WELCOME AUBURN, MASSACHUSETTS FAMILIES!

Welcome to our blog - the place for sharing, support and information for parents of children with special needs in the Auburn, MA community. More and more parents are signing up to join our online community, and that is very exciting! It also means that our community recognizes the need to be supportive to each other and to our schools. Raising a child with any special need is at best, difficult, and at worst it is heartbreaking, frustrating, and exhausting. Emotions can run the gamut, from elation to anger. We need to support each other through all of it.

As the manager of several online support communities since 2003, I have seen people vent their frustrations in a seemingly secure environment, only to find out that their words and print have been shared and caused significant problems for them. Please remain cautious about negative comments toward any particular persons, districts or situations that could be hurtful or harmful to your family or anyone else's family. This blog is not being moderated, but there are members here who work in the school systems, who have been invited as part of our efforts to create a cohesive, transparent, supportive community.

If you are having trouble with your school district, team, administrator or teachers, the most appropriate place to discuss those concerns are with your child's team. Thank you!

Disability Scoop

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

GREAT TURNOUT AT THE RECEPTION - THANK YOU!

I'd like to thank everyone who came to meet & hear from our new Director, Phil Campbell, at the reception on September 27.  There were 12 people in attendance and Phil maintained a great conversation about his vision in the short-term, what he identifies as priorities within the Department, and how his career and life experiences brought him to Auburn.

It was discussed and suggested that this blog be a key place to share information about SEPAC and the Special Education Department among families and Phil's office.  Please continue to spread the word about this blog.  We will not rely on flyers going home in backpacks, or on mailings, although those will also be used when there is critical information.

One of the parents asked last night how to stay in touch with things going on here: you can subscribe to the feed of this blog by putting your email address in the text box on the right sidebar of this blog where it says "follow by email."  As soon as you've done that, whenever there is a new posting on the blog, you will be notified by email.

I will be posting the SEPAC calendar flyer that I passed out to those in attendance last night, here on the blog.  Please save the dates for our meetings this year: they are all on Tuesday evenings at 7:00pm, at the APS administrative building on 5 West Street unless otherwise posted.  The dates are November 1, February 7, April 3 and June 5.

As you will see in the flyer, I have left topic areas open to suggestion.  I will post a poll here on the blog for people to make suggestions about things they'd like to learn about; or, if they'd like to have a social opportunity instead.

Thank you again, everyone, for your support last night!  I am excited about the SEPAC this year and hope to see lots of participation!!

Cheryl