THE VERY SPECIAL EDITION
Volume 21, Issue 1
August 8, 2011
Dear Staff:
Welcome back to school! For New Vision Magnet, a belated welcome back! We hope everyone’s summer has
been fun and restful.
This year’s budget creates new challenges to us all! We have maintained most of our EC programs despite the
loss of stimulus monies. We have cut back a few places and are using some of our “saved” stimulus monies.
We all need to do as much as we can to keep expenses down. We will avoid high cost items as much as well
can.
Once again Rockingham County Schools’ Exceptional Children’s Program met requirements on our Continuous
Improvement Performance Plan (CIPP)! That means that we earned the top score on every required area!
Thanks for all your hard work!
The EC Staff and psychology sections of the district website will be updated soon and regularly with relevant
information. Please send requests and ideas.
Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS) continues to expand to new schools! Welcome to our newest
participants! We now have 12 schools participating.
Our biggest news for the year is NO MORE CECAS FORMS! Did we hear a great big “hallelujah?” We have a
much simpler replacement form that will need to be completed EVERY time you have an official DEC form
meeting (referral, IEP, placement, etc.) in order to keep our records current. We will be relying on EasyIEP to
have current information on students and their services. It is even more imperative that everyone must
FINALIZE forms in a timely manner.
More than anything else, please have a great year! Smile! Enjoy your students! Each of you DOES make a
difference in the lives of students; make your difference positive and big this year!
Sincerely,
Ann Brady
Daphne Wall
Ann Brady
Director of Exceptional Programs
Daphne Wall
Exceptional Programs’ Curriculum Coordinator
Staff Development/Meeting/Important Dates:
August 10-11: Various EC and other staff development opportunities
August 10th—Preschool Meeting 11:30 RCC T105
August 12th—CPR/AED training for Preschool and Day Treatment Staff
October 31 – November 1: 61th Conference on Exceptional Children at Koury Convention Center in Greensboro. See
details at: www.ncpublicschools.org/ec/conference
Note:
Check the SEA system and staff development calendar regularly for opportunities!
See also list of local trainings within this Newsletter!
Worth Quoting:
“When we do the best we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of
another.”
- Helen Keller
Staff Opportunities
Local Staff Development Opportunities
John Thomas—Autism Training for Teachers August 9, 2011
(must sign up with Ronda Layman—rlayman@rock.k12.nc.us —space limited)
Reading Foundations August 10, 11, September 12, October 4, and November 4
(must sign up with Daphne Wall—dwall@rock.k12.nc.us)
Just Words Training August 22nd and 23rd
(must sign up with Daphne Wall—dwall@rock.k12.nc.us)
CEC:
Once again we will support EC professional staff who want to attend (with principal permission) the 61st
Conference on Exceptional Children. It is being held in Greensboro at the Koury Convention Center on October
31 – November 2. You must register on SEA system–District Activity # 4-67. EC will pay registration (no travel)
as well as substitute costs for EC staff. If any other costs are covered (i.e., general education substitutes), it
needs to come from other school monies or the EC allotment. For us to pay registration you need to send
Jessica Jeffries:
 Completed registration form for CEC
 Completed leave request with principal’s signature
 Copy of registration through SEA system
We will not pay late fees; if you do not get the information to us in time, you will pay the fee out of pocket. After
you attend, you must send a copy of the certificate of completion of credit to Dobie Sharpe at Central Office in
order to receive credit (1.0 units will be issued to attendees).
The conference is not yet posted; watch for it at http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/ec/ for details and to register.
Join a Workgroup for Race to the Top
As a part of the Race to the Top initiative, the NCDPI is bringing in teacher work groups to design measures of
student learning for non-tested grades and subjects. These teachers will play a vital role in the design of
measures of student learning that truly reflect what students know and are able to do as a result of classes as
diverse as fourth grade social studies and high school physics.
Educators participating in these work groups will receive training on assessment and curriculum to prepare them
for their work. Through Race to the Top, the Department of Public Instruction will reimburse districts for
substitute pay for teachers participating in the work groups, and participants will receive reimbursement for
travel expenses, as well as meals and overnight accommodations. The first round of training will be held over
two days in late August or early September. It is expected that teachers will need to return to Raleigh for two
additional two-day work periods during the 2011 - 2012 school year. Educators can register for one of the work
groups by visiting http://tinyurl.com/NCDPIworkgroups.
The NCDPI appreciates any assistance you can give us with encouraging teachers to join the work groups.
If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Preston @ 919.807.4187 or jennifer.preston@dpi.nc.gov.
Teacher of Excellence for the 61st Annual Conference on Exceptional Children
Once again, the Conference will pay special tribute to exceptional children teachers by presenting the Teacher
of Excellence award. Each school system should select one teacher or related service provider for this award.
PLEASE submit any nominations to Ann Brady (abrady@rock.k12.nc.us) by August 26. In addition to holding a
teaching license or appropriate related service credentials, the person must have at least 5 years of school
experience, maintain a student caseload and deliver daily instruction or therapy/services to students, and be
recognized as a leader in service to the school and/or school system through innovative instructional programs
or methodologies that have demonstrated positive outcomes for students with disabilities.
Again, if you have a nominee, email Ann Brady; a committee will select our Teacher of Excellence from
nominees.
Poster Display for the 61st Annual Conference on Exceptional Children
EC Teachers are invited to apply to have a poster display at the 61st Annual Conference on Exceptional
Children, sponsored by the Exceptional Children Division. Displays will be considered that highlight innovative
techniques and best practices related to teaching and learning of children with disabilities.
Areas that will be considered are those that highlight quality differentiated instruction, implementation of the
Future-Ready Core, college and career readiness, collaborative/co-teaching, drop-out prevention, virtual/online
learning, assistive technology, post-secondary college programs for students with disabilities, literacy, innovative
preschool practices, collaboration with other agencies, parent involvement, Responsiveness to Instruction,
positive behavior supports and strategies, formative assessment, inclusion practices, staff recruitment and
retention, transition, Occupational Course of Study and school-based enterprises. Institution of higher
education projects that have a special focus on classroom instruction, universal design for learning and positive
learning outcomes for exceptional children will also be considered.
Two free admissions to the general conference will be given to each school district or IHE selected to have a
poster display. These displays should be set up by 8:30 AM on Monday, October 31st, and taken down no
earlier than 11:00 AM on Tuesday, November 1st. It is particularly important that the poster displays have a staff
person available to answer questions during conference breaks and during the Exhibitor Connection Session
(11:30 AM - 1:00 PM) on Monday, October 31st. All poster displays submitted by the deadline will be recognized
and listed in the conference program.
Anyone who would like to participate, needs to complete an application and return it to Freda Lee by September
9, 2011. Please submit applications as early as possible as spaces are limited. For additional information or to
get an application, email Freda Lee at freda.lee@dpi.nc.gov or call the EC Department (627-2709).
School-Based Enterprise Bazaar for the 61st Annual conference on Exceptional Children
High School EC Teachers are invited to display and sell the products that students create in their school-based
enterprises at the 61st Annual Conference on Exceptional Children. School-based enterprises are a wonderful
way to apply academic skills learned in the classroom to real world business situations. All sales booths should
feature products that have been created and marketed by students with disabilities as part of their instructional
program. Teachers are encouraged to bring handouts/flyers that describe the learning objectives addressed,
product materials needed and the directions for creating at least one of the products being sold. There is no
cost associated with having a sales booth at the bazaar.
Two free admissions to the general conference will be given to each school district or school selected to have a
sales booth. School districts are limited to only one sales booth. The sales booths should be set up by 8:30 AM
on Monday, October 31st, and taken down by 5:30 PM that afternoon. It is particularly important that the sales
booths have a staff person or student available at all times to describe the school-based enterprise and market
the products that are being sold. All schools or school districts participating in the School-Based Enterprise
Bazaar will be recognized and listed in the conference program if their application is received prior to the
conference brochure publication deadline.
If you would like to participate, complete an application and return it to Freda Lee by September 9, 2011.
Please submit applications as early as possible, as sales booths are limited. If you need additional information
or an application, feel free to email Freda at freda.lee@dpi.nc.gov or call the EC Office (627-2709). All
conference participants are encouraged to visit the School-Based Enterprise Bazaar and buy lots of wonderful
products from our aspiring young entrepreneurs.
BRAGGS and Thanks
Summer Preschool Screening
Thanks to all of the preschool, OT, and speech language staff for helping screen over 500 children this summer
in collaboration with More At Four, Head Start, Rockingham County Health Department, RCC nursing students,
and numerous volunteers. A huge "Thank You" is sent to Julie Matejko for coordinating the screening,
scheduling, and maintaining accurate databases. In addition, Toi Hairston, Becky Garrison, and Jessica Jeffries
helped with vision screening and a lot of logistics this year! Preschool also appreciates Pat Wray for checking
school zones for the numerous preschool referrals that we receive. This screening endeavor requires the help of
so many staff and agencies and is truly a fine example of prime collaboration.
The Preschool Department also would like to thank Reidsville Christian Church for again so generously allowing
us to use their beautiful facility for six screenings from April to July. The staff and members were very
hospitable, helpful and gracious.
Behavior Support Validation Visit
We just received the written results and feedback from the Behavior Support Validation Visit by DPI. Our
visiting consultant, Renee Bynum Banks, wrote, “the review of documented behavior support services referral,
district-wide behavioral management training, and implementation of positive behavior intervention and support
strategies demonstrate well-organized planning and leadership.” Thank you Toni Troxler, Janet Winn, and the
rest of the behavior support staff for great results! Her only concern was that the number of suspensions and
exclusions at high school was high.
General Updates and Information
Advice from an attorney
Carolyn Waller served as our attorney recently for a mediation situation. Since she had the opportunity to view
not only the one situation but to look at how we operate in general, we asked her to give any suggestions on
how we could improve services and compliance. She was very complimentary to our system, our staff, and our
attention to detail! She only offered two areas for us to consider:
 Make sure IEP goals are targeted to the particular student (avoid templates and generic goals)
 Make sure we document (and document and document) so we can show progress towards goals.
Without data we cannot show that the student has made progress. Needless to say, the level of data
collection for contentious situations will need to rise to a very high level!
Bill Would Boost Federal Spending on Students with Disabilities
By Nirvi Shah on July 22, 2011
Late Thursday [July 21], Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, and 13 other senators introduced a bill that proposes the
federal government fulfill a decades-old promise to pay 40 percent of the cost of educating students with
disabilities, the Council for Exceptional Children's Lindsay Jones tells me.
The proposal suggests the federal government would reach the 40 percent mark by 2021. For years, advocates
of students with disabilities have pushed for the federal contribution towards the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act. The 40 percent marker was part of a pledge by Congress when that law was created in 1975.
But current federal spending specifically for students with disabilities stands at about 16 percent.
So instead, school districts and states have picked up the bulk of the tab for educating students with disabilities.
As those costs appear to keep rising, some states have requested permission to cut spending in recent years.
With more federal money, the CEC says schools could increase the quality and range of services available to
students with special needs, raise the salaries of teachers and staff who work with these students, and in the
long run, improve their graduation rates.
Bills pledging full funding have been introduced before, but haven't gotten the traction they needed to pass. This
bill proposes boosting the federal contribution from about $11.5 billion this year to $35.3 billion by 2021,
primarily through the doubling of taxes on cigarettes and small cigars.
Whether Congress, which is in a bind over raising the debt ceiling, will act on the bill is a big question. All 13 of
Sen. Harkin's co-sponsors are Democrats.
Stay tuned for more details and comments as they are available.
Great Inspiration for the year beginning
Being your best newsletter is sent by another EC director. It always has great stories! Subscribe (it is free) to
get an on-line lift every so often!
Subscribe by emailing: newsletter@becomingyourbest.com
Share with Young Parents
The Partnership for Children has several events planned including “an event for young families and friends”
which will be held in Eden on August 11. The flier can be found at:
http://www.cphs.org/pdf/FridayEmails/2011_07_22/Family_Connections_Event.pdf
Favorite Section (Reminders and Paperwork)
NO MORE CECAS FORMS! YEA!
At the end of this newsletter is a new form to use INSTEAD of the old CECAS form to keep Central Office
informed of any legal forms and/or meetings you have. Hopefully you will find the new system much easier to
manage!
EasyIEP is now the source of data for headcount and for NC WISE information. Remember that EasyIEP only
can recognize finalized forms so staff must finalize forms in a timely manner.
We have nick-named the new form “Becky’s Form.” Becky Garrison will use the information you submit to keep
up to date on all placements. She will be available to work on compliance and timeliness of paperwork (instead
of keying in CECAS data). We are very excited to be able to stop the duplicate system of entry that we have
had!
New Student Moves In…
When a new student with special needs moves to your school, you of course must determine what the student
was receiving and continue those services (as closely as possible) until or unless you convene an IEP meeting
to change services. You are also responsible for requesting the hard copy of records for the student.
If the student is out of state (and no previous NC placement records exist), student is handled as a new referral
(starting with a DEC1 form). Use your school psychologist to help with the process.
If the student comes from an EasyIEP county in North Carolina, call Becky Garrison to have the EasyIEP
records transferred to us (which can happen overnight). Once records are available, complete your “Becky
Form” and send it in.
If the student comes from a non-EasyIEP county in North Carolina, you may continue with the IEP. When the
IEP is due, you will need to complete the new IEP using EasyIEP. You must enter the placement information
(label and date) on the placement tab so we know the student is EC. The student will carry a red stop sign until
the new IEP is written; completing the “Becky form” will allow us to know what is going on and keep us from
missing that student at headcount. EasyIEP will soon have a mechanism to allow us to enter key information so
that the system can “see” the important information on the IEP.
Special Transportation Updates
Case managers who have students on special transportation will need to send out the new bus procedures to
parents, have them sign and return the form stating they read and understand the new procedures. These will
be emailed to all case managers during the work days. This needs to be completed the first week of school. Any
time a student is added to special transportation these forms must be completed at the time it is added to the
IEP.
Testing Accommodations Updates
Be aware of extended time options that are available to ALL students on End of Grade and End of Course tests.
Anything available for all does not need to be written into an IEP. Only if the student needs extensions beyond
the amount all students may use will the IEP need to include that testing accommodation. We should expect
that circumstance to be RARE.
If you are not needing extended time (because the amount given to all is sufficient), please also remove
separate setting if it was given only to utilize the extended time option.
Send in Folders!
At this point in our school year (day 3 or 4) we routinely find out about schools who have received unplanned for
students with special needs. We need to track all changes from expected loads including places where
students have left us or moved to new schools.
Please send Becky Garrison EC folders for any students who have not appeared by the 10 th day. Also, you
MUST notify Becky if you send a folder to another school, please use the folder transfer form.
So, send folders for students who have exited, transferred, or moved with the new “Becky form” (see end of
newsletter for copy, No CECAS section for information). Do not forget that students who move to home school
settings are considered transfers. In addition, we are required to offer services to home schooled students, so
please let Becky know as soon as you know that a student has moved elsewhere.
Reminders
Please always check “person to interpret” as a participant on your IEP committee if ANY data are being
reviewed (including observational data relating to goal attainment).
Send a Handbook on Parent’s Rights with the first invitation to the annual review IEP meeting each year. There
is a place on the invitation to note that you have sent the Handbook.
Did not get this Newsletter?
This Newsletter is intended for all EC professional staff and school system administrators. Others are on our emailing list by request. The Newsletters are also archived on the EC Staff section of the system website.
If anyone would like to be added (or deleted) from the email list, please inform Jessica Jeffries. Please help us
to ensure that new staff are on our lists!
PSYCHOLOGISTS’ SCHOOL ASSIGNMENTS
2011-12
Stephanie Austin, Lead Psychologist
*Lincoln Elementary ..................................................................... 939-2435
Morehead High School
Meredith Andrews
*Douglass Elementary ................................................................... 623-6521
Leaksville-Spray Elementary
Rockingham County High School
Jill Bullock
*Huntsville Elementary ................................................................. 427-3266
Dillard School
Western Rockingham Middle School
Charity Bumpass
*Bethany Elementary..................................................................... 951-2710
Lawsonville Elementary
Moss Street Elementary
Gabe Cazell
*McMichael High School…………………………………………427-5165
New Vision Magnet School
Stoneville Elementary
Holli Farr
*Williamsburg Elementary ............................................................ 349-4632
Rockingham County Middle School
Wentworth Elementary
Michele Vernon
*Reidsville Middle School………………………………………..342-4726
Reidsville High School
South End Elementary
Lynn Weiner
*Holmes Middle School…………………………………………..623-9791
Central Elementary
Draper Elementary
Diane Zihal, Crisis Coordinator
*Monroeton Elementary………………………………………….634-3280
Rockingham County High School - Counseling
SCORE
* Indicates Base School
EC RESOURCE LIST
2011-2012
EC Office 627-2705
DIRECTORS
ADAPTIVE PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Ann Brady
627-2715
Director of Exceptional Children
Laura Ennis
634-3209
*BTWLC – SCORE Center
Daphne Wall
627-2649
EC Curriculum Coordinator/Preschool
Sandy Keeling – (voice mail)
627-2710
*Reidsville High School
SECRETARIES
Becky Garrison
627-2708
DEAF EDUCATION CONSULTANT
627-2707
Angie Harte
427-2813
*WR – Early Childhood Center
Data Manager
Toi Hairston
Bookkeeper & Purchasing
Jessica Jeffries
AUDIOLOGIST
BED/OUTREACH CONSULTANTS
627-2705
General EC & Transportation
LEAD STAFF
Rhonda Brown
616-0073
School Age Lead Teacher/Compliance
*Rockingham County Middle
Toni Troxler – Lead
634-3209
*BTWLC – SCORE Center
Janet Winn
623-9791
Outreach Coordinator
*Holmes Middle School
PHYSICAL THERAPISTS
Kristi Harris
349-5370
School Age Lead Teacher/Reading
*Moss Street
Kathryn Davis – LPT
634-3209
Kim Kendrick – PTA
Cheryl Dyer – PTA
*BTWLC – SCORE Center
Debbie Lassiter
School Age Speech Lead
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS
623-6521
*Douglass School
Ronda Layman
Low Incidence Lead
*Central Office
627-2669
Beth Ussery
Preschool/Speech Lead
*Central Office
627-2711
*Indicates Base School
Lisa Corum – OTR (Lead)
634-3209
Dianne Jennings – OTR
Tonya Kircher – COTA
Gail McGuire – COTA
Tamina Crook – COTA
Trish Zola – OTR
*BTWLC – SCORE Center
VISUALLY IMPAIRED CONSULTANT
Carrie Tomlin
349-5370
*Moss St.
NOTIFICATION OF DEC FORM ACTIONS
Directions: Complete this form ANY time information changes (See Purpose). Send copy to Becky Garrison
at Central Office. Make sure copies are legible. This form alerts CO that there is new information on
EasyIEP; CO will use EasyIEP for the data source (thus all information in EasyIEP must be correct, up to
date, and finalized).
This form may be emailed, FAXed, or sent to Becky Garrison at Central Office and is due within one week of any DEC
form activity including IEPs.
Student:
Directions: NC WISE is used to supply basic student information.
Last Name:__________________ First Name:_____________________ Middle
Name:______________________
Date of Birth: ________________ NC WISE Number: _____________ (if new placement and/or
new student)
School: _____________________
Activity(ies): (Check all that apply)
 Transfer From: _____________________ Enrollment Date at Your School: _____ /_____/_______
If out of county transfer, note IEP date: ______________ and initial or reeval date: ___________
 Initial Placement
 Reevaluation
 IEP
Purpose(s) (circle one): Initial Reevaluation Annual Review Addendum Other:
__________________
 Exit - Date of Exit:___/____/_____
Reason (circle one): Exit EC (DE) Grad/Certificate Grad/Diploma Dropout Moved Max
Age
 Add Related Service ___________________
 Delete Related Service ____________________
 Change Setting
 Change Label
 Other__________________________________
Date of Activity(ies): ___/___/____ (usually DEC5 date)
If LD please note area(s): _________________________
Completed by: _______________________________________________
Date:_______________________
CO Database entry by:_________________________________________
Date:_______________________
8/1/11