UPDATE: NJCIE will continue its services online

March 15, 2020

Dear Friends, 

As we are experiencing tumultuous and uncertain times, NJCIE wants you to know that we are here to help. There are many nuanced considerations about how potential school closures will affect the students with disabilities we serve and what this means for all stakeholders. 

For the safety and wellbeing of our staff and those we serve, NJCIE will now provide virtual services to districts, students, and parents beginning on March 16, 2020. See below for more details on how we can continue to help our districts and our students. All in-person services will be suspended until further notice. 

NJCIE will continue to be here and support NJ’s public school districts for teacher training, school and district consultation services, individual student planning, liaising with parents, implementing accommodations and modifications, and providing positive behavioral supports. 

Let’s work together to figure out how to do what we do in a remote setting. Below are examples of ways NJCIE can provide remote support (via phone, email, Zoom, Skype, Google Hangout, etc.) to you and your districts:

  • Developing a plan for online learning that addresses the needs of students with disabilities - Are we thinking of everything? What have we missed? 

  • Schools’ responsibility under IDEA for providing FAPE in the LRE - What does this mean for online learning? 

  • The nuts and bolts of online learning - What are best practices in creating and delivering universally designed instruction for all students? 

  • Planning for learning and participation - How do students with more complex support needs access learning in this climate? 

  • Implementing accommodations and modifications in online classrooms - How do I utilize the automatic captioning feature on Google slides? What’s the deal with screen readers? 

  • Liaising with parents - Can the NJCIE staff take some of that off your plate? What are parents of students with disabilities concerned about?  

  • Hosting a virtual IEP meeting - What’s the best platform to use? 

  • Implementing positive behavioral supports - How do I support students with challenging behaviors virtually? 

  • Social-emotional considerations - What supports can a school psychologist or social worker deliver virtually? What mental health considerations should be on our radar? 

  • Others? Let us know what needs have arisen, and we’ll troubleshoot together. 

Remote Professional Development Offerings:

  • Planning and implementing effective co-teaching on or offline

  • Universal Design for Learning on or offline

  • Accommodation, modification, and general education curriculum in a virtual environment  

  • Preparing for successful students’ return to the classroom using positive behavior support 

  • The Good Behavior Game: How to Promote Pro-Social Behaviors in the Classroom

  • Classwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports

Any professional development topic that we provide in-person can be provided in a virtual environment as well. We are able to accommodate audiences of up to 100 educators at a time and provide attendance information to you. 

If you are interested in our remote services:

  • Existing clients may contact their NJCIE representative or email fredb@njcie.org.

  • New clients and parents should contact Grace Kim at grace@njcie.org. 

Please continue to stay well, calm, and healthy as we are all in this together to make it through this challenging time. We’re always here to help you and your students succeed.

Yours truly,

NJCIE

Fred Buglione