Parent Pipeline Fall 2010 - the Whitehall

Parent Pipeline
Fall 2010 Edition
DO NOT FORGET
Parents/Guardians please be sure that your child’s teacher and
IU bus driver have an up-to-date emergency phone number!
Snow Days, Delays and Early Dismissals
Snowstorms and icy roads can change your child's school schedule this winter. Listed
below are some helpful guidelines to follow when the weather is threatening and you
are concerned about sending your child to school.
1. Listen to your radio or TV stations. The Intermediate Unit will contact the
following stations with information regarding school closings and/or late starts:
CARBON COUNTY
WNEP - TV Channel 16
WYOU - TV Channel 22
WLSH - AM 1410
LEHIGH COUNTY
WFMZ WAEB WZZO WCTO HAWK -
TV Channel 69
AM 790
FM 95.1
FM 96.1
FM 99.9
WEST - AM 1400
WFMZ - FM 100.7
WLEV - FM100.7
WAEB - FM 104.1
2. If your child takes CLIU transportation, listen closely for delays or cancellations of
CLIU transportation.
3. Listen for announcements about the school district where your child’s class is
located. If that district is closed due to inclement weather, the CLIU class will
also be closed.
4. Do not call the Intermediate Unit office or radio stations. This only adds
to the confusion by tying up phone lines. In case of an early dismissal, you will
be contacted by CLIU personnel. This information will also be broadcast on the
above radio stations.
Student Record Policy
Parents of students attending programs run by the CLIU are guaranteed the following rights by law
in regard to their child’s education records.
• All records will be maintained in a confidential manner.
• All parents may arrange to review these records upon request and receive copies of materials.
• The content of the records may be challenged.
• Material felt to be irrelevant may be removed from the file and destroyed upon parental request.
• A copy of the CLIU Records Policy is available on request.
All Intermediate Unit special education staff who handle records receive confidentiality training annually. Questions
about confidentiality and parental rights to see education records should be directed to the Supervisor of Special
Programs and Services assigned to your child’s class.
Local Task Force
The Right to Education Consent Agreement guarantees a free public program of education and training to school-age
students with special needs. The State Task Force and twenty-nine Local Task Forces were established to ensure that the
intent and spirit of the consent agreement is followed.
The Local Task Force is consumer driven, comprised of parents, educators, agency representatives, and other persons
concerned with educational services for students with disabilities.
Local Task Force Meetings are held at the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit’s Central Office in Schnecksville. Meetings
begin at 10 am. All parents and interested persons are welcome to bring questions and concerns to the meetings. Call
610-769-4111 or 800-223-4821 for more information. Mark your calendars for the annual Spring Workshop (location/date
to be announced.)
Local Right to Education Task Force
Carbon and Lehigh Counties
Meeting Dates for 2009-2010
November 18, 2010 - CLIU Central Office
January 20, 2011 - Transportation Facility, Walnutport
March 17, 2011 - Annual Spring Workshop (Tentative)
May 19, 2011 - Transportation Facility, Walnutport
The following is Help for families and advocates of children with special needs for special education
regulations and the complaint system:
• The Special Education ConsultLine - 1-800-879-2301 - A service of the PA Department of Education,
Bureau of Special Education, Division of Compliance
• The Education Law Center - 215-238-6970 or www.elc.pa.org
Local Autism Task Force Meetings are held every third Thursday of the month at the Lehigh
County Government Center, 17th Street, Allentown, PA 18101 at 6:00 pm. These meetings try
to focus on issues that affect all who are touched by autism. If you have any questions, please
don’t hesitate to contact Jill Kratzer at 610-820-5184 or email Jill at [email protected].
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Fall
2010
News from Special Programs & Services—Jack Houser, Director
Delina Rodrigues, a former student in Kerrie Hoffman's Jim Thorpe Jr. High School Life Skills class, has
been selected as Pennsylvania Special Olympics Female Athlete of the Year for 2010! Delina has been
competing in bowling, floor hockey, and track and field since the Carbon County Special Olympics chapter
reorganized four years ago. She has medaled in all of these sports while earning 50+ medals from the local,
regional, and state levels. Delina is currently participating in Bocce, a new sport this fall.
In addition to the thrill of competition and medal recognition, Special Olympics has been rewarding for
Delina on a multitude of levels. Establishing friendships, learning good sportsmanship, and learning to represent herself and Carbon County Special Olympics while at Regional, Sectional, and State Games in a
professional/appropriate manner are just a few of the other benefits. She encourages her classmates to
participate in Special Olympics as well, bringing her medals to school and sharing her experiences with her
peers.
Delina has also created an awareness of Special Olympics by being a member of the Jim Thorpe High
School track and field team, being a captain of the Jim Thorpe Junior High field day, and by participating in
all volunteer events. Through her involvement and bubbly personality, she has recruited many of her
teachers and school staff to volunteer for the Carbon County Special Olympics program.
Everyone who knows Delina knows that she truly deserves this state recognition. She will be honored at a
banquet in Harrisburg in September. Congratulations, Delina!
Volunteers Needed
The Intermediate Unit is in need for volunteers to act as Surrogate Parents for
students who do not have a guardian available to act on their behalf. Volunteers
typically will attend IEP or CER meetings, and act in place of a parent or guardian
in making school-related decisions. This is a service that the IU provides for students who attend any of the 14 districts within the Carbon and Lehigh counties.
If you have time during the day, and want to help meet the needs of a child in
your area, please call or email Kellie Price or Rick Nicolazzi. They would be glad
to answer any questions you have.
Rick Nicolazzi
610-794-1300, ext. 1667
Lehigh County Surrogate Parent Coordinator
[email protected]
Fall
2010
Parent
Kellie Price
610-769-4111, ext. 1954
Lehigh County Surrogate Parent Coordinator
[email protected]
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News from Special Programs & Services—Jack Houser, Director
Miracle League
The 2009-2010 Season for the Miracle League is drawing to a
close. The last game of the season is Saturday, October 9,
2010 at 3:30 PM. Anyone who cannot participate on traditional baseball
teams is welcome at the Miracle League. Each game lasts about an hour, with
everyone getting a chance to bat at each inning. Volunteers which are called
Angels in the Outfield help the players maneuver throughout the game. Everyone is a winner at the Miracle League. Registration for the 2011 season will
begin in the spring. Look for the flyers and notices in this Parent Pipeline and
newspapers throughout the Lehigh Valley.
Upcoming Fall Dance
It is almost time for another fall dance,
sponsored by the CLIU Social Workers
and CL Special Needs Foundation. It’s
guaranteed to be a fun night of dancing,
music, prizes, and conversation.
The theme this fall will be …
Happy Birthday to ALL.
The dance will be held at the CLIU Main
Office in Schnecksville and will take place
on Friday, November 5th from 7 to 9 pm.
Flyers will be distributed to the classroom
teachers with additional information sent
home.
The dance is open to middle and high
school students in the CLIU Life
Skills and MDS programs. We look
forward to seeing you there for a night of
fun.
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Parent
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Fall
2010
News from Special Programs & Services—Jack Houser, Director
Annie Sullivan Award
This year’s recipient of the Annie Sullivan Award is Monica Swallop, member of the CLIU
Secretarial Support Staff as Secretary to Jack Houser, Director, Special Programs and Services,
for 20 years. Monica possesses the qualities of patience, resourcefulness, caring, to name just a
few, needed to receive this special honor! Ms. Swallop assists the Special Programs and Services
Department in a calm manner with professional poise, ease, and confidence in various emergency
situations.
Monica is also able to handle staff with fairness and consistency creating an opportunity for
resolution to a problem. She also serves as the unofficial mentor to many secretarial support
staff within the office. Quoting from one of the nomination forms, Mr. Houser stated, there
never seems to be a time when Monica will not assist or help anyone, even though her workload and
job responsibilities are great. Outside the CLIU, Monica has volunteered her time and provided
leadership on the Educational Support Professionals Association (ESPA) as a Grievance and
Negotiations Chair. She has also served on many CLIU committees, including Retirement,
First Day In-service, Culture, ESPA Communications, and the CLSNCF Golf Tournament.
Monica also volunteers in the community at Miracle League baseball games, the Autism Walk,
Kids’ Korral, and most recently as a clown for the Ben Event.
Congratulations Miss Monica!
Dr. Elaine E. Eib, Monica Swallop, Jack Houser
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2010
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News from Special Programs & Services—Jack Houser, Director
The Education Law Center’s Webinar Series
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Parent
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Fall
2010
News from Special Programs & Services—Jack Houser, Director
Fall
2010
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To find
out how
we
Help
Children
Learn,
visit our
website at
www.cliu.org
Fall
2010
Parent
Pipeline
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