Together We Can

I want to thank the Special Education Advisory Council members for their dedicated work this year and for completing the end-of-year update. They presented the update at the Board of Education meeting this past Thursday. Congratulations on finishing the second year of the SEAC committee!

I will also be presenting an end-of-year update on the progress made toward the recommendations in the PCG report at the June 3 BOE meeting. I want to thank all of the GPS staff, parents, and community members for all of their hard work this school year. I am excited about what we can accomplish next year!

A reminder that tonight, May 23, The Office of Special Education and Student Supports and the Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) is hosting an in-person event with Dr. Lydia Soifer on Executive Functioning and Working Memory. Please come join us at Greenwich High School in the Media Center tonight at 7:00 PM!

Best,

Stacey Heiligenthaler, Ph.D.

Chief Officer of Special Education and Student Supports

stacey_heiligenthaler@greenwich.k12.ct.us

Ms. Heizman at North Mianus was working in a small group with her fifth-grade students on Math IEP goals and objectives. It was nice to watch them solve math problems and collaborate together on how they came to getting their answers. Both students were such active participants and had a nice rapport with each other and Ms. Heizman!

Special Education Teacher Corinne Rickli teachers a math skills lesson on adding and subtracting positive and negative numbers.

North Street School put on their first in-person musical performance this school year, 'Shrek The Musical.' The students did a wonderful job!

Dr. Alina Boie teaching first-grade students at North Mianus School a gratitude mindfulness exercise. Students learned the power of gratitude and focused on the people and things they were thankful for.

Special Education Teacher Nicole McEneaney works with one of her students on their writing skills while drafting an email to the principal.

Incoming fifth-grade students from Hamilton Avenue, New Lebanon, Glenville, and Parkway visit Western Middle School to prepare for their move to sixth grade

On May 18, a group of GPS parents participated in another interactive and fun workshop led by Drs. Fabian and Alina Boie. They learned and practiced strategies to foster independence with their children, how to manage behavioral challenges and how to embed brain principles into daily parenting.

Classroom teachers, professional assistants and all art/music/media/PE specialists working with Jillian Moccia from @CES_Connecticut about teaching neurodiverse learners

The GHS Education and Wellness Center sponsored Career Day on May 20. Students from the Center, ESL Program, and General Ed had the opportunity to hear presentations from:

• Greenwich Police Department
• Greenwich Fire Department
• Greenwich EMS
• Family Centers
• Quad Jobs
• Town of Greenwich/Human Resources
• US Army, US Navy, US Marines and Army National Guard

Presentations were informative and provided students with options for future career planning.

The CSDE has completed its' 11 brief “IEP Preview Sessions” to highlight the improvements to the IEP and special education processes, you can access the preview sessions on its website.

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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