch the November webinar. This webinar is free to all and we welcome people from all backgrounds!

Webinar Details:

English Workshop:

• Title: Understanding Autism Part 2
• Date & Time: Tuesday, November 12th, 2024, from 10 AM to 11:15 AM (CST)
• Registration: https://bit.ly/3zY4jqG

Spanish Workshop:

• Title: Comprendiendo el Autismo Parte 2
• Date & Time: Thursday, November 14th, 2024, from 10 AM to 11:15 AM (CST)
• Registration: https://bit.ly/3Y4JUIj

If you missed the first session, recordings are available here.

The virtual flyer contains the registration links and QR codes. We hope to see you there!