Greetings everyone!

As we enter the home stretch of the last quarter, I would like to take the opportunity to thank each stakeholder that is a part of the CCISD Special Services family. With your unwavering support, our district is definitely an Awesome Place to Be! Please continue to assist us in the last quarter of the school year:

• Stay in contact with your child’s teachers through our planners, notes, and phone calls or e-mails.

• Make sure the campus staff has your most recent contact information so that we may contact you about your child.

• A strong cooperative relationship is key to the success of your child. Additionally, in the weeks ahead, several events have been planned on campuses to celebrate your child’s hard work and success please stay connected. Remember parent support makes our district an Awesome Place to Be!

Don't forget to check out our Calendar of Events listed at https://www.ccisd.net/specialservices. More events will be added as we continue to collaborate with you and find out what your needs are. Thanks for all that you do to help us grow and for your continued support! Remember that

We Are Here For You!!!

As always, if we can be of service to you, please reach out via the link in the newsletter, by emailing sped@ccisd.net, or contacting us through our Parent Resource Center Specialist (Penny Sweeney) at 281-284-0751. We are here for you!

***The information provided in this newsletter is gathered from a variety of sources and is not sponsored by, nor affiliated with CCISD. The information is provided for your information and review.

If translation is needed for the Newsletter:

On the right-hand column under Accessibility, click on Translate and choose desired language.

Si se necesita traducción para el Boletín:

En la columna de la derecha, abajo en donde dice Accessibility, haga clic en Traducir y elija el idioma deseado

Dr. Michele Staley

CCISD Executive Director of Special Services

Coffee Chat

2023-2024

Coffee Chats: All sessions held on specified Thursday mornings: See below for topic and date
Time: 9 am-10 am

Please enter through the main front entrance and bring your id to sign in at the front desk.

Follow signs to the Parent Resource Center Rm. 1038

Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Family Nights

ECSE Family Nights: All sessions held on specified Thursday evenings

See below for topic and date
Time: 5 pm-6 pm

Please park in the rear parking area and enter through the back entrance. These sessions will be held in the Commons.

Where:
CCISD Learner Support Center
2903 Falcon Pass
Houston, Texas 77062

Register at https://www.ccisd.net/specialservices#parent-resource-center

Hardy Foundation

Methodist Hospital

Tray-Tec

LCI AA

VQ Training

Ross Elementary PTA

Falcon Pass Elementary PTA

Challengers

Awards of Distinction

Galveston County Parks and Cultural Services

Lamont Brands

Special Education PTA

Zamora Family

Robinson Elementary PTA

Campbell Elementary PTA

Bay Area Church

Dash Gordon Foundation

H-E-B

Leasburg Family

Budgets & Bookkeeping LLC

HTX Home Inspections

Coastal Dreams Realty Group

Sandra Mossman Elementary PTA

LCI PTA

CLIS PTA

Dear Special Education Families,

As we celebrate, National Speech-Language-Hearing Month we are reminded of the importance of communication and the vital role it plays in our lives. The month of May provides an opportunity to raise awareness about communication disorders and the professionals who work tirelessly to support individuals with speech, language, and hearing challenges.

SLPs play a critical role in the educational journey of many of our students. They assess, diagnose, and treat communication disorders, helping students develop essential speech, language, and social communication skills. However, the demand for SLPs in schools has been steadily increasing, while the availability of qualified professionals has not kept pace.

Challenges We Face:

1. Growing Demand: The number of students requiring speech and language services is rising, reflecting heightened awareness and improved identification of communication disorders.

2. Limited Resources: Despite our efforts to recruit and retain SLPs, we may face challenges in meeting the needs of all students due to constraints in funding and available resources.

3. Impact on Services: This shortage results in heavier caseloads and reduced service availability, potentially compromising therapy quality.

We recognize that the shortage of SLPs has implications for the education and development of students receiving special education services. Delayed access to therapy may hinder communication skills and academic progress. Overburdened SLPs may struggle to provide personalized attention, limiting students' potential.

What We're Doing About It:

1. Recruitment Efforts: We are actively seeking qualified SLPs to join our team.

2. Professional Development: We provide ongoing training and support to our existing SLPs to enhance their skills and effectiveness in delivering services.

3. Collaborative Solutions: We are working collaboratively with district leadership and community partners to explore innovative solutions to address the shortage of SLPs.

How You Can Help:

1. Stay Informed: Stay updated on developments related to the shortage of SLPs and our efforts to address this challenge within our district.

2. Advocate: Advocate for increased funding and resources for special education programs, including support for hiring and retaining qualified SLPs.

3. Recognize and Honor: Take the time to recognize and honor the dedicated work of our campus based SLPs. Whether it's sending a heartfelt note of appreciation, organizing a small gesture of gratitude, or simply expressing your thanks during , acknowledging their efforts can go a long way in boosting morale and fostering a supportive environment within our school community.

As we reflect on National Speech-Language-Hearing Month, let us renew our commitment to supporting the communication needs of all students in our school district. By working together, we can overcome the challenges posed by the shortage of SLPs and ensure that every student receives the support they need to thrive academically and socially.

Sincerely,

Christen Ashley, M.S., CCC-SLP

Coordinator for Speech and Related Services

Morphological Awareness

Morphological awareness is a skill that helps students read and spell. When researchers have studied different skills that contribute to student performance on reading and spelling tasks, morphological awareness ability often is one of the skills that predicts how well students will perform on those tasks (e.g., Bowers, Kirby, & Deacon, 2010; Goodwin & Ahn, 2013). It is a skill that helps students problem-solve words they do not know how to read and spell. For reading, this is especially important when students are reading textbooks with academic language so that they can gain the knowledge they need in the subject areas they study.

Morphological Awareness: One Piece of the Literacy Pie

Congratulations to students who advanced to state in the Reflections Art Program!

Abigail Arias - Victory Lakes Intermediate ,Visual Arts "God is Good", State Award of Excellence

Quintana Carrillo - Clearview Highschool (Special Education PTA), Visual Arts "A Motherly Love", State Award of Merit

Our next general membership meeting is scheduled for May 14 at 6:30pm at the Learning Support Center. Join us for the installation of the 2024-2025 SEPTA officers and STAR Awards.

We are always looking for new members to join SEPTA. We are a group of students, parents, and teachers that serve special education families at all 45 campuses.

Our Mission:

To make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.

To join: www.joinpta.org

Congratulations SEPTA on earning the TXPTA February XOXO Membership AWARD for increasing membership!

Meetings will take place at the

Learning Support Center
2903 Falcon Pass Dr
Houston, TX 77062
United States

SEPTA CALENDAR
5/14: Awards/General -6:30pm (LSC)

For more Info:

Kim Barnett
SEPTA President
832-414-7033

Conference Overview

The Texas Autism Conference is an annual event sponsored by the Texas Education Agency. The conference's goal is to promote increased awareness and understanding of evidence-based practices, interventions, standards, and services in the area of autism. It provides professional development and networking opportunities for families, students, educators, and professionals.

Family Day | June 22, 2024

We invite parents, guardians, and caretakers to join our June 22, 2024 sessions free of charge. These sessions are geared towards parenting and caretaker topics that improve the lives of our students and children with autism. There will be many breakout sessions and a family focus group on this day. This day of the conference will be presented via the Whova app.

• Register for Workshop #SU2451323
• Registration Deadline: June 12, 2024, at 4:00 pm.
• Registration is FREE and this day will be entirely online.
• Registering for this event only grants access to content on June 22, 2024. You will not have access to the content on June 20 and 21. If you have registered for the full conference, you do not need to register for Family Day.

***The information provided in this newsletter is gathered from a variety of sources and is not sponsored by, nor affiliated with CCISD. The information is provided for your information and review.