Westport SEPAC, Inc

09/03/2026

09/01/2026

🍎 Welcome Back, Westport Teachers & Staff! ✏️💛

SEPAC left a little Welcome Back treat in teacher mailboxes to kick off the new school year! 🎉 We hope these small goodies brighten your day and remind you how much we appreciate everything you do to support, include, and inspire ALL of our students. 🌈

And don’t forget—SEPAC classroom grants are available! We’re excited for another great year of working together to make Westport schools inclusive for every child. 💙💚

08/29/2026

🎒 New School, New Routine, Big Transition 💙

Moving to a new school—whether it’s starting middle school, high school, or simply entering a new building—can be a BIG adjustment for students receiving special education services. New teachers, new routines, unfamiliar hallways, different expectations, and changes in supports can feel overwhelming.

A little preparation and communication can go a long way in helping our kids feel safe, confident, and ready. 💙

For Parents/Caregivers:
✨ Review your child’s schedule together and talk through what their day will look like.
✨ If possible, visit the school before the first day—practice finding classrooms, bathrooms, the cafeteria, nurse, guidance office, etc.
✨ Create a simple visual schedule, map, or “cheat sheet” they can keep with them.
✨ Share an “All About Me” page with teachers highlighting your child’s strengths, communication style, triggers, sensory needs, and what helps when they’re overwhelmed.
✨ Make sure transportation, medications, accommodations, and important IEP supports are clear before school begins.
✨ Remember that adjustment may take time. After-school meltdowns, exhaustion, anxiety, or increased behaviors can sometimes be a sign that your child is working extra hard to manage all the changes.

For Educators & School Staff:
🍎 Take a few extra minutes to personally welcome students who may struggle with transitions.
🍎 Review their IEP and accommodations—and get to know the child beyond the paperwork.
🍎 Clearly explain routines and expectations rather than assuming students know them.
🍎 Identify a trusted adult and a safe place the student can go when they need help or a break.
🍎 Consider sensory needs during passing periods, lunch, assemblies, and other busy parts of the day.
🍎 Communicate with families early. Parents often know the small strategies that can make a HUGE difference.

Most importantly, give them time and grace. 💛

For some students, walking into a new school isn’t just a “first day.” It means learning an entirely new environment while also managing communication, sensory, social, executive-function, or emotional challenges.

When families, educators, and students work together, we can make these big transitions feel a little smaller. 🫶

08/26/2026

DAY 10 — We’re on the Same Team 💙

As we head into a new school year, here’s one final reminder:

Parents know their children in ways no one else does.

Teachers and providers bring their own knowledge, experience, and perspective.

And our students benefit most when those two things come together. 🤝

Ask questions. Share information. Advocate when you need to. Listen. Communicate. And remember that building a strong team can take time.

Here’s to a year of growth, inclusion, communication, and celebrating every child’s unique strengths.

08/25/2026

DAY 9 — Celebrate the SMALL Wins! 🎉

Progress doesn’t always happen in giant leaps.

Sometimes progress looks like…

💙 Walking into school without tears
💙 Trying something new
💙 Asking for help
💙 Using a coping strategy
💙 Making a new friend
💙 Tolerating a difficult transition
💙 Completing something independently

Consider starting a family “Victory Board” where you celebrate accomplishments throughout the school year.

Because those “little” victories?

They’re actually pretty BIG. 🌟

08/24/2026

DAY 8 — Help Your Child Understand Their Goals 🌟

Whenever developmentally appropriate, include your child in conversations about what they’re working on at school.

IEP goals don’t have to sound like IEP goals!

Instead of complicated educational language, it might simply be:

⭐ “We’re working on asking for a break.”
⭐ “We’re practicing reading new words.”
⭐ “We’re learning ways to tell people what we need.”
⭐ “We’re practicing doing more things independently.”

Our kids deserve opportunities to understand their strengths, celebrate their progress, and have a voice in their education. 💙

08/23/2026

DAY 7 — Create a Home-School Communication Plan 📓

Good communication can make a huge difference!

Depending on your child’s needs, consider talking with the team about the best way to share important information between home and school.

It might be:

📓 A communication notebook
📧 Email
📱 An approved school communication app
📋 A daily/weekly check-in

Not every child needs daily reporting, but having an agreed-upon method of communication can help everyone stay on the same page.

08/22/2026

DAY 6 — Protect the Downtime 😴

The transition back to school can be exhausting — especially for children who spend extra energy communicating, regulating, navigating sensory environments, or adjusting to changes in routine.

As school approaches, consider keeping evenings and weekends a little quieter.

🛋️ Rest
📚 Familiar routines
😴 Consistent sleep
🏠 Time at home
💙 Fewer expectations when possible

Sometimes the best back-to-school preparation isn’t adding another activity — it’s giving our kids time to recharge.

08/21/2026

DAY 5 — Talk About How They’re Feeling 💭

Back-to-school feelings can be BIG.

Excitement. Nervousness. Fear. Happiness. Sometimes all of them at once!

Try asking open-ended questions during dinner, in the car, or while doing something your child enjoys.

💬 “What are you looking forward to?”
💬 “Is there anything you’re worried about?”
💬 “What would make the first day easier?”

For children who communicate differently, pictures, social stories, AAC, drawing, or simply visiting the school may help.

There is no “right” way to prepare. Meet your child where they are. 💙