Welcome to the 2014-2015 School Year!!!
Special Education Reference Manual:
(https://www.questar.org/infocenter/special-education/)
Staff Handbook
(https://www.questar.org/infocenter/hr/staff_handbook.php)
Note: When selecting a link in this document, a security warning will appear – choose allow and
you will be connected to link.
The following needs to be started and or completed the first week of school.
 1st day with students – Thursday, September 4. Daily student attendance will need to be
taken and entered on School Tool. If you have log-in difficulties, please contact Jeff
Baker at [email protected].
 Send home Student/Parent Packets (Emergency Contact forms, etc.) with students for
parents or guardians to complete and return. Packets will be supplied to you from your
Principal.
 Read all of your students’ IEP’s which can be found on IEP Direct
(https://www.iepdirect.com/iepdotnet/hub/index.html) and verify each student’s related
services. Please contact Sandy Lorette at 479-6853 if you cannot access a student’s IEP,
or you do not have a red folder for a student.
 Share IEP information with your teaching assistants, aides, and related
service providers.
 Copy/print the front page of the IEP and coordinate the signing of this page
with teaching assistants, aides, PE teachers, nurses and related service
providers acknowledging that they have read the student’s IEP. Please use
the reverse side of the IEP page for staff to sign, print their name and date.
This information must be legible.
Once the page has been confirmed as complete with all appropriate
signatures, send the original to your Principal no later than Friday,
September 19, 2014.
If you have new staff or students assigned to your classroom during the
school year, be sure that all student IEP’s are read. After review of IEP’S,
print out the first page of the IEP for the new staff member to sign and date.
If a new student arrives, print out the 1st page of the student’s IEP, and
coordinate staff signatures. Forward completed forms (originals) to your
Principal.
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 Review your course rosters and student schedules on SchoolTool
(https://schooltool9.neric.org/SchoolTool_QUES/)
 To review your course load, logon to SchoolTool. Your homepage will list all the
courses that you will be teaching. Your Homeroom will also be listed.
 To review an individual students’ record, click on the course roster. All your
student names will be listed. Click on the blue arrow in front of the student’s
name. Click on the “Schedule” tab.
 For high school students 10th grade – 12th grade, a copy of the student’s unofficial
transcript can be found in the red pendaflex. If you have any questions about
courses and earned high school credit, please call Sally Lauletta, School Counselor,
at 479-6802 or e-mail at [email protected]
 Work with related service providers to schedule student services. Therapy scripts will be
kept by the related services provider. Copies are also kept by Sandy Lorette at the Main
Office, and Tammy Barbour at Rensselaer Academy.
 Review all emergency and drill procedures and read the classroom safety information
located in the reference manual.
 Review Board Policies, available on the Questar III website
(https://www.questar.org/about_us/board_policies.php) – particularly policies on timeout, use
of restraints, the full policy on the Student Code of Conduct, etc.
 Review the summary of the Student Code of Conduct with your students. The
Summary is available at (https://www.questar.org/infocenter/special-education/formsprocedures/Summary-Questar-III-student-code-conduct-2014.pdf) A copy of the summary will
be included in the parent/student packets being sent home.
 If you are housed in a district-based classroom, please review district policies where the
classroom is housed.
 Review Questar’s web-based calendar
(https://www.questar.org/about_us/cal_grid1415.pdf).
Review the Special Education reference manual (save the link to your desktop for quick
reference) - (https://www.questar.org/infocenter/special-education/).
 On-line information is available to all staff. Note: Forms are continually updated and you
need to use the on-line forms to be sure you have the most current form.
 Schedules (TYPED) are due from all teachers and related services by Friday,
September 12. Please send your completed schedule VIA E-MAIL to Gloria Haake at
[email protected].
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 STAFF ATTENDANCE: (https://www.questar.org/infocenter/specialeducation/directories/arrival-dismissal-times-2014.pdf). Note your
arrival/dismissal times for your students to your site. All staff need to report
fifteen (15) minutes prior to the arrival time indicated as per your contract.
 Staff Attendance Reporting
(https://www.questar.org/infocenter/hr/handbook/employee_attendance_reporting_g
uidelines.pdf). It is the responsibility of each staff member to enter their absence
on subfinder prior to 6:30 a.m. New employees will receive subfinder reporting
information directly from Subfinder. If you do not have this information, call
Jennifer Smallwood at 479-6988.
 If (should not be a routine occurrence) you should miss the reporting deadline, you
are required to report your absence to your attendance officer for your
site/supervisor who will enter your absence on subfinder. You may also be
required to notify your principal and or classroom teacher depending on the
procedures of your assigned site. Attendance officers are noted below.
Site
Catskill Academy/Goff MS/PE
Teachers
George Washington/CHS
Rensselaer Academy/ICC
Sackett Center/Red Mill, Maple Hill
OT/PT/Speech/TVI, DHH, Music
Social Workers
Psychologists
Attendance Office
Deena Pewtherer
Telephone #
518-719-1440
Beverly Grochan
Debra McDermott
Melissa Mandell
Gloria Haake
If academy-based – that site’s
attendance officer
If district-based -Melissa Mandell
The attendance officer for your site
518-283-2752
518-396-3520
518-479-3520
518-479-6950
518-479-3520
Reminder: Subfinder only searches for a sub for a teaching assistant position, not for
a teacher. If an absence for a teaching assistant who is elevated is not entered by the
teaching assistant when the teacher is absent, no sub will be contacted by subfinder
(further details on subfinder entries will be sent).
Attendance Procedures –
https://www.questar.org/infocenter/hr/handbook/employee_attendance_reporting_guidelines.
pdf
If you have any questions, or you cannot access information referenced in this
outline, please email Robin Sobol ([email protected]) or her assistant, Judy
Gardner ([email protected]), or call us at 479-6849.
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Tuesday
9/2
Classroom set-up day. Teachers and teaching assistants
report to their classroom sites. Academy Faculty
Meetings will be held at each Academy site.
Nurses are asked to report to Rensselaer Academy to
pick-up their medical files and meet with Tammy
Barbour.
Related providers will meet as follows:
Music, TVI and DHH providers - 8:00 a.m. Central Office,
Special Ed Conference Room.
OT/PT providers - 8:00 a.m. -Central Office, Columbia
Room, Central Office – 2nd floor.
PE Teachers – 8:00 a.m., Central Office, Rensselaer Room
Social workers and psychologists - 8:00 a.m – Sackett
Center.
Speech providers – 8:00 a.m.- Central Office, Greene
Room.
Wednesday
9/3
Organization–wide Orientation/Staff Development Day
to be held in Albany, Empire State Plaza. Details sent
from Questar III Executive Office.
Thursday
9/4
Students Arrive – 1st Quarter begins (9/4-10/31/14)
Monday
9/8
All related services including PE to begin
Thursday
9/11
Catskill and GW PBIS Meeting at dismissal
Sackett – PBIS – 2:45-3:15 and Teacher Meeting 3:15-4:00
Friday
9/12
Schedules due from all teachers and Related Providers
send via e-mail to Gloria Haake – [email protected]
Friday
9/12
Provider Student Summaries due from Related Service
Providers. Send typewritten reports to Sandy Lorette –
[email protected]
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Monday
9/15
Thursday
9/18
Friday
9/19
IEP Front page signed by teachers, TA’s, nurses, PE
Teachers and related service providers – due to
Principals
Monday
9/22
NYSAA (AIM) Strand Meeting – 3:00 p.m., Central Office
Board Room
Note: (NYSAA Data Collection period (9/29/14-2/27/15)
Monday
Wednesday
Thursday
9/14
Mentor/Mentee Team Meeting- 3:30 p.m.- Central Office
Conference Room 1
Catskill and GW Teacher Meetings following Dismissal
RA – Teacher and PBIS Meeting
9/23, or NYSAA Training – registration required – 8:00 a.m.-3:30
9/24
p.m. NYSAA 2014-2015 Initial Training (if applicable you
or 9/25 will be assigned). Please contact your Principal if you
(choose
have any questions, or Beth St. Clair-Bedell at 758-7206.
one)
All trainings will be at the QIII central office Conference
Center, 8:00 am-3:30 pm. Participants will need to bring
lunch.
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General Information/Procedures
Alternate Assessments – NYSAA Regional Training Info available in the
reference Manual https://www.questar.org/infocenter/special-education/07-assessments.php.
Courier Service for QIII Sites and Districts:
(https://www.questar.org/infocenter/mail/alpha-courier-schedule-2014.pdf)
Curriculum Needs – please contact your principal.
Emergency Contact Information Forms Returned from parents:
 Once Emergency Contact Forms and other forms sent home to
parents for signature are returned, please:
If you are an Academy-based teacher: Your principal will
provide direction on processing forms. The original needs to
be maintained in your Principal’s office.
If you are a district-based teacher, make 5 copies and
distribute as follows:
 Original to your Questar III Principal
 Student red file
 Assigned classroom social worker
 Assigned classroom PE teacher
 District-based building nurse
 District-based building principal
For disposition of other forms returned by parents, please check
with your Principal’s assistant.
Emergency Procedures and Drills (See Building and Classroom Safety
in Section IV of the Special Ed Reference Manual
(https://www.questar.org/infocenter/special-education/forms-procedures/index.php)
 Review your building fire drill procedures.
 Review the evacuation, lock down and lock out procedures.
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Graduations & Celebrations
 Begin to think about graduation ceremonies for “aging out”
and/or graduating students. Plan an end of the year
celebration for your class.
 Send these dates to your principal, Robin Sobol and Sally
Lauletta by Friday, March 1, 2015. These dates will be sent to
CSE Chairs and Superintendents to add to their calendars.
IEP Direct (https://www.iepdirect.com/iepdotnet/hub/index.html). This program allows
you to view student IEP’s online. It should be used to write all
quarterly progress reports and to draft IEP’s for the following school
year. If you don’t have a log in number and password, or you
require technical assistance, please contact Sandy Lorette at the
Main Office, 479-6853.
Instructional Resources – If you have any questions or suggestions
regarding instructional resources, please contact your Special
Education Principal or Special Education Coordinator, Mehgan Rivers
at 479-6853 or [email protected].
 To request literacy materials https://www.questar.org/infocenter/specialeducation/08-literacy.php, please contact Reading Teachers, Courtney
Galuski ([email protected] or Dena Iagrossi
([email protected].
Forms for the following can be accessed in the Reference Manual
in Section III Instructional Resources.
 To obtain Envisions or UPCO materials, please place a request
with your Principal.
 To view and request additional textbook materials available,
visit the textbook inventory in the reference manual. Submit
requests to Gloria Haake.
 A summary of available online resources requiring subscription
log-ins.
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Mainstreaming
 Check to determine student mainstreaming needs.
 Set-up appropriate mainstreaming with the district staff in your
building.
Mileage Reimbursement: Mileage is paid on a monthly basis to
those providers traveling between sites to provide student services.
Mileage reimbursement forms must be completed monthly and sent
to your principal by the 15th of the following month after services are
provided. It is the responsibility of the individual submitting the form
to assure its accuracy. The most current form is available on-line on
Infocenter (https://www.questar.org/infocenter/hr/forms/2014_Staff_Travel_Sheet.pdf)
Please do not hold mileage sheets past 15 days from the prior
month.
On-line Resources: (https://www.questar.org/infocenter/special-education/) – Section
III – Instructional Resources.
Open House – see building schedules Plan to attend the Open
House in your assigned building. Refer to your building calendar for
dates/times.
Professional Development: My Learning Plan will be used for
requesting and tracking professional development. You will need to
complete professional development hours as per your certification
and/or the Teacher Association Contract on My Learning Plan
https://www.questar.org/infocenter/mlp/.
Purchase Orders/Supplies
 All requests for any supplies need to be sent to your principal via
e-mail for approval. Your principal will then send the approved
e-mail to the Main Office for Robin Sobol’s approval.
Supplies are also available at the Warehouse. Please contact
Hal Hoffman at ([email protected]) to arrange a time to
visit the warehouse. Supplies selected need to be submitted on
a form to be approved by your principal. This form is available
in the reference manual: (https://www.questar.org/infocenter/specialeducation/forms-procedures/supply-order-form-warehouse.pdf)
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Red Folder Student Files (Refer to Section IV of the Special Education
Reference Manual for the procedure) (https://www.questar.org/infocenter/specialeducation/forms-procedures/Red-Pendaflex-File-Instructions.pdf). All files must be kept
in a locked file cabinet. If you don’t have a cabinet that locks,
contact your supervisor. If you are missing a red pendaflex file for a
student, please contact Sandy Lorette (479-6853).
Reference Manual – The Special Education Reference Manual is
accessible to all staff on-line at (https://www.questar.org/infocenter/specialeducation/) Forms are being revised continually, so please print forms as
needed to be assured you are using the correct form. If you cannot
locate a form or procedure, please call Judy Gardner at 479-6849 for
assistance.
School Closings & Delays
https://www.questar.org/infocenter/hr/handbook/emergency_closings.pdf . If you are
housed in a district building, follow their calendar. When district staff
report to work, you must also report. You must also follow the district
schedule in the event of weather related or emergency closings or
delays.
School Tool (https://schooltool9.neric.org/SchoolTool_QUES/)
– is the student management system that will be used to track
enrollments, grades, attendance, emergency contact
informationand submit quarterly grading for report cards.
Schedules – are due from teachers and related service providers by
Friday, September 12. These schedules need to be typewritten. The
schedule template will be e-mailed to you and it is available in the
Special Education reference manual (https://www.questar.org/infocenter/specialeducation/).
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TESTING/ASSESMENTS
 State Assessments
(https://www.questar.org/infocenter/special-education/07-assessments.php)
Please check each student’s IEP for the grade levels and NYS
Assessments required. Any questions or discrepancies need to
be forwarded to Sandy Lorette ([email protected]). Grade
and testing information will be confirmed with the districts by
the Central Office.
 Assessments-APPR: The following assessments will be
administered throughout the year. You will receive specific
information on which assessments apply to your students.
(Fountas & Pinnell; Star assessments for reading and math:
Questar III pre- and post-Assessments; PE assessments, and art
assessments will begin in September). (Link Map schedule)
A schedule of testing dates will be sent to you.
 Standardized Testing (begin as soon as possible). The listing of
tests available from the testing library is available in the
Reference Manual - Section IV – forms and procedures
(https://www.questar.org/infocenter/special-education/forms-procedures/index.php)
 Classroom teachers should use the KTEA II Brief Form or the
Brigance if appropriate. Please contact your Principal
before using or ordering other tests.
 Related service providers should speak to the team leader
to determine which tests are available and appropriate.
 Tests need to be ordered by completing the form found in
the forms Section IV (https://www.questar.org/infocenter/specialeducation/forms-procedures/index.php) Send the forms to Gloria
Haake at the Central Office via fax -732-0568 or E-mail
[email protected]. Gloria can be reached at 4796950 for questions.
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Therapy Scripts
Use the student’s IEP to review the related service(s) to be provided.
A copy of the student’s signed therapy script (OT, PT & Speech) will
be kept by the related services provider. The related service provider
(except for speech) needs to send unsigned scripts to Tammy
Barbour at Rensselaer Academy. Copies of all scripts will be
maintained by Tammy Barbour and Sandy Lorette at central office.
Transition Assessment – (https://www.questar.org/infocenter/special-education/03instructional-info.php)
For students 12 and older, please refer to the Transition details in
Section III Instructional Information. These assessments are necessary
for writing transition into the IEP.
Parent/Teacher Conferences
 If you are in a district-based classroom, set up conferences
according to the building schedule.
 If you are in an Academy, refer to the Questar III calendar and
your principal for further information.
9/14
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Thursday
10/2
10/2
10/2
Friday
10/3
Monday
10/6
Tuesday
10/7
Thursday
10/9
Academy Teacher Meetings following dismissal for Catskill,
George Washington and Sackett
Rensselaer Academy Teacher/PBIS meeting following
dismissal
Open House – Rensselaer Academy 3:30-5:30 p.m.
All Questar III developed Baseline Assessments due with
exception of NYSAA
Mentor/Mentee Meeting – Central Office – Conference
Room 3
MS/HS Interim Report Cards need to be completed for 1 st
Quarter on SchoolTool
Friday
10/10
Academy PBIS Meetings following dismissal for Catskill,
George Washington and Sackett
Star Testing Concludes
Thursday
10/10
10/16
All NYSAA Questar III developed Baseline Assessments Due
Open House – Catskill Academy – 2:30-4:30
Tuesday
10/21
AIM/NYSAA Strand Meeting – Board Room, Central Office
Thursday
10/23
Academy Faculty Meetings at Catskill, George Washington,
Rensselaer Academy, and Sackett
Thursday
10/23
Open House – George Washington – 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Friday
10/24
Staff Development Day for All 10-Month Staff
If possible begin necessary testing for IEP writing
Friday
10/31
10/31
Approximately late October depending on NYS notification,
you will be e-mailed an order form for Regents Exams.
Please wait for this new form. Do not use old forms.
SLO’s to be completed
1st Quarter ends (9/4-10/31). All Report cards need to be
completed on SchoolTool by November 4.
Page 1 of 2
Timeline 2014-2015
Regents/RCT Exams
Determine which students need to take exams in January and send names to
your Principal’s assistant. If you have questions about which Regents/RCT’s
your students should take, please call Sally Lauletta at 479-6802.

You will receive an e-mail from Beverly Visconti with a form to order
Exams. This e-mail/form will be sent when notification from the State is received
(anticipated for late October). Once your form is completed, a copy of the
completed form needs to be sent to your principal and to Beverly Visconti (fax –
477-9833) at the Main Office.

Parent/Teacher Conferences

If you are in a district-based classroom, set up conferences according to the
building schedule.
If you are in an Academy, refer to the Questar III calendar and your
principal for further information.

Standardized Testing (begin as soon as possible). A link to the listing of tests available
from the testing library is available on the table of contents – section IV – forms and
procedures.
Classroom teachers should use Star testing results and Fountas and
Pinnell, or the Brigance if appropriate. If additional classroom testing is needed,
please discuss with your supervisor, and then order per instructions below.

Related service providers should speak to the team leader to determine
which tests are available and appropriate.

Tests needs to be ordered by completing the form found in the forms
section. Send the forms to Gloria Haake at the Central Office via fax -732-0568 or
E-mail – [email protected]. Gloria can be reached at 479-6950 for questions.

Page 2 of 2
Timeline 2014-2015
Monday
11/3
2nd Quarter begins (11/3/14-1/16/15)
Monday Tuesday
11/311/25
Continue necessary standardized testing for IEP writing
Refer to Section IV in the on-line Reference Manual (Infocenter)–
forms and procedures to access information on tests available.
Tests needs to be ordered by completing the form found in the
forms section. Send completed forms to Gloria Haake at the
Main Office via fax -732-0568 or E-mail – [email protected].
Gloria can be reached at 479-6950 for questions.
Tuesday
11/4
1st Quarter Deadline for Report Cards to be completed on
templates (NYSAA and Elementary), SchoolTool (MS/HS) and
progress reports to be completed on IEP Direct for review by
Principals.
Thursday
11/6
Academy Teacher Meetings following dismissal for Catskill,
George Washington and Sackett
11/6
Sackett PBIS Meeting
11/6
Rensselaer Academy Teacher and PBIS Meetings following
dismissal
Tuesday
11/11
Veteran’s Day – no classes
Thursday
11/13
PBIS Meetings at dismissal – Catskill and GW
OPEN HOUSE – Sarah’s Sister Program – 1:00-2:00 p.m.atRussell Sage
Friday
Monday
11/14
11/17
Tuesday
11/18
Monday
11/24
11/25
11/2611/30
12/1
Tuesday
Wednesday
– Friday
Monday
SLO Data due to principals
Mentor/Mentee Meeting – 3:00-5:00p.m. Central Office –
Conference Room 1
IEP Writing for Mentee andMentors (this year and last year) –
Board Room. Any other teachers that would like to attend, please
call Judy at 479-6849 or e-mail@[email protected]
Academy Faculty Meetings following dismissal Catskill, George
Washington, Rensselaer Academy
AIM/NYSAA Strand Meeting
Sackett Faculty Meeting following dismissal
Thanksgiving Recess
Classes Resume
Note: A workshop – “Writing Transition in the IEP” will be held on Wednesday, 12/17 at Central
Office from 8:30-2:30 p.m. Registration details will be provided via e-mail from Sally Lauletta,
Transition Coordinator.
Rev. 11/6/14
Timeline 2014-2015
Thursday
12/4
Academy Teacher Meetings following dismissal for Catskill, and
George Washington
12/4
Sackett Teacher and PBIS Meetings following dismissal
Tuesday
12/10
Rensselaer Academy Faculty Meeting following dismissal
Thursday
12/11
12/11
Monday
12/15
Rensselaer Academy Teacher/PBIS meeting following dismissal
PBIS Meetings following dismissal for Catskill and George
Washington
NYSAA Strand Meeting 3:00 p.m., Board Room – Central Office
Tuesday
12/16
IEP Writing (1/2 day session for students)
Wednesday
12/17
Thursday
12/18
Workship – “Writing Transition in the IEP” at Central Office
from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Academy Faculty Meeting following dismissal at Catskill,
George Washington and Sackett (no Rensselaer Academy
Meeting)
Wednesday
12/241/4/15
1/5/15
Sunday
Monday
Holiday Recess
Classes Resume
IEPs
 Complete all necessary standardized testing.
 Begin draft IEPs on IEP Direct.
 IEP Writing – ½ Day For Students
 Tuesday, December 16, 2014 and Tuesday, January 13, 2015
 Discuss any proposed changes in a student’s program, which includes
strand and level of services, with your Principal/supervisor prior to
indicating that change on the IEP. Necessary paperwork (justification
forms, etc.) needs to be completed.
Timeline 2014-2015