Arlington Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) News

9/26/2025 6:02 am

SEPAC Newsletter: September 18, 2025

News, events, and resources for Arlington parents and caregivers supporting students who learn differently.

What is SEPAC? Arlington’s Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) is a volunteer parent group that acts as a resource for parents and caregivers and advises the district and the School Committee regarding meeting the needs of students with disabilities in Arlington. Each school district in the state is required to have a SEPAC.
 

 

*NEXT TUESDAY, 9/30: Meet and Greet with APS Special Education Staff and Parents/Caregivers, 8:45am – 9:30am

Arlington SEPAC, together with the APS Special Education staff invite you to join us for a casual gathering — enjoy coffee and conversation, an overview of “who to go to for what” within APS, an introduction to SEPAC, and time for Q&A. (Directions at the bottom of this email).
 

Join Us for the 1st Monthly SEPAC Meeting, October 14th

WHEN: Tuesday, October 14th, 7:30-8:30pm (Zoom)

Our first monthly meeting will be Tuesday, October 14th. Please join us to learn about SEPAC and its role in the community, how it complements and works with other parent support groups (e.g. Facebook’s Arlington Special Ed Alliance), and our priorities for the upcoming year.

An optional casual parent/caregiver conversation time will follow, post-meeting from 8:30-9:00pm

Mark your calendars! SEPAC meetings are every 2nd Tuesday of the month — same time, same place (Zoom) — all members of the community with an interest in the issues that affect Arlington children with disabilities are welcome. Attending on camera is not required.

Subscribe to our Google calendar here.
 

[APS Workshop] FREE Youth Mental Health First Aid Training

Arlington Public Schools is offering free Youth Mental Health First Aid training to parents and caregivers this fall. Youth Mental Health First Aid is an evidence- and skills-based training for adults who frequently interact with youth. Learners receive free comprehensive materials on how to recognize common signs of mental health concerns in adolescents, the language and skills to talk to youth about suicide, how to connect youth to care, and a list of community and national referral resources. 

Register for training here.
 

Programs and Services in and Around the Community

NOTE: SEPAC is sharing this information as a courtesy. An endorsement should not be inferred. Have a program or service to share? Please fill out this form.

  • [WEBINAR] Northeast Transition Collaborative Network: Sept 30th, 10-11:30 (Zoom): Learn skills to navigate the school/caregiver dynamic. Learn more here.

     

  • Support for Gender Diverse Students – DBT Groups at MGH (Insurance Accepted) - Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), is offering two virtual DBT skills groups specifically for trans and gender diverse youth: one for adolescents (ages 13–16) and one for young adults (ages 17–23). They are enrolling new members for the new school year. These groups may be a good fit for students who Interested families or students can also contact them directly at scoe-odess@mgh.harvard.edu.

     

  • [WEBINAR] The Mental Health IEP, 10/7 (Zoom), 12:00-2:00pm : Build confidence for your next IEP meeting with tips specific to children and youth with mental health needs. Learn about school-based evaluations related to mental health, accommodations and modifications for students with mental health needs, and much more. Programming provided by Parent/Professional Advocacy League (PPAL). Learn more and register here.

In case you missed it from last week’s newsletter:

  • Arlington Youth Counseling Center (AYCC) Parent/Caregiver Group Starts Sept. 29th: Learn more or register here.

     

  • Franciscan Children's Adaptive Sports Fall Programs start Sept. 29th: One-page flyers can be found here.
 

*Directions for the Sept. 30th Coffee Meet and Greet with APS Staff

WHEN: Tuesday, September 30th, 8:45am - 9:30am (in-person)

WHERE: APS Central /District Office @Arlington High School (rear of building), 14 Millbrook Drive — large conference room

Parking is EXTREMELY limited so folks are encouraged to walk or carpool.  You can enter through Mill Brook Drive (off of River Street.) We are located above the preschool.  Folks cannot access the District offices from the preschool.  They must walk around the school to Central Office/District Office entrance in the rear of the building, across from the athletic fields.  There is an elevator/or stairs that will take you to the 2nd floor.  You will need to sign in there and will be directed to the Large Conference room at the end of the hallway.  (note: For those familiar, the Large Conference Room is also where the Welcome Center is located.