Community Advisory Committee for Special Education Meeting

Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

Location: Adult Transition Program, 3132 E. Fairmont Ave., Fresno, CA 93726

MINUTES

Welcome (Chair Wong) – 6:06 pm

CAC stands for the Community Advisory Committee for Special Education, a volunteer group composed predominantly of parents of children with special needs who attend school within the Fresno Unified School District.  CAC is a group of parents, school personnel, and other community members who work together to ensure that children with special needs receive the best education available.  CAC meets once a month to identify the needs of students with special needs in our district and advises the district on issues relating to special education.  CAC works to provide information to parents and also listens to parents’ concerns.  CAC’s ultimate purpose is to participate in a partnership with the school district that enhances the education of each child with special needs.  Fresno Unified is required by law to have a CAC.

CAC Respect Agreement:

·       Recognize and respect differences of perspective and style of the CAC among members, staff, students, parents/guardians and the community.

·       Act with dignity and understand the implications of demeanor and behavior.

·       When speaking of your concerns, please do not use your student’s name or the school location.  Please respect the confidentiality and needs of your student.

Introduce FUSD administration in attendance.

Roll Call (Vice-Chair Aoki)

11 members were present; quorum was met.

Agenda Approval (Chair Wong)

Motion to accept: 1^st Cathye E., 2^nd Patricia C. – 11 Yeas/0 Nays

Previous Month’s Minutes – December 10, 2024 (Chair Wong)

Motion to accept: 1^st Cara F., 2^nd Amy A. – 11 Yeas/0 Nays

Membership (Vice-Chair Aoki)

Applicants: Jen Anooshian, Gloria Bernabe, Elizabeth Cabral, Leticia Cervantes, Ofelia Jardon, Cielo Hernandez, Esmeralda Trejo, Mayeli Uribe, Steven Vasquez

Jen Anooshian, Gloria Bernabe, and Steven Vasquez were present and voted in.

Old Business/New Business (Chair Wong)

Designated Instructional Services (presented by Cathye Estes, OIS)

Cathye Estes is an Orthopedic Impairment Specialist (OIS).  Her job is to ensure that her students have equal access within the educational community.  She has been teaching for 30 years from TK through college, high school being her favorite.  She gave many examples of the ways she helps her students from adaptive PE to working with kids at lunch to enabling them to get necessary equipment at school (both through the school system and other government agencies like CCS).  She encourages parents to think about what their children may need throughout the day (i.e. ability to reach the locker, which hand to use in photography class, etc.).  She has also helped in the LA fire crisis by advising parents on how to help their autistic children cope with moving into hotels.

Parent - How do I get my child into ABA?

Depends on the student, but usually with a referral through CVRC using insurance.  Provider may be able to collaborate with the school site.  A great resource is Diagnostic Center.

Educational Partners Forum

Steven V. – Would like information on how to get after school programs if school is not on the list of community schools.

Online – Child in co-teach TK/K now enrolled in GE K.  Who to speak to about funding/continuing the program?

Parent – Looking for resources for after leaving high school for a senior not on track to graduate.  IEP is coming up and will be addressed.  Trying to find workshops not education-related.

Julie W. – Best Buddies helps with work/skill training.  They are having a walk at BHS this spring and will have lots of resources there.

Julie W. – Update for the Special Olympics Schools Partnership Program 2024-25 Competition Schedule: Schools Basketball Level 4 & Skills at Bullard will be on January 31.

Steven V. – 2 more students were added to his son’s Kindergarten class, but no extra support.  There is no sink nor bathroom in the classroom.  The principal has been contacted and sent a request.  Who does he follow up with?

Parent – Does RSP count as special needs?

Patricia C. – Yes.

Parent – How do you go about getting enrolled in CVRC?

Patricia C. – Carmen T. is available to talk after the meeting.

Jen D. (online) – Thank you for sharing EPU information on the CAC Facebook page.

Announcements

Next Upcoming CAC Meeting: February 11, 2025.  This meeting will be in Spanish with headphones for English and Hmong translation.  If using child care services during the CAC meeting, please make sure to submit the Child Care Survey on the CAC website so that we have enough caregivers on site.

Closing & Adjournment (Chair Wong) – 7:19 p.m.