Springfield Local School District

 

Parents, Grandparents and Community Members, 

It's hard to believe that it's second semester.  We are more than half way through the school year and are working hard to provide qualify programs for all students at Springfield. 

Should your son/daughter have needs in which we can help, please do not hesitate to contact my office.  We can arrange for someone to assist both you and your student.  Early intervention is best.

CHILD FIND: 

Springfield Local School District is informing parents and the community it is conducting the Child Find campaign to identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities from birth through age 21, residing within the school district.  This includes Springfield children with disabilities who are homeless, or attending nonpublic schools, regardless of the severity of the disability. 

If you know of a child with a disability, or a child suspected of having a disability, who is not currently receiving appropriate educational and related services, please contact me at 330-798-1111. 

NEW THIS YEAR: PRIOR WRITTEN NOTICE FOR ALL IEP MEETINGS 

Parents or guardians of a child with a disability must receive a written notice when a change is proposed to the child’s free and appropriate public education. This must occur even if the parents agree with the change. The IEP for that student no longer meets the definition of the written notice.

PRIOR WRITTEN NOTICE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS   

 Q1. Must a Prior Written Notice (PR-01) be provided for each IEP meeting held or IEP amendment done? 

A1. Yes, if the district is holding a meeting where the district is proposing a change or refusing a change to the identification, evaluation or educational placement of the child or the provision of a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to the child even if a change never takes place. 

Please see the Federal Regulations at 34 C.F.R.300.503 which states: 

Written notice that meets the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section must be given to the parents of a child with a disability a reasonable time before the public agency—(1) Proposes to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of the child or the provision of FAPE to the child; or (2) Refuses to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of the child or the provision of FAPE to the child. 

Q2. When should I send a Prior Written Notice (PR-01) when I am holding an IEP meeting? 

A2. The Prior Written Notice (PR-01) must be provided after the IEP meeting but before the implementation of the new IEP. The prior in the Prior Written Notice (PR-01) is referring to the outcome of the meeting, which will result in the implementation of the IEP. 

Q3. What must be included in the Prior Written Notice (PR-01)? 

A3. The Prior Written Notice (PR-01) contains a series of six questions that must be answered in order for the district to be in compliance. In answering the six questions the district summarizes the discussion of the IEP team where the team proposed changes to the IEP or where the team refused proposed changes to the IEP. If a proposal for a change is made during the meeting and after discussion everyone on the team agrees with the proposed change, this change will be documented on the Prior Written Notice by answering the questions found on the form. If a proposal for change is made during the meeting and after discussion there is not agreement about the proposed change, this non-agreement will be documented on the Prior Written Notice by answering the questions found on the form. 

Q4. The Prior Written Notice form (PR-01) does not contain a check box, under the heading “Type of Action Taken” for an IEP meeting where all IEP team members agree with the IEP. Which box should be checked? 

A4. Since there isn’t a box designated for an IEP meeting where all IEP team members agree with the IEP, the district would check the “Other” box. Then under question number two the district would begin the answer for this question with the words, “At the IEP meeting on _______ (date) the following proposed action (or refused action) was agreed upon by all members of the IEP team.” In this way the reader understands the circumstances under which the form was completed. 

Q5. Under section 14 of the IEP (PR-07) there is an asterisk that states that the IEP serves as Prior Written Notice if there is agreement on the IEP. Do I need to do anything with this language? 

A5. When the IEP is signed, the sentence that follows this asterisk can simply be crossed out. 

Q6. The procedural safeguards notice, Whose IDEA is This?, contains language that states that the IEP (PR-07) serves as Prior Written Notice when the IEP team is in agreement with the IEP. Do I need to do anything with this language? 

A6. The Ohio Department of Education, Office for Exceptional Children will be providing an addendum for the Whose IDEA Is This?. The district will insert the addendum into the procedural safeguards notice before providing the notice to the parents. 

Q7. Must a Prior Written Notice (PR-01) be provided when a child transfers from another district or out of state? 

A7. See A1. 

Q8. Must we have a Prior Written Notice (PR-01) per change if there are multiple changes to an IEP? 

A8. No. You will summarize the proposed changes that occurred or didn’t occur during the IEP meeting on one Prior Written Notice (PR-01). 

Q9. How can a district ensure that the Prior Written Notice (PR-01) is properly written and received by the parent prior to implementation of the IEP? 

A9. The district will create its own process for implementation of this federal requirement. 

Q10. Can a district create a standardized Prior Written Notice (PR-01) to use for all IEP meetings? 

A10. No. They must be individualized per each meeting. 

Q11. If the IEP team takes notes during the IEP meeting, may the team complete a more abbreviated PR-01 form and write “see attached meeting notes”? 

A11. No. The PR-01 is a required form that must be completed in full. 

Q12. If the district completes an evaluation team report (ETR) at the same meeting as an IEP, do we complete one PR-01 for the entire meeting or one PR-01 for the ETR meeting and one PR-01 for the IEP meeting? 

A12. Two forms are required due to the fact that the answers will be different when written for the ETR meeting and the IEP meeting.

A13. Yes, please see A1 above. 

Q14. Since the Prior Written Notice (PR-01) must be received by the parent prior to the implementation of the IEP can the notice be written towards the conclusion of the IEP meeting and handed to the parent before they leave the meeting? 

A14. Yes, as long as all members of the IEP team have discussed and reached a conclusion on any proposal or refusal to initiate or change the identification, evaluation or educational placement of the child or the provision of FAPE to the child, a Prior Written Notice (PR-01) may be completed. 

Q15. Can the Prior Written Notice (PR-01) be sent home to the parent with the final copy of the IEP? 

A15. Yes, the Prior Written Notice (PR-01) may be sent home to the parent with the final copy of the IEP. The IEP, however, cannot be implemented until the parent receives the Prior Written Notice (PR-01) so there may be some time that elapses between the conclusion of the IEP meeting and the implementation of the new/revised IEP. 

Q16. If a district does not provide the parent with a Prior Written Notice (PR-01) at the conclusion of the IEP meeting, but sends the Prior Written Notice (PR-01) to the parent a day or two after the meeting how does this affect the “IEP Effective Dates, Start and End” and the “Meeting Date” on the IEP? 

A16. The “Meeting Date” will be the date that the members of the IEP team actually met and participated in an IEP meeting. The “Effective Date” will be the date that the IEP is actually implemented. The “End” date for the IEP is one year minus one day from the “Meeting Date” and not from the effective “Start” date on the IEP. If the “Meeting Date” and the effective “Start” date are several days apart, remember that a child must have a valid IEP at all times during a school year. Therefore, the “End” date on the previous IEP must be the day before the effective “Start” date on the new or revised IEP unless the IEP meeting is held in the summer or over an extended break in the school calendar.

SUBURBANITE ARTICLE: From February 2, 2014, By Andy Harris 

Autistic Bowlers Find Home on Lanes for Spartans 

Walk along the lanes at Bill White's Akron Lanes during a Springfield bowling match and you'll see dozens of bowlers steering their balls down the lane, seeking strikes and spares.
 Each one is there to compete and enjoy the experience, but for Mikayla Kurylo and Griffin Strickler, being a part of the action means a little more.
Kurylo and Strickler are autistic. They are a part of the special education program at Springfield and for both students, bowling is a way to connect with their peers and improve their social skills.
 "They get to know some of the kids on the bowling team and they'll see them in the hallways at school and the kids will say hi to them," said Lisa Moretz, a special education teacher at Springfield High School. "A lot of times kids with disabilities are secluded a lot, so it helps make friendships and all the girls do wonderful with Mikayla."
 Griffin's mother, Heather Smith, has seen a noticeable change in her son since he became part of the team. 
"It increased his social skills with the other boys. He makes eye contact with them and high-fives them when he does well," Smith said, noting that many of Griffin's teammates go out of their way to encourage him during matches and when they see him outside school. 
GREAT BENEFITS 
For Kurylo, her daily routine of school and bowling helps keep her focused. When school was called off due to weather but the team still had a match, she had trouble adjusting to the altered schedule and wasn't sure what she was supposed to do.
While she is in the special education program, Kurylo takes some general classes and according to her grandfather, Bob Haren, bowling has helped Kurylo make friends and build connections with her teammates.
Haren shared a story about how much bowling has come to mean to his granddaughter, who is often content to stay home and hang out rather than venture out into the world. 
"A lot of times we have a hard time getting her to do stuff, but she woke her mom up one night at midnight to make sure they were going bowling the next day."
 Strickler has also benefitted greatly from being a part of the junior varsity boys team. He has found common ground with his peers, some of whom might be hesitant to approach an autistic student.
 Smith noted that although her son was in the high school building for two years prior to this year because he was a part of the special education program, this is the first time Griffin has been able to really reach out and connect.
 "This gave him an opportunity to interact with boys his age, which has never happened before. Kids don't traditionally seek him out to hang out," Smith said. 
 

 

Freshman bowler Griffin Strickler is one of two autistic competitors for the Spartans on the school's junior varsity bowling teams.

Kindergarten Registration: 

Kindergarten registration will be held from April 1, 2014 through May 30, 2014.  Registration packets may be picked up at Young Elementary, Roosevelt Elementary or may be found online at www.springfieldspartans.org. 

Thank you for your support of our school system.

Sincerely yours, 

Chuck Sincere