SEPAC SOMA MEETINGS & UPDATES
FEBRUARY
COMMUNITY MEETING
Save the date for our annual look at the intersectionality of race and special education at SOMSD with a panel of special guests. More info soon!
Thursday 2/12 @ 7:30pm
▣ Virtual Meeting (link to come)
FEBRUARY
INCLUSIVE RESOURCE FAIR
Save the date for our 3rd Annual SEPAC SOMA Resource Fair! Stop by to connect with local therapists, groups and organizations in the South Orange-Maplewood area who provide inclusive opportunities and services to individuals with disabilities.
Saturday 2/28 @ 3:00-5:00pm
◉ Columbia High School Cafeteria
17 Parker Ave, Maplewood
DECEMBER
EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS
Stephanie Cannon, an Executive Functioning Coach and local mom, joined us in December to share an overview of executive functioning and strategies to support students at home.
Missed the meeting? Check out the presentation slides and meeting recording for loads of helpful info about the essential skills that helps us learn and manage daily life. Without these skills, it can be difficult for students to focus, manage time, and stay organized, especially as their workload increases and their schedule becomes more complicated in middle and high school.
OCTOBER
SPECIAL EDUCATION @ SOMSD
Did you miss our first community meeting of the year? Kathleen Gesumaria, SOMSD Assistant Superintendent for Special Services, joined us to share an overview of the programs, classes, and services available in our district.
SEPAC SOMA 2025 RESOURCE FAIR GUIDE
What a joy it was to see our SEPAC SOMA community making connections! Huge thanks to the families who stopped by and to the local providers, groups, and organizations who joined us, with extra gratitude for Together We Bloom, Beloved Bath, Lindsey Stone Homes, and the South Mountain YMCA for partnering with us. We’ve compiled a list of everyone who was there … check it out to find out more about amazing resources and inclusive opportunities in the SOMA area. We’re already looking forward to our 3rd Annual Resource Fair next spring!
SPECIAL EDUCATION AUDIT
Results of the recent Special Education Audit and recommendations for the district going forward were shared at the 10/15/2024 BOE Meeting. SEPAC SOMA highly recommends reading the full report and watching the meeting recording. Understanding the district’s challenges and goals helps make us better advocates for our children with disabilities. 
What is SEPAC SOMA?
The Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) is a parent-led, state-mandated group focused on policies, programs, and practices within the South Orange & Maplewood School District. SEPAC provides parents with tools and information to work collaboratively with the school district and to be more effective advocates for their children with special educational needs. Families and caregivers of students with learning needs or students eligible for or receiving services under an IEP or 504 plan are encouraged to attend SEPAC Meetings. (Español / Kreyòl Ayisyen)
2025-2026 EXECUTIVE BOARD
President: Nicole Josey
VP, Policy Initiatives: Susan Nasberg-Abrams
VP, Family Engagement: Verna Holcomb
VP, Community Outreach: Dina Roskin
Programming Director: Ifeoma Nwigwe
Communications Director: Kelly Mortimer
Ex Officio: Beth Cosentino
info@sepacsoma.org
SEPAC Meetings
SEPAC hosts meetings throughout the school year to provide parents and caregivers support, resources and information relevant to students with special education programming. Our meetings consist of featured conversations and presentations, as well as support, resource sharing, and the ability to connect with other members of the special education community. Meetings with featured topics are our attempt to get those with similar concerns in the same room at the same time but all are always welcome!
At every meeting, we learn from one another, support each other, share resources and connect with others.
Connect with SEPAC SOMA
Stay informed about Special Education updates, advocacy efforts and upcoming meetings by subscribing to our mailing list.
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?
2025-2026 Survey
YOU INSPIRE US! The SEPAC SOMA team is hard at work planning our 2025-2026 meetings, and the more we know about YOU, the better we are able to support our amazing community of families!
► Have you taken our 2025-2026 Survey yet?!
We’d love your input on topics, meetings, communication preferences and volunteer opportunities. (There’s also a question specifically for parents of 2e/twice exceptional children.) Five minutes of your time now will help us tailor our programming and parent support opportunities over the upcoming school year.
SEPAC SOMA Advocacy
SEPAC SOMA works hard to support and advocate for Special Education families by identifying trending issues and elevating those concerns to district administration and the Board of Education. If you’re feeling stuck, please let us know by reaching out to your school’s SEPAC Liaison or emailing us at info@sepacsoma.org.
“When we fail to value experience, our students pay the price.” – Vicky Bond, SEPAC SOMA Board Member, speaking at the 8/28/25 SOMSD BOE Meeting in support of district paraprofessionals.
▣ WATCH HERE
Powerful words from Vicky! Continue watching to hear from current and former SEPAC Board Members Beth Cosentino, Jocelyn Ryan, and Lindsey Stone.
The SEPAC SOMA Executive Board has continued to express our dismay to district leadership about the reduction in pay and status for many paraprofessionals in our schools. Stated simply, we believe that paying people less this year for the same job they did last year is unfair and demoralizing. It tells our paras that our district doesn’t value the role they play in supporting our children and ensuring their safety at school.
► Read the Executive Board’s 9/26/25 letter to Superintendent Jason Bing, Assistant Superintendent Kathleen Gesumaria, and SOMSD Board of Education Members
SEPAC SOMA 