The Hammondville-Edison Regional School District hosts a series of training sessions to help parents meet their children’s needs regarding special education.

Jamie Angelini, district director of special education and early childhood development, said the first five sessions were held on Tuesday. It will be held at Edison High School on March 15th from 6:00pm to 7:30pm, with additional events likely to be added depending on group size and interest. Angelini said the program is new to the district and touches on what parents need to know to support their children.

“Discuss a variety of topics for parents regarding their understanding of special education.” Angelini explained. “We will look at the assessment process, understand the assessment team reports, individualized education plans, and analyze the components of the IEP. The purpose of this is to help parents understand this complex process from start to finish. is to do.”

She added that the process can be very overwhelming for parents, but Tuesday night’s session will help you understand what to do if your child is struggling or identifies with a disability. Know what questions to ask, what they mean, and break them down into simpler forms. A two-part session is set for her September 13th and 27th and will focus on: “My Child’s Right to a Free and Adequate Public Education” When “A system for organizing records” Ongoing topic “Understanding and writing an IEP” October 18th and “Understanding the Evaluation Process Under the Persons with Disabilities Act 2004”.

“Having this additional knowledge will help them understand the process, work collaboratively with the team, and become an integral part of the child’s IEP process.” she said.

Laryssa Beatty, Information Specialist and Trainer for the Ohio Educational Coalition for Children with Disabilities, will serve as a facilitator to inform parents of available services. OCECD is a statewide non-profit organization serving families of infants, toddlers, children and young people with disabilities, educators, and the agencies that serve them. Angelini hopes to bring more people together during the session, while refreshments, child care and prize giveaways will also be available. rice field.

“When I work with parents, I try to put myself in their shoes and help them understand this complex world of special education. From starting to worry about having a child to the special education evaluation process and eligibility, this journey can be complicated for parents.” she continued. “From all the laws related to special education to many pages of reports and documents, the information is overwhelming and can reach parents quickly and leave them feeling completely overwhelmed.”

Her goal is to be proactive and spend more time with parents on various topics so that they have a better understanding of the process before they reach the table in team meetings.

“I want to encourage parents to come to me with questions, to seek help, to seek clarification, and to foster positive relationships with myself and the school. From the beginning to the end of the process. I sincerely hope you understand what all of this means, we are all advocates for our students and we need more parents to help us serve effectively in this capacity. and the more we can work together, the better the results will be for our students.”

For more information, contact Angelini at (740) 282-0065, ext. 1106; email jamie.angelini@edisonwildcats.org; call Beatty at (330) 735-1323. Or call laryssab@ocecd.org.