Mount Diablo Unified Community Advisory Committee on Special Education

MDUSD Board Meeting Tonight! Tuesday March 16th 5:30 pm

2021-03-16T14:37:00.003-07:00

MDUSD and Teachers Union Announce Hybrid Tentative Agreement

Virtual Board Meeting Information

Due to public health orders and recommendations related to COVID-19, MDUSD Governing Board Meetings are being held virtually and are broadcast live through the Internet. A link to the broadcast is posted on this page on meeting days. Information regarding past, present, and future meetings is available below.

How to Participate

Interpretation

Simultaneous Spanish interpretation is provided for all regular meetings. After each meeting, a Board Action Summary is published in English and Spanish.

Public Comment

MDUSD encourages public participation in district business by way of public comments during meetings. There are two methods of leaving a public comment for virtual meetings:

Submit a public comment by email. Emails to BoardComments@mdusd.org are automatically distributed to each board member, and will be entered into the public record when received on meeting days. Public commenters may request anonymity to omit their email addresses from the public record. Email attachments will not be accepted.
Submit a public comment in real-time with voice/video. On meeting days, register after 10:00AM to receive your unique Zoom meeting details and instructions by emailing PublicComments@mdusd.org.

Today's Meeting

View the March 16, 2021 Special Board Meeting Agenda
Public Comment Opportunities - View the "How to Participate" section above.
Watch the video broadcast (Zoom) (Starts at 5:30PM) (Spanish Interpretation Available)
View today's emailed public comments

COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility for People with High-Risk Medical Conditions or Disabilities

2021-03-15T15:45:00.004-07:00

Copy of Letter

Fact Sheet for the Public

Provider Bulletin

Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) Q & A ~ Tomorrow March 12th!

2021-03-11T12:36:00.000-08:00

DREDF's Question and Answers sessions on People with Disabilities in California’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution

Date: Friday, March 12, 2021
Time: 12:00 PM Pacific to 12:45 Pacific

You Must Register in advance for this meeting:

Register Here

Please join us on Friday, March 12, from 12:00 pm to 12:45 pm for our first in a series of weekly Question and Answers sessions on People with Disabilities in California’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution.

This week we will be focusing the discussion on COVID19 Vaccine: California Eligibility & Verification for People with Disabilities. Brief presentations will be given by:

Claudia Center, Legal Director, DREDF
Brandie Sendziak, Supervising Attorney, Independent Living Resource Center of San Francisco
Russell Rawlings, Statewide Community Organizer, California Foundation for Independent Living Centers

After the presentations, we will open up the meeting for your questions.

Hope to see you online!

MDUSD Board of Education Meeting Tonight! Wednesday March 10th 6:00 pm

2021-03-10T08:52:00.004-08:00

MDUSD Board Meeting

Wednesday March 10th 6:00 pm

March 20, 2021 Agenda

Link to Broadcast will be posted here closer to meeting.

Virtual Board Meeting Information

How to Participate

Interpretation

Simultaneous Spanish interpretation is provided for all regular meetings. After each meeting, a Board Action Summary is published in English and Spanish.

Public Comment

MDUSD encourages public participation in district business by way of public comments during meetings. There are two methods of leaving a public comment for virtual meetings:

Submit a public comment by email. Emails to BoardComments@mdusd.org are automatically distributed to each board member, and will be entered into the public record when received on meeting days. Public commenters may request anonymity for when their comments are entered into the public record. Email attachments will not be accepted.
Submit a public comment in real-time with voice/video. On meeting days, register after 10:00AM to receive your unique Zoom meeting details and instructions by emailing PublicComments@mdusd.org.

Elementary Intradistrict Transfer Application Deadline March 10th

2021-03-09T07:30:00.001-08:00

Elementary Grades TK-5 (including Two Way Dual Immersion and Bilingual Program transfer requests):

February 10, 2021 - March 10, 2021

Secondary Grades 6-12 on time application time frame was October 15, 2020 - November 15, 2020

Applications received after November 15, 2020 will not be part of the lottery. Responses to late applications will be sent out in June 2021.

For the Application or more information, click here! Finish your elementary age application today!

MDUSD's Open Conversations about Mental Health Continues ~ Tuesday March 9th 5:00 - 6:15 pm

2021-03-08T12:02:00.001-08:00

Parent Wellness with Self Care

Tuesday March 9th 5:00 - 6:15 pm

How do you engage in self care when you are parenting and supporting distance or hybrid learning?
What strategies help parents prioritize their own self care?
What does parenting and self care during a pandemic look like?
What are free and low cost resources to support parent self care?
How do I know when I need to seek professional help for myself?
What are the top 3 coping tools or take away messages parents can use in terms of dealing with covid stress?

Click here to register in advance

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing Zoom information.

Future Webinars

03/30/2021 - Recognizing When To Get Help Beyond The Home
04/20/2021 - Anxiety And Depression
05/11/2021 - Parents Of Teens And Tweens- How To Facilitate Independence When They Can't Leave The House
06/01/2021 - Parents Of Elementary Age- What Skills Can We Increase During Distance Learning
06/22/2021 - Finding Community Supports And Summer Activities

Webinar Zoom/registration information will be posted here close to session dates.

Parent Academy Workshops Coming Up ~ Check It Out!

2021-03-05T16:19:00.001-08:00

Parent Academy Workshops Coming Up!

Please join us via Zoom as we offer information sessions for MDUSD Parents to help navigate distance learning. No pre-registration required.

Zoom Link Meeting ID: 856 4169 4470 Passcode: 518679

3/11 3:30 - 4:30 pm OVERVIEW OF STATE STANDARDS

3/17 1:30 - 2:30 pm EFFECTS OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING CHALLENGES ON BEHAVIOR

Por favor, únase a nosotros mientras ofrecemos sesiones de información a los padres para ayudarlos a navegar el aprendizaje a distancia. No es necesario registrarse.

3/11 3:30 - 4:30 pm UN RESUMEN DE LOS ESTÁNDARES ESTATALES

3/17 1:30 - 2:30 pm EFECTOS DE LOS DESAFIOS DEL FUNCIONAMIENTO EJECUTIVO EN EL COMPORTAMIENTO

Questions? Email shenh@mdusd.org or call (925) 682-8000 ext. 4297

Alameda County Transition Fair ~ March 13th ` Feria de Transicion

2021-03-04T10:14:00.001-08:00

On the Path from Screens to Schools ~ Parent Tips on Ways to Prepare Your Child When They Return to School

2021-03-03T13:10:00.004-08:00

The Community Advisory Committee (CAC) for Special Education hosted a Presentation for parents to help families think about what it will take to prepare their children at home for the time they will return to school. It is an important topic because the CAC understands that returning to in-person school will be a huge transition for our children and it is important to prepare our children step-by-step as we continue to move towards returning to in-person school.

We know that our children are not returning to school now and we do not have a definitive date but now is the time to prepare ourselves to prepare our children. The better prepared we are the smoother the transition will be for our children.

For those of you that were unable to see the presentation, below is a link to the slideshow.

CAC Presentation: On the Path from Screens to Schools: Preparing Your Kids to Come Back to School

We apologize for those that were unable to attend the meeting due to attendance limitations, we rectified the issue as quickly as possible and increased our capacity during the meeting and then more were able to attend.

Questions? Check out the CAC Webpage at: https://mdusd.org/cac.

CAC Meeting and Book Club TODAY! ~ Join Us!

2021-03-02T10:35:00.004-08:00

Please Join Us Tonight for the CAC Book Club and CAC Meeting!

CAC Book Club March 2nd 5:45 - 6:45. Zoom Link

Join the MDUSD CAC Equity Book Club Meetings, once a month on Zoom to discuss the intersection of race/class/gender/language and neurodiversity. The first book we will be exploring is: White Fragility by Robin Diangelo. This month we will be exploring Chapter 2.

For more details click here

CAC Meeting March 2nd 7:00 - 9:15pm. Zoom Link

Meeting ID: 813 0190 5684 Passcode: 533427

Presentation Tonight: On the Path from Screens to Schools: Preparing Your Kids to Come Back to School

March 2, 2021 CAC Agenda Here

MDUSD Return to School Parent Survey Due March 1st ~ Complete Your Survey Today

2021-02-26T10:49:00.004-08:00

MDUSD's Final "Return to School" Parent Survey

On Saturday morning, most families in Mt. Diablo Unified School District should have
received an email requesting online registration information to plan for the remainder of
the 2020-2021 school year.

The registration form provides you the choice of one of two options for the remainder of
the 2020-21 school year. It is imperative that we receive 100% of these registrations
back by March 1st.

This required online registration form must be completed for each student enrolled in
any school within the Mt. Diablo Unified District.

The information will be used for the purpose of assigning students to an afternoon
support teacher, either in-person or online. While families may have the option to switch
to a different model at a later date, this information is being collected with the intent to
use it for planning and afternoon session assignments.

For each student enrolled, families can choose one of two options for the remainder of
the 2020-21 school year:
Option #1: Student continues with distance learning in the morning and then
comes to the school site for “in-person” support in the afternoon two days per
week.
Option #2: Student continues with 100% distance learning and will not receive
on-campus support.

In response to community input, in both options, students will keep their currently
assigned teachers in the morning time slots. It is possible that students may see a
different teacher in the afternoon for support.

If you did not receive a unique and individualized “family-specific” registration survey on
Saturday, you may click here.

If you need assistance or have any questions reach out at shenh@mdsud.org.

CAC Book Club Tuesday March 2nd 5:45 pm ~ PLEASE JOIN IN THE DISCUSSION!

2021-02-25T12:08:00.000-08:00

MDUSD CAC Equity Book Club Continues: March 2nd 5:45 – 6:45 pm on Zoom:

Join the MDUSD CAC Equity Book Club Meetings, once a month on Zoom to discuss the intersection of race/class/gender/language and neurodiversity.

Mt. Diablo Unified School District’s Community Advisory Committee’s (MDUSD CAC) Equity Book Club Mission Statement:

The MDUSD Community Advisory Committee (CAC) in collaboration with the

MDUSD Equity Team, has established this book club. The club’s specific focus is on the intersection of race/class/gender/language/ and neurodiversity. Through education and courageous conversation, it is the goal of the club that those who serve our students can apply the learning to their area of service - to become not only consumers of knowledge but practitioners of that knowledge.

The first book we will be exploring is: White Fragility by Robin Diangelo.

Book Club will occur the first Tuesday of every month (prior to the CAC Meetings) 5:45 – 6:45 pm (except for April, it will be the 13th).

Join Zoom Meeting:

Meeting ID: 847 8113 5074 Passcode: 972204

You can join the book club at any time; and will cover one chapter per month.

Book Club discussions will occur when we meet one time per month.

There will be 2-4 questions chosen for discussion and 1 of those questions will be:
How will you apply this knowledge in your daily service?

Guidelines for Group Discussion

Grab a copy of the book, read Chapter 2, think about the questions and join us on March 2nd at 5:45 pm to be a part of the Book Club. If you can't join us in March don't worry about it, just read Chapters 2 and 3 and come in April.

Chapter 2: Racism and White Supremacy Questions:

1. What does it mean to say that race is “socially constructed”?

2. What is the difference between racial prejudice, racial discrimination, and racism?

3. What does the author mean when she says that there is no such thing as reverse racism?

4. How does the birdcage metaphor illustrate oppression?

5. What is scientific racism? Give some examples of how scientific racism is conveyed today.

6. What does Cheryl Harris mean when describing whiteness as a form of property?

7. What is problematic about the idea of the U.S. as a great “melting pot”? How did the melting pot actually work?

8. Discuss Coates’s statement that race is the child of racism, not the father.

9. The author cites Ruth Frankenberg’s description of whiteness as “a location of structural advantage, a standpoint from which white people look at ourselves, at others, and at society, and a set of cultural practices that are not named or acknowledged.” Explain each of these dimensions in your own words.

10. How is the author using the term “white supremacy”?

The White Racial Frame 1. Explain the concept of the white racial frame. What are some examples? 2. Take a few minutes to share some of your answers to the reflection questions on pp. 35-37. What surprised you?

How will you apply this knowledge in your daily service?

MDUSD Board of Education Meeting Wednesday February 24, 2021

2021-02-23T18:30:00.002-08:00

Virtual Board Meeting Information

How to Participate

Interpretation

Simultaneous Spanish interpretation is provided for all regular meetings. After each meeting, a Board Action Summary is published in English and Spanish.

Public Comment

MDUSD encourages public participation in district business by way of public comments during meetings. There are two methods of leaving a public comment for virtual meetings:

Submit a public comment by email. Emails to BoardComments@mdusd.org are automatically distributed to each board member, and will be entered into the public record when received on meeting days. Public commenters may request anonymity for when their comments are entered into the public record. Email attachments will not be accepted.
Submit a public comment in real-time with voice/video. On meeting days, register after 10:00AM to receive your unique Zoom meeting details and instructions by emailing PublicComments@mdusd.org.

February 25, 2021 Agenda

One item on the agenda: Hybrid Learning Plan Presentation

Also, Parents/Guardians are asked to complete a Registration Survey to notify their school of their plan to remain in distance learning or join the hybrid model, click here for the survey. Please note you should complete a survey for each child.

Self Care and Meditation ~ Join Us Today!

2021-02-23T07:58:00.004-08:00

If you feel like it has already been a long week, long month, long year, join us today and take your mind off the burden and focus on self care.

Self Care and Meditation Hosted by Denise Lambert (CAC Member)

4:00 - 5:00 pm

Join Our Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 856 4169 4470 Passcode: 518679

Hope to see you there! Questions? Email Hilary Shen: shenh@mdusd.org or call (925) 682-8000 ext. 4297

MDUSD Behaviorists Host a Website to Support You

2021-02-19T16:10:00.002-08:00

MDUSD Behaviorists maintain a website with resources for staff and parents, including links and methods for requesting direct support.

The website is: https://sites.google.com/mdusd.org/behavior-unit

Check it out today!

CHC's Ask an Expert ~ Returning to School

2021-02-18T08:41:00.006-08:00

Although we do not have a specific timeline yet for our students returning to school, it is important to consider what that might mean for our children and to prepare for preparing them for the next step....

Children's Health Council is hosting a Community Education Event: FREE

Ask an Expert: Returning to School

February 23, 2021
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

What is Ask an Expert?

It’s a 60 minute virtual, live event via Zoom. The format of Ask an Expert includes a conversation with an expert on the identified topic – the first half of the session will be a conversation focused on some questions around the topic and the second half will consist of questions from the audience. Make sure to register so you can join the conversation and submit your questions!

Session Description

We are excited about the possibility of our kids returning to school yet, understandably concerned about what that re-entry looks like. In this live Ask an Expert session, we are having a conversation with Chris Harris MEd, Chief Schools Officer at CHC. The CDC recently said that it makes sense for schools to re-open. Join this Ask an Expert session to hear about what that might look like and how you can support your child in the re-entry process.

Registration Link

Contra Costa County Library Offers Free Wireless Access ~ Check our your local library offerings today!

2021-02-17T12:44:00.001-08:00

If you have a Contra Costa County Library Card you can checkout a Wi-Fi Hotspot for Free. Also, on most grounds of the libraries including their parking lots you can access the library Wi-Fi as well.

Wireless Access

We make it easy to get online with our Wi-Fi Hotspot Kits. If you have a Library card, you can check out a hotspot for free and use it to connect your tablet, laptop or other Wi-Fi enabled device. You can borrow a hotspot for 21 days.

Free wireless internet access is available in all library buildings. Even though our buildings are currently closed to the public, free Wi-Fi internet access at some locations can be accessed from the parking lot or other outside areas.

What is a Wi-Fi Hotspot?

Contra Costa County Library Wi-Fi hotspot kits give you portable wireless internet access, Wi-Fi calling, and texting as allowed by your mobile service provider. Just turn it on and you're ready to connect up to 10 devices to one hotspot. You can use tablets, laptops, or smartphones to do research online, shop at your favorite website, download movies, and more. The hotspot lets you access the internet in all 50 states with unlimited data, up to 4G LTE. Service is limited to areas with T-Mobile network coverage and signal strength may vary by location. For additional information and "how-to" videos, click here. These kits do require an electrical connection in order to charge the device. Once charged, the hotspots can used without the charger/adapter. Please note that online content accessed with the hotspot is not filtered and parents are responsible for monitoring their children's internet use.

How do I borrow a hotspot?

Anyone who has a Contra Costa County Library card can borrow a Wi-Fi hotspot kit at no charge. Wi-Fi hotspots are displayed in the Library catalog and may be requested by placing a hold, visiting a community library service desk, or contacting Library staff for assistance.

You can check out one Wi-Fi hotspot kit at a time for a three week loan period. You get free wireless internet access with the hotspot during that time.

If you don't have a Library card, you can apply for one here.

Check out your local library today!

Parent Academy: IEP Basics Today!

2021-02-11T09:51:00.001-08:00

IEP Basics: The When, What and Why of the IEP Process

Today, February 11, 2021 5:00 - 6:00 pm

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 856 4169 4470 Passcode: 518679

Join the Parent Liaison today to learn more about the IEP Process and to help you participate in the process effectively. The more you know the more you are able to be an active member of the IEP Team!

Questions? Call (925) 682-8000 ext. 4297 or email shenh@mdusd.org.

MDUSD Board Meeting Wednesday February 10th at 6:00pm

2021-02-09T09:24:00.004-08:00

February 10, 2021 MDUSD Board Agenda

Link to Live Broadcast will be available and posted here prior to the meeting

Board Meeting Information

Virtual Board Meeting Information
Due to public health orders and recommendations related to COVID-19, MDUSD Governing Board Meetings are being held virtually and are broadcast live through the Internet. A link to the broadcast is posted on this page on meeting days. Information regarding past, present, and future meetings is available below.

How to Participate

Interpretation
Simultaneous Spanish interpretation is provided for all regular meetings.

After each meeting, a Board Action Summary is published in English and Spanish.

Public Comment

MDUSD encourages public participation in district business by way of public comments during meetings. There are two methods of leaving a public comment for virtual meetings:

1. Submit a public comment by email. Emails to BoardComments@mdusd.org are automatically distributed to each board member, and will be entered into the public record when received on meeting days. Public commenters may request anonymity for when their comments are entered into the public record.

2. Submit a public comment in real-time with voice/video. On meeting days, register after 10:00AM to receive your unique Zoom meeting details and instructions by emailing PublicComments@mdusd.org.

Optional Family Survey for CSUEB Doctoral Student ~ Fill out the Survey and Share It if You are Interested

2021-02-08T12:50:00.011-08:00

My name is Katy Duffy-Sherr and I am a speech-language pathologist who is pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership through CSU-East Bay.

I am researching how the opinions and experiences of special education case managers and the families they support are similar and different on the topic of the IEP process. I am hoping that the data I collect will provide some insight into how universities and employers can better prepare case managers to support the families of their students through the IEP process. Additionally, the family survey will provide information about how families feel about the IEP process and the qualities they prefer in their case managers.

This is where you come in.

Please share my survey with the families in your organization who have children in special education. As a thank you for helping me with the data collection, I can provide the data specific to your region to help inform your staff how families are feeling about the IEP process. I will also be creating a professional development presentation based on the data I gather that I could present or share with your organization.

The survey has been translated into Spanish, Arabic, Vietnamese and Chinese.

SURVEYS:

ENGLISH Special Education Family Survey

SPANISH Special Education Family Survey

ARABIC Special Education Family Survey

CHINESE Special Education Family Survey

VIETNAMESE Special Education Family Survey

Tri-Valley SELPA Resource and Transition Fair will be going VIRTUAL

2021-02-06T16:03:00.010-08:00

Once registered, attendees will receive 12 links to pre-recorded presentations as well as an opportunity to submit questions to the speakers.

Student Depression
Birth to 5-increasing language
Puberty
Creating Structure to Optimize Your Child’s Daily Routine
Educational and Training Options After High School
Parent Wellness
Special Needs Trusts
Learning Loss
Transition to Adults Services
Elementary Homework Strategies, Support & Tips
Emergency Preparedness

On February 27th from 9:30 to 10:45, attendees will have an opportunity to attend "Virtual Q & A Sessions" with each speaker (via Zoom) to hear answers to submitted questions and also ask additional questions.

From 10:45-12:00pm there will be a "Virtual Vendor Fair" where attendees can drop-in via Zoom to meet with a variety of services providers.

A complete list of vendors as well as links to Zoom Meetings will be sent 2 weeks prior to the event.

Click Flyer for Details (Spanish)

Additional questions? Please email or call 925-519-4048.

See you at the Fair!

Care Parent Networks "Family Social Night: Celebrating Our Diversity and Black History Month"

2021-02-05T12:43:00.005-08:00

Here is the Eventbrite registration link: https://www.eventbrite.com/x/family-social-night-celebrating-our-diversity-and-black-history-month-registration-137573507063

Night to Shine Virtual Prom is Coming Soon! Register Now!

2021-02-03T14:40:00.001-08:00

VIRTUAL PROM FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECAIL NEEDS ~ REGISTER ASAP!

https://www.ntstrivalley.org/

TODAY Book Club and CAC Meeting ~ JOIN US!

2021-02-02T09:17:00.000-08:00

CAC Book Club Tuesday February 2nd at 5:45 pm - 6:45 pm: White Fragility Chapter 1~ Click for more information. Zoom Link: Meeting ID: 847 8113 5074 Passcode: 972204

CAC Meeting Tuesday February 2nd at 7:00 pm ~ Agenda

Zoom Link Meeting ID: 813 0190 5684 Passcode: 533427

The Community Advisory Committee (CAC) for Special Education will be discussing:

~ Mental Health with the Speaker Series Guest Speakers: NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)

~Dyslexia Subcommittee Begins - Come and learn more!

~Public Comment

~Announcements and Information

CAC 2020/2021 Meetings

JOIN US FOR MORE WORKSHOPS:

Parent Academy

Mt. Diablo Adult Ed. Parent Workshops

CHADD ADHD Family Support Group ~ Speaker Meeting on Your Child's Educational Rights

2021-02-01T14:46:00.005-08:00

CHADD (Children and Adults with AD/HD) of Northern California

JOIN ZOOM MEETING