Jefferson City starting a special education PTA
A special education parent teacher association is starting for the Jefferson City Public School district this school year.
Parent and planning committee chairman Megan Shadrick said she wanted to form a SEPTA to help unite families of special needs children, increase learning opportunities and resources.
“I’ve noticed it’s starting to get harder to connect with other families and I know we’re probably not the only ones experiencing that,” Shadrick said.
Columbia Public Schools and the Hannibal school district each have a SEPTA, making JCPS the third district in Missouri to start one.
About 11 percent of JCPS students, 10 percent of CPS students and 16 percent of Hannibal students
have special education needs, according to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Shadrick said she plans to work closely with SEPTA in Columbia.
“In the future we plan to collaborate on any big projects,” she said. “The more people involved, the bigger the voice.”
Her oldest son is starting kindergarten this school year and her youngest son is in his second year of preschool.
“I am blind and my husband has low vision, and we were very surprised when our first son was born hard of hearing,” she said. “We were even more surprised when our second son was born hard of hearing.”
The Jefferson City SEPTA plans to hold an organizational meeting Aug. 17 at the Special Learning Center starting at 10 a.m. Direct any questions to jcmosepta@gmail.com or call 573-347-0662.
