Special Education Parent Newsletter

We hope the start of the 2024-2025 school year has been great. All of our staff were excited to welcome your children back to school last month.

The purpose of the Special Education Parent Newsletter is to share important information from the district and community related to special education. We also want to share department highlights that have occurred.

We are looking forward to a productive year of growth for all of our students. Thank you for your support along the way.

Special Education Services Team

Fort Bend ISD

1. Transportation:

Customer Care Contact (281) 634-4077

transport.support@fortbendisd.gov

Hodges Bend Transportation Center (281) 634-1970

Lake Olympia Transportation Center (281) 634-1930

2. Specific course, assignment, or learning resource: Teacher

3. Supports or accommodations: Teacher or Case Manager

4. Documentation (ARD/IEP, FIE): ARD Facilitator (MS, HS)/Campus Compliance Coordinator (ES)

5. Student Schedule: Counselor

6. Personal or Social Emotional Concern: Counselor

7. Special education procedural or programming questions: Programs Managers, Special Education Services

8. Parent Support Network: Campus SEPAC representatives

Congratulations ERIN WOLLARD for being recognized at the Statewide Conference on the Education of the Deaf as an outstanding Teacher of the Deaf. This conference only meets once every two years, and Erin was chosen from hundreds of ToDs in Texas. We are so proud of her and thankful for all that she does for our kids and our program!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Check out Dr. Dana Walker's first book in a children's series on hearing loss. Release date is August 6! Dr. Walker is a Nationally Certified and Registered Educational Diagnostician at the Brazoria-Fort Bend Regional Day School Program for the Deaf. We are proud of you for making a difference in kids' lives.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One of our own, Jackie Boyd, Director of the Brazoria-Fort Bend Regional Day School Program for the Deaf, was interviewed for the Voyage Houston magazine this summer. Read her story HERE to learn what an amazing human we have in our department. How lucky are we to have her among us!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tunisia Walton is a 3rd year BHS ATS student employed at Panera Bread in Sugarland. She is an amazing employee and has been praised for being efficient and helpful. Her managers find her to be a joy to have in their store!

Pictured left to right: Gabby Dangerfield, Store Manager, Tunisia Walton, student and Mason Chandler, General Manager.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Abigail Jacobson, Program Manager, attended the Back to School Resource Fair on August 15th put on by Autism Dads Social Club and Autism Caregivers Around the Bend. She represented FBISD on the educational panel. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise with the community!

Each year the Special Education Department hosts Parent Learning Opportunities that cover a wide selection of topics to increase knowledge and understanding of special education.

2024-2025 Lunch-and-Learn

12:00 pm on Microsoft TEAMS

October 1, 2024 ~ Special Education Evaluation and Eligibility

October 29, 2024 ~ Effective Use of Accommodations and Modifications

November 19, 2024 ~ Continuum of Services - Inclusion of Students with Disabilities

January 23, 2025 ~ Self-Advocacy

February 20, 2025 ~ Interventions for Students with Autism

March 25, 2025 ~ Transitioning to Middle and High School

Join Fort Bend Falcons today! Open to ages 8 and older.

COMPONENTS

• Multiple sports throughout school year
• Sports training and competition
• Olympic-type sports
• Individual with intellectual disability

OUTCOMES

• Physical fitness
• Courage and joy
• Sharing of gifts and skills
• Friendship: Families, Athletes, Community

How can you join the Fort Bend Falcon Family?

APP:

Download the sportsYou app on your device

Team Code: YWYA-XF8U

EMAIL:

Laura Rivers (Head of Delegation)

Laura.rivers@fortbendisd.com

The Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) is a support network where parents can ask questions, meet other parents on the special education journey, and learn about relevant issues in the state and district that pertain to educating students with disabilities. The mission of the FBISD SEPAC is to:

• Advocate for innovative and inclusive educational environments
• Advise Fort Bend ISD on programs, parent/teacher trainings, and policy related to special education, and
• Support and facilitate effective communication between parents, students, and the school district

The role of a SEPAC representative is to:

• Be a liaison between campus parents and the district
• Facilitate communication between campus parents, the SEPAC, and the district
• Share information from the SEPAC and the district to campus parents
• Gather feedback from campus parents and relay back to the SEPAC and the district
• Provide feedback to the SEPAC and to the district from an engaged parent perspective as to what is working and not working at your campus

Almost every campus has a SEPAC representative for 2024-2025. Mission West Elementary School, Quail Valley Elementary School, and Ridgegate Elementary School are in need of a representative. If you are interested in becoming a representative on those campuses, please contact Cindy Manthey, Program Manager. Contact the campus principal to get in contact with the SEPAC representative on your campus.

The Special Education Department website is a great place to start when you have a question or when you are seeking resources to assist your student. Our department website and its various pages are uniquely designed to provide information and keep parents updated on programs and services for students. Be sure to visit our website and bookmark it!

The resources and events shared in this section are for information purposes only. Fort Bend ISD does not recommend or endorse any activity or organization. Parents and families are encouraged to determine whether an activity or organization is appropriate for them, given their unique needs.

"Carl the Collector" will debut November 14. Read the article here.

FBCSO Project Lifesaver Program is designed to support families and caregivers of individuals who are prone to wandering due to cognitive disorders. Our mission is to bring loved ones home quickly, safely, and effectively.

This program provides a small arm bracelet with a radio frequency to a person who has a history of wandering or may be prone to wandering caused by a cognitive disorder such as Autism, Alzheimer's, Dementia Disorder, Intellectual Disability Disorders (IDD), Traumatic Brain Injury, etc. FBCSO Deputies are trained and equipped with a receiver device to aid in locating the person (client) if they go missing. If you fear for the safety of your loved one due to their wandering tendencies, and you want peace of mind, please review the criteria below that would qualify your loved one to participate in the FBCSO Project Lifesaver Program.

• The Client MUST live within Fort Bend County (The Project Lifesaver Coordinator can verify this for you).
• The Client MUST have a diagnosis of a cognitive disorder (Autism, Alzheimer's, Dementia Disorder, Intellectual Disability Disorders (IDD), Traumatic Brain Injury, etc.).
• The Client MUST NOT be allowed to drive an automobile of any kind, at any time.

You may submit an application on your loved one's behalf by clicking the link below. Once the application has been submitted, the Project Lifesaver Coordinator will contact you after the application has been reviewed to advise you of the next steps.

This program focuses on improving interaction between law enforcement and drivers with disabilities with unique communication needs. Texans now have the option to disclose “Communication Impediment” directly on their Driver License or State ID or when registering their vehicle through the DMV. This will alert the trained officer of an individual who may be slower to respond or one who is deaf or hard of hearing. Individuals with the following disability categories may be eligible: Autism, Brain Injury, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Intellectual Disability, Parkinson’s Disease, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Speech and Language Disorders, Deaf, and Hard of Hearing. To get started, go to www.TexasDrivingWithDisability.com.

Guardianship and Alternatives to Guardianship Information Session

Brazos Bend Guardianship Services is hosting a Guardianship Information Session. The goals of this session are:

• To learn what guardianship is and why it may be needed

• To learn what alternatives there are to guardianship

• To learn about the guardianship assistance program that is available

• To have an opportunity to ask an attorney legal questions about guardianship and alternatives to guardianship.

The next Guardianship Information Session is scheduled for:

When: Wednesday, September 25, 2024

Time: 6:00pm

Where: University Branch Library located at 14010 University Blvd., Sugar Land

Reservations: Please register by e-mailing Ercilia Rebeles at erebeles@bbgstx.org or calling at 281-232-7701

Recently Released: Student Video Collection - Advice for Transition

The Texas SPED Support website has added a new video collection. This collection captures real-life examples and recommendations for transition planning. In each video, the young adult shares the story of their successful transition to life beyond high school. The videos feature four different young adults from across Texas sharing their transition journey: Abigail, Daylan, Sydney, and Juan (Spanish).

https://spedsupport.tea.texas.gov/topics/transition

The Education and Training Voucher (ETV) program is a federally funded program designed to assist with the education and training needs of eligible youth and young adults currently or formerly in the conservatorship of DFPS.

The ETV program serves those eligible students ages 16 up to age 23 by providing up to $5,000 a year to attend college or vocational programs. The amount of ETV funds is based on the student’s cost of attendance as determined by the school and after all other financial aid assistance has been factored in. Students may not receive ETV funds for more than 5 years (whether or not consecutive).

See link below.

DFPS - Education and Training Voucher Program (ETV) (texas.gov)

Autism Women’s Network (AWN)

Autism Society

Autistic Self Advocacy Network

The Hub of Houston

Gulf Coast Chapter – Autism Society

The ARC of Greater Houston

Check out this video that discusses all of the task organization tools in the 365 suite:

https://youtu.be/-KM3gsHTmQc

The Next Steps to Independence Checklist provides a framework to develop skills for independence in adulthood for individuals with disabilities. Families might use this tool to reflect on their child’s achievements, consider any areas of concern, or collaborate with educators. Educators might use this tool to identify critical skills to address, adaptations to consider, or as an informal transition assessment for self-determination skills. Within each age group, you will see lists of activities and suggestions for teaching these critical skills and connecting with community partners.

Texas Education Agency (TEA) provides a 5-page overview of the special education process and services. See attachment.

To understand the 13 categories of disabilities and eligibility, you can find information on this website:

https://www.spedtex.org/resources/disabilities

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SPEDTex

Parent support and involvement makes a positive difference by elevating student academic performance and increasing achievements. Explore the resources to discover ways in which you can receive support and be involved in your student's education.

https://www.spedtex.org/families

https://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/college-planning-with-learning-disabilities/

https://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/college-planning-with-physical-disabilities/

https://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/diversity-equity-inclusion/disability-scholarships/