Call to order by Pam Spiegel, SEPAC Chairperson
Member sign-in.
Reading of Minutes from 3/20/07. Motion to accept minutes and a 2^nd to the motion on the floor...but vote postponed until later in the evening when a quorum is present.

Officers Reports:
Chair: Pam Spiegel reported that Mary Sethna is no longer in the position of chairperson due to unforeseen circumstances, so Pam will take over the Chair and there is one empty position on the Executive Board.

Secretary, Joyce Ford will distribute minutes of general meetings by email two weeks prior to the next meeting. Please review minutes upon receiving them and notify Joyce of omissions, errors, etc. so they may be corrected.

Treasurer, Tracey Stoll, opened a new bank account for the organization. Money in an old account since 2002 will be transferred to the new account.
In account currently = $245.00, primarily from donations received with member registrations.
Pam requested volunteers to help with filling out tax/not- for- profit related forms ( i.e. Short Form Schedule A2, Private charity forms and TA1 Tax-Exempt Corporation form). Tell Pam if you are able to assist with these. Will need them in place before fund raising, etc.

Membership, Tania Rooney, not present this evening but is looking into MASSPAC (Statewide organization) membership .

Committee Reports:
Website: Carmel Sterling leading website development along with Jean Barrett and Anu Palakurthi. Prototype to be complete near end of May. Site will provide resource listings without personal opinions.

Activities and Events: Katie Wheeler prepared brainstorming sheet. Previously suggested events include a vendor/resource or community fair and resource library/book club. Suggestions welcome - please complete form and communicate wants/needs.

Liaisons: Gail Carnes offered to Co-coordinate Liaisons. Need another to help lead this committee. Purpose of liaisons is to be conduit between schools and SEPAC - distribute membership forms, introduce self and the organization at curriculum night, assess and identify questions/concerns/needs of families in schools, and distribute flyers and other information.
The Liaisons communicate directly through the Liaison committee co-chairs who communicate with the Board through the Membership leader (Tania).

Clarified with an example: If parents are requesting development of a social group for their children....questions and ideas can be communicated to school liaison, to Coordinators of Liaisons, and then to Board. Liaisons therefore act as messengers to ensure parents/teachers of any particular school are heard.
Co-Chair Volunteer came forward - Louise Haughn .to Co-Chair Liaison Committee with Gail Carnes.

Liaison List distributed - Lori Brown is listed for 2 schools. Lisa will be asked to handle H.S. only and Maura O’Brien to handle Thurston Middle alone.

Mission Statement: (read aloud)
The mission of the Westwood SEPAC is to work for the understanding of , respect for, and support of all children with special needs in our community.

Quorum obtained with attendance of 3 board members, so vote taken to approve secretary’s minutes from the March meeting – Minutes approved.
Minutes 5/2/07 continued:

New Business:
Brochure: SEPAC Brochure would be given to all families along with invitation to Annual Team Meeting and available for general publicity. Need Person/Committee to work on its design. Design will be coordinated with website logo and letterhead.

Louise H. suggested holding a contest for logo design. Tracey suggested perhaps the contest can be among(any) students. Liaisons could pass along idea of contest.

One logo idea already in discussion....a sun in background with a parent lifting a child. Question raised - “ is this inclusive enough.....may be too young to appeal to families with older children.
Logo - try to incorporate Words “Westwood SEPAC”. A sample of a brochure from the Sharon SEPAC was passed around. Member, Martina Lombard is asking her neighbor (retired cartoonist) if he’d like to submit a design.

Scholarship: Postponed scholarship giving for this year, as we reorganize. Must first transfer old funds and manage start-up expenses (MASSPAC membership and forms mentioned earlier). In future, will try to set aside money and raise funds to support scholarships. Question raised as to what was done in previous years. Linda Chase thinks there were 3-4 scholarships annually at @ $500 each. (Check with Bob Fanning - at H.S. for specifics.

Linda Chase, Director of Student Services presented an informative presentation on Parent Rights. This workshop is presented annually as special education regulations are continually changing. It is recommended that all members attend annually to stay up-to-date. For more information, look on the MA Department of Education website.

Announcements: Linda Chase announced she will be leaving Westwood and moving on to Lexington Schools.
Next Executive Board meeting on May 12, 2007.
Next General SEPAC Meeting to be June 5, 2007.
The Website Committe asks members to hold off on forwarding information for now due to the overwhelming response.

Adjourned at 9:30 P.M.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Joyce Ford, Secretary

Additonal Notes -Compiled from member feedback written down at the 5/2 meeting:
Members’ interests include Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Learning disabilities, Epilepsy, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Sensory Integration Disorder, Non-Verbal Learning Disability, Asperger’s Syndrome, Autism, Bipolar Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, food and environmental allergies.
Requests for information were made regarding Ritalin and other medications, social groups for play and skill building, planned activities(e.g. music, swimming, movies, videos, and bowling); Strategies for dealing with harassment, bullying and isolation; increasing public education and community awareness, coping with allergies and associated medical emergencies which may require use of Epi-pens; Community resource information; inclusion/ advocacy/ emotional support; speech therapy; accessing the LIPS reading program in Westwood Schools; strategies for increasing self-esteem.
Also noted: Interest in speakers; fund-raising.
During the next meeting (6/5/07), members will be expanding upon these ideas through an interactive “carousel” activity