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Special-education parent group outlines outreach, training and 'Everyday Heroes' awards
Summary
The Grafton School Committee heard a year-in-review from the district’s CPAC, which described training sessions tied to the new IEP form, efforts to expand outreach to preschool and outplaced families, a dwindling membership and plans for an in-person Everyday Heroes recognition in May.
Nicole Pruss, chair of the Special Education Parent Advisory Council, told the Grafton School Committee that CPAC’s mission is “to collaborate between district team members, parents, families, students to get the best possible outcomes for all children with special needs.”
The group said it has focused this year on training sessions aligned with the district’s rollout of a revised individualized education program, or IEP, form. “We kind of recruited team members from the district and a couple outside people to come and present on a topic,” Stella Dicus, CPAC secretary, said, adding that recent sessions covered eligibility and basic rights.
CPAC described several outreach efforts aimed at families not already connected to special-education teams. Pruss said the council is trying to reach preschool families and families with students outplaced to programs outside the district, and is looking into sending printed brochures to local early-intervention providers. “That’d be another way to, like, get our brochures out there to them,” Pruss said.
Why it matters: parents of children with disabilities often rely on timely, practical information about evaluation, eligibility and summer services. CPAC members told the committee that making materials available in multiple formats and times of day would reduce barriers for families who cannot attend evening meetings.
What CPAC is doing: the council said it has been holding monthly virtual meetings for convenience, runs a daytime “Coffee and Conversations” informal meet-up and has created a mobile-friendly version of its website plus an anonymous parent feedback form. Pruss said most meetings are virtual “for the ease of presentation and asking questions,” and that a daytime coffee session is scheduled in a school library to allow parents to “come and go as you please.”
The council is also planning its in-person Everyday Heroes awards for May 8. CPAC reported it received 35 nominations last year — “we were down 2 from the previous year, but it was nicely spread across all the schools,” Dicus said — and that volunteers are working on outreach to increase school-level awareness.
Membership, funding and volunteer support: Pruss said the council’s treasurer position is currently vacant and that active membership has shrunk: “We had 3, now it’s just us 2,” Dicus told the committee. CPAC members said the group does not collect ongoing dues; funds are only raised for events such as Everyday Heroes to purchase recognition items.
Committee questions and offers of help: School Committee members asked how the district and committee could help CPAC reach unconnected families. One committee member suggested distributing flyers at local preschool programs and community organizations; another offered to publish information in community outlets. Pruss said CPAC has received six responses to the anonymous feedback form, “and 5 out of the 6 were actually positive or constructive.”
Next steps: CPAC said it will continue monthly programming and training tied to the new IEP form, try to expand daytime outreach, and hold Everyday Heroes in person in May. The council asked the committee to consider whether the district should officially appoint a CPAC liaison from the committee as many neighboring districts do.
The presentation concluded with committee members offering to share CPAC posts on social media and to look for additional community distribution points such as preschools and local publications.
