27 July

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New to New Jersey?

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By Theresa Sullivan, B.S, A.A.S., and Nicole L. Crincoli, Esq. Welcome to the Garden State! Our lovely state features 130 miles of coastline, natural, suburban, and city-regions, and, according to U.S. News & World Report, the best schools in the country. If your child is transferring into the state with an IEP, you may be anxious to learn about the process of sharing that IEP with your new district. Just because a child moves does not mean that their needs have changed. So, what does that mean for their program? The first thing to know is that all states and public schools...

01 July

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Is your IEP “in place” for September?

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in Special Education, Special Needs

By Theresa Sullivan, B.S., A.A.S Many children with IEPs struggle when trying to adjust to the changes a new school year brings. A common complaint among parents of children with IEPs is that there is a delay on the part of the school staff to have the agreed-upon program and services actually functioning at the start of the school year. While it’s understandable for everyone involved to need a moment to adjust to new staff, new policies, and a new environment, not having the program and services operational at the start of the school year may be costing your child valuable...

04 June

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Moving Out of State? Don’t Forget to Transfer Guardianship

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in Guardianship

By Theresa Sullivan, B.S, A.A.S. With so many people relocating, it’s important to understand the process of transferring guardianship rights to another state. A guardianship judgment obtained in the State of New Jersey establishes your right to act as guardian in New Jersey, but it will not be honored in another state. Likewise, guardianships obtained in another state will not preserve your right to act as guardian in the State of New Jersey. Transferring of guardianship is an important legal step that must be done to protect the incapacitated person in the new state. Transferring a guardianship is a two-step process that...

25 May

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Controlling the Uncontrollable: Helping Children with Tourette Syndrome Thrive

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in Special Education, Special Needs

By Theresa Sullivan, B.S, A.A.S. Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurological disorder characterized by sudden, repetitive, rapid, and unwanted movements or vocal sounds called tics. Symptoms are usually present in childhood, between the ages of 5 and 10 years, and peak during the teenage years. Tics are often aggravated by anxiety. This, and the fact that Tic Disorders are often co-existing with other conditions, may warrant special considerations in the learning environment. According to the NJ Center for Tourette Syndrome (NJCTS), all students with TS need a tolerant and compassionate setting that both encourages them to work to their full potential and is...

30 April

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Hearing, Speech & Language Impairment – Getting Help for the Struggling Child

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in Special Education, Special Needs

By Theresa Sullivan, B.S, A.A.S May is “Better Hearing and Speech Month,” and we at SGW know how fundamental speech and hearing functioning are to a student’s ability to learn. Public schools are required to provide a wide range of supports, services, and even equipment to students who present with a qualifying impairment. Each student is unique and, far too often, students go without the support necessary for them to progress commensurate with their potential. When a child is struggling in school, he or she must be evaluated for possible speech, language, and auditory impairments. Children may express wants and needs verbally;...

18 March

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You can make Summer Camp a part of your Child’s IEP Program

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in Special Education

By Theresa Sullivan, B.S, A.A.S. Because of Covid-19 restrictions, many of our students have spent the last 12 months indoors, looking at computer screens and trying to cope with distance learning - and unfortunately, regressing. Now that the weather is finally starting to break, we want you to be aware that Summer 2021 may be a prime opportunity for your child to reclaim their trajectory and get back on the path to progress. When a student is at risk for regression or requires additional time to recoup skills, that child is entitled to extended school year programming (“ESY”). If extended school year services are required in order...

01 March

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Promoting Independence and Inclusion

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in Special Education, Special Needs

In 1987 President Ronald Reagan proclaimed March to be observed as “Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.” This milestone proclamation called upon Americans to provide the “encouragement and opportunities” necessary for people with developmental disabilities to reach their full potential. Developmental disabilities are a group of conditions due to an impairment in physical, learning, language, or behavior areas. About one in six children in the U.S. have one or more developmental disabilities or other developmental delays. In general, the functional criteria of a developmental disability are that the person has a chronic physical and/or intellectual disability that: Manifests in the developmental years, before age...

02 February

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Anxiety’s Spiking: Here’s How to Help Our Students

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in Special Education, Special Needs

BY GUEST BLOGGER: HOWARD MARGOLIS COVID-19 has caused untold numbers of America’s students (and family members, teachers, and school support staff) to suffer mild to severe anxiety. Some will be helped by the passage of time and new coping skills. Some won’t. For those who won’t, especially those who suffer from severe anxiety, who intensely fear the future, it’s a crisis. It’s also a crisis for their families, their teachers, and America writ large. Choices: When faced with problems of this magnitude, we have choices. We can groan, pity ourselves, and fall prey to our fears. We can lament that, “The pandemic’s horrible....

01 February

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Emotional Disabilities: 504 and IDEA Eligibility Determination

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in IDEIA, Special Education

By Mariann Crincoli, Esq. Do you have a child with emotional issues who struggles or refuses to go to school, or who is unable to complete homework despite having the cognitive ability to do so? If the answer is yes, your child may have an emotional disability that may entitle her to either accommodations under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or an Individualized Educational Plan(IEP) under the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act. 504 Plans To be eligible for a 504 Plan, a person must have a physical or mental impairment (ie. anxiety, depression, etc.) that substantially impacts one or...

01 January

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Thank you, Covid19—now my child has anxiety! What’s next?

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in Special Education

By Mariann Crincoli, Esq. Pandemics can be stressful and COVID19 has proved no different. Fear and anxiety about the disease, feelings of isolation and loneliness, social distancing, drastic changes in lifestyle, socialization, and learning platforms can be overwhelming and can generate strong emotions, especially in children. While anxiety may not always look the same or feel the same for every child, the stress associated with anxiety during a pandemic can include: • exacerbated fears or worries about one’s own health and the health of loved ones • changes in sleeping or eating habits • less opportunity for activity and exercise • difficulty concentrating • increased negative...

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