The Sharon Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SSEPAC) held its annual officer elections on May 4, 1999. This Council is comprised of parents, professionals and educators working in partnership with school officials on matters pertaining to the education, health and safety of children with special needs and disabilities. The Council hosts training workshops on various educational topics, has an extensive resource library at the High School, provides parents with a network of support and easy access to information, laws, and changes in education that impact their children.

Officers for the 1999/2000 School Year are:

President: Suzanne Gervais Peyton

Vice Presidents: Mark Baron, Alan Bloom, Anat Zakai

Secretary: Lee Berkowitz

Treasurer: Stacey Simons

The next SSEPAC meeting will be a general meeting and on Thursday, June 1 at 7 PM at the Sharon Middle School Library. New officers are encouraged to attend this meeting as are any parents who wish to be kept informed on special education trends and laws. We will also discuss what programs we want to develop for next year. Your input, opinions, and ideas are most welcomed. If you cannot attend, please send an email to: info@ssepac.org with feedback. Or you can visit our website at: http://www.ssepac.org

The main topic of the 5/4/99 meeting was of the ongoing special education reform efforts at the Department of Education (DOE) and in the legislature. Handouts of the proposed regulation changes were made available. If anyone in Sharon would like to receive a copy of these, please call 784-8316. It is crucial that all parents, grandparents, educators, advocates and care providers bring themselves up to speed on what is impending. This is the year that Chapter 766 reform will occur. What is changed and how that will roll out remains to be determined. Your opinions and your voices are needed NOW.

For those individuals who can take the time to write letters and express their concerns, SSEPAC is strongly recommending developing a comprehensive "copy to" list to get more impact out of one letter. Key recipients are listed below. Please add your particular agencies (FAC, DMR, DPH, etc.) to the list as well.

Department of Education

Special Education Regulations

350 Main Street, 5th floor

Malden, MA 02148-5023

Email: SpEdRegs@doe.mass.edu

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KEY LEGISLATORS Main Address:

State House, Room _____*(see each name)

Boston, MA 02133

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Rep. Louis Kafka- Room 237 Phone: 617.722.2305

Senator JoAnn Sprague-Room 313B 617.722.1222

Governor Paul Cellucci

Rep. Thomas Finneran-Room 356 617.722.2500

Senator Thomas Birmingham-Room 332 617.722.1500

Education Committee-Room 473G 617.722.2070

Senator Robert Antonioni-Room 109E 617.722.1230

Rep. Hal Lane-Room 473G 617.722.2070

MASSPAC, P.O. Box 167, Sharon, MA 781.784.8316

Suzanne Peyton