At Your Service! Your Student Services Newsletter
Redefining Student Services:
Psychological Services, School Social Work,
Health Services, FACE IT, School Counseling,
Prevention, Section 504,
Triage & Training and Crisis Response
Edition
October, 2015
FACE IT = 588-6130
Lisa Savo, Manager
Health Services = 588-6320
Sara O’Toole, Managing Officer
Anita Bacchi, Administrative Assistant
Prevention Office = 588-6130
Paula Mohl, Administrative Assistant
Psychological Services = 588-6054
Phoenicia Wright, Managing Officer
Carolyn Halliday, Administrative Assistant
October is Red Ribbon Month
Since its beginning in 1985, the Red Ribbon has touched the
lives of millions of people around the world. In response to
the murder of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena, angered
parents and youth in communities across the country began
wearing Red Ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to
raise awareness of the killing and destruction caused by
drugs in America. In 1988, NFP sponsored the first National
Red Ribbon Celebration. Today, the Red Ribbon serves as a
catalyst to mobilize communities to educate youth and
encourage participation in drug prevention activities. For
ideas on how you can participate at your school visit this
website:
http://www.redribbon.org/activities/Educators/index.html
School Counseling = 588-6053
Andrew Weatherill, K-12 Guidance Specialist
Lawanda Gilman, Administrative Assistant
School Social Work = 588-6355
Tari Connell, Managing Officer
Carole Stucki, Administrative Assistant
Section 504 = 588-6296
Sarah Douglas, Coordinator
Wear Purple October 1st for
Domestic Violence Awareness
At Your Service! Your Student Services Newsletter
“Why September Matters: Improving Student Attendance”
When do you know that a student is missing too much school? Based on new
research from the Baltimore Education Research Consortium, it is possible to
know as soon as you look at September attendance data. Absenteeism in the
first month of school predicts poor attendance patterns throughout the year
and provides an early warning sign that educators need to intervene and put
students back on track, according to researcher Linda S. Olson.
Olson examined attendance in the Baltimore City Public Schools for prekindergarten through 12th grade students in September and throughout
the rest of the 2012-13 school year. She wrote a journal article titled, “Why
September Matters: Improving Student Attendance”. In the article, she reports
that her research analyses predicted chronic absence for the year by the
student’s September attendance, controlling for student demographic
characteristics, service receipt, and attendance the previous school year (20112012). Students who missed 2 or more days in September were significantly
more likely to be chronically absent for the year. In fact,
 Students who missed 2 to 4 days in September were 5 times more
likely to be chronically absent than students who were absent fewer
than 2 days
 Students who missed more than 4 days were over 16 times as likely to
be chronically absent than students who were absent fewer than 2
days
These results suggest that schools need to pay attention to student attendance
from the earliest days in September, and intervene to get students back on
track quickly.
View the entire brief at http://baltimore-berc.org/wpcontent/uploads/2014/08/SeptemberAttendanceBriefJuly2014.pdf
At Your Service! Your Student Services Newsletter
Why Student Attendance Matters!
In a new national study by Attendance Works, researchers found that students who
reported missing 3 or more days of school in the month before they took the
National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) had lower average scores in
reading and math than students with fewer absences.
In 4th grade, the absentee students scored an average 12 points lower on the reading
assessment than those with no absences, more than a full grade level on the NAEP
achievement scale. In 8th grade, absentee students scored an average of 18 points
lower on the math assessment. Montana and New Mexico had worst absenteeism
rates at the 4th-grade level with 25% or more of students reporting that they missed
3 or more days of school before the assessment. At the 8th grade, these two states
are joined by Arizona, Oklahoma, Oregon and Wyoming.
Some of the other effects of absenteeism reported by recent studies include:
Negative effects on socio-emotional skills, grit, and perseverance.
A California study that tracked 10,740 students in the Early Childhood Longitudinal
Study found that chronic absence is associated with a lack of certain social skills
including the ability to pay attention, work independently, adapt to change, persist
in tasks and eagerness to learn.
Effects of absenteeism on literacy skills starts before kindergarten.
Chronically absent 4-year-old students had weaker kindergarten readiness scores,
including letter recognition and pre-literacy scores. This was especially pronounced
for those children entering pre-school with the weakest skills.
“Why September Matters: Improving Student Attendance,” by Linda S. Olson,
policy brief, Baltimore Education Research Consortium, July 2014.
“Absences Add Up: How School Attendance Influences Student Success,” by Alan
Ginsburg, Phyllis Jordan and Hedy Chang, Attendance Works, August 2014.
At Your Service! Your Student Services Newsletter
Belle of the Ball to Give Free Homecoming Dresses and
Accessories to In-Need High School Girls
Belle of the Ball Project will provide Homecoming dresses and accessories to
in-need, low-income high school girls on three more Saturdays this fall. The
dates are September 26, October 10, and October 24, 2015 at its new boutique
location, 1210 Holt Avenue, Clearwater. The hours are 10am to 2 pm. The
charity is no longer located in the Seminole Mall. Over 50 girls from Pinellas,
Hillsborough, Polk and Citrus counties received dresses on the first date,
September 12.
Dresses are available to all greater Tampa Bay area in-need, high school girls
only. We respect the honor system. No referral letter is necessary. No
appointment needed. A $1 to $5 donation is requested but not necessary. The
dresses are for low-income, in-need, high school girls attending high school
dances only.
Donations of dresses and accessories can also be made at the distribution
dates/times listed above. For other convenient year-round donation sites and
more information about Belle of the Ball Project, call 727-386-4502 or visit our
web site: www.belleoftheballproject.com or Facebook at Belle of the Ball.
Belle of the Ball`s mission statement is: “No girl should be denied the
opportunity to attend her high school dance because of financial difficulty." Since
2003, almost 4,300 dresses have been given to needy girls in 11 area counties.
Here is a TV article:
http://www.wtsp.com/video/2310552492001/53147622001/Making-aDifference-Bell-of-the-Ball
At Your Service! Your Student Services Newsletter
STRIVE
GROW
THRIVE
Psychological Services
Changes to 60-Day Timeline
As of July 1st, 2015 the rule pertaining to 60-Day Timeline changed. The change states that
consents for initial evaluations received by schools after July 1st 2015 will follow the timeline
outlined below:
 Initial evaluations will be completed in 60 calendar days (previously 60 School Days)
 Absences do not extend timeline until a student has missed 9 days during the evaluation period
Calendar days that are not counted toward the 60-calendar day requirement:
 All school holidays and Thanksgiving (M-f), winter and spring breaks (M-F)
 Summer vacation period beginning after the last day of school for students and ending the first day of
school for students
Exclusions to the rule:
 Parents refused
 Student moves out of the district
 Mutual agreement to extend timeline (SLD only)
 Evaluation if for Gifted only
 Evaluation for HH eligibility only
 Consent obtained in another district before entering Pinellas
 Evaluation not completed before student left the district
 Reevaluation
If, for any reason, an evaluation does exceed the timeline, the principal needs to notify the parent by mail of
the reason that the evaluation will not be completed within the required timeline using the 60-Day Timeline
Notice (PCS Form 2-3063). A copy of this letter should be submitted to the Managing Officer of Psychological
Services.
2015 Summer Evaluation Update
Summer testing results have either made their way to your school or are en route. Our goal is to
complete the appropriate evaluations based on the information submitted. We make several
attempts (phone calls, emails and letters) to see as many students as possible. The typical reason
that a student is not tested is because the student is unavailable during the summer. Here are the
results from our work this summer:


867 folders were submitted for summer testing
 808 of those folders were specifically for gifted testing (93%)
 Leaving 59 folders for various other evaluations
Of the 867 folders submitted, 740 were completed (85%)
 701 of the 740 completed cases were gifted evaluations
 39 of the 740 completed cases were for other evaluations
Psychological Services staff have already started to complete evaluations that were leftover from
the summer.
At Your Service! Your Student Services Newsletter
Facts About Sickle Cell Disease
Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a devastating and painful condition that affects both children and
adults. SCD is an inherited blood disorder that affects the shape and longevity of a person’s red
blood cells. Sometimes, these blood cells become stiff and sickle-shaped (crescent shaped) instead
of soft and round. These sickle-shaped cells have difficulty passing through small blood vessels.
When sickle-shaped cells block small vessels, less blood can reach that part of the body. Tissue
that does not receive normal blood flow eventually becomes damaged. This is what causes the
complications of sickle cell disease.
Sickle cells are rapidly destroyed in the body of people with the disease, leading to anemia,
jaundice (yellowing of the skin), and the formation of gallstones. It also causes episodes of pain in
the limbs and chest, organ damage, and can cause a stroke. There is currently no universal cure
for Sickle Cell Disease. People with SCD must undergo blood transfusions throughout their lifetime
to boost the amount of “normal” red blood cells. Patients must also be treated for complications
with antibiotics, pain management, IV fluids, and sometimes surgery.
SCD is a global health problem, and in the United States over 70,000 people are afflicted. In the
2014-2015 school year, Pinellas County reported almost 100 children throughout the county with
SCD. People with SCD can live a full and productive life, but need a strong extended support
system! For more information on Sickle Cell Disease, visit the Sickle Cell Disease Association of
America at www.sicklecelldisease.org
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign to increase awareness of the
disease. While most people are aware of breast cancer, many forget to take the steps to have a
plan to detect the disease in its early stages and encourage others to do the same! One in eight
women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women, and is the second leading cause of
death among women. Each year, it is estimated that over 220,000 women in the United States will
be diagnosed with breast cancer, and more the 40,000 will die from the disease. Although breast
cancer in men is rare, an estimated 2,150 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and
approximately 410 will die each year.
Some risk factors for breast cancer – like smoking – are controllable. Some other cancer risk
factors – like genetics – are not! Breast self-exams, clinical breast exams, and mammograms are
excellent ways to find any breast changes early, and leading a healthy lifestyle can help reduce risk
factors for breast cancer and other illness. To learn more about breast cancer, visit the American
Cancer Society at www.cancer.org or the National Breast Cancer Foundation at:
www.nationalbreastcancer.org
At Your Service! Your Student Services Newsletter
Prevention Department Events:
Walk like MADD 5K Dash
On November 21st, the Walk Like MADD will take place in Largo Central Park from 8:30
am until noon. There will be a 5K trail run, a 1-mile walk and many activities to honor
DUI crash victims and their families. A kids zone and food court will also be available.
Student Volunteer hours are also available.
Registration and information: www.Walklikemadd.org/pinellas
Prevention Office Training:
Power of Parents workshop can be presented to PTAs or Booster clubs, or at
health/safety fairs. The Power of Parents workshop is a 15- or 30-minute presentation
with a handbook that equips parents with tips and tools to have potentially life-saving
conversations with their kids about alcohol. For more information or to schedule The
Power of Parents workshop at your school, please contact:
Ginger Brengle at (813) 935-2676 x7286 or [email protected]
Peer Mediation - Train the Trainer
Participants will be able to set up a Peer Mediation Program at their school and
teach students to become peer mediators to resolve conflicts. Selected students
will be trained peer mediators with the goal of resolving conflicts among peers.
Participants will gain skills to educate peer mediators on the definition of conflict,
and how to handle conflict in a peaceful non-violent way. For more information,
please contact:
Lisa Savo at [email protected]
At Your Service! Your Student Services Newsletter
SOCIAL WORK
As the transition to True North Logic is finally in effect, please be aware that the Child
Study Team course is now up. Please follow these steps to enroll:
Search Course-Register-Next
View all the topics
Complete the survey
Send an email to [email protected] so she can give you credit.
Section 504 Compliance Tips & FAQs
Accommodation Plans
 Accommodations should be supported by data as being necessary to offset the effects of the
student’s disability.
o Remember – data should always drive decision-making. If the team is unsure of whether or not an
accommodation is warranted, take it under consideration, collect data from varied sources and
reconvene via 504 Review. Do not feel ‘pressured’ to add an accommodation the team is not sure is
necessary to level the playing field for the student.
 Accommodations should be specific – remember the ‘stranger’ test. This means everyone
responsible for implementation will interpret & deliver the accommodation in the same way.
 Accommodations cannot be ‘predictive’ – e.g. in 8th grade, cannot write accommodations based
on what student may need in high school. Can only base accommodations on current data in the
current setting.
 Do not add accommodations for ‘standardized testing’. If a child requires an accommodation for
testing, it should be demonstrated through data that the student requires that accommodation all
the time.
o To provide an accommodation only during standardized testing (FSA, FCAT, etc.) may be providing a
student an unfair advantage rather than leveling the playing field. If, as a committee, you can
determine what quality makes a standardized test different from a classroom test, you can
accommodate that factor.
 Ensure copies of the plan have been provided to everyone responsible for implementation
including substitute teachers, in-school suspension teachers, etc.
 Ensure school personnel have received 504 training. A one-hour training has been provided to
assist with this requirement on 504 eLearning.
At Your Service! Your Student Services Newsletter
Identification and Eligibility Decisions:
 A common misconception is that a medical or clinical diagnosis is needed to establish eligibility
under Section 504. Although a medical or clinical diagnosis can be one source of data to consider,
a medical diagnosis is neither required, nor sufficient for establishing eligibility under Section 504.
 Section 504 evaluations follow the 60-day timeline. See 504 eLearning for 60-Day Timeline Charts.
 Section 504 decisions are always made by committee.
Section 504 Training Opportunities:
504 Coordinator Trainings
 Dates:
September 24th, October 1st, October 15th
 Time:
4:30-7:30 pm
 Enroll via Professional Learning Network
Section 504 Online Course – Earn ESE Certification Points
The Section 504 online introductory course is a 10-module, self-paced study that provides an
overview of Section 504 with current guidance from the Office for Civil Rights. Participants
completing this course will be awarded three (3) in-service points that may be used toward partial
completion of the 20 in-service points teaching students with disabilities that is required for
recertification.
For more information, see Student Support Services Project: Section 504 Online Introductory Course
Send certificate of completion to [email protected]