Mark your calendars and join us for both family-friendly events and Parent-focused events this month! The Norfolk SEPAC strives to provide a venue for families to connect that may be on similar journeys.
Join us to meet local SEPAC families, learn about the NPS Math program, and hear what we have going on this spring at the SEPAC General Meeting this Thursday, February 7th at the HOD Library. Details below.
We Need Volunteers!
The SEPAC is seeking volunteers to help organize key fundraisers and workshops in the coming year. Commitment will be isolated to one specific event and committees will be formed to share the responsibility.
Planning committees are forming now for the Friends of SEPAC Summer Concert and Food Truck Event (August 8th, corresponds with final Summer Concert on the Green).
Email norfolksepac@gmail.com if you are interested.
Don't miss these upcoming SEPAC Events!
Thursday, February 7, 2019 – SEPAC General Meeting
Meeting Topic - An Evening Chat with a HOD Math Specialist
H. Olive Day, Library
Math Discussion 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm | Board Meeting 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Registration Requested - Register here: Registration Link
Join the SEPAC Board in welcoming Eileen Cloutier to our next general meeting! Mrs. Cloutier has generously offered to attend our monthly meeting and share some insight into the math curriculum at HOD, the way students in grades K - 2 acquire a foundation in fluency and number sense, and how we as parents can support our children in building these foundational math skills. She will be available for a short question and answer period as well. Please submit a question here so she can be prepared to answer as many questions as possible.
Wednesday, February 20, 2019 - February Vacation Week Activity!
South Shore Conservatory - Kids Music Workshop
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Freeman Kennedy School Cafeteria
Come join us for a fun and creative music session where children will have the opportunity to sing, play instruments, creatively move, and improvise in a group setting. Taking turns, sharing, moving to the beat of music, and interacting with peers are just some of the areas addressed in the session. A board certified music therapist leads the group.
Times are age specific: 9:30-10:30 a.m. (PK - 2) and 11:00-12:00 p.m. (3-6)
Registration Required (Limited spaces available, First come first served)
Register Here: Registration Link
**Save the Date for our Spring SEPAC Parent Workshop**
Understanding Executive Function and Its Impact at Home and in School
Thank you for all of your support during our Fall 2018 fundraising efforts. We have raised enough funds to offer this free workshop for Norfolk parents!
Date: Monday, April 1, 2019
Location: King Philip High School Auditorium
Come hear Donna Kincaid, of the "Institute for Learning and Development" talk about Executive Function deficiencies and how to support your child through these challenges.
This presentation will provide parents with a clear understanding of the term “executive function” and how executive function weaknesses affect children in school and at home. Parents will also learn how anxiety can affect one’s ability to plan, organize, and complete tasks (e.g. homework and chores) and typical behaviors that often result. Parents will leave with specific strategies to help their children (and themselves) to decrease anxiety and increase productivity.
Get Your Walking and Running Shoes ready for the first annual:
Friends of SEPAC Cinco de Mayo 5K Fun Run
Sunday, May 5, 2019
Norfolk Town Green
Join SEPAC Families for some family fun! Run, Jog, Walk, or Stroll around Norfolk and help support the SEPAC! Following the run, bring your family for some refreshments, music, and kids activities on the town green (weather permitting).
Sponsors Include:
The Chubby Chickpea, Uncle Eddie's BBQ, Sarcastic Sweets, TC Scoops, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Commonwealth Real Estate
Music and Entertainment By: Exhale School of Dance, Berkshire Valley Boys, ImagineThat Facepainting, Art by Jen Callei, Bouncy House courtesy of Taylor Rental Norfolk
Registration Details: https://racewire.com/register.php?id=10269
RACE INFORMATION
Date: Sunday, May 5, 2019
Registration: 8:00 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.
Start Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: Norfolk Town Hill, 1 Liberty Lane Norfolk, MA 02056
Cost: $20
Registration: Register online or at the Norfolk Public Library on race day
Dogs: Dogs are not permitted on the race course during the race
T-shirts: Can be purchased for $15 via online registration
After Party: 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Want to Volunteer? The SEPAC is looking for volunteers for After Race Entertainment and Games, and Course Cleanup as well as families that would like to signup to be Mile Markers. Contact norfolksepac@gmail.com if interested. If you are unable to volunteer but know of a vendor(s) that would like to participate please contact us. We are also accepting items for race day prizes and raffles as well as looking for local entertainment.
Parent Education
Did you know math at home doesn't have to be all fact memorizing? There are so many ways to incorporate math on a daily basis in fun ways around the house! Here are four ways that you can integrate math practice into an afternoon routine without picking up a pencil!
Cooking with Fractions- Have your child measure out ingredients for baking and cooking spices using different sized measuring cups and spoons. For a challenge - double the recipe and have your math wiz help calculate the new recipe amounts!
Estimate your Grocery Bill - Have your child estimate the grocery bill, calculate the total cost of multiple items, or estimate the number of items you have in your cart.
Get Stepping! Start a step challenge with your family! Have a competition to see who can get the most steps in a day and have your child graph everyone's total steps to see who wins at the end of the week.
Board Games! Games like Candy Land, Battleship, Checkers, and Go Fish are simple and fun ways to play together while learning skills like one to one correspondence, counting, and turn taking. Plus who doesn't love a board game?
Don't forget! Join us and Eileen Cloutier, HOD Math Specialist on Thursday 2/7 at 7pm for more math discussion!
Here are some more resources for incorporating math into daily routines.
https://www.imaginelearning.com/blog/2017/04/math-real-life-examples
https://www.parents.com/kids/education/math-and-science/10-playful-math-activities/
SEPAC Book of the month
Bedtime Math, by Laura Overdeck
We all know it's wonderful to read bedtime stories to kids, but what about doing math? Many generations of Americans are uncomfortable with math and numbers, and too often we hear the phrase, "I'm just not good at math!" For decades, this attitude has trickled down from parents to their kids, and we now have a culture that finds math dry, intimidating, and just not cool.
Bedtime Math wants to change all that. Inside this book, families will find fun, mischief-making math problems to tackle―math that isn't just kid-friendly, but actually kid-appealing. With over 100 math riddles on topics from jalapeños and submarines to roller coasters and flamingos, this book bursts with math that looks nothing like school. And with three different levels of challenge (wee ones, little kids, and big kids), there's something for everyone. We can make numbers fun, and change the world, one Bedtime Math puzzle at a time.
Our Mission
The Norfolk Special Education Advisory Council exists to:
Raise awareness and provide thoughtful leadership on the benefits of special education in the community
Develop a platform where parents can share ideas, identify concerns, and support families of children with special needs
Develop, maintain, and share tools and resources for parents of children with special needs
Advise the School Committee on matters that pertain to the education and safety of students with disabilities
Meet regularly with school officials to participate in the planning, development and evaluation of the School Committee’s special education programs; and
Assist the district in coordinating the presentation on the rights of students and their parents and guardians
Promote diversity, acceptance and inclusion of students with disabilities in all district and community activities
Promote social enrichment by hosting parent support groups and periodic events for children in the Norfolk community.
Norfolk SEPAC Board
President: Taiese Hickman
Vice President: Jo-Anne Gilbody
Secretary/Treasurer: Pia Mack
Director of Communications: Karen Murphy
Director of Events: Michael McCarthy
Grant Administrator: Karen Mazzola
Parent Outreach Coordinators: Brian Mack and Sarah Cardoso
Contact Us
Email: norfolksepac@gmail.com
Facebook: @norfolksepac
Instagram: @norfolksepac
Twitter: @nsepac