Everything you ever wanted to know about ISS @ PPS

Peers and experts offer resources for working with students in special education

2010-07-07T14:40:00.000-07:00

On Friday, June 18, the day after school ended, we offered sessions for teachers, administrators, principals and other PPS staffers interested in learning more about working with students in special education. Driving the need for this half-day “Summer Institute” is the reorganization of our focus-continuum classrooms. (See http://issatpps.blogspot.com/2010/06/

Dear Stakeholders, stay tuned this summer & look forward to action team work

2010-06-23T12:30:00.000-07:00

An open letter I wrote to Stakeholders: June 15, 2010: Dear Stakeholders: I would like to begin by acknowledging each of you for your hard work and dedication to this department improvement process. During the summer, our leadership team will take the opportunity to analyze and discuss the recommendations from the final report and those presented at our last meeting. During our review we will

Reorganizing focused programs brings stability, a curriculum continuum

2010-06-01T11:03:00.000-07:00

I was a guest speaker at the May 18 meeting of Special Education PTA of Portland, SEPTAP. Like I said on this blog following my first visit to SEPTAP last December, it was a privilege for me to be invited to speak at the forum provided by this group. Roughly 50 parents turned out for this meeting. Several of my Integrated Student Support team program members also attended. We talked about

Feedback from a meeting of our Parent Focus Group

2010-03-29T12:16:00.000-07:00

The following is feedback we received from parents during a meeting I led on Feb.17, 2010. School District System-Wide Issues (not strictly under the purview of special education) A system for accountability is needed. Nothing seems to be in place around compliance. No consequences for failing to comply. Example: Accommodations are not provided in general education classrooms. Too many kids

Action plans grow out of Day 3 Stakeholders Meeting

2010-03-03T17:31:00.000-08:00

The program audit of Integrated Student Support is moving ahead. The latest step in this complex process was the Stakeholder’s Meeting Day 3, held Friday, Feb. 19, 2010. I opened the meeting with comments intended to set a tone for open-mindedness and collaboration. And to recognize ourselves as change agents. This effort has been a journey of collecting information, collaborating with

The case for a continuum in PPS clusters

2010-03-01T14:55:00.000-08:00

I’d like to share a story, which is based on facts, that helps illustrate the need for reconfiguring how the Integrated Student Support program delivers services. There was a five-year-old boy who asked his mother each day during the summer “when does school start?” He knew how the neighborhood children, with their bright lunch boxes and really cool backpacks, got on a yellow bus in the morning

Highlights from my visit with SEPTAP & a link for Parent Union

2009-12-17T10:00:00.001-08:00

I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking Dec. 8th to parents who attended the regular meeting of SEPTAP. SEPTAP, which stands for Special Education PTA of Portland, formed last school year. It was a privilege for me to be invited to this meeting. I felt as though it was a very productive meeting with parents who are advocates for their children. We spoke about several topics and had time for

Stakeholders working to improve ISS

2009-12-17T09:27:00.000-08:00