-
2017-18 NEW DIRECTOR’S COHORT & CONFERENCE CORNER
Marci L. Grabelle, MAT, MSEd.
NJAPSA Executive Director
Email: marcigrabelle@njapsa.org
Welcome back to a fabulous new school year! I hope you all had the opportunity to take that much needed vacation during the summer months and getting ready to enjoy the colors of autumn. The NJAPSA board members met in June to plan wonderful professional development opportunities for our members and fellow colleagues, as well as organizing our New Director’s Cohort presentations for 2017-18. We hope you will enjoy our conference offerings and your continued membership with NJAPSA.
2017 New Director’s Cohort
Our New Director’s Cohort meets five times per year at the Forsgate Country Club, 375 Forsgate Drive, Monroe Township, NJ 08831. The cohort provides valuable professional development opportunities in a small group setting throughout the year, encouraging our members to ask questions and share concerns that arise daily in the world of a director. This special opportunity provides a wonderful collegial network to assist directors throughout their professional career. New Director Cohort applications are available on our website at www.njapsa.org. Applications are being accepted through October 1, 2017.
This year’s Cohort calendar is as follows:
October 6, 2017: Orientation and Welcome- Training Topics: Getting Started a Director; Budget Development and Grant Writing
December 1, 2017: Evaluation, Supervision, Recruitment, and Retention; Using Technology: Applications for students and administrators.
January 19, 2018: Special Education Legal Issues and Hot Topics.
March 2, 2018: Special Education Procedures, Best Practices and the Monitoring Process.
April 27, 2018: Parent, School Board and Community Relations.
MINI-CONFERENCE CORNER
We are excited to provide our professional members, cohort and guests to our annual mini-conferences, Director’s Academy and special professional development opportunities that we have collaboratively arranged with NJPSA/FEA and NJASA. This year we have scheduled two mini-conferences. These conferences will be held from 2:00-5:00 p.m. with a late lunch served first at centrally located facilities for your convenience.
Winter Mini-Conference: Thursday, February, 1, 2018 2:00-5:00 p.m. Doubletree Hotel, 700 Hope Road, Eatontown, NJ 07724.
Hot Legal Topics in Special Education
Isabel Machado Esq. Education Law Specialist
Ms. Machado, Esq. is the founding partner of the Machado Law Group. Her practice involves all aspects of education law, including litigation at all levels of state and federal courts and administrative agencies. She has in-depth knowledge and background in special education law, board policy and administrative matters. Ms. Machado primarily counsels and litigates on behalf of school districts regarding special education, employment/contract matters, and labor negotiations. She is an author and dynamic public speaker who has presented for a variety of audiences including NJASA, NJSBA, LRP Publications as well as in-service programs for Board of education members, school administrators and staff in school districts throughout New Jersey.
Spring Mini-Conference: Save the date, April 27, 2018 Forsgate Country Club Speaker TBA
Fall Professional Development with NJPSA/FEA
November 3, 2017- “The Special Services Director’s Toolkit,” FEA/NJPSA, Centre Drive, Monroe, NJ.
Register at www.njpsa.org.
NJAPSA Annual Director’s Special Education Academy
WHEN: Friday, March 23, 2018 (Registration will be on line at www.njapsa.org)
WHERE: Forsgate Country Club, 375 Forsgate Drive, Monroe, N.J. 08831
TIME: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Director’s Academy Agenda
“Managing the IEP Meeting” Guest Speaker- Dr. Kathleen Rotter 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Dr. Rotter received her Ed.D and M.A. in Educational Psychology from Rutgers University and B.S. from TCNJ . Dr. Rotter has been an advisor to TCNJ’s special education professional preparation club, FUSE; has served as an expert witness for over 40 due process hearings regarding the provision of a free and appropriate public education to students with disabilities; has spoken at numerous state and national conferences regarding special education law and the dynamics of the Child Study Team. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Education Department of The College of New Jersey.
“Legal Update: Health Related Issues and the Law” Guest Speaker- Stacey Therese Cherry, Esq. 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Ms. Stacey Therese Cherry focuses her practice in Education Law. She is an associate with Fogarty & Hara where she addresses issues that impact Boards of Education including labor and employment, HIB, OPRA, and FERPA. She has extensive experience addressing all matters related to special education. Stacey graduated magna cum laude from Pepperdine University School of Law in 2004 and magna cum laude from Hope College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Learning Disabilities in 1999. After obtaining her B.A., Stacey taught inclusion and self-contained special education classes and is a New Jersey certified Teacher of Handicapped and Elementary School Teacher. She is a member of the New Jersey Branch of The International Dyslexia Association, where she has served as Vice President of Community Affairs and on the Nominating Committee. Stacey is an invited speaker for school districts and parents throughout New Jersey, and teaches continuing education classes at Fairleigh Dickinson University. In 2017, Stacey was chosen as a Rising Star by Thomas Reuters. Stacey is admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York, New Jersey District Courts, and The Third Circuit.
SAVE THE DATE:
NJASA/NJAPSA SPRING LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE:
* May 16-18, 2018 *
Register at www.njasa.net
For information about our current programs and services please browse the website.
