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Student Services Update - Remote Learning (April 5, 2020)

Dear Parent/Guardian of Students with Disabilities,

I hope this communication finds you healthy, safe and feeling supported. These are unprecedented times and we are working hard to determine the most appropriate ways to stay connected and provide learning opportunities for all of our students.

In Superintendent Jackson’s email to all families on Friday, April 3rd, he indicated that, “after considerable discussion, we have concluded that Phase 2 of our Remote Learning Plan will allow teachers to add new content to their remote learning instruction beginning Monday, April 6th.” Within the Holliston Public Schools Remote Learning Plan document, you will find more detailed information regarding the expectations for our students with disabilities.

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has provided a document that may answer a lot of your questions about services and educational learning opportunities for students with disabilities. The document can be found here. DESE continues to provide updated guidance to special education directors throughout the state, and we continue to remain involved with those efforts to make sure we are adhering to DESE’s guidance during this ever-evolving time in education.

What does that mean for students on Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)?

During school closure, Holliston will continue to implement your student’s IEP to the extent we can within a remote learning environment. Given the circumstances, the services will look different than they do when school is in session. Our goal is to continue to provide equally effective access and opportunities for remote learning designed to reinforce knowledge and skills as well as to ensure your student is provided the opportunity to work towards his/her IEP goal(s).

Holliston will be using a Remote Learning Support/Service Plan (Example Attached) to capture special education support/service expectations for providers, parents/guardians and students during the time of school closure. It is our expectation that on or before April 13th, each student who has an IEP will now have a Remote Learning Support/Services Plan in place during the time of school closure. The document is not legally binding nor does it require a parent/guardian signature.
Special Education liaisons will work with Team members, staff and parents, to establish a Remote Learning Support/Services Plan which outlines how and to what extent special education, related services and accommodations/modifications will be provided during school closure.
Support and Services may include, but are not limited to: whole class, small group and 1:1 connections. For example, a Google classroom communication, Zoom session, phone call or email that is specific to the student or group will be considered a delivery of service. Calls to parents to provide consultation are also a model of service delivery.
Students who are in Out of District Day or Residential Programs will continue to attend school so long as the placement remains open (please note that many Out of District programs have closed and are providing remote learning services). Transportation will continue to be provided to these students as long as transportation companies remain open. If your child attends an Out of District placement and you have any questions, please contact Carol Marble, administrative assistant, at marblec@holliston.k12.ma.us.

Team Process and Timelines remain on hold while schools are closed. However, we will continue to offer virtual Annual IEP Team meetings to parents/guardians who are interested in that option. This effort is not mandatory but rather an opportunity to remain connected and avoid a significant backlog of Team meetings when school is back in session.

Please know that we fully acknowledge nothing can replace the in-person school experience, and we should not expect that remote learning can replicate the traditional school day. However, we remain committed to support and serve your student’s continued learning in this new remote learning world.

Please contact me or your student’s Student Services Administrator (SSA) if you have any further questions.

Thank you for being part of our Team now more than ever.

-Meg Camire, Student Services Director

Building	Contact	Position	Contact Information
District	Meg Camire	Director of Student Services	camirem@holliston.k12.ma.us
Preschool	Mary Perry	Early Childhood Coordinator	perrym@holliston.k12.ma.us
Placentino	Carol DiCruttalo	Student Services Administrator	dicruttaloc@holliston.k12.ma.us
Miller	Eileen Harvey	Student Services Administrator	harveye@holliston.k12.ma.us
Adams	Kelly Camp	Student Services Administrator	campk@holliston.k12.ma.us
High School	Kim Condon	Student Services Administrator	condonk@holliston.k12.ma.us

Remote Learning Support Services Plan (Example)

If your student is eligible for special education, the Holliston Public Schools must provide a free appropriate public education commonly referred to by the acronym FAPE. In order to provide a FAPE the school district must work in partnership with you. You will be a member of the IEP team that will consider your student’s unique needs and develop an individualized education program or IEP, for your student. The IEP must provide instruction that is tailored to your student’s unique needs and includes sufficient support services to enable your student to make meaningful educational progress and to assist your student in acquisition of knowledge and skills, including those necessary for social and emotional development according to appropriate chronological and developmental expectations. Any special education services identified for your student must be provided at public expense with no cost to you. All students in the Commonwealth’s public education system, including students with disabilities, are entitled to the opportunity to learn the material that is covered by the academic standards in the Massachusetts curriculum frameworks. Massachusetts also provides an individual right to FAPE for its resident students with disabilities who attend private schools at private expense, and who seek public special education services.

Please be sure to complete the Holliston IEP Team Meeting Survey. On a weekly basis Holliston Public Schools, Office of Student Services is reaching out to parent/guardians and students (ages 14 and up) regarding their Team meeting experience. If you participated in a Team meeting during the week please look to receive an email on Friday afternoon soliciting your feedback. If you have any questions regarding the survey please feel free to contact Meg Camire, Director of Student Services at camirem@holliston.k12.ma.us or the Holliston SEPAC at hollistonsepac@gmail.com.

To assist us in gathering data regarding parent's/guardian's and student's experience we ask that you please complete the survey. The survey is anonymous, and the data will be used for us to reflect on our current practices and ability to support families and students. Where available, please use the "other" space to add additional comments pertaining to the question.

Please know that as a member of the Team you are working with school staff to consider a student's unique needs and develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP). For further information regarding the IEP process or in relation to the survey questions please feel free to contact your Student Services Administrator (SSA) or Student Services Director and/or refer to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Parent's Notice of Procedural Safeguards.

We value your input and appreciate your partnership in working towards educational success for your student. Thank You!