Welcome to Pupil Personnel Services and Special Education

The Pupil Personnel Services and Special Education Department makes available an array of quality instruction and support services designed to provide an appropriate educational experience for students.  It offers support to individuals and groups of students outside of the regular education program in the areas of: Community Liaison, Family Resource Support, Guidance & School Counseling, Nursing, Occupational and Physical Therapy, Psychology, Social Work, Speech & Language Services and Education Services. These services are available to all students in our schools. While some of these services are provided only upon recommendation by the Committee on Special Education, parents, students and teachers often need advice on how to deal with social, educational or personal problems which arise. To this end each of our schools maintains a staff of professional personnel for this express purpose.  To learn more about pupil personnel services and special education, please scroll down and click on available information pages.

Si le hace falta información traducida en español, llame a Yesenia Polanco al 353-7042.
Si ou bezwen enfòmasyon tradui an kreyòl,rele Jocelyne Abraham al 353-7044.

Contact Us

Leo Macias
Director of  Pupil Personnel Services & Special Education
845-353-7046
lmacias@nyackschools.org

Sara Donohue
Secretary to the Director
845-353-7046
sdonohue@nyackschools.org

Pam Hickey
Secretary of Special Education
845-353-7036
phickey@nyackschools.org

Nancy Santini
Secretary of the Committee on Special Education (CSE)
845-353-7035
nsantini@nyackschools.org

Section 504 Information

Welcome to the Section 504 Committee Office, where we strive to empower students with the tools they need to succeed in today's world. We understand that every student is unique and some may require additional support or accommodations to achieve. To ensure that students with disabilities receive the necessary accommodations to thrive in school, we have created a document, Section 504 Introduction, El Comité de la Sección 504,  Komite sou Seksyon 504 la, including the following guidance:

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on disability in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance. To qualify for Section 504, a student must meet the definition of a "qualified disabled person." This means that the student must have a physical or mental impairment that significantly limits a major life activity, such as walking, learning, hearing, seeing, concentrating, or thinking. A student with such a disability does not necessarily need to receive remediation through Special Education services, but they do require accommodations to make the learning environment more accessible.

If you want to request a 504 Plan, please send a written request along with a referral form to the school principal of your child's school or to:

The Committee on Section 504
Attention: Dr. Laverne Campbell
Office of Special Education
Nyack Public Schools
13 A Dickinson Avenue
Nyack NY 10960

Procedures for Evaluating the Need for a 504 Plan

If you think a student may benefit from a 504 plan, please follow these steps:

1. Complete the following referral form:

2. Attach the referral form to a request letter.
3. Include any relevant documentation with the referral form and letter.

After the 504 team carefully reviews the student's case and determines that a 504 plan is appropriate, a personalized program will be created that includes accommodations tailored to the school environment. The plan will be reviewed annually to ensure that the accommodations remain relevant and necessary for the student.

 

Family Support Services

District Liaison for Foster Care & Displaced Families:  Jeanine Rufo, MSW

(845) 353 - 7238

jrufo@nyackschools.org

 

Family Support Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Who will be testing my child?Your child will be evaluated by district professional personnel.
  2. Do I get the chance to see the reports before the meeting?Reports are to be shared with Parents prior to the Committee meeting.
  3. Who will be at the CSE meeting?The Committee is comprised of the Chairperson, a School Psychologist, a General Education Teacher, a Special Education Teacher, Parent(s), Parent Member and other people who possess knowledge or special expertise regarding the student- including related services personnel as appropriate.
  4. What if I don't agree with the Committee's decision?Should your concerns not be resolved through the Committee, or informally through discussions with the District, Special Education Mediation, a voluntary process is available. You have a right to request, in writing, timely mediation run by a qualified and impartial mediator. Should mediationfail to resolve the issue, you have the right to request an Impartial Hearing. Additional information on Mediation and Due Process Proceedings can be found in "Special Education in New York State for Children Ages 3-21: A Parent's Guide" which is provided to all parents of students referred to the CSE.

Nyack SEPTSA

Special Education Parent Teacher Student Association 

  • We bring together parents, teachers, administrators, service providers, relatives, and friends in an effort to promote understanding and support of our children with special needs. 
  • Nyack SEPTSA is designed to help parents advocate for children with special needs. It is a place for parents and teachers to exchange information on various programs, funding, ever-changing state and federal laws and to support each other on many problems of adjustment, growth and development our members face. 
  • Nyack SEPTSA has regular meetings just like any other PTA, with speakers to run lectures or workshops on many pressing issues for our children. 

  

                                                                                                   

Membership form:     Membership form- SEPTSA

Email us: nyackseptsa@gmail.com

Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nyackseptsa