The Darien Board of Education is asking for public input on special education, and Schools Superintendent Stephen Falcone has invited the public to email the board.
The Board of Education announced a public hearing for Thursday to get public advice "about the characteristics, experience, and skills that they would like to see in an Interim Special Education Director."
The board has also asked parents to complete a brief online survey about hiring the director. The survey has five questions.
Falcone's and the board's requests for public input come after the state Department of Education found violations of state and federal laws in how the school district handled special education.
On Saturday afternoon, Board of Education Chairperson Betsy Hagerty-Ross issued the following news release (dated Friday but sent at 3:25 p.m. Saturday):
DATE: August 2, 2013
TO: Darien Times, Darien News, Darien Patch and The Daily Darien
FROM: Elizabeth A. Hagerty-Ross, Chair, Darien Board of Education
RE: PRESS RELEASE: Search for Interim Special Education Director
The Darien Board of Education has committed to gathering input from the community about the characteristics, experience, and skills that they would like to see in an Interim Special Education Director.
The community is invited to attend a Public Hearing on Thursday, August 8, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Auditorium (located at 2 Renshaw Rd).
If you are unable to attend the Public Hearing or would prefer to provide written input, please visit the Darien Public Schools’ website www.darienps.org and complete a brief survey. Survey results must be submitted by August 12, 2013.
Thank you for taking the time to help The Board of Education in this important process.
Falcone's Message
Falcone on Friday sent the following message to parents on the Darien Public Schools' email alert list, suggesting that anyone with comments and suggestions about special education send them to the board at boe@darienps.org:
At its meeting on July 30, 2013, the Darien Board of Education unanimously approved the motion that is linked below. [Darien Patch on Wednesday published the motion (the text is under the heading "Resolution Adopted by the Board").]
I urge you to read the motion and note in #5 the Board’s desire to solicit parent and staff feedback regarding “procedures to address parent concerns over the potentially adverse impact of incorrect training materials and/or IEP changes on the education of their children.”
You can send your comments and suggestions to boe@darienps.org. Thank you for your attention.
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