State Assessment Information

Student Services February 2014

Special Education

Inside this issue:

Grant Recipients 2

PEP Conference Information

2

Life Skills ACE Upcoming Dates

3

Youth Career and Job Fair

3

Transition Round Table

4

Life Skills ACE Open House

5

Silver Creek H.S. Day of

6

Spring is around the corner and that means that it is state assess-ment time in St. Vrain Valley School District. The district goal is to have full participation of all students. All 3rd through 10th graders are gearing up to take the TCAP (Transitional Colorado Assessment Program) that assesses Reading, Writing and Math. The third grade Reading TCAP will be starting the end of Febru-ary and all of the rest of the grades will be taking TCAP starting the week of March 10th. Science and Social Studies state assessments will be online this year as Colorado moves from TCAP to the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS). For students in 4th and 7th grades, they will be taking the CMAS Social Studies, while the 5th and 8th graders will be taking the CMAS Science. The CMAS testing win-dow is April 14 – May 2. Parents and the school team determine accommodations for state assessments during the Individualized Education Plan meeting. State and District Assessments are listed in the IEP after Extended School Year Determination and the Service Delivery Statement. If you have questions about accommodations for state assessments, please contact your stu-dent’s case manager (typically the special education teacher). This is the final year of TCAP in Colorado. The state of Colorado joined a multi-state consortium that developed an online assessment for Reading, Writing and Math. The new assessment is called PARCC (Partnership for Assessment for Readiness of College and Career). St. Vrain Valley School District has 27 schools that will be participating in the test pilot. Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities, who are working Extended Evidence Outcomes instead of grade level standards, will be taking the Co-Alt Assessment. The Alternative Assessments are given during a testing window and each test is administered individually.

Co-Alt Reading, Writing, and Math window: February 5th through March 14th Co-Alt for Science and Social Studies window: April 10th through May 2nd Alternative ACT for 11th grade window: April 1st through April 25th More information about state assessments can be found on the Colorado Department

of Education’s website at http://www.cde.state.co.us/assessment.

Student Services Grant Recipients

Page 2 Special Education

Parents Encouraging Parents (PEP) Conference

PEP Conferences promote partnerships that are essential in supporting students with disabilities and their families in schools and the community. PEP brings parents and professionals together to share ideas, discuss con-cerns, celebrate successes and obtain information related to parenting, educat-ing and supporting a child with a disability, aged birth to 21. PEP conferences are offered at no cost to attendees. Conference runs from 5pm on Thursday to 3pm on Saturday • March 27 - 29, 2014 (Fort Collins, CO) Registration is available at www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/PEP.asp

At a reception on October 22, 2013 the Education Foundation for the St. Vrain Valley awarded $35,111 in grants to 118 classroom teachers and district pro-grams throughout the St. Vrain Valley School Dis-trict. The awards support a wide range of academic needs including the devel-opment of basic literacy skills to advanced technology enrichment, hands-on STEM projects, guest speakers, and field trips. To view the full list of grant recipients visit the Education Foundation web site http://www.efsw.org. The following Student Services staff members received grants:

Program Project Title Recipient Award

Digital Learning Academy

iPads Donna Thompson Josh Drozdowski Tina Komoroski

$350

Main Street School

Mental Health Educa-tion Through Music

Lawrence Rice $300

Student Services Using iPads for Articulation Needs

Kara Smallwood $300

SPECIAL EDUCATION: EXCELLENCE

BY DESIGN

Students with disabili-ties will have reasona-bly calculated aca-demic growth, guided by defensible, student centered IEPs that are developed from indi-vidual student data and collaboratively created with all stake-holders who have de-veloped meaningful, trusting relationships focused on the stu-dent.

Page 3 February 2014

Life Skills ACE

Youth Career and Job Fair 2014

Life Skills ACE provides post secondary transition services for students 18-21 years of age, who have completed their high school credits and have socially graduated. Our program focuses on building independent living skills, social skills, career/employment skills, community based education and functional academics. There are five different levels in our program ranging from level one for students that require the greatest amount of support to level five where students are working more independently and are focused on gaining more work experience.

Transition Round Table March 1 from 9am - noon

Boulder Valley Education Center (See Page 4 for more information!)

Life Skills ACE Open House

March 19 from 4-6pm (See Page 5 for more information!)

Special Olympics

April 10 (Additional Information Coming Soon!)

Completion Ceremony

May 21 from 11:30am - 1:30pm

Contact Information:

Nadine Van Alstine Life Skills ACE Coordinator/

Transition Specialist

Email: vanalstine_nadine@

svvsd.org

Phone: 303-776-8674 Ext. 57626

For Youth and Young Adults Ages 14-21 Thursday, March 6 from 3-6pm Boulder County Fairgrounds 9595 Nelson Road (in Longmont at Hover and Nelson Road) Questions? Workforce Boulder County 303-651-1510

BE READY! ∗ Bring your resume ∗ Apply for a job ∗ Bring your SSN (Social

Security ) ∗ Bring your desire to

work! ∗ Professional Attire

Recommended

Please register on Connection Colorado at:

http://www.connectingcoloado.

com/

Brought to you by Workforce Boulder County, City of Longmont, Governor’s Summer Job Hunt, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Colo-rado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, St. Vrain Valley School - Business Partnership Team

Special Education Page 4

Page 5

Alternative Cooperative EducationAlternative Cooperative EducationAlternative Cooperative EducationAlternative Cooperative Education

Please join us for our Open House on March 19th from 4:00-6:00 pm. We will have refreshments. No childcare will be provided. You will have a chance to meet with teachers and view our classrooms.

Registration packets will be available for students attending Life Skills ACE for 2014-2015.

Please use the handicap entrance at the SW corner of building next to parking lot.

820 Main Street Longmont, Co 80501 303-776-8674

February 2014

Page 6

Questions? Contact Marty Tonjes, Tonjes_Martin@svvsd.org

For: SVVSD Middle/High School Students with Special Needs

Event Date: Saturday, April 26, 2014

Event Location: Silver Creek High School

4901 Nelson Road, Longmont, CO

Event Schedule:

8:00am-9:00am Set up/Volunteer Registration

9:00am-9:30am Athlete Check In

9:30am-10:00am Opening Ceremonies

10:00am-1:00pm Competition

1:00pm-1:30pm Awards/Closing Ceremonies

1:30pm-2:30pm Lunch (provided)

Sports Events: Basketball, Soccer, Track & Field, Kickball

Entry Deadline: Friday, April 18, 2014

Sponsored by Silver Creek Athletics and the Silver Creek High School

Leadership Academy (register and volunteer through Mr. Tonjes)

Special Education