Category Archives: SEPAC Meeting Notes

Recap: Oct 2025 Mtg – Special Education @ SOMSD

OCTOBER 2025 MEETINGSPECIAL EDUCATION @ SOMSDDid you miss our first community meeting of the year? Kathleen Gesumaria, SOMSD Assistant Superintendent for Special Services, joined us to share an overview of the programs, classes, and services available in our district. ▣ WATCH HERE

Recap: Feb 2025 Workshop – Behaviors at Home

FEBRUARY 9, 2025: PARENT WORKSHOPOur February workshop, geared toward PreK-5th, covered strategies to help families of children with disabilities support and encourage positive behaviors at home and beyond. Presented by Casey Dickson and Cara Lesperance, Clinton Special Education Teachers. ► View the presentation slides

Recap: Jan 2025 – Effective Goals Workshop

JANUARY 2025: PARENT WORKSHOPOur New Year Fresh Start workshop offered tips and resources for families of PreK-5 children with disabilities on creating effective goals at home. Thank you to Clinton Special Education teachers Casey Dickson and Cara Lesperance! ► View the presentation and worksheet

Recap: Dec 2024 Mtg – Inclusive Education

DECEMBER 2025: MEETING RECAPSpecial Education in the United States has been a decades-long journey. We learned about the legislation that paved the way for today’s inclusive practices, the key elements and benefits of an inclusive vs segregated mindset, and the current state of inclusion in New Jersey. ► View the NJCIE presentation and watch “TheContinue reading “Recap: Dec 2024 Mtg – Inclusive Education”

Recap: Dec 2024 Workshop – Navigating Winter Recess

DECEMBER 2024: PARENT WORKSHOPOur PreK-5 Winter Blues workshop offered tips and resources on navigating an extended break from school (and the structure school brings). Thank you to Clinton Special Education teachers Casey Dickson and Cara Lesperance. ► View the presentation and tip sheet DECEMBER 2024: PARENT WORKSHOPOur PreK-5 Winter Blues workshop offered tips and resourcesContinue reading “Recap: Dec 2024 Workshop – Navigating Winter Recess”

Recap: September 2024 Mtg – Back to School

SEPTEMBER 2024: MEETING RECAPFor our first community meeting of the year, we had a chance to hear from Superintendent Jason Bing and Assistant Superintendent of Special Services Kathleen Gesumaria, and just as importantly, they had a chance to hear from the SEPAC parent community! Catch up here with our meeting notes! 

Recap: Anxiety in High School, January 2023

Meeting Recap: Anxiety in High School January 9, 2023 At our January 24th SEPAC SOMA meeting, we learned how to spot – and support – anxiety in high school students, and about the mental health programs available at Columbia High School. Jenny Easton gave an overview of how anxiety often presents in teenagers and theContinue reading “Recap: Anxiety in High School, January 2023”

Recap: ☀️Top 5 Summer Tips, June 2022

OUR TOP FIVE SUMMER TIPSJune 9, 2022 1. PLAN AHEAD Reach out to your Case Managers now to find out who will be your point of contact over the summer. Think ahead to where your child will be next year and if they are moving to a new building (Jefferson, MMS or SOMS, CHS) makeContinue reading “Recap: ☀️Top 5 Summer Tips, June 2022”

January 2022: PerformCare Fact Sheet

Individualized Education Programs and 504 Plans help get your child what they need to thrive at school, but what about at home? Caring for a child with behavioral, mental health and emotional challenges, or intellectual and developmental disabilities, can be overwhelming. The Children’s System of Care (part of New Jersey’s Department of Children and Families)Continue reading “January 2022: PerformCare Fact Sheet”