Author: Carrie Jackson

PEP, II, 504, EC...what are the differences?

Personalized Education Plan (PEP)
This has to be implemented or updated by the teacher if there are concerns in the classroom
Parent needs to come in for a conference to discuss PEP interventions
If PEP interventions are unsuccessful a second meeting needs to be scheduled to discuss– please invite Carrie Jackson to attend this second PEP meeting
Instructional Interventions (II)
This involves a vision and hearing test plus two observations
Different/ more intense interventions have to be implemented with progress monitoring
A second II meeting is scheduled with the parent
If interventions are still not successful then we can refer to EC for testing
Unless testing is requested by parent, PEP must be in place before II will be considered
504
Student has to have a disability diagnosed by a doctor in order to qualify
Not qualifying for EC is not a disability
Speak with Carrie Jackson if you have questions or want to refer a student
Exceptional Children (EC)
EC is for students who have a lower rate of learning and need modified teaching not just accommodations
In order to qualify with a learning disability a student must have a 15 point discrepancy between their IQ and academic ability

How to help Difficult parents

counseling coffee corner October 30, 2014

What would you do?

Scenario– True Story
There once was a teacher who had her class read a book about gay penguins. This lesson was meant to spark a controversial discussion among students. Every year at least one parent has an issue with the story and doesn’t want their student to read and discuss this book. What would you do?
Scenario– Again another true story
A wonderful teacher gave a summative assessment and the student was seen taking the test with his notebook still out on his desk. The teacher took the test away and gave the student a zero. The parent calls the teacher very angry saying she knows her student was not cheating and just forgot to put away his notebook. What would you do?
Scenario– So true yet again
A teacher gave a student silent lunch for not returning a progress report. The parent calls the teacher upset saying the child will not be punished because it is the parent’s fault for not signing the progress report. What would you do?

counseling coffee corner October 30, 2014

Future Topics Covered
Sessoin2: Homelessness/Poverty
Session 3: Suicide and Cutting Behaviors
Session 4: Mental Health Issues in Schools

Coffee provided by
Stir It Up
on Emerald Isle

effective communication tips

Parent teacher conferences are scheduled in the front office; If you’re sending home a letter you could include for them to call the front office to schedule a conference
Always feel free to include the counselors and /or administrators in parent teacher conferences!!!
Don’t respond to attacking emails. I know we often feel we should respond to all correspondence but if you email back you’re only inviting the conversation to continue
If you feel you must respond to an email keep it short and factual
Don’t give in to parent’s irrational demands. You were trained to be a teacher and have high morals and ethics. You know you did the right thing so don’t feel you have to back down.
The more positive communication you have with a parent, the easier it is to deal with the negative situations. If a parent is hearing from you more about the good things their child is doing in class, when you have to approach the negative, they will be more receptive.
If you think the parent is going to follow up with an administrator or counselor, it’s always best to hear it from you first. Trust your instincts!
Collaborate, collaborate, COLLABORATE! Work with other staff members who either know that student well or have that student in class. They may have established a relationship with a student’s parent and could give you insight on how to handle a conversation with them. Also, there are strength in numbers - your colleagues may be able to give you ideas that you had not thought of yet.

We always welcome suggestions and comments...we are here to serve everyone at SBMS

Remember... there will always be difficult parents. Don’t take it personally!