Special Education Committee
2007-2008 Mission, Goals, and Strategies

Our Mission:

To use the PTA structure to support the parents of students with special needs in Fairfax County to be fully informed and involved in their children’s education.
 

2005-2006 Goals and Strategies:

 1)     Every PTA in the county will have a special education representative or committee.

a)     The PTA representatives from each cluster will decide how to approach each school that is not yet represented.

b)      Each retiring PTA representative will work to find a replacement.

c)      FCCPTA newsletter articles will encourage PTA’s to create this position.

 

2) Build the committee structure to ensure year-to-year continuity.

a)      The teams of special education representatives and other interested parties within each Cluster will organize themselves and build their own leadership.

b)      Encourage members to take leadership roles on issues as they arise.

 

3) Support special education representatives in their roles.

a)      Maintain and update information on the FCCPTA web site.

b)      Share ideas via http://groups.yahoo.com/group/specialedfairfax and encourage members to enroll in that email discussion group.

c)      Hold quarterly meetings to share ideas.

d)      Hold meetings within the Clusters.

e)      Maintain the county-wide calendar of special education events on the www.fccpta.org web site.

 

4) Liaison with the Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities and the parent ombudsmen.

a)      Invite them to Cluster and general meetings.

b)      Keep members informed of progress in the ACSD.

c)      Encourage members and the parents they represent to give feedback to the ACSD and attend   the ACSD meetings.

 

5) Encourage good working relationships with FCPS staff.

a)      Explore ways to inform staff of our activities.

b)      Invite staff including Pyramid Resource Specialists, ABA specialists and Inclusive Schools Resource Teachers to general and/or cluster meetings.

c)      Encourage joint presentations or other projects.

 

6) Establish contacts with community organizations.

a)      Explore ways to inform them of our activities.

b)      Invite them to share information with us as speakers or by other means.

c)      Help local support groups and other parent organizations reach the parents they serve by  including their announcements in PTA newsletters and other communication networks.

 

7) Establish contacts with other VAPTA special education leaders and organizations.

a)      Seek out chairpersons from other county or district councils to join http://groups.yahoo.com/group/specialedva.

 

8) Provide leadership within the County Council on special education issues as they arise. 

 

9)  Communicate parent concerns to school principals:

a) Parents/Principals:  A United Vision for Success newsletter

 

PTA is the trellis; you must be the vine.