welcome to F-SEPAC
Being the parent or guardian of a child with special needs comes with lots of challenges. The amount of information you need to help your child can be overwhelming. Just know that you’re not alone. Approximately 20% of children in the Framingham school district have special needs. The Framingham Special Education Parent Advisory Council, also known as the F-SEPAC, is here to help and support you.
our mission
F-SEPAC is run by parents who are concerned about the special needs of children in the Framingham schools. We are a district-wide resource to parents or guardians of children with special needs - offering them information, support, and meetings throughout the school year. As a group the F-SEPAC is mandated and supported by Massachusetts law.
We are a united voice for special needs children and considered an advisory committee to the Framingham school district and its Special Education Department. We work with them in partnership to determine appropriate programs and services for children with special needs. We are a group that works to support and protect access to quality education for all children – especially those with disabilities – and participate in decision making that affects policies, rules, and regulations.
F-SEPAC’s mission is to work for the understanding, respect, and support of all children with special needs in Framingham. We provide opportunities for parents to share experiences and information and come together to learn more about challenges facing special needs children.
get support - membership
General membership is open to any resident of Framingham or person affiliated with the Framingham Public Schools. All meetings are open to the general public.
Voting membership is required in order to vote in annual officer elections and other business that comes before any F-SEPAC meeting. Voting membership shall be given to any general member who is either:
- A parent or guardian of a child with special needs residing in Framingham with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or a 504 Accommodation Plan.
- A student not less than fourteen (14) years of age who is on an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or a 504 Accommodation Plan from the Town of Framingham.
Together F-SEPAC members can…
- Learn and understand the school culture(s) in our district and discover how to get things done. We will seek information on policies, curricula, and laws that affect our children and share that info.
- Share accurate and timely information with members, parents, the school district, and the community at large.
- Work within the PAC, with PTOs, and the school district in a constructive manner, maintaining respect for democratic procedures and a tolerance for the diversity of opinions.
We are actively seeking new members and volunteers. Membership is free and open to all people concerned about Framingham’s children with special needs and learning differences. Please fill out our parent survey to join.
get involved - volunteer
If you are interested in volunteering please fill out our parent survey or contact one of the Co-Chairpersons. The survey will ask you what you are interested in doing and how much time you can dedicate to the F-SEPAC. Some of the things we need help with are the following:
- School Liaisons (one for each school)
- Liaison for Spanish speaking community
- Liaison for Portuguese speaking community
- Liaison to Townwide PTO & other groups
- Liaison to schools in Framingham
- Outreach to Framingham Town Government
ten reasons to get involved
1. Your Child Benefits - When parents get connected to the school, children do better. Research shows children whose parents are involved get better grades, do better on tests, and have fewer discipline problems at school.
2. We make a Difference - Our mission is to create the kind of school community where teachers and administrators can do their best work-and so can our children. We provide support and feedback for teachers in and out of the classroom. We provide resources and ideas they need. We help create learning opportunities for parents, children and staff. And we try to build the kind of supportive, caring atmosphere that makes school a safe and fun place to be for our children.
3. We pledge to honor time constraints - People are often reluctant to participate and get involved with the PAC because they’re afraid they will get pulled into a black hole of never-ending time commitment. That will not happen with the PAC. An hour or two per month or term really makes a difference. And we won’t push you to commit more than you want to or are able to.
4. We have fun - Volunteer work should not be drudgery. We accomplish a lot, and not everything we do is easy. But we know we are not balancing the national debt, either. We don’t take ourselves too seriously, and we try to enjoy ourselves along the way whenever possible.
5. Meet nice people who share your concerns - We all have a common bond. We care about creating the best possible educational experiences for our children. We are neighbors and peers who share many of the same experiences. And many friendships have developed as a result of those connections.
6. There’s a lot to be done - These days, schools are asked to do more with less. Our help and support is needed more than ever.
7. We can match jobs to your interests and abilities. - The work we do covers a broad spectrum: filing and photocopying, planning and executing events, writing and editing, working directly with children, managing a budget and cash flow, and lots more. We encourage creative ideas, and we are thrilled to have people take on tasks that meet their skills and interests.
8. We’re welcoming - To us, there are no “outsiders.” We are people who have come together to work toward common goals. We couldn’t be happier to have you join us in working toward these goals.
9. We’re about parent involvement, not fundraising - Our number one goals is to get more parents connected to the schools. That’s because more than 300 independent research studies show that building parent involvement in education is the one thing we can do to create great schools and improve student performance.
10. This work is very rewarding - It’s seeing the bright light of learning sparkle in a child’s eye. It’s seeing the smile that shows we’re making school a little more fun-and a child feel a little more comfortable and welcomed in a learning environment. It’s learning that test scores have risen and knowing we played a role. There are lots of rewards, both big and small, for those who get involved.
Won’t you join us?!
