SOUTH ORANGE-MAPLEWOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION

This page is dedicated to give resources and guidance to the Special Education process. The Special Education Resource Packet gives full details of the process starting from requesting a referral to the child study team, to developing an initial Individualized Education Plan (IEP), to ongoing implementation and adjustments to the IEP. This packet is the product of collaborative efforts between parents and guardians of students with special needs, represented by the South Orange Maplewood Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC), and the South Orange Maplewood School District’s Department of Special Services. For more information about the SOMSD Special Education resources and staff, it can be found here.

Each school in the district is represented by a special education liaison. For Bolden Elementary School, Victoria Bond is the Special Education liaison for the 2024-2025 school year and can be reached at specialed@bolden-pta.org

Special Education Resources

The Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) is an advocacy group focused on policies, programs and practices within the South Orange Maplewood School District. Families and caregivers of students with learning needs or students eligible for or receiving services under an IEP or 504 plan are encouraged to attend SEPAC meetings.

SEPAC provides parents with tools and information to work collaboratively with the school district and to be more effective advocates for their children with special education needs. Our meetings consist of featured conversations and presentations as well as support, resource sharing and the ability to connect with other members of the special education community. Meetings with featured topics are our attempt to get those with similar concerns in the same room at the same time. But all are always welcome!

SEPAC holds meetings regularly, in person and virtual; visit their Meeting page to learn more: https://sepacsoma.org/meetings/

Each featured topic is our attempt to get those with similar concerns in the same room at the same time but all are always welcome! A representative of SOMA SEPAC will give a brief update of their organization's advocacy efforts at each meeting.

There is also a Facebook Group that you can join called the South Orange/Maplewood Special Education Community.

Questions? Feel free to check out the website for more info at sepacsoma.org or email sepacsoma@gmail.com.