The WW-P Special Education Parent Teacher Students Association (SEPTSA), formed in 2011 as a result of a critical review of the district’s special education program, has successfully undergone its first major transition. Cindy Alvarez, the organization’s founding president, has turned over the post to Kathleen Moriarity, above.
In recognition of the many achievements made by students with disabilities, SEPTSA is accepting applications for a $300 scholarship to graduating seniors and students up to age 21 who are transitioning to adult programs. Applicants should write an essay detailing how the special education services that the student received impacted their learning experience. The application deadline is Friday, May 17. Visit wwpseptsa.org.
SEPTSA is also accepting nominations for next year’s board and committee positions. Volunteers can help SEPTSA with future programs, such as providing special needs students opportunities to socialize while involved in creative play, such as its Lego Buddies sessions, where students work with donated Lego sets; and basic website design where they can work in parallel to share programming skills.
Moriarity, who graduated from the University of Tennessee with a bachelor’s in business administration and earned an MBA from Sacred Heart University in Connecticut, worked for many years in insurance risk management. She and her husband, Keith Zullow, moved to West Windsor in 2008 from Westchester, New York, “because with four growing kids, we needed a larger house than we could afford in Westchester. And of course we needed to be within commuting distance from New York, where my husband works as an attorney.”
They have four children, in seventh, fifth, third, and first grades. Her son Herman, a seventh-grader at Grover Middle School, was diagnosed with pediatric auto-immune neuro-psychological disorder, which is associated with the strep virus.
“I became involved with SEPTSA through Cindy,” says Moriarity. “Cindy provided invaluable information about how to navigate special services in the district. When Cindy had to step down as president, I decided to take her place. I wanted to be able to help other people the way Cindy helped me.”
Says Moriarity: “SEPTSA’s mission is to build strong partnerships between district staff and families, so that children receiving special education services and accommodations, or need support of any kind will be better understood, integrated, and embraced by our school and community.” SEPTSA is not just for parents of special needs children. Members can include parents and students of both classified and non-classified [according to state and federal definitions] students.
“We do have members whose children need no accommodations,” says Moriarity. “This can be challenging, as this can mean interests may conflict initially, but our meetings are only as strong as the people who attend them. The more people who attend our meetings, the richer and more reflective the discussions. We have many non-members who attend our meetings.
“Administration staff also attend our meetings, so that when different issues are raised, the district can also have a better understanding of the questions parents may have. In addition, parents can sometimes receive immediate answers to their questions.”
“SEPTSA is encouraged to have the district agree to implement many of the special services review’s recommendations in the next three to five years, and by the district’s increased willingness to work with families of special needs students,” says Moriarity. But, she adds, “over the years, some parents have faced challenges when requesting aid from the district in the identification and treatment of skill deficits. They often found that they were directed to file complaints, or to follow a due process proceeding through an administrative law judge.
“Families of special needs students want to work with the district to address the academic and/or social skills deficit that is impeding the learning process for the student, because the earlier that identification and treatment of learning deficits, the better, for both the student and the district,” says Moriarity.
“Some families end up looking elsewhere for solutions, such as Brian Meersma [featured in the March 15 issue of the WW-P News], whose dyslexia did not qualify him for special services under state and federal legal definitions. SEPTSA lauds his accomplishments, both inspired by and in despite of his disability.
Says Moriarity: “I plan to be active with SEPTSA although I may not be president next year. It is very beneficial to both the district and to families to have this organization, that fosters communication between the two parties, and I want to make sure it succeeds.”
