SERC Dates for the 24-25 School Year:

• September 18th
• October 16th
• November 20th
• January 15th
• March 19th
• May 14th

*All SERC meetings will be held in the Middle School Library at 7:00PM

From the Desk of the Director:

It is an honor and a privilege to serve as the director of special education in the Rocky Point Union Free School District.

Our department, which services the community’s children in various capacities from pre-K to age 21, works collaboratively with our stakeholders and educators to provide a meaningful and rewarding education to all students. In compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) and the district’s goal of helping students meet or exceed high achievement standards in academic and non-academic skills, our schools adhere to the guidelines of providing a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE) for students with special needs.

It is our goal to provide a safe, secure and supportive learning environment focused on student achievement and academic success to ensure that our students reach their educational and social goals and succeed in postsecondary life. The district provides students with specific programs and services with direct impacts on learning outcomes, specifically through differentiated instruction, support and interventions.

If you would like more information about the special education identification process and special education programs and services, please contact the school psychologist of the building that your child attends or the special education office.

Recognizing the importance a strong home-to-school connection has on a child’s education, the special education department looks forward to working with parents throughout the school year. I encourage all families to become involved. Best wishes for a happy, healthy and successful school year.

Andrea Moscatiello, Director of Special Education

Department Contact Information

Ages 3-4 Preschool Special Education, please call Kari O'Connor | 631-744-1600, ext. 7560

Executive Director of Pupil Personnel Services

Kristen White | 631-849-7508

Director of Special Education

Andrea Moscatiello | 631-849-7549

Director of Secondary Special Education

Susan Randazzo | 631-744-1600, ext. 7306

Assistant Director of Special Education

Rebecca Burleson | 631-744-1600, ext. 7401

Office Staff:

Mary Caccavale 631-744-1600, ext. 7532
Suzanne Artura 631-744-1600, ext. 7536
Kari O’Connor 631-744-1600, ext. 7560
Carol Maier 631-744-1600, ext. 7508
Jenna Cambridge 631-744-1600, ext. 7105

Rocky Point Union Free School District provides special education services and programs to students with disabilities pursuant to applicable federal and state laws. Any parent or person in parental relation who suspects that his/her child has a disability may refer the child for an evaluation by the District’s Committee on Special Education (CSE) for eligibility for special education services and programs. More detailed information on this process is available in A Parent’s Guide to Special Education, which is published on the New York State Education Department’s website in English and Spanish.

April is Autism Awareness Month (National)

What is Autism?

Autism is a bio-neurological developmental disability that generally appears before the age of 3

Autism impacts the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction, communication skills, and cognitive function. Individuals with autism typically have difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities

Autism Facts & Stats:

• Autism now affects 1 in 68 children
• Boys are four times more likely to have autism than girls
• About 40% of children with autism do not speak. About 25%–30% of children with autism have some words at 12 to 18 months of age and then lose them. Others might speak, but not until later in childhood
• Autism greatly varies from person to person (no two people with autism are alike)
• The rate of autism has steadily grown over the last twenty years