Dear NASET Community: We understand that the upcoming 2020-2021 school year is filled with much uncertainty. These are surreal times and we can only imagine what you must be feeling as teachers trying to prepare to meet the needs of your students. Many teachers still don't know if they will be teaching online or in-person. If in person, will all of your students and teachers need to wear masks? How will social distancing work in a school already filled to capacity? Will your school require constant sanitizing and how will it be kept safe with ventilation and cleaning? These are just some of the hundreds of potential questions facing educators, administrators and school districts throughout our nation. Now, let's add on the complexity of special education. If your school is going to be online and you are working with a child with multiple disabilities, how do you do this via Zoom? What do you do with a student with sensory issues in your class if you are teaching in-person who will not wear a mask? How do you provide related services to a student when teaching remotely? How can you teach a child with ADHD in a Zoom class who is unable to stay on task and focus for more than a few minutes at a time? And what if the parents of these children are not on the same page as you or do not have the tools to educate their children with special needs in their home? The questions here for exceptional children and the field of special education are endless, as well. NASET wants to try and help you this summer. What are your concerns and how can we, as a national association, enhance your professional development, knowledge, skills and abilities right now? Your feedback is the only way we can answer this question. What can we do for you? How can we help you get ready for the upcoming school year? What resources can we provide you to maneuver through July and prepare for the new school year? The bottom line is we want to be a source of help at this time but we need to know what you need. Please email us at membersresearch@naset.org and let us know. The more suggestions, recommendations or ideas we receive, the better we can gauge your needs. NASET has always provided our members with the most current and up-to-date resources and materials. So, if we can help you this summer prepare for the new school year, then we will do whatever can. But we need to hear from you. We hope you are all safe and healthy and enjoying the summer. Take good care of yourselves and please email us if there's anything we can provide to make the new school year a smooth transition during this time of uncertainty. Sincerely, Dr. Roger Pierangelo and Dr. George Giuliani, Executive Directors |