2024-2025
EDUCATIONAL SERIES, meetings & events:
The LMSD Committee for Special Education is partnering with LMSD to engage our community in providing feedback regarding Policy/AR 236: "Behavior Support - Special Education Students".
The parent information Zoom recording from Monday, March 3rd is now available for viewing. Kimberly Fraser, LMSD's Director of Student Services and Special Education leads the presentation, supported by Megan Shafer, Assistant to the Superintendent for District Administration; Melissa Sinapi-Gibson, Lead Supervisor of Special Education and Grades 10-12+; and Gwen Nartowicz, Supervisor of Special Education Grades 7-9.
The presentation is a review of the current policy and administrative regulation and includes information about:
Please click here to view the recording.
The next opportunity for the community to engage in providing feedback will occur on Friday, May 2nd from 9:00 - 11:00 am at the LMSD Board of Directors Policy Committee meeting. Attendees can participate in-person (location: District Office Administration Board Room: 301 East Montgomery Avenue in Ardmore) or on-line via Zoom or live stream. Zoom Link:https://zoom.us/j/91824391699?pwd=dVFkeWdLeTRGTXZX... Live Stream Video link: https://www.lmsd.org/zoom-live
The parent information Zoom recording from Monday, March 3rd is now available for viewing. Kimberly Fraser, LMSD's Director of Student Services and Special Education leads the presentation, supported by Megan Shafer, Assistant to the Superintendent for District Administration; Melissa Sinapi-Gibson, Lead Supervisor of Special Education and Grades 10-12+; and Gwen Nartowicz, Supervisor of Special Education Grades 7-9.
The presentation is a review of the current policy and administrative regulation and includes information about:
- Interventional Rationale
- Training
- Stages of Interventions
- Behavioral Strategies
- Positive Behavior Support Plans
- Crisis Management Procedures including restraints, emergency procedures, calming and break rooms
Please click here to view the recording.
The next opportunity for the community to engage in providing feedback will occur on Friday, May 2nd from 9:00 - 11:00 am at the LMSD Board of Directors Policy Committee meeting. Attendees can participate in-person (location: District Office Administration Board Room: 301 East Montgomery Avenue in Ardmore) or on-line via Zoom or live stream. Zoom Link:https://zoom.us/j/91824391699?pwd=dVFkeWdLeTRGTXZX... Live Stream Video link: https://www.lmsd.org/zoom-live
Feb, 18, 2025
Dear CSE Community,
The LMSD Committee for Special Education is partnering with LMSD's Student Services and Special Education Department to collect feedback from LMSD special education stakeholders about Policy 236 and its supporting document Administration Regulations (AR) "Behavior Support- Special Education Students." AR 236 is scheduled to be revised due to its age, as the last time it was revised was in 2012. Note: Policy 236 is considered legally sound and may not be revised unless reason is found to do so based on the changes to its AR.
CSE is asking LMSD parents/guardians/students to submit any questions, concerns or feedback relating to Policy 236 and its AR by filling out this questionnaire no later than Wednesday, February 26th. Your feedback can be submitted anonymously, if desired. Please review both the policy and the AR before submitting your responses. They are linked in both this letter and the questionnaire. Policy/AR 236 addresses behavior support specifically for special education students. We have divided the questionnaire into the sections outlined in the AR including Intervention Rationale; Training; Stages of Intervention; Behavioral Strategies; Crisis Management Procedures including Restraints, Emergency Procedures, Calming and Break Rooms. CSE has created this questionnaire for our community to use as a tool in providing valuable feedback to LMSD administrative staff and board committee leadership as the District moves forward with revising Policy/AR 236.
In addition to the questionnaire, there are several other opportunities where stakeholders can share their feedback with the District. The Office of Student Services/Special Education staff will host “Drop-In Sessions” on Wednesday, February 19 from 6:00-7:30 p.m. and Friday, February 21 from 12:00-1:30 p.m. in the boardroom at the District Administrative Offices. These family sessions will allow opportunity for in-person, confidential discussions about specific student experiences.
CSE will also be partnering with LMSD Student Services/Special Education staff to provide a parent education session via Zoom on Monday, March 3rd from 7:00-8:30 p.m. PA state law will be explained, as well as LMSD Policy/AR 236 and details about what the law means at LMSD schools. LMSD parent/guardian questions and feedback submitted in advance via the questionnaire will be addressed in the Zoom session.
The LMSD Board of Directors Policy Committee meeting/1st reading will also allow for more community discussion. It will be held on Friday, March 7th at 9:00 a.m. The second Policy Committee meeting and reading will be on Friday, April 11th at 9:00 a.m. You can attend both of these meetings either in person (at LMSD District Office's boardroom) or via Zoom or view the livestream here: https://www.lmsd.org/zoom-live.
We look forward to receiving your feedback and seeing you at the parent education Zoom session on March 3rd. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the CSE Executive Board at [email protected].
Sincerely,
The Lower Merion School District Committee for Special Education Executive Board
Dear CSE Community,
The LMSD Committee for Special Education is partnering with LMSD's Student Services and Special Education Department to collect feedback from LMSD special education stakeholders about Policy 236 and its supporting document Administration Regulations (AR) "Behavior Support- Special Education Students." AR 236 is scheduled to be revised due to its age, as the last time it was revised was in 2012. Note: Policy 236 is considered legally sound and may not be revised unless reason is found to do so based on the changes to its AR.
CSE is asking LMSD parents/guardians/students to submit any questions, concerns or feedback relating to Policy 236 and its AR by filling out this questionnaire no later than Wednesday, February 26th. Your feedback can be submitted anonymously, if desired. Please review both the policy and the AR before submitting your responses. They are linked in both this letter and the questionnaire. Policy/AR 236 addresses behavior support specifically for special education students. We have divided the questionnaire into the sections outlined in the AR including Intervention Rationale; Training; Stages of Intervention; Behavioral Strategies; Crisis Management Procedures including Restraints, Emergency Procedures, Calming and Break Rooms. CSE has created this questionnaire for our community to use as a tool in providing valuable feedback to LMSD administrative staff and board committee leadership as the District moves forward with revising Policy/AR 236.
In addition to the questionnaire, there are several other opportunities where stakeholders can share their feedback with the District. The Office of Student Services/Special Education staff will host “Drop-In Sessions” on Wednesday, February 19 from 6:00-7:30 p.m. and Friday, February 21 from 12:00-1:30 p.m. in the boardroom at the District Administrative Offices. These family sessions will allow opportunity for in-person, confidential discussions about specific student experiences.
CSE will also be partnering with LMSD Student Services/Special Education staff to provide a parent education session via Zoom on Monday, March 3rd from 7:00-8:30 p.m. PA state law will be explained, as well as LMSD Policy/AR 236 and details about what the law means at LMSD schools. LMSD parent/guardian questions and feedback submitted in advance via the questionnaire will be addressed in the Zoom session.
The LMSD Board of Directors Policy Committee meeting/1st reading will also allow for more community discussion. It will be held on Friday, March 7th at 9:00 a.m. The second Policy Committee meeting and reading will be on Friday, April 11th at 9:00 a.m. You can attend both of these meetings either in person (at LMSD District Office's boardroom) or via Zoom or view the livestream here: https://www.lmsd.org/zoom-live.
We look forward to receiving your feedback and seeing you at the parent education Zoom session on March 3rd. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the CSE Executive Board at [email protected].
Sincerely,
The Lower Merion School District Committee for Special Education Executive Board