COMMITTEE MEMBERS

  • Kate Ashbrook

  • Bethany Baker

  • Kim Cates

  • Amanda Hoffman

  • Kathy Gillaspy — Chair

  • Sundeep Hora

  • Carrie Redden

  • Lindsay Scanlon

  • Aimee Urquhart

  • Executive Director of Special Services - Rebecca Sharp

  • FCCPS Staff - Kate Mahr

  • School Board Liaison - Kathleen Tysse

  • Student Representative - Delia Paradiso

Resources

SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE

PURPOSE:

  • To advise the School Board, through the Superintendent, of needs in the education of students with disabilities and to also identify programs that are working well and that should be continued and/or enhanced;

  • To assist in the formulation and development of long-range plans, which will provide services, needed for students with disabilities in the Falls Church community;

  • To participate in the development of priorities and strategies for meeting the identified needs of students with disabilities;

  • To submit periodic reports and recommendations regarding the education of students with disabilities through the Superintendent to the School Board;

  • To assist the School Board in interpreting to the community the plans for meeting the needs of students with disabilities for educational services; and

  • To review annually the Falls Church special education plan and the application for federal funding prior to the presentation to the School Board for approval for submission to the Department of Education.

Authority: School Board Policy 5.12 (I-6)

Appoint. Month: May & June
Term: July 1 - June 30 for three years
Composition: Nine parents/community members and one teacher.
Meetings: 1st Monday - 6:30 p.m., Various locations

How to Attend a Meeting:

Members of the community are always welcome to attend our committee meetings as scheduled per the school calendar.  See Flyer with dates and locations.

How to Submit Public Comments:

The FCCPS SpEAC welcomes public comment and attendance at our meetings.  Members of the public are welcome to submit requests for live public comment or written comments to Executive Director of Special Education & Student Services, Rebecca Sharp (rsharp@fccps.org) by 6:30 pm the evening of the meeting. Public comments are limited to a total of 15 minutes, with individuals being allowed 3 minutes to speak. This time may not be shared or given to another person. Please remember public comments are for global system comments or issues. If you have individual student issues, those should be shared with the Special Education Administrator and/or the Principal of your student(s) school.

How to Apply to the Committee:

Please fill out the application at the following link FCCPS Advisory Committee Application. Upon submitting the application, you will be contacted.

Committee terms are from July 1-June 30 for three years. Please contact Kathleen Tysse, FCCPS School Board Member (ktysse@fccps.org) and/or Executive Director of Special Education & Student Services, Rebecca Sharp (rsharp@fccps.org), for more information.  The FCCPS School Board appoints all members.