Special Services Central Office Staff
Director of Special Services: Dr. Alexis Piombino
Secretary to the Director: Joann Russo
Offices are located in the Board of Education Building
20 School Avenue, East Hanover, NJ. 07936
Contact #: 973-887-2112 x 127
Fax #: 973-887-8478
Referral Requests and Child Find
Department of Special Services
Mission Statement
The district’s comprehensive programs provide students, who have special needs, a full range of personnel, program and placement options including access to the general curriculum. The program options offer each student the opportunity to achieve his/her fullest potential in the least restrictive environment.
Letter to Parents (for students attending in district programs)
Letter to Parents (for students attending out-of-district programs)
Resources
“New Jersey’s Special Needs Registry for Disasters” allows NJ residents with access and functional needs and their families, friends and associates an opportunity to provide information to emergency response agencies, so emergency responders can better plan to serve them in a disaster or other emergency. The information collected here is confidential and will not be available to the public. The information will be held securely and only used for emergency response and planning. :Special Needs Registry-click here
New Jersey Young Athletes Program: http://www.sonj.org/young-athletes.html
New Jersey Parent Link: The Early Childhood, Parents and Professional Resource Center: http://www.nj.gov/njparentlink/how/promotion.html
Please visit The National Disability Institute website for information on how to build a better economic future for people with disabilities and their families. Ongoing webinars are available. http://realeconomicimpact.org/events/
Autism eye free digital newsletter https://www.autismeye.com/subscribe/
Council for Exceptional Children by Council for Exceptional Children Year Published: monthly editions
The Council for Exceptional Children provides information and suggestions for working with children having learning differences. Council for Exceptional Children Magazine
Helpful Links
Additional Resources for Parents
New Jersey Department of Education Resources
New Jersey Parental Rights in Special Education
New Jersey Special Education Code
New Jersey Department of Education-Special Education Resources and additional NJ DOE resources
AUTISM
COUNSELING
LEARNING DISABILITIES
DISTRICT PRESENTATIONS
Other Resources
If your child has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and you need assistance with interpreting your rights, please contact your child's case manager or:
Alexis Piombino, Director of Special Services 973-887-2112, x127
Office of Education, Teresa Quigley 973-829-8556 Statewide
Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN) at (800) 654-7726
Protection and Advocacy, Inc., at (800) 922-7233 Morris County
Referral Requests and Child Find
If you believe your child may have a disability that significantly impacts their educational performance, you are encouraged to submit a written referral to the Director of Special Services. "Referral" means the written request for an initial evaluation to determine whether a student is eligible for services under this chapter. NJ 6A:141.2(b)18 of the New Jersey Administrative Code requires that the East Hanover Township Schools adopt a policy concerning the acceptance of electronic mail requests from parents/guardians regarding referral, identification, evaluation, classification, and the provision of a free, appropriate public education. Given that electronic mail does not guarantee authenticity of a submission from the legal guardian of a student, or other referring sources, the Department of Special Services will continue to only accept requests with the original signature of a parent/guardian. Requests must continue to include the name of the student and parent/guardian, a mailing address, telephone number and concerns warranting an initial evaluation. This can be submitted to the Director of Special Services, 20 School Avenue, East Hanover, New Jersey 07936.
Additional information regarding referral as per NJAC 6A:14: Procedures for referral also include the following:
1) Utilizing strategies identified through the intervention and referral services according to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-8, as well as other general education strategies;
2) Referral by the school district’s instructional, administrative, and other professional staff, parents, and State agencies, including the Department of Education and agencies concerned with the welfare of students.
3) Evaluation to determine eligibility for special education and related services; and/or
4) Other educational action, as appropriate.
For information on general education requirements and other intervention programs, which fall outside of the special services department, please visit the schools Intervention and Referral Services pages:
Frank J. Smith Intervention and Referral Services
Central Elementary School Intervention and Referral Services
*Please also note, for information related to General Education Interventions, please click on the link below.
General Education Interventions and Title 1 Programming
Please contact your child's building principal with additional questions regarding these general education programs and interventions.
PROJECT CHILD FIND
The Special Services Department of the East Hanover Township Schools, in compliance with Project Child Find, conducts evaluations, if warranted, for those children/students who may have learning problems in the areas of cognition, communication, social/emotional and motor functioning. The evaluations are available to preschool children aged 3-5, to school aged children 6-14, to highly mobile students such as migrant and homeless students, and to students who may have a disability although they are advancing from grade to grade. Children/ students who are found eligible for special education and related services are entitled to a free and appropriate special education program.
For more information on Project Child Find, contact the East Hanover Department of Special Services at: 973-887-2112-x 127
The New Jersey Department of Education also has information on their website regarding Child Find at https://www.nj.gov/health/fhs/eis/public-reporting/child-find/