APRIL 2026
LUNCH & LEARN with the Special Education Ombudsman
Parents and caregivers are invited to attend a free virtual learning session hosted by SEPAC SOMA and Tracy Gillespie, Special Education Ombudsman for the New Jersey Department of Education.
Lunch & Learn meetings are a new offering from the NJ DOE Office of Special Education, intended to strengthen collaboration and promote a shared understanding of special education processes with families of children with disabilities. This will be SEPAC SOMA’s first session with the Ombudsman — we hope you’ll join us!
Monday, April 27 @ 11:00-11:30am
▣ Join this virtual meeting
Microsoft Teams Meeting
Meeting ID: 212 261 552 828 49
Passcode: bm6Pb9vxDial in by phone:
+1 908-409-1022,,549066179#
From the NJ DOE:
This session is specifically designed for family members of students with disabilities to help ensure they have a meaningful voice in the development and delivery of special education programs and services. Participants will receive information on key topics such as the meaning of a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), parental rights, and ways to address and resolve differences.
The session will also highlight proactive approaches, including Facilitated IEP (FIEP) meetings and local resolution strategies, to support effective communication and early problem solving.
SEPAC SOMA 