Dear Westfield Parents of Special Education students,
I would like to provide you with an update regarding special education services and staffing. I have shared some of our challenges in my previous letter, at SEPAC meetings, and during the Superintendent Spotlight radio program.
Since the beginning of this school year, we have had openings for school psychologists and speech therapists. I have been able to contract with one independent psychologist and one independent speech therapist to assist in special education testing. We have continually worked on recruiting by posting the positions, contacting vendors and outside agencies to fill these positions. Additionally, we are also seeking speech assistants, registered behavior technicians, and paraprofessionals.
Please know that your children’s needs are our top priority, and we are working hard to fill in the gaps. I have spoken to other school district leaders, private schools, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education regarding the staffing challenges. Unfortunately, this is an issue statewide and it has impacted many districts. We will continue to take the necessary steps to work on solving this problem and provide the services your children deserve. I will continue to provide monthly updates.
The next SEPAC meeting will be held on November 10th at 6:30 pm at Tiger’s Pride (Westfield Technical Academy). The topic will be “Social Emotional Learning”. This meeting will be held in-person and virtually.
meet.google.com/rew-rowo-ybu
Join by phone (US) +1 475-343-3347
PIN: 665470949
I would like to thank you for your support and dedication to your child’s education. Please do not hesitate to contact the special education department if you need any assistance.
Respectfully,
Deb Ecker