The Princeton Public Schools Student Services team laid out their plans for the coming year for a group of about 50 in the John Witherspoon School Academic Conference Center (ACC) on Monday night in a forum sponsored by the Special Education PTO.

In setting the tone for the evening, special ed PTO co-chair Joan Spindel emphasized the value of communication, “learning from each other’s stories” and providing feedback to”help shape the agenda of the Student Services team.” 

Student Services Director Micki Crisafulli commented on the results of last spring’s PTO-initiated focus groups, noting as areas of some concern: progress reports; IEP (Individual Education Plan) meetings; transitioning, from elementary to middle school (5th to 6th) and from middle to high school (8th to 9th); and communication.

Among the priorities for the coming year, Ms. Crisafulli mentioned the timeliness and clarity of progress reports; improved preparation for IEP meetings; more timely and consistent communication between teachers and parents, and, especially at the high school level, between students and their teachers and case managers. Ms. Crisafulli also commented on the importance of developing further conversations between special ed and mainstream teachers.

Ms. Crisafulli stated that communication with parents of students in the autism program at Riverside would receive particular attention, and she praised new Riverside principal Valerie Ulrich, who began her career as a special education teacher, for her understanding of the particular needs and goals of the program.

In the second part of the evening session, attended by a mix of special education teachers, administrators and parents of special ed students, Eric Csolak, elementary special ed supervisor, and Kristin Graham, secondary special ed supervisor, highlighted the importance of differentiation (looking at and working with students individually) and inclusion.

“We want our students to be included and to have whatever experiences other students are having,” said Ms. Graham, “whether it’s in the regular classroom, the art studio, the athletic fields or in after-school activities. “

Ms. Graham also emphasized the importance of teamwork, for students and teachers and also with content area supervisors, to enhance the learning process for special education students. “How can we improve partnerships? How can we improve collaboration?” she asked.

Commenting on the School to Work Program, Ms. Graham reported that the number of students involved has increased, as has the number of job sites available to them. The goal, she explained, is for them to acquire the necessary skills, then go out to work in the community — YMCA, restaurants, pharmacies, libraries and elsewhere.

Construction of a life skills workroom — including kitchen, laundry room, “just like an apartment” — at the high school is scheduled to begin soon.

Ms. Graham also addressed the challenges of the transitions from elementary to middle and from middle to high school and pointed out that the process begins almost a year early “in order to make the transition a little easier and more comfortable for the students.”

In its continuing work with the schools and the community to provide input and enhance the education for PPS students with special needs, the Special Education PTO will be holding a School Board Candidates’ Forum next Thursday at 7 p.m. in the ACC Room at John Witherspoon, where community members are encouraged to meet the candidates for school board and ask questions about special education issues.