SEPTAPSpecial Education PTAof Portland

Special Olympics Annual Youth Games at the Nike Campus October 1st!

2011-08-29T21:27:00.000-07:00

Jean Hansen, the Director of Youth and Outreach at SOOR, was kind enough to send out a reminder about this upcoming event. It is a great day out for the family, and each child gets to choose between soccer, track and field, basketball and Golf. Any Oregon student between the ages of 7 and 18 with a cognitive or physical disability is welcome to join. Preregistration is required, but the event is free.
Go to http://www.soor.org/youthgames/ for more information.

From Jean:

The Special Olympics annual Youth Games event is taking place on October 1st at the Nike campus near Beaverton. The event is free and all participants will receive a complimentary t-shirt but there is limited space so all participants must pre-register.

The purpose of this event is to introduce youth or in some cases, re-introduce youth eligible for Special Olympics and their families to our programs. The event goes from 9:00am – 1:00pm.

Included below is a short video about Youth Games. You can view it here:

LINK TO VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq1gYSJBtJI

The video highlights last year’s games and allows you to register for this year’s games by clicking on the link embedded in the video.

Please feel free to share this link with anyone you might know who would be interest in attending. Register by September 16th to be entered into the drawing for a $50 Nike card and pass to the Nike Employee store.

Enjoy August and see you in October!

September General Meeting

2011-08-25T16:44:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, September 27th - 6:30-8pm

Join us to celebrate the start of a new school year

Connect with new and old friends and colleagues

Hear about the direction and objectives for SEPTAP in the coming year

Find out how you can get involved and make a difference for kids receiving special education services in Portland Public Schools

And enjoy some pizza - on us!

Beverly Cleary Fernwood (cafeteria)
1915 NE 33rd Avenue (2 blocks north of NE Broadway)
Portland, OR

May General Meeting with Jennifer Jackson

2011-04-29T18:15:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, May 17 · 6:30pm - 8:00pm

Join us for our last general meeting of the 2010-2011 school year!
Special Guest ~ Jennifer Jackson, Interim Director of Special Education/ISS.

• Vote for your new officers for 2011-2012
• Hear an update from the PPS Interim Director of Integrated
Student Services about upcoming changes to special education
services.
• Hear updates on the possibility of applying for Portland Schools
Foundation Equity Grants.
• Learn about community resources and advocacy organizations.
• Network with other parents and educators

Beverly Cleary School

1915 NE 33rd Ave.

Portland, OR

Harper's Playground Fundraiser

2011-04-28T14:42:00.000-07:00

A Project to Bring an Inclusive Playground to Arbor Lodge Park

The mission of  Harper’s Playground is to build community by providing an inclusive playground structure at Arbor Lodge Park where children and adults of all abilities can play together.

Harper’s Playground has 27 days left to meet their $200 K, which will be used to build an inclusive playground at Arbor Lodge Park.

To Donate visit http://harpersplayground.com/

Save the Date: Thursday May 19th

2011-04-28T12:12:00.000-07:00

Family Engagement and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Webinar. 

The U.S. Department of Education invites you to participate in a webinar on Thursday, May 19, 2011 at 1 p.m. EDT, Noon CDT, 11 a.m. MDT, 10 a.m. which focuses on Family Engagement and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.  

Melody Musgrove, Director, Office of Special Education Programs, will be the featured speaker.

This webinar will focus on the Department of Education's commitment to family involvement, particularly for families ofchildren with disabilities or at risk.   

The webinar will also focus on the resources that the Department provides to help families understand the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, their rights under IDEA, and how to work with schools to improve their children's future.   

To register for the webinar, go to http://tadnet.ilinc.com, and click on "Public Sessions" (second option in the red ribbon on top).

Save the Dates: Summer 2011!

2011-04-27T14:42:00.000-07:00

Camp Yakety Yak was designed by a local speech pathologist and mom who was looking for summer camp options for her son that directly teach friendship skills. When she could not find any, she decided to create her own camp with the help of other teacher friends and specialists. Camp Yakety Yak is for children age 5-10 and works to teach children the language of friendship by providing specialized instruction in social communication and emotional regulation skills to children and then practicing those skills engaging projects, such as science experiments, movie-making, cooking activities and scavenger hunts.

Camp Yakety Yak is an inclusion camp that welcomes kids with and without disabilities.

There are 3 different camp sessions this summer around the Portland Metro area. All camps run nearly 2 weeks, and include a fun field trip in the community. Campers can attend half-day and full-day camps that cost about the price of childcare for the typical camper.

For more information visit http://www.campyaketyyak.com

Save the Date: March 10th -18th

2011-03-15T16:03:00.000-07:00

Join FACT at the Capitol everyday March 10th – 18th 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Oregon State Capitol, Room 257.

Join Developmental Disabilities advocates from across the State and BE HEARD!

FACT Families, Friends and Community Partners -
Significant decisions affecting families with children experiencing disability are being made in Salem on a daily basis. Many groups are vying for the attention of legislators, but families are under represented. Now, more than ever, it is essential that family voices be heard.

Budget items of significant interest to families:
Reduction of already-limited resources for early intervention and early childhood special education
Elimination of family support dollars critical to families with children with significant support needs, likely resulting in the family experiencing crisis
Redirecting dollars out of the Fairview Trust jeopardizing ability to fund necessary adaptations that allow families to keep their children at home
Reduction of crisis support funds, putting the health and safety of children with disabilities and their families at risk and resulting in additional out of home placements
Commitment to increase of peer delivered family support

The most effective resource you have to influence the decision makers in Salem is YOUR presence and YOUR voice. BE SEEN AND BE HEARD. The FACT Family Advocacy Network is available to answer questions and to share ideas for effective advocacy. We will also support those interested in arranging to car pool. Email us at info@factoregon.org or call us at 1-888-988-FACT (3228) with any questions and to let us know when you will be joining us at the Capitol.

For more information visit the Coalition Website.

All Born "In" 2011 Cross-Disability Inclusion Conference

2011-03-06T21:43:00.000-08:00

This is an exciting day for parents, caregivers, and professionals working to create inclusive opportunities for children with disabilities – in neighborhoods, schools, and the community at large. Come celebrate and learn how educators can design instruction to maximize the learning of all students. Share the experience and expertise necessary to be successful advocates for all children, and explore ways to open the eyes of the wider community to the fact that our children are all born “in”.

Featuring Kathie Snow, Representative Sara Gelser, Michael Bailey, and Angela Jarvis-Holland. For more information and registration, visit NWDSA.

All Born “In” is a parent-driven, best practices initiative created by the Northwest Down Syndrome Association in partnership with Portland State University and many other innovative parents and professionals. Join us to refresh your skills and commitment to the right to belong for every child. Find capacity, vision and community for the work ahead in these difficult times.

March General Meeting: I Know What You Did Last Summer!

2011-03-06T20:13:00.000-08:00

Or at least we WANT to know what you did last summer and what you're planning for the vacation ahead! Bring your nightmare scenarios and success stories to share around inclusive summertime activities.

Our special guest this month will be a representative from Portland Parks & Recs Adaptive & Inclusive Recreation (AIR) who will give an overview of the services AIR provides and how they strive to make all Parks & Rec programming accessible and inclusive. Q & A to follow.

As usual we'll be sharing committee updates and community resources. Come connect with other parents, care givers and educators and help us make our community and schools a better place for kids with disabilities!

This month's door prize will be a pair of tickets to Portland Taiko's Ponta and the Big Drum performance! For details: http://www.portlandtaiko.org/home-season/index.html

Join us on Facebook and help promote SEPTAP: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Special-Education-PTA-of-Portland-SEPTAP/146985922029947

Tuesday, March 15th 6:30pm-8pm
Beverly Cleary Fernwood
1915 NE 33rd Ave.
Portland, OR

Save the Date: Thursday, April 28th!

2011-02-22T14:43:00.000-08:00

The Oregon PTA legislative summit in Salem on Thursday April 28 2011.
Receive a legislative update and training and join us at the capitol to meet your legislators.
9am at First United Methodist Church 600 State Street.

Portland PTA Council Supports Bond Measure to Repair & Update Our Schools

2011-02-15T16:54:00.000-08:00

The Governor has proposed budget cuts to K-12 this year. Below is an excerpt regarding the budget cuts and the proposed solution from the Portland PTA Council February Newsletter:

PTA members and leaders -

Many of you may have heard about the Governor's proposed schools budget. The budget again cuts our K-12 education, this year we will have less money to fund our schools than we had the year before. We all know what that means at this point - we will lose teachers, and class sizes will increase.

If you are like us, you are tired of cuts and cuts and cuts. We've already cut too much.

Portland Council PTA has decided that instead of being frustrated about these cuts, we need to be proactive - we need to do something to protect our children's' education. That is why we endorsed the two PPS schools measures that will be on the ballot this May - one that directly address the cuts to our teachers and one that will improve our crumbling buildings.

The one way we can minimize the cuts to PPS teachers and programs is to renew the local option. We can act to save the teaching positions we can and with the bond give our students buildings that aren't falling apart!

Renewing the local option will fund over 450 teaching positions for the district. Funding the school bond will make sure our buildings are safe with learning environments that make our kids competitive. The challenges for our students, teachers and schools are many but our work on these campaigns will protect our schools and position us to successfully rebuild as Oregon's economy improves.

Both are vital, and both need our help to pass. Portland Council PTA plans to be actively involved in making sure they pass on the ballot in May. Parent volunteers have already joined the campaign as school leaders and volunteer phone bankers. We will need more of your help - go to Portlanders for Schools to sign up as a volunteer, or contact the office at 503-284-6346. Almost every school has adopted a night to do phone calls to voters - make sure your school has picked an evening to help. As in the past our PTAs can help fund this important campaign. Our grass roots support in time and treasure can make a difference for all PPS students.

'36 Hours to Grow' Convention

2011-02-15T16:52:00.001-08:00

The '36 Hours to Grow' Convention in April will feature dynamic speakers, mini workshops and full length training sessions. Workshops will cover a variety of topics including:

*How Title I and IEP's affect our schools
*Partnering with your Principal
*Financial responsibilities of your PTA
*Creating parent-friendly schools and keeping happy volunteers
*Stress management
*How to help your child avoid some of today's dangers
*Grass-roots advocacy
*How to stop bullying in your school community
*Parliamentary Procedure - and why it matters
*Understanding your child's behavior and development
*How to promote Reflections in your community
*Leadership training for your board members

For more information and to register, visit oregonpta.org .

Save The Date: January 18th, 2011!

2010-12-30T21:45:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, January 18th, 6:30pm-8pm

January General Meeting
Writing Effective IEPs
Panel Presentation and Q&A with
Victoria Haight (Oregon R.I.S.E. Center),
Roberta Dunn (FACT), and Steve Holland, Parent

• Ask questions about your student’s IEP
• Hear updates on the possibility of establishing a Special
Education Foundation
• Learn about community resources and advocacy organizations
• Meet other members, volunteer and get involved!

2010-11-07T11:26:00.000-08:00

November General Meeting: What happens when, despite your best efforts, you can't resolve an issue with your child's teacher, school or district? Join us this evening for a panel discussion followed by a moderated Q&A session and find out about dispute resolution options and resources.

Special Guests include:
Chris Shank, Disability Rights Oregon
Anne Sareceno, Disability Advocate
Diann Drummond, PPS Parent Liaison

September General Meeting!

2010-09-13T12:08:00.000-07:00

September General Meeting: Back to School Member Mixer!
Tuesday, September 28th, 6:30-8PM
Beverly Cleary Fernwood (cafeteria)
1915 NE 33rd Ave. (2 blocks north of NE Broadway)

It's time for our first general meeting of the 2010-2011 School Year!

Meet your 2010-2011 Executive Committee!
Hear updates on Special Education Restructuring and Budget Cuts!
Learn about community resources and advocacy organizations!
Get to know your fellow members!
Sign up for committees and get involved!*

Don't forget to bring your checkbooks and sign up to renew your membership!

SEPTAP has the following open chairs on our Executive Committee. If you're interested in filling one of these positions, please contact us at septap.portland@gmail.com and come to the September meeting. Your commitment is one meeting per month (usually 2nd Tuesday of the month) September through June, as well as maintaining the duties of your office, which can easily be accomplished at home/via email.

Secretary
Treasurer

SEPTAP has seven standing committees. Committees have planning/work meetings every other month (alternating with general meetings). Your commitment as a committee member is to attend one meeting per month, as well as any additional work you agree to take on. In general it's best to serve on one committee, especially if you are a committee chair.

Budget Committee (to be chaired by Treasurer) 3 members required. Create annual budget, conduct annual audit, bookkeeping.
Membership Committee (Chloe Eudaly, Chair): Recruit and retain members, community outreach. Up to 6 members, 4 seats available.
Publicity Committee (open chair): Get the word out about our organization, meetings and events. Up to 6 members.
Liaison Committee (open chair): Community outreach at your home school to raise awareness about issues impacting students with disabilities. Unlimited membership ~ we would love to have a liaison at every school in the district!
Programming Committee (open chair): Plan events, speakers, activities, and hot topics for general meetings. Up to 6 members.
Legislative Committee (open chair): Inform members of local, state and federal issues that will impact students with disabilities.
Hospitality & Fund Raising (open chair): solicit donations for refreshments and other material contributions for our monthly meetings, plan fund raising activities, write grants.

PPS Special Education Hotline

2010-09-02T23:54:00.000-07:00

The PPS Special Education department has set up a hotline for parents to call with questions and concerns. It's important that the district hears about what's not working at schools as we enter a new year with a major restructuring of focus classrooms and a significant budget/staff cut.

From the flier: "Call (503) 916-3931. Your phone call will be answered with a 24-hour period during the school week by a special education administrator. Do you have questions about your child's I.E.P.? Have you hit a barrier you can't seem to get around? Do you have an unanswered question? Are your concerns being heard? Do you need support navigating the "system"?"

8/31: SEPTAP Special Meeting with Carla Randall and Joanne Mabbott

2010-08-25T11:39:00.001-07:00

On the heels of a truly inspiring rally and night of testimony at the last PPS School Board Meeting, SEPTAP is hosting Carla Randall, Chief Academic Officer and Joanne Mabbott, Director of Integrated Student Services (formerly Special Education).

We encourage all family members, care providers, educators and other concerned citizens to join us for a presentation and Q & A session this Tuesday. See flier below for details.

Rally to Support Equity in Education at PPS

2010-08-13T16:45:00.000-07:00

A broad coalition of parents, educators, advocates, and non-profits have coalesced around the budget cut of 3.3 million to Special Education (SPED) recently announced by Portland Public Schools. This evening they will turn out in full force to support equity in education for ALL students in PPS, give testimony against the cuts to the school board, and request that the Superintendent and PPS Board reconsider their decision to cut SPED resources.

Monday, August 23rd
BESC 501 N. Dixon
6PM: Rally for Equity in Education with musical guests, Trashcan Joe! Plus balloons! T-Shirts! Light refreshments!
6:30PM: The rally continues, but now is your opportunity to sign up to give testimony. You can also call or email ahead of time: SchoolBoard@pps.k12.or.us
7PM: School board meeting begins, PPS students will be called upon first for public testimony.

Read here for more information on meeting protocols.
Join the PPS Special Education Rally Facebook group for updates and additional information.

Special Education Classroom Tours

2010-05-20T15:20:00.000-07:00

PPS is hosting a number of welcome tours at schools that will be home to special education classrooms this fall. If your child will be in one of these buildings in the fall, this is an opportunity to see the building and talk with the building leaders and the Special Education Program Administrator. The tours will also provide parents an opportunity to meet and talk with other parents who will have Special Education students in the building. If your child's placement has not yet been finalized, but the building might be an option for your child, you are also welcome to attend. The tours should last 45 minutes to one hour, depending on the school.

The welcome tour times are as follow:

Bridger: 5/20 @ 6:30 pm

Buckman: 5/25 @ 5:30 pm

George: 5/27 @ 5:30 pm
Jason Lee: 5/25 @ 5:30 pm
Irvington: 5/27 @ 6:30 pm
Sellwood: 6/10 @ 5 pm
Lewis: 6/1 @ 5:30 pm
Hosford: 5/27 @5 pm
Scott: 6/7 @ 5 pm
Roseway Heights: 5/26 @ 7 pm

PPS also has a hotline open for Special Education questions. Please call 503.916.3931.

SEPTAP Officer Elections For 2010-2011

2010-05-16T22:15:00.000-07:00

Our next general meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 18, from 6:30-8:30 at Beverly Cleary Fernwood. We will welcome special guest Joanne Mabbott, Director of Special Education/Integrated Services for PPS and we will also be electing officers for the 2010-2011 school year. All members are encouraged to attend and vote. Officer candidates are:

President- Jen Wentzien
Vice President- Michael Kelly
Secretary- Irene Johnson
Treasurer- Lisa Cook
Membership Chair- Chloe Eudaly

We hope to see everyone there.

May 2010 General Meeting With Joanne Mabbott

2010-05-11T10:28:00.000-07:00

Changes For The 2010/2011 School Year

2010-04-28T21:03:00.000-07:00

As some of you may have already heard, PPS is implementing changes to the delivery of special education services for the 2010 / 2011 school year. For questions regarding the proposed changes, PPS has opened a hotline from 10:00am – 7:00pm through Thursday, April 29. The number is 503.916.3931. As best we know at this time, the changes are as follow:

Additional special classrooms have been added throughout the district. The newly defined special classrooms are described on the PPS website, www.sped.pps.k12.or.us, along with entrance and exit criteria, supports, etc.
Schools that have two or more special classrooms will have one dedicated staff member to help with these classes within the school.
Special classrooms have been located in such a manner to provide a ‘continuum’ of services within a cluster or geographic area. The goal is to keep these classrooms in the chosen schools long-term (not move them from school to school based on room availability) to help students and families build community and the schools build more stability and expertise with students.
Locations for classrooms have yet to be finalized, but should be available soon.
Several reductions to special education staffing have been proposed including reduction in work hours for paraprofessionals, adaptive PE teachers and Assistive Technology.
Joanne Mabbott has started a blog that can be viewed at http://issatpps.blogspot.com/
Schools that house special classrooms will be holding a welcome visit prior to the start of the 2010 / 2011 school year.
At this time, Joanne Mabbott, Special Education Program Director has been scheduled at our May 18 SEPTAP meeting at 6:30 in the Beverly Cleary cafeteria to discuss the changes and answer questions. We hope to see you there!

Please note, that all items listed above are subject change, based on the decisions of PPS.

OrPTI Rise Conference

2010-04-19T11:50:00.000-07:00

OrPTI is hosting its annual RISE (Respect, Inspire, Support and Educate) Conference on April 30 and May 1 in Salem for parents, educators and professionals. Keynote speakers are State Representative Sara Gelser and Laurie Olson, who created Logan Magazine with her daughter Logan. The conference will also feature workshops on a variety of disability topics. Please visit www.orpti.org/RISE2010.htm for details.

Autism Workshops For Spanish-Speaking Families

2010-04-19T11:18:00.000-07:00

OTAC and FACT are partnering to offer workshops for Spanish speaking families who have a child who experiences autism. These free workshops will provide information and strategies for communication and behavior issues. If you or someone you know would like to attend, please register by emailing registration@factoregon.org or calling 888.988.3228.

March 2010 General Meeting with Sara Gelser!

2010-02-22T12:14:00.000-08:00

Join us to welcome Representative Sara Gelser (D-Corvallis), Chair of the House Education Committee, mother, disability advocate, and recent nominee to the National Council on Disability.

Sara will be on hand to talk about the new modified and extended diploma law, give an update on two pieces of legislation intended to be introduced in 2011 involving seclusion and restraint and burden of proof and discuss what's working and what isn’t in Oregon special education today, including what the perfect special education system would look like if we were creating it from scratch.

Also, hear committee updates and member reports on recent district focus group and stakeholder meetings. Plus Q&A, hot topic discussions and parent networking time.

Please help us spread the word by reposting the event, inviting your friends and family, etc.

Upcoming Event: March General Meeting!

2010-02-19T11:06:00.000-08:00

SEPTAP March General Meeting
with Representative Sara Gelser!
Tuesday, March 16th, 6:30-8:30PM
Beverly Cleary Fernwood Campus
1915 Northeast 33rd Avenue
Portland, OR 97212-5164

Representative Sara Gelser (D-Corvallis), Chair of the House Education Committee, mother, disability advocate, and recent nominee to the National Council on Disability will join us this evening. More details coming soon...

As always we'll have Q&A, hot topic discussions and parent networking time.

Q & A With PPS Director of Integrated Services/Special Education

2010-02-01T21:43:00.000-08:00

SEPTAP welcomed special guest Joanne Mabbott at our December general meeting. Ms. Mabbott is the Director of Integrated Services (formerly Director of Special Education) for Portland Public Schools. The audience had more questions than there was time to answer, so Ms. Mabbott kindly agreed to answer those questions after the meeting. The questions and responses follow.

Q: Do charter schools receive the same training, support, and incentives as community schools? A: We train all our staff that work in the Charter Schools in the area of special education and 504. Charter schools are a part of Region 4 under Deputy Superintendent Charles Hopson. This is also a great question for him. Q: What sort of collaboration is occurring? A: In the area of special education a PPS program administrator or TOSA attends all IEP meetings for any student attending a charter school.

Q: In terms of oversight, how does PPS ensure that the plans are enforced at the classroom level? A: This is the role and responsibility of the ISS program administrator (PA) and TOSA assigned to each school. Q: What does this look like? A: Attending IEP, parent meetings, and working closely with building administration. They train school staff in instruction and behavioral interventions. They train staff in the “specifics” about students to ensure appropriate implementation of special education services. Perhaps a couple of TOSA’s and PA’s could attend one of your upcoming meetings to talk about their role and responsibilities.

Q: There are children who definitely would not benefit from integrated support – children who would benefit from separate programs. Please discuss this. A:There will always be a continuum of services and programs within the district.

Q: How do we encourage schools and families to invest more in our students when they are not seen as full members? A: This is a culture we must continue to work together on to change. One forum to change the culture is to do presentations to building staff from our department and our parent groups. This is also a “system” issue about classroom space. Once a program is established in a school it must remain a part of the school community and not be moved due to space issues. The district is very aware and ready to make a commitment to this.

Q: We hear from a lot of parents who are frustrated with the lack of transparency in the placement process, especially when students are placed outside of their home schools. Will there be improvement in that area? A: This is an excellent question for the PA’s and TOSA’s. I do not think they would agree in general with a lack of transparency; however we will all agree it is a communication and timing problem. The placement process is determined by IDEA and the location of which classroom has space is determined by the administrator. It can be very complicated when working with many families at a time. It may seem unfair and not make sense as we think about each student however when we look at the bigger picture we have to consider classroom size, make-up of students, distance from home to school and other factors.

Q: Will there be an increased commitment to keeping students in their home schools? A: Absolutely, that is always the first consideration in the “least restrictive continuum”.

Q: The facility improvements seem to have stalled with the budget crisis. Do you know when we can expect to see accessibility upgrades to our schools? A: Our 21^st Century Schools committee is continuing to work on school improvements.

Q: Define ‘redirection program’ more thoroughly. What is its purpose? A: Troy Gales has a great power point and he would be happy to come to a meeting to share this program with you. It is not something I can answer in an email and do it justice.

Q: How does Carol [Smith’s] focus on writing trickle down to Life Skills teachers and students? A: Students are provided learning activities related to writing at the level they are functioning at. There are many writing activities for students at all levels.

Q: Can we have more variety in Life Skills classes such as a class for kids with mild disabilities / no behavior problems?

Q: Parents aren’t allowed to visit special education classrooms. Parents need to see classrooms to make decisions about placement. A: Parents may work through the building administration to visit a classroom to observe their child.

Q: Has the district considered ‘ranking’ students by need? This would help to avoid disparity of support demands between schools. Without a ranking system, the Learning Center teacher in one school could support 20 high needs kids and 10 low needs kids and in another school the LC teacher could support 5 high needs kids and 20 low needs kids. Please discuss any plans to avoid this disparity. A: The difficult part of a ranking/weighting system is the fluidness of students moving in and out of Learning Centers. Contractual restrictions make it difficult to move staff where the needs are during a school year so there is the potential to be over staffed therefore over budget. We do need to work on the equity issue concerning caseload.

Q: Are there any plans to establish a district-wide, K-12 curriculum focusing on Positive Behavior Supports for all? A: Yes, PPS is using PBS and Safe and Civil. We have two cohorts of schools participating and look forward to expanding district wide over the next several years.

Q: Could you please discuss the Stimulus dollars? How have they been distributed / allocated? A: I went over the list of what stimulus dollars are being spent on at the meeting. Q: Will parents have any input on their distribution? A: Not directly. We are very aware of what the issues and ideas are from our parent community and apply this awareness to the decisions we are making.

Q: What is the model school for inclusion? Can this be duplicated? What is the ingredient that makes it good? A: There is no one formula for inclusion. A complete continuum of services within the district is a priority. Deciding the needs of each student per the IEP process determines what services are provided.

Q: My child has experienced repeated seclusion as a punishment. What is PPS’s current position on exclusion and restraint? A: We have a policy and administrative directive based on the State ORS. The regulations are in the special education social/emotional procedure and policy handbook. It will be on-line on the district website/special education and look in the special education manual under the Restraint and Seclusion section, within the week.

January General Meeting

2010-01-07T20:25:00.000-08:00

Please join us at our January general meeting for an IEP workshop with Oregon First. We will also have hot topics, resources, and networking opportunities!

January 19, 6:30-8:30PM
Beverly Cleary Fernwood
1915 NE 33rd Ave.

Feel free to bring your child's IEP for tips and guidance.

We hope to see you there!

High School Redesign Meetings

2009-11-13T10:00:00.000-08:00

PPS will be holding a number of public meetings about high school redesign plans at schools across the district. Parents, students, PPS staff and community members are invited to attend and audience members will have a chance to give input. One of the main goals of this redesign is to create equity at all of the schools and this is a great opportunity to weigh in on issues that affect special education students. Even if your child is still quite young, this is your chance to help shape the redesign plan.

Click here for meeting dates. For more information about the redesign plan, you can read this Portland Tribune article.

SEPTAP December Meeting

2009-11-12T16:21:00.000-08:00

Welcome Parents, Educators & Community Members!

December General Meeting

With special guest
Joanne Mabbott,
Director of Special Education/Integrated Services for PPS

PLUS hot topics, resources, and networking opportunities!

December 8th, 6:30-8:30PM
Beverly Cleary Fernwood
1915 NE 33rd Ave.

Refreshments provided.

Partners In Policymaking Applications Available

2009-09-27T23:48:00.000-07:00

Partners in Policymaking is a leadership training course for parents of children with disabilities and self-advocates. The training occurs once a month over several months with a range of learning opportunities and nationally known speakers. You may apply for the class of 2010 now and the application can be found at the Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities website at www.ocdd.org. The deadline for applying is October 12. The following is an excerpt from my speech to the graduating class of 2008.

I applied to Partners in Policymaking knowing very little about what to expect. I had heard adjectives such as enlightening, powerful, exhausting, and life changing from past graduates.

When I arrived for the first session I was overwhelmed personally with the rigors of my work; I felt as if there was no way I could cram one more thing into my schedule already bursting with responsibilities as a parent, advocate, and behavior consultant.

When we all filed in for our very first day we were greeted with the enthusiasm and excitement of our trainers, Roberta Dunn, Yoshi Kardell, and Kathryn Weit. I appreciated how eager they were to fill our heads with information. Roberta referred to herself as our “big sister” who just could not wait for us to experience all that partners in policymaking had to offer. Kathryn’s passion for transforming us into advocates was apparent.

We had sessions that thrilled and inspired such as Richard Villa helping us understand that inclusion in schools is just common sense. We had sessions that made us uncomfortable about what this path of advocacy might entail. Session one with Kathie Snow on the history of developmental disabilities as well as the history of the parents and self-advocates movement was the most life-changing for me.

I am a firm believer that if you forget about history you are doomed to repeat it. As we watched the videos of infants and toddlers in Salem’s Fairview Training Center being tied into high chairs at meal times and as we passed around the room a written record of individuals in Oregon that were sterilized without their consent every eye in the room began to well and some poured with tears. I said to myself never again on my watch will sons, daughters, cousins, citizens of this nation ever be told, coerced, or forced into a life of segregation.

I plan to keep that promise, earn social capital, build my network and spread the common sense that disability is a natural part of the human experience all over this state and nation. I plan to smile as I tell educators that they are dead wrong about what my kid is capable of. I will continue to smile as they thank me later for the opportunity to teach my child. I plan to stand for the education of all children so they become a valued commodity that we cherish over industry and wealth. I learned all this from my experience with Partners in Policymaking.

My personal turning point in the entire experience was when our homework assignment was to write and present a mock testimony at the capitol in front of our peers and an appointed committee of stand in legislators. I was scared to death. I contemplated calling in sick. I said things to other partners such as, “My path isn’t to be someone that testifies at committees.” Partners pushed me out of my comfort zone and I learned that day my path is to be someone that testifies. Only 2 days later I was emailing my state representative and senator. 3 days later I was standing in front of a workgroup delivering my testimony on the isolation in the community of families that parent children with autism. Later I testified at the PPS school board on keeping children in their neighborhood schools in accessible buildings. This may have never happened without partners.

I truly believe our children will inspire other children and we will rid this world of the stigma that having a disability means that something is wrong. Our friends and family members will be able to live in our homes or homes of their own and not be forced to live in institutions so they can have health care and services. Thanks to my experience in Partners in Policymaking I have the relevant skills and knowledge to be a part of meaningful systems change for people with disabilities and their families.

-Stephanie Hunter

Stephanie Hunter is a parent of a 1st grader at Ockley Green and a Behavior Consultant for Oregon Technical Assistance Corportation www.otac.org. She graduated from the 2008 class of Partners in Policymaking and is active in Portland Public Schools serving as a member of the Superintendent's Advisory Committee on Enrollment and Transfer and the PPS Parent Union as well as SEPTAP and FACT.

Local Event: FACT Harvest Festival & Resource Fair

2009-09-26T09:39:00.000-07:00

FACT Harvest Festival & Resource Fair

Saturday, October 3rd, 2009

Expo Center

2060 N. Marine Drive

Portland, OR 97217

This free event is a great opportunity to learn more about the FACT Family Center and its services for families with children experiencing developmental disabilties in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties.

We will have:

Over 50 Exhibitors

Fun Family Games

Face Painter

Raffle

Fall Family Photo Area

Free Pumpkin Patch

It's going to be a great day and we hope you will join us! You can visit our website at www.factoregon.org, call 888-988-FACT or email info@factoregon.org for additional information or to register.

Parking is $7 - The first 75 families that pre-register will receive a free parking pass (we still have some left!)

Come early to have your choice of pumpkins

One pumpkin per family while supplies last

Save the Date: October General Meeting

2009-09-09T21:32:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, October 6, from 6:30-8:30
October General Meeting
Beverly Cleary Fernwood
1915 NE 33rd Avenue

Please join us for the first general meeting of the 2009-2010 school year!

There will be social and networking opportunities, hot topic discussions and committee updates. We'll have more details soon.

Our future meeting dates for the 2009-2010 school year include December 8, January 19, March 16 and May 18.

We hope to see you there!

Local Events: Special Education Law & Advocacy Seminar With Pete Wright of Wrightslaw

2009-07-02T22:52:00.000-07:00

Special Education attorney and author Pete Wright of Wrightslaw will present a one day Special Education Law & Advocacy Training on Thursday, October 29. The seminar will cover special education law, rights and responsibilities, understanding tests and measurements, writing IEPs and strategies for effective advocacy. The event is hosted by the Autism Society of Oregon, but it is open to families of children who experience other disabilities.

Registration fees for the seminar are $35 for one parent or caregiver, $50 per couple for parents or caregivers and $65 for teachers or professionals. The fees include two books by Pete Wright and Pamela Darr Wright, Wrightslaw: Special Education Law and Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy. Registration is available online at Autism Society of Oregon.

A limited number of stipends are available to help with registration fees and respite care. Contact the Autism Society of Oregon at 503.636.1676 for details.

Parks & Rec Offers Free Summer Activities And Events

2009-06-25T10:45:00.000-07:00

Portland Parks and Rec offers free activities and events each summer, from drop-in playground activities, like sports, games and arts and crafts, concerts in the park, outdoor movies and free swim times. This year the Portland Parks website has a handy list of these offerings, and you can find them by the week or by the category.

If you would like to sign your child up for a Portland Parks & Rec class or camp and you think he or she will need accommodations, contact the Inclusion Services Program. The program provides assistance based on your input on what your child needs to successfully participate. Sample accommodations include an inclusion specialist to assist your child during class or camp, or a smaller teacher to child ratio in a swimming class. Contact Inclusion Services at 503.823.4328 or visit portlandonline.com/parks.

Help Save DD Family Support Funding

2009-06-25T10:13:00.000-07:00

The Oregon Developmental Disabilities Coalition is urging citizens to contact their legislators and ask them to restore much needed funding for Developmental Disabilities Family Support. The request from the DD Coalition is below.

We need your help! Contact your legislator and urge them to talk to Ways and Means members about restoring DD Family Support funding. We are getting to the very last days of the session and we need many voices urging restoration of Family Support funding. ACT NOW!!! If you do not know your legislator you can get the information here: www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr.

RESTORATION OF DD FAMILY SUPPORT

Please consider DD Family Support for possible restoration in the Seniors and People with Disabilities Budget, Department of Human Services

What does the program do?

* One part of the program provides very limited funding to a small number of families who have children under the age of 18 who experience developmental disabilities. Families purchase respite care, home modifications, consultation and training. Statewide the program serves approximately 1,500 families. There has been a significant increase in demand for assistance in recent months. The wait list in many areas of the state is already years long!

* The other part of the program provides more intensive support in families where the child is at significant risk of requiring out of home placement. Approximately 290 families receive higher levels of in-home assistance. This service prevents out of home placement!

* The current program services less than 30% of eligible families.

The proposed reduction of $6 million dollars will eliminate services to many very vulnerable families who cannot access support through any other place.

For more information on these issues, visit www.oregonddcoalition.org.

Stipends Still Available For Oregon Disability Megaconference

2009-06-15T10:07:00.000-07:00

Stipends are still available for families to attend the Oregon Disability Megaconference. The stipends are for families with children ages birth to 18 with a developmental disability who reside in Multnomah, Clackamas or Washington County. Call Angie at the Arc for more information at 1.877.581.2726, or visit www.oregonmegaconference.org.

The Oregon Disability MegaConference 2009 will be held Thursday through Saturday, June 25‐27, at the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel. This second annual cross-disability conference is put on by a coalition of disability organizations in order to empower and unite people with disabilities, their families and those who support them. This year's keynote speakers are Norm Kunc and Chris Curry. Along with presentations from a variety of advocates, self‐advocates, educators and professionals, the conference will also feature an exhibit hall, kids activities, socializing, networking and more.

Don't miss this opportunity to see Norm Kunc. He is engaging and humorous speaker who has great knowledge on how schools and communities can build a sense of belonging for all children. Norm was born with cerebral palsy and was segregated into a special school until he was 13. He then went on to a regular school, received a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Science degree in Family Therapy.

Chris Curry is the executive director of Families Together, a resource for families with a child or sibling experiencing disability. Chris uses her past experience teaching in preschool and elementary classrooms with students experiencing disability and as the director of the Center of Supportive Education at Washington State University in providing information and trainings to empower families.

For more information, visit www.oregonmegaconference.org, www.normemma.com and www.familiestogether.org.

PPS Special Education Parent Survey

2009-06-01T22:45:00.000-07:00

Under our Director of Special Education, Joanne Mabbott and Assistant Director, Jennifer Jackson, PPS is undergoing a voluntary audit of their existing special education services and student needs. As a part of this audit, a parent questionnaire has been developed. The questionnaire is available on the web in six languages at this link: www.sped.pps.k12.or.us.

If you are a parent or guardian of a student that receives special education services in PPS, we strongly encourage you to fill out this survey!

Whether you are a parent, teacher, specialist or advocate, please pass this information along to all of your contacts in PPS and ask them to pass it along to parents of students that receive special education services.

Most of this survey relies on yes and no questions, but there are several open-ended questions at the end for expanded answers. If this survey isn't enough and you want to give more information, you can email the project coordinator, Deb Carroll, directly at dcarroll at pps.k12.or.us

Information from the audit will be compiled and reviewed by PPS in June, so timeliness is an issue.

There is a Stakeholders Meeting slated for August to review results and propose directions. If you are strongly interested in participating in this meeting please contact PPS Parent Liaison, Diann Drummond at ddrum at pps.k12.or.us with a request to be notified of the meeting.

Please feel free to pass this information on to all families whose students receive special education services in PPS. This is our opportunity to have our voices heard.

Local Events: FACT Family Center Celebration & Resource Fair

2009-05-26T17:12:00.000-07:00

May General Meeting!

2009-05-18T23:09:00.000-07:00

Local Events: Positive Behavior Workshop

2009-05-11T22:18:00.000-07:00

"Where’s My Manual? Positive Parenting for Challenging Behaviors"
Enhancing the Lives of Children with Developmental Disabilities and Challenging Issues

This free workshop hosted by MPAC in partnership with Oregon Technical Assistance Corporation (OTAC) will provide information to parents and providers about challenging behavior, support strategies and planning. Parents will learn about environmental structure, visual strategies and how routine ways of presenting information can help children who have communication and behavior challenges lead a more self-directed and independent life.

Information includes:
* Understanding the basics of positive behavior supports and person-centered planning
* Understanding the role that brain functioning plays in challenging behavior
* Addressing the effects of stress on a child
* Learning how to develop practical and family friendly communication and sensory strategies in your home and community
* Designing strategies and tools for daily living activities

WHEN: Saturday, May 16, 2009
9:00 am - Sign in
9:30 am — 3:00 pm - Workshop (light lunch provided)

WHERE: United Way Building in Downtown Portland
619 SW 11th Ave.
Portland, OR 97205

Registration is required - space is limited. Please contact Loreta Boskovic at 503.238.6346 or lsb@factoregon.org to register.

Although childcare is not available for this meeting, Arc of Multnomah-Clackamas will be having its Saturday Respite Program on May 16 from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm for qualified children ages 6 weeks to 18 years with a developmental disability. You must pre-register for this program. Contact Amber Lang at 503.935.5233 or alang@thearcmult.org for more information.

Presented by Oregon Technical Assistance Corporation, www.otac.org, in collaboration with Family and Community Together, www.factoregon.org.

Local Events: Karen Mapp To Speak On Family-School Connections

2009-04-22T21:46:00.000-07:00

Education lecturer and author Karen Mapp will speak at free workshop to help families connect with their schools. The workshop will discuss how student achievement increases when families are invested in their children's schools and will offer strategies to help families work more closely with teachers and schools.

Mapp is a lecturer on education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and she was formerly the interim deputy superintendent of Family and Community Engagement for the Boston Public Schools. She is the co-author of Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family-School Partnerships and A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family and Community Connections on Student Achievement.

The workshop is sponsored by PPS and Portland Community College and will be held on May 6 from 10 am to 2 pm at the PCC Cascade Campus, 705 N Killingsworth, in room 104 of the Moriarty Arts and Humanities Building. Lunch will be provided.

To RSVP for the workshop, contact Candice Ysasaga, 503-916-2000, ext. 71582, cysasaga@pps.k12.or.us.

SEPTAP In PPS Newsletter

2009-04-22T20:30:00.000-07:00

SEPTAP was mentioned in this month's edition of PPS Pulse. Click here to read more.

Save the Date: May General Meeting!

2009-03-31T21:37:00.001-07:00

Tuesday, May 19th at 6:30-8:30
May General Meeting
Beverly Cleary Fernwood
1915 NE 33rd Ave.

Join us for the last general meeting of the school year! Our guest speaker is Roberta Dunn from FACT, who will be talking about their new project -- The Family Support and Information Center.

Social and networking opportunities, hot topic discussions, and committee updates.

More information coming soon.

March Meeting!

2009-02-27T08:54:00.000-08:00

Save The Date: March General Meeting!

2009-02-14T14:34:00.000-08:00

SEPTAP General Meeting
Tuesday, March 17th 6:30-8:30PM
Beverly Cleary Fernwood
1915 NE 33rd Ave.

Join us for our March meeting, where you'll hear updates from our committees, learn more about local resources and organizations, and how you can get involved! Guest speaker Andrea Muzikant, Program Manager of Services to Children and Young Adults, will explain the intake process, current services available through the Multnomah County Developmental Disabilities Program.

Refreshments will be provided. No on site childcare is available. As we build our membership and find funding sources, we will be making every effort to decrease barriers (transportation, child care expenses, membership dues, language barriers) to participation for all families. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to support your participation.

SEPTAP members represent students who run the full gamut of placement, from special programs, to self-contained classrooms, to partial and full inclusion. We welcome all families -- even if your needs fall outside of our current scope (K-8 students receiving Special Education services) we want to hear from you! There is potential for us to all work together and benefit from one another, but to do that we need members who have a diversity of experience to get involved.

PPS Special Education Department

2009-02-04T19:50:00.000-08:00

Navigating the PPS site can be a little daunting, so here's a quick link to information on the PPS Special Education Department. Did you know that that the department has a parent liaison, and an IEP Partner program? Check it out here. Also, the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SPEAC) holds monthly meetings at the BESC building. SPEAC's purpose is to advise the School Board and the Director of Special Education regarding policies and procedures. Council members are appointed, but the meetings are open to the public. Click here for more information.

Local Events: Parent Leadership Conference 2009

2009-02-04T19:47:00.000-08:00

Everyone who is interested in increasing parent and community involvement in our public schools is invited to participate in this year’s Parent Leadership Conference, to be held Saturday, February 28 at da Vinci Middle School. Organized by Community & Parents for Public Schools (CPPS) in cooperation with PPS, the event helps parents, families and community members learn effective strategies for supporting their students, school, and district.

This year's keynote speakers will include PPS Superintendent Carole Smith and a representative from the Mayor’s Office. You will have an opportunity to ask questions in a Q & A after their addresses. Click here for more information.

Local Events: All Born In Inclusion Conference

2009-02-02T17:21:00.000-08:00

If you attended our January meeting then you may have been the lucky recipient of the beautiful All Born In calendar featuring photographs and inspirational quotes about disability, diversity and inclusion. Copies are still available and make great gifts for friends, family, teachers, and medical providers. The proceeds go to a great cause, the All Born In Inclusion Conference -- an annual event that pulls together parents, professionals, advocates and experts to discuss resources, strategies and best practices around inclusion.

This year's conference is on Saturday, April 18th. We'll post more details as they become available.

Local Resources: Oregon Parent Training Institute (OrPTI)

2009-02-02T15:26:00.000-08:00

OrPTI's mission is to educate and support parents, families and professionals in building partnerships that meet the needs of children and youth with the full range of disabilities ages birth through twenty six. They have a great series of workshops that take place all over the state, as well as an IEP Partner program and a wealth of information and resources. Check them out!

P.S. There's a great workshop coming up on February 17th on what parents should know about IDEA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Meet Your Committee Chairs: Membership Chair Stephanie Hunter

2009-01-31T17:36:00.000-08:00

My name is Stephanie Hunter and I am mom to Libby who is in kindergarten. Before I was a mom I was a skills trainer for kids with disabilities in foster care and also self-educated in a variety of communication systems for people that do not use words to communicate. I have been working in the field of developmental disabilities for 10 years and for the last 4 years have primarily worked with children and families as a behavior consultant and parent coach. I am a graduate of Partners in Policymaking and I currently serve as a co-chair for Multnomah Parent Action Committee, and participate in a newly formed workgroup that is addressing enrollment and transfer challenges for PPS. I work for Oregon Technical Assistance Corporation a non-profit that provides free trainings, support to children and adults with disabilities, and is committed to inclusion and systems change in Oregon.

I am most interested in connecting with families that have a difficult time joining groups such as PTA’s due to the behavioral needs of their child and/or transportation and income related challenges. I am committed to having all voices represented in SEPTAP and finding ways to increase our membership diversity.

Meet Your Officers: President Chloe Eudaly

2009-01-31T10:07:00.000-08:00

Hello! I'm a local small business owner, event organizer, disability advocate, and parent to one fantastic kid named Henry who is currently in 2nd grade. My family has had the benefit of inclusive early childhood services through MECP, family support through MPAC, UCP, and Multnomah DD, and advocacy training through Partners in Policymaking. Another vital part of our wellbeing is our connection to many other families who share our experience. After Henry was sent to his third school in three years I decided that we would have to make a home for ourselves, since we could not be guaranteed one by the district. I hope SEPTAP will become a home base for many more families in PPS raising kids with disabilities, and that they will find the information, resources and support they need to help their kids succeed in school and beyond.

Meet Your Officers: Vice President Karen Weisz

2009-01-30T12:00:00.000-08:00

Karen is the mother of a fabulous 8 year old girl, Mia, and has been involved with early intervention and special education programs in Portland & Multnomah County since her daughter's birth. Though she now works in the private sector, once upon a time Karen was also an elementary school educator and this gives her just enough knowledge and context to be dangerous. She's committed to inclusive education and enjoys talking with other parents about how to foster the best balance of special services and natural environment on behalf of our children.

Meet Your Officers: Secretary Victoria Tucker

2009-01-30T11:57:00.000-08:00

My name is Victoria and I’m a single parent of three, Michelle 19, Blake 16 and Clara 9. I’m back in the Portland area after serving in the Army for almost 10 years. Since I was away for so long I was never really involved with my kids and their school activities. Now that I’m settled down I am ready to take on the world. Well, okay maybe not the world but at least SEPTAP and all that comes with it. I'm involved in the PTA at my 9-year-old daughter’s school but I felt that I could benefit from joining the SEPTAP family and learning from all the wonderful people that are going to make this group so successful. It is going to be AWESOME!!!

Meet Your Officers: Treasurer Jen Wentzien

2009-01-29T10:19:00.000-08:00

Hi! My name is Jen Wentzien and I am the proud parent of Eleanor (2nd grader) and Heinrich (preK). My husband and I love our neighborhood school, but we are excited to connect with families from other schools who share our passion for creating a positive and supportive school experience for all children. I am honored to be elected treasurer for SEPTAP's first year.

What We Mean When We Say Inclusion

2009-01-28T23:44:00.000-08:00

At our first general meeting, one attendee raised a question about our use of the word "inclusion" and suggested that some parents of students in special programs or self-contained classrooms may not feel welcome when they see that word. Luckily, not everyone felt that way as the parents in attendance represented the full array of placements from special programs and self-contained classrooms to a mix of life skills and general education to full inclusion, but we thought it was important to address this concern.

In special education law, inclusion refers to a commitment to educate each child, to the maximum extent appropriate, in the school and classroom he or she would otherwise attend. It involves bringing the support services to the child and requires only that they will benefit, i.e. make progress towards their IEP goals, from being in the classroom. The "maximum extent appropriate" is up to the IEP team to decide, of which parents are important members. We do support and encourage parents to seek that maximum extent, whether it is 1 to 100%, but we also know that inclusion does not begin and end at the classroom door. Just based on our conversations last night, we know that inclusion is:

• A clearly marked wheelchair entrance and an unlocked door at the end of it on your child's first day of school.
• Life skills classrooms, staff, students and parents being treated as full and equal members of the school community.
• Seeking input from families of students with disabilities in district and school policymaking decisions.
• Providing a continuum of services at each school.
• Getting to exercise the same rights to school choice as other families.
• Staff and parent volunteers knowing when advance accommodations must be made for field trips.
• An adapted swing on the playground.
• After-school programs that are prepared to accommodate students with disabilities.
• Fostering friendships between children with and without disabilities.

SEPTAP welcomes all parents regardless of their child's placement, we support and respect you as the best expert on your child, and we want to know what inclusion means to you!

High School Students or 504 Plans?

2009-01-28T21:55:00.000-08:00

Our current focus is on K-8 students with disabilities receiving Special Education services. We recognize that parents of high school students and students who qualify for 504 Plans may share similar concerns but may also have needs that are unique to their child's grade level or type of educational plan. We would like SEPTAP to be as inclusive as possible, but to do that we need members who have experience and expertise in these areas. If you happen to fall into one (or both) of these categories and are interested in getting involved, please contact us at the email below.

31 Members and Counting!

2009-01-28T18:13:00.000-08:00

Over 30 parents, teachers, and other interested community members showed up at Beverly Cleary Fernwood last night for our first general meeting! After explaining our background and mission, we introduced our officers and committee chairs, which was followed by a rousing icebreaker! I've never seen so many people, so enthusiastically embrace what is usually a dreaded activity!

This was an impressive bunch of people, who were ready to connect and commit to working together to improve our public school system for students with disabilities.

Our next general meeting is Tuesday, March 17th, 6:30PM at Beverly Cleary Fernwood. More details coming soon...

1st General Meeting Tomorrow!

2009-01-26T23:19:00.000-08:00

Parents, staff and interested community members: join us for our first general meeting to learn more about the benefits of belonging to a PTA, meet the SEPTAP leadership, become a charter member, and help us plot our course for our first year.

Tuesday, January 27th, 6:30PM
Beverly Cleary School Fernwood Campus
1915 NE 33rd | Portland, OR 97212

Refreshments will be served. Sorry, no childcare provided.