Together We Can

Happy 2024! I hope that everyone had a wonderful Holiday Recess and enjoyed some time off.

January 2024 is off and running. There are so many great things going on the schools. The pictures in this newsletter show just some of the great learning!

Best,

Stacey Heiligenthaler, Ph.D.

Chief Officer of Special Education and Student Supports

stacey_heiligenthaler@greenwich.k12.ct.us

Preschool students at Old Greenwich School are excited to use the new outdoor communication board. And it even got some great local media attention.

Check out class 2I at Hamilton Avenue School browsing some browsable nonfiction texts. In this activity students were able to build their vocabulary and background knowledge by previewing books. Students learned how to use nonfiction text features such as pictures and headings to browse the text and to find the section most interesting to them.

Students in Ms. Antonecchia’s second grade class at North Street School are learning strategies to sharpen up their subtraction skills.

Ms. Fox was a guest reader for the holiday "Reading by the Yule Log" event at Old Greenwich School in first grade.

Students at North Mianus School School are working on determining area using visuals and a multiplication chart. This learning goes beyond just knowing the formula for determining area, but also being able to explain how the formula translates to a given space.

Mr. Carston's seventh grade science class at Eastern Middle School is working on a project to demonstrate chemical reactions with fireworks. Students use vocabulary and visuals to share their knowledge.

Mr. O’Brien’s sixth grade Social Studies class at Central Middle School works together to create a Venn Diagram comparing Bulgaria and Italy.

Co-Teaching in ACTION! Ms. McConville and Ms. Remy at Greenwich High School delivered an incredible vocabulary lesson! Students worked in groups to utilize effective communication via email using vocabulary words. A truly engaging, relevant, and fun lesson!

Ms. Ambrogio and a student judge the gingerbread houses carefully at Greenwich HS! Who will the winner be!? There were over 40 entries!

District Social Worker, Kristen Mulhearn, recently presented at North Mianus School's SESS Coffee. At this presentation, Mrs. Mulhearn shared various support organizations and resources for families, including counseling opportunities and local helplines, that are offered to the Greenwich community.

The Alumni Panel at Greenwich HS is a highly attended event that GHS puts on every year. The purpose is to provide an opportunity for our current students to ask questions of recent graduates from GHS regarding the college process and what it is like for them in a college setting.

The Special Education Advisory Council’s next virtual public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 16 at 6:30 PM. Hope to see you there!

Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 847 7443 9551
Passcode: 049227

Do you have a child with an IEP (Individualized Education Program) or a 504? Do you want to feel supported by other parents? Do you want to connect with other parents? Do you want to feel heard? The Greenwich Public School Listening Community may be the place for you.

Please join our Winter 2024 Listening Community.

Meetings will be held at:

Greenwich Town Hall

101 Field Point Road

Greenwich, CT 06830

Wednesday mornings 9:30AM- 10:30AM

1/17/24, Cone Room

1/24/24, Cone Room

1/31/24, Cone Room

2/7/24, Town Hall Meeting Room

2/21/24, Cone Room

2/28/24, Cone Room

We encourage you to read the last issue of the newsletter for dates, times, and locations.

by Rachel Rubin

Medical vs equity/social lens

In the November 2023 Inclusion Corner, I wrote about the comparison of a seed pack to a strength based IEP, based on Dr. Shelley Moore’s blog post and “I.E.Peas” template. I shared the example that a seed packet, like an IEP, communicates a particular plant’s strengths and needs and tells the gardener what they need to do to make it grow and thrive without expecting the plant to turn into something it is not (a snap pea will never turn into a cucumber no matter how much you water it).

When creating strength-based IEPs, goals, and supports, it is important to consider how you are looking at a disability, and in some cases, particularly with Autism, considering if the disability IS a disability or a difference. We can look at disabilities from either a medical model or a social model/equity model.

Our partners at PINE provide the following characteristics when describing a disability through the medical model:

• The problems associated with disability reside within the individual

• These problems will not exist if the individual is “cured”

• The “expert” is the professional working with the individual

Conversely, they describe the Social Model as:

• The problems associated with disability reside within the society, impeding access

• These problems will not exist society becomes more accepting

• The “expert” is the individual themselves, with a recognition of the expertise of other advocates in the community

Shifting from a medical lens to an equity lens in understanding disabilities is a crucial step for fostering inclusive environments and creating strength-based IEPs. Instead of focusing solely on impairments, an equity lens considers societal barriers, promoting inclusivity, and ensuring equal opportunities for everyone, fostering a more compassionate and accessible world for our children to grow and thrive.

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Email: stacey_heiligenthaler@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Website: https://www.greenwichschools.org/teaching-learning/special-education
Location: 290 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich, CT
Phone: (203) 625-7493