The Link
The Link is the Integrated Services newsletter for families that comes out on the 3rd Thursday of each month (fingers crossed). It is a way for us to share information, upcoming events and activities, and resources. Barb Moreng, Parent Liaison, is the editor. If you have feedback, please email Barb at bamoreng@psdschools.org or complete the "Parent Feedback Form" below. If you would like to catch up on previous issues, you can find them on the Integrated Services page of the PSD website linked below:
Director's Corner
Dr. Jodie Rommel, Director of Integrated Services
Dear Families, Happy New Year! I hope you and your loved ones had a joyous winter break. As we step into 2026, my commitment to you remains strong. Our focus is on improving outcomes for our students through cohesion and evidence-based best practices within inclusive environments where every student feels they belong. Integrated Services looks forward to working together with families to ensure your child's needs are met, and their potential is realized. Your voice is very important to us! Please continue to reach out to your child's special education teacher if you have any questions/concerns or feedback. Open communication is essential for our partnership. Wishing you a year full of love, laughter, and growth. Together, we can make 2026 an extraordinary year for our students. Jodie
SEAC Update
The Special Education Advisory Committee is made up of parents, community partners, and PSD staff. The purpose of SEAC is to represent students with disabilities and advise the Special Education Leadership Team on their behalf. The next SEAC meeting will be held on January 21st and the topic will focus on Secondary Transition. Stay tuned for meeting notes.
Program evaluation 2025-26
Every year the PSD Integrated Services Department conducts an evaluation of one of our programs. These evaluations help us determine what we are doing well and what we need to improve in our programming. This year we are conducting an evaluation of the Integrated Learning Support (ILS) Program. If you have a child in an ILS program in a PSD school, we would love to hear your thoughts, opinions, and suggestions. Please complete the ILS Parent Survey 2025-26. We had our first virtual feedback session yesterday (January 14th) and have a second one planned for January 16th from 12:00pm-1:00pm. Please use this link to join the session. Please email Nora Love at nlove@psdschools.org if you have any questions. Thank you!
Center Based Autism Update
We are excited to share an update regarding our Center-Based Autism (CBA) programs. As enrollment continues to grow, we have been working across schools and departments to ensure our programs remain strong, sustainable, and responsive to student needs. As part of this work, we will open two new middle school CBA programs for the 2026–2027 school year, located at Preston Middle School and Wellington Middle/High School. While planning is still in the early stages, we wanted families to be aware of this important step forward. Beginning in the 2026–2027 school year, the Bridge Program will be fully integrated into the CBA continuum of services at the middle school level. Students will continue to receive individualized supports within CBA programming, but the separate Bridge designation will no longer be used. Our Autism Coaches and administrators have begun reaching out directly to families of current middle school students to share information and answer questions. In the coming weeks, teams will also collaborate to identify current 5th-grade students and plan for a smooth transition to middle school CBA programs. Supporting students and families through this transition remains a top priority. Thank you for your continued partnership and support as we work together to best serve our students.
PSD foundation Grants
Thanks to the PSD Foundation for providing a grant to our SWAAAC (Statewide Assistive Technology, Augmentative and Alternative Communication) team to purchase adaptive software for our students. Voiceitt's innovative speech recognition technology is designed to understand and transcribe nonstandard speech patterns, allowing these students increased access to communication, written expression, and classroom participation! A second grant was awarded for printers to support access to assistive technology tools for reading and writing for students at Bamford Elementary. Easy access to a printer is so helpful in allowing students who use assistive technology tools to print and turn in their assignments that they work so hard to create! Much appreciation to the PSD Foundation for supporting ways to help all students reach their highest potential!
PSD Policy Review
Several PSD policies are currently under review including: Student Dress, Student Conduct Involving Weapons, Secret Societies/Gang Activity, Behavioral Threat Assessments, Bullying Prevention and Education, Student Vehicle Use and Parking, and Youth Suicide Prevention. If you would like to provide feedback on any of these policies, please click the link below. The deadline to submit your feedback is Monday, January 19th, 2026.
Medicaid outreach and enrollment program
2/7/26: Parent & grandparent summit
The Center for Family Outreach is hosting the 3rd annual Parent & Grandparent Summit at Fort Collins High School on Saturday, February 7th from 9:00AM - 1:00PM. This event is for anyone raising teenagers and looking for support, information, or resources. Workshop topics include mental health, cyber safety, suicide prevention, grief, and more. It's free and there will be food! Sign up below!
2/19/26: PSD Community Transition Fair
The PSD Community Transition Fair is a great place to learn more about PSD and local community resources! This fair is for all students supported by special education (from Pre-K through Transition Pathways), families, and teachers. The Transition Fair will be held on Thursday, February 19th from 5:00pm-8:00pm at the Fort Collins Senior Center. Sami Peterson, from PEAK Parent Center, will be the keynote speaker at 5:30pm and will present on building strong personal networks. There will also be a parent information session from 6:00pm-6:45pm. This session will cover:
- Best Practices in Transition Planning - Kacy Little Owl, Colorado Department of Education
- 18-21 Services in PSD - Aaron Vogt, Integrated Services Assistant Director
- Earning a Standard Diploma in PSD - Nora Love, Integrated Services Assistant Director
Childcare is available by request. It's never too early to start planning for your student's adult life!
more Upcoming Events
January 17, 2026: Foothills Gateway Rollerland party
January 20th: free webinar
PSD community partner, Mosaic, hosts a free webinar on the third Tuesday of each month from 12:00pm-1:00pm. The January topic is Guardianship 101: Navigating Options & Protecting Your Loved Ones. Brad Torch from the Guardianship Alliance of Colorado/Ability Connection Colorado will explain the purpose and intent of guardianship, review the different types and the process to petition for guardianship (or make changes to an existing guardianship), as well as discuss how to choose the right type for your family/loved one. He will touch base on Conservatorships, Powers of Attorney, and other less restrictive options. He will also review the history of Ability Connection Colorado and the services they offer.
January 21st: Community Conversation with Superintendent Brian Kingsley - WMHS
February 19th: Board of education community engagement session - laurel and tavelli
Peak parent center's - personal networks for a good life
"It just takes 15 minutes and one small step - a step that can lead to lasting friendships."
PEAK Parent Center's Personal Networks for a Good Life project is a free online learning series made for young people with disabilities ages 16-26+ and their families. The program uses short videos, easy worksheets, and reflection questions to help build strong friendships and lasting support. Key highlights:
- For ages 16-26+ with disabilities: helps young people get ready for adult life.
- Family partnership: parents or guardians join in the learning, while the young adult takes the lead.
- January 2025 coaching: the next free group coaching sessions begin in January, giving extra support at the start of the year, in preparation for graduation in the spring.
- Easy format: Each section has short 10-15 minute videos, worksheets, and questions to guide reflection.
- Focus on real friendships: supports everyday activities that bring joy and connection.
Enrollment is open now, and spaces are limited.
February 25th: Supporting Positive Behavior at Home
The 3rd Parent Workshop in our Parent Learning Community series is on "Supporting Positive Behavior at Home". It will be held on Wednesday, February 25th from 5:30pm-7:30pm in person at Transition Pathways Academy - 1630 Stover Street and also online.
iMPORTANT DATES
Credits:
Created with an image by hd3dsh - "Iron chain with red heart as the one the links 3D Rendering"