Together We Can

It is hard to believe that Holiday Recess is just a few days away. I hope that everyone will have a chance to take a break and recharge. As I reflect on the past six months, I am so proud of the work that we all have been able to accomplish together in collaboration between the Office of Special Education and Student Supports, parents, staff and community members. I am excited to see what 2022 brings!

Best,

Stacey Heiligenthaler, Ph.D.

Interim Chief Officer of Special Education and Student Supports

stacey_heiligenthaler@greenwich.k12.ct.us

Parkway's Literacy Specialist Ms. Andrea Seward works with a first grade group during independent reading. Students choose to read on Raz-Kids online or in their chosen library text. Raz-Kids delivers hundreds of interactive, leveled eBooks spanning 29 levels.

Kindergarten students in Ms. Carrie Steel’s art class work on the creation of a Kente cloth. Kente cloth comes from a textile practice that originated in Ghana centuries ago. This beautiful painting, followed by cutting the paper into strips, and then weaving it together is a great fine motor activity for all students at Parkway.

Ms. Fernandez and Ms. Lamanna, educators at International School at Dundee, worked together in a small group in their learning center. The students were working on the their individualized academic goals. It was a pleasure to see the students so focused and motivated on their individualized tasks.

Ms. Lauren Love's class at GHS is creating crafts, gifts, and healthy dog treats to sell at the Holiday Boutique as part of students daily living skills curriculum. The boutique funds some of the community trips the group takes as well as funding the supplies for future crafts and events. Ms. Love sends out a Google order form to GHS teachers asking if they'd like to place an order with the class and the students create items based upon the orders.

Old Greenwich School's Special Education Teacher Ms. Denise Lotko created motivational charts for her sessions with students this month. They are fun and engaging to all of her students. See the descriptions below.

As the Office of Special Education and Student Supports plan for additional parent workshops in the new year, please complete the Parent Workshop Interest Questionnaire to share your input on what types of workshops you would like offered. Thank you in advance!

Save the date for a virtual meeting to discuss the fifth to sixth grade transition process. Middle school counselors, curriculum coordinators, and middle school principals will go live to talk about what goes on in the spring and summer to help prepare students for the next school level. During this session, there will also be information regarding the placement process for Advanced Studies in Grades 6-8.

Join us virtually on:

• Monday, January 3 at 9:00 am Zoom Link
• Monday, January 3 at 6:30 pm Zoom Link

You are invited to attend one of the sessions listed above. More information is available on our district website. If you are unable to attend, the slide deck and video recording of both meetings will be available online as early as January 4.

Reserven la fecha para una reunión virtual para discutir el proceso de transición de quinto a sexto grado. Los consejeros de las escuelas intermedias (middle schools), los coordinadores de planes de estudio y los directores de las escuelas intermedias participarán en esta reunión para hablar sobre lo que sucederá en la primavera y el verano con el objeto de preparar a los estudiantes para el próximo grado escolar. Durante esta sesión también divulgaremos información sobre cómo acceder al programa de estudios avanzados en los grados 6-8.

Únanse a nosotros virtualmente el:

Lunes 3 de enero a las 9:00 am Zoom Link

Lunes 3 de enero a las 6:30 pm Zoom Link

Están invitados a asistir a una de las sesiones enumeradas anteriormente. Encontrarán más información en nuestro sitio web del distrito escolar y S'Mores. Si no pueden asistir, estarán disponibles en línea la presentación de diapositivas y la grabación de video de ambas reuniones a partir del 4 de enero.

On December 14, Dr. Stacey Heiligenthaler, interim Chief Officer of Special Education and Student Supports and Judy Nedell, Coordinator of Counseling and section 504, did a public presentation on 504 eligibility. Click here to view the 504 presentation. For additional questions on 504, please reach out to Ms. Nedell at Judith_Nedell@greenwich.k12.ct.us

Maslow Before Bloom: Socio-Emotional Learning and Academics

This presentation provides an overview of Social Emotional Learning and the research on how it supports student learning in the classroom.

It was presented by Drs. Alina and Fabian Boie of the GPS District Behavioral Support Team.

Meeting Recording:

https://zoom.us/rec/share/2Pxw7C6ZtfW9glkN6K_LZ3qbH0x7l98GOHXbBFuKQ1p2sZW4LVRcr160CFQ1jayt.5NOeQegen01d_J3S

Access Passcode: maslow&bloom120321

Link to Presentation Materials:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1cLvMBoTqSHUm9hXkGKLmyIg2tOpEjnLo?usp=sharing

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Email: stacey_heiligenthaler@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Website: https://www.greenwichschools.org/teaching-learning/special-education
Location: 290 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich, CT
Phone: (203) 625-7493