IN THE NEWS
New Jersey Joint Council of County Special Services School Districts
Mental Health Awareness is a Year-Round Initiative in County Special Services Schools
Although May is recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month, the eight districts that make up New Jersey’s Joint Council of County Special Services School Districts have prioritized Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) as part of their year-round programming. While...
Autism Acceptance Month Part 2 – Personalized Plans Pave the Way for Workplace Success
Students with autism begin working toward the goal of independence even in their earliest years of schooling. “While my students are very young, many lessons focus on mastering life skills that lead to greater autonomy,” explained Victoria Fitzpatrick, a special...
Autism Acceptance Month Part 1 – Relationships are the Key to Helping Individuals with Autism Succeed
Molly Jackmuff, a special education teacher at Gloucester County Special Services School District’s Bankbridge Development Center, says she cares deeply for her students and aims to show them respect each day. Lauren Langan, a special education teacher at Burlington...
Special Services School District Nurses Work to Keep Students, Staff and Communities Safe During the Pandemic
The saying is that ‘nurses aren’t made, they’re born.’ Nurses who care for our most vulnerable populations are an even rarer breed. They exhibit another level of compassion, empathy, patience and care - just ask anyone who works alongside the nurses and medical...
Special Services School Districts Share Creative Approaches for Job Skills Development without Sacrificing Student Safety
Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month presents an opportunity each February to highlight the benefits of skills-oriented learning. Prior to the pandemic, most students in New Jersey’s county special services school districts strengthened their employability...
Warren County SSSD Superintendent Retires from Education to Return to Architecture
Dr. Joe Flynn has been part of the Warren County Special Services School District (WCSSSD) family for eight years. Retiring at the end of 2020, Flynn looks back at his time in education and how he got started in what the special services community refers to as “the...
Joint Council Leaders Step into the Spotlight to Support Special Educators in a time of COVID-19
As the second wave of COVID-19 intensifies in New Jersey, the perspectives of two school leaders are gaining attention throughout the state. Their opinions and expertise are well-received as educators, students and families look for ways to move forward this year and...
Cape May County Teacher of the Year to Shine a Spotlight on Special Services School Districts
“Working as a teacher in a special services school district has always been a dream of mine.” Rachel Krementz has long known what she wanted to do with her life, and she followed her calling to the Cape May County Special Services School District’s Ocean Academy,...
Special Education Careers are Rich in Rewards
For many, being a special education teacher is a calling, not a career. Teachers who are making profound differences in the lives of their students with special needs for the eight county special services school districts in New Jersey say that while the job may have...
Special Services Districts Maintain Engagement with Students and Families through Virtual ESY Programming
This hasn’t been a traditional summer for the students, administrators, and staff of New Jersey’s eight county special services school districts. But, with the help of technology, the districts have maintained some summer traditions through Extended School Year (ESY)...
Celebrating Hard Work and Major Milestones with Virtual, Traveling, and Socially Distanced Graduations
The end of the school year was anything but traditional, yet the committed teachers, staff and administrators throughout New Jersey’s eight county special services school districts worked hard to maintain enthusiasm and provide students with a bit of tradition through...
NJ Special Education Leaders Unite in Decision to Put Safety First and Provide Extended School Year for Students with Disabilities Remotely
“Children with the most intensive disabilities cannot serve as the test case for whether New Jersey schools can reopen safely.” - Dr. Howard Lerner, superintendent of Bergen County Special Services School District and chairman of the NJ Joint Council of County Special...