Resources

South Orange – Maplewood/Local

South Orange-Maplewood School District Communications
To receive communications from the district, please register on the district’s website:
http://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/Page/1
Once signed onto the site, click the “Access Info” link in the upper right corner of the homepage to manage your profile info, in-district school connection(s), and which district communications you would like to receive.  Families of special needs children can confirm they are registered to receive special education communications, too.

Board of Education Communications
Sign up to receive Board of Education notifications and agendas about five days before each BoE meeting:
http://nj.somsd.schoolboard.net/board
A second email is sent two or three days prior to each meeting with pdf attachments of the documents to be discussed and acted upon at the meeting.

SOMSD’s Let’s Talk!
http://www.k12insight.com/Lets-Talk/embed.aspx?k=WR3B1ZLT
Welcome to Let’s Talk!, where SOMSD is always listening to the issues that matter most to you. Let’s Talk! helps us build trust and open the lines of communication between parents, staff, students and our community. We want to make it easy for you to reach us at your convenience — anytime, anywhere.

PowerSchool Parent Portal
PowerSchool is a secure web-based student management system designed to strengthen communication between the school and home by providing parents and guardians of middle and high school students real-time access to their child’s attendance records and academic progress on line.  PowerSchool’s Parent Portal provides parents and guardians confidential access to this information through their own PowerSchool Parent Portal account.
http://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/Page/3980

South Orange Maplewood School District (SOMSD)
http://www.somsd.k12.nj.us

SOMSD Department of Special Education
http://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/Domain/32

A Guide to the Special Education Process, updated December 2015
 SOMSD Guide to Special Education Process

The Parenting Center
http://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/page/403
The Parenting Center serves elementary school families in the South Orange Maplewood School District. The Center’s goal is to be a dynamic resource in our community addressing children’s needs and parent’s concerns.  Its aim is to provide parents with a full range of supports as they help their children grow and develop. Participation is voluntary, free and on an “as needed” basis.

Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC)
http://somsepac.org
SEPAC stands for Special Education Parent Advisory Committee. Special Education Parent Advisory Groups are required for all school districts in New Jersey. The purpose of these groups is to provide opportunities for parents and community members to offer input to their district’s special education programs. Anyone with student or students with learning needs or anyone with a student or students eligible for or receiving services under an IEP or 504 plan is welcome to attend.

Maplewood Township Department of Recreation
http://www.twp.maplewood.nj.us/index.aspx?nid=147
The mission of the Maplewood Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs is to provide entertaining, safe, and varied recreational programs and services to the township’s diverse population in a cost-effective and progressive manner. We constantly strive to review, improve, and expand our programs and services to keep pace with the changes and needs of the entire community.

South Orange Department of Recreation and Cultural Affairs – The Baird
http://southorange.org/thebaird/
The Baird is both a recreational hub as well as an arts destination for the whole family. This spacious 100 year old Tudor-esque building set in Meadowland Park houses the Administrative offices for the department, the Pierro Gallery of South Orange, The Theater on 3, the Main Room, the Side Room, the Loft Space, Arts Room, Baird Pre-School, Kinderenrichment and Senior Services Unit offices. Most programs presented by The Baird are held in this facility or in the surrounding park.

After School Program at Horizon High School in Livingston
The After School program at Horizon High School serves children ages 3-21 (participants do not need to be enrolled in Horizon High School). We focus on helping students complete any school assignments and also offer age appropriate opportunities for socializing and learning.  Horizon High School, 71 Okner Pkwy, Livingston, NJ 07039
Horizon After School Care

New Jersey

The State of New Jersey Department of Special Education
http://www.state.nj.us/education/specialed/

Parental Rights in Special Education
Booklet (a PDF file) from the NJ Department of Education, Special Education
http://www.state.nj.us/education/specialed/form/prise/prise.pdf
     Spanish: http://www.state.nj.us/education/specialed/form/prise/prise_s.pdf

The Statewide Parents Advocacy Network
http://www.Spannj.org
SPAN offers families, professionals, policy makers, and our parent center colleagues information, resources, support, and advocacy assistance addressing:  effective parent involvement, child care, general and special education, dropout and bullying prevention, child welfare, health care, mental health, youth leadership, transition to adult life, incarcerated youth, military family support, violence prevention & more.

Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD)
http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/ddd/home/
Proides services to qualified individuals with disabilities, such as Medicaid, family support and respite (care-taking) resources and trainings

New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities (DDD)
https://www.njcdd.org
The DDD provides public funding for services and supports that assist adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities age 21 and older to live as independently as possible. Planning for Adult Life is a Division-funded information and resource initiative for middle and high school-age youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, to assist them in preparing for the transition to adulthood.

Education Law Center (ELC)
http://www.edlawcenter.org/ELCPublic/StudentRights/SpecialEducation.htm
The ELC serves as advocates for equal educational opportunity and education justice in the United States. The ELC promotes educational equity through coalition building, litigation support, policy development, communications, and action-focused research in New Jersey, in other states, and at the federal level.

The ARC of Essex County
http://arcessex.org/
The Arc of Essex County provides comprehensive services and supports to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, from birth through adulthood.

The New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Education
http://njcie.net/
NJCIE supports families and schools in the quest to create neighborhood schools where children with disabilities and learning differences are welcomed as classmates, valued as learners and empowered to succeed.

Aspen – Aspergers Syndrome Education Network
http://aspennj.org
ASPEN provides families and individuals whose lives are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders (Asperger Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder-NOS, High Functioning Autism), and Nonverbal Learning Disabilities.

Autism New Jersey
http://www.autismnj.org/
Autism New Jersey is the largest statewide network of parents and professionals dedicated to improving lives of individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

National

Understood
15 nonprofit organizations who have joined forces to support parents. Understood.org offers state-of-the-art technology, personalized resources, free daily access to experts, a secure online community, practical tips and more.
https://www.understood.org/en

National Center for Learning Disabilities
http://www.ncld.org
The mission of NCLD is to improve the lives of children and adults nationwide with learning and attention issues—by empowering parents and young adults, transforming schools and advocating for equal rights and opportunities.

Wrightslaw
http://www.wrightslaw.com
Parents, educators, advocates, and attorneys come to Wrightslaw for accurate, reliable information about special education law, education law, and advocacy for children with disabilities.

Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
http://www.cec.sped.org
The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) advocates for appropriate governmental policies, sets professional standards, provides professional development, advocates for individuals with exceptionalities, and helps professionals obtain conditions and resources necessary for effective professional practice.

Asperger Experts
http://www.aspergerexperts.com
Created by Danny Raede & Hayden Mears, both diagnosed with Asperger’s themselves, Asperger Experts is designed to show you how to best assist people with Asperger’s to achieve their highest potential in life.

2e Newsletter
http://www.2enewsletter.com/index.html
It’s short for twice-exceptional, a term often used to describe kids who are exceptional because they’re gifted and because they have learning disabilities, learning disorders, attention difficulties, or just plain learning differences.

SENG
http://sengifted.org
SENG’s mission is to empower families and communities to guide
gifted and talented individuals to reach their goals: intellectually,
physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually.