The South River Advocate

Vol.5 Issue 5

The Newsletter of SEPTA of South River February 2004
www.specialeducationpta.org email: info@specialeducationpta.org Information Line (732) 651-7157

Our Thoughts and Prayers

are with our troops in the Gulf. May they all come home safe and sound.
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Coming Events:

Feb.3:ARISE: Services Available for College bound Special Education Students. 7:30pm Holmdel Indian Middle School email mrizzo56@aol.com for more information

Feb 4: SEPTA Workshop: Learn How to Manage it All - South River Public Library 6:30 pm

Feb 5:Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office seminar: Internet Safety 7pm South River Public Library

Feb 18th:Develop an IEP that Makes Sense Paula Lieb at the Freehold H.S. Call (732) 786-1208 for more information

Feb. 24th:Mock IEP’s. Overview and discussion of the IEP process followed by role playing designed to give you the confidence you need at your child’s IEP meeting. 6:45- 8:45pm Manalapan Library Call (732) 224-9073 for more information.

March ? : Transition Planning and Your Child-What every Parent Needs to Know Time and location?

March 15th:2004 SEPTA $250.00 Scholarship : Applications Available from the Office of Special Education, your child’s teacher or online at www.specialeducationpta.org Submission Deadline for Scholarship: April 30th, 2004

Learn How to Manage It All!

7pm Feb.4th at the So. River Public Library This workshop will provide parents with an easy and “stress free” way to organize paperwork, create IEP goals and objectives, and how to create a successful partnership with all the medical and educational professionals in your child’s life. Registered participants will receive a binder organizational system and a computer CD-Rom containing information on recreational opportunities, special educational law, how to write letters to your school district/child study team, and much more! *Please call (732) 651-7157 to register by telephone- Telephone registration deadline: February 2nd Registration fee of $5.00 can be made at meeting.

Internet Safety:

The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office will be hosting a seminar on Feb 5th, 2004 7pm at the South River Public Library. Included in this presentation will be discussion, question and answer period and a short animated clip that will show the power, depth and dangers of the internet

Parents Coffee

Meets weekday mornings 9:30 – 11:30

A support group for parents and guardians of special education students is sponsoring monthly morning coffees during the school year. This informal group meets monthly. For more information and meeting locations call Vivian Paulus (732) 297-4028

Meetings dates for next year are:
Tuesday, February 10
Thursday, March 11
Thursday, May 13

SEPTA Sponsored Pre-K Music Appreciation Program
starts again at South River Public Schools

For the second year the Special Education PTA of South River is once again sponsoring Pre-school music appreciation in Ms. Janice Weston’s AM and PM pre-school disabled classes.
After last year’s wonderful program of providing a "visiting musician" from the East Brunswick Academy of Music- the SEPTA board made an effort to continue to bring a formal music appreciation to the wonderful children on Ms. Janice’s classes. Trained music teachers will be in on the following dates:
AM PRE-K Class PM Pre-K Class
February 13th January 22nd
March 2nd February 5th
April (to be announced) March 18th
May (to be announced) April 22nd
Look you the flyer detailing your child’s musical adventure and share the fun of their musical experience!

SEPTA Seeking Titles for 2004 Resource Library Donations:

The South River PTA is asking for title / topic suggestions for 2004 Parent Resource Library located at the South River Public Library.

Each year SEPTA donates between $200.00-$350.00 in books, video, and computer software to the South River Public Library on topics concerning Special Education, Special Education Rights, Transition Planning and Education Advocacy.

If you have a title you would like to see at the SEPTA Parent Resource Library please contact us at (732) 651-7157 or email us at info@specialeducationpta.org subject reference line “septa resource library suggestion”

SEPTA Would Like to Hear From You!

We are seeking parental and community input into the programs and services we provide… If you would like to see a program or service initiated in the upcoming 2004-2005 school year please contact us with your ideas!
Call us at (732) 651-7157
Email: info@specialeducationpta.org
Or drop us a note in the mail:
SEPTA of South River
81 Johnson Place, South River, NJ 08882

Our First Family Fun Day and Community Picnic

The Special Education PTA of South River is planning a “Family Fun Day” from 2-5pm on Sunday, June 27th 2004.

We are in the planning stages of having our first “Family Fun Day and Community Picnic” for the disabled students and the families of the South River Community.

We will supply the fun…

But do to possible food allergies-we are requesting that families bring their own food to the event.

We are looking for interested individuals to help make this day a terrific one for all who attend! Yes! I can help with the following: ____*games /activities ____*set up / clean up ____ *balloons (inflation and distribution) ____*other: _________

____No, I am unable to help at this time but I/We would like to attend. Number of people_____
Name: ______________________________________________
Address: _______________________ Telephone: (____) _________________

Please return this form to: SEPTA of South River
Attn: Family Fun Day / Picnic
81 Johnson Place
South River, NJ 08882

You can also email us at info@specialeducationpta.org or come to our Aril 7th SEPTA meeting at 6:30-9pm meeting at the South River Public Library when we will be discussing the Family Fun Day and Community Picnic.

Future SEPTA Events:

February 4 SEPTA workshop SR public Library 6:30 Learn how to Manage It All.
Having a child in the Special Education System can be overwhelming at times Using simple strategies and effective system you can accomplish it. Reduce you stress and help your child all at the same time! (Registration deadline January 22, 2004 Fee $5.00 per person to cover materials)
March 3: SEPTA Parent support group SR Public Library 6:30 – 7 pm
March: Transition planning workshop – guest speaker Alice Honeycut
March 15: 2004 SEPTA Scholarship applications available. This scholarship is open to any graduating special education senior of the So. River Educatio
April 7: SEPTA Parent support group SR Public Library 6:30 – 7 pm
April 30: Deadline for submitting an application for the 2004 SEPTA Scholarship.
May 5: SEPTA Parent support group SR Public Library 6:30 – 7 pm
June 2: SEPTA Parent support group SR Public Library 6:30 – 7 pm

Help Wanted:

Would you like to help with our Newsletter, or Website? Have you come across an interesting book, article or website that deals with education, special ed., disabilities, or parenting? that you’d like to share with others. Write a short summary and we’ll love to put it in newsletter and web page.

SEPTA would like to thank

Disability Services & Advocacy, LLC

www.dsausa.net

For sponsoring the mailing of our Newsletters