A pwopo

Zanmi Somerville SEPAC yo ranmase lajan sèlman pou sipòte ak bay Somerville Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SSEPAC) pouvwa pou konstwi yon kominote ki bay sipò, enklizif, epi enfòme pou tout timoun ki andikape ak fanmi yo.

Fè yon don pou Zanmi Somerville SEPAC yo

W ap fè yon don pou Friends of Somerville SEPAC, yon òganizasyon san bi likratif ki fòme pou sipòte kominote edikasyon espesyal Somerville la. Friends of Somerville SEPAC se yon òganizasyon apa san bi likratif ki ranmase lajan pou sipòte Somerville Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC). Nou ede bay atelye, resous, ak yon rezo kominotè solid pou fanmi timoun ki andikape yo.

Yon ti nòt sou donasyon yo: Sipò ou a apresye anpil! Nou vle transparan. Friends of Somerville SEPAC se yon òganizasyon san bi likratif nan Massachusetts ki gen yon estati 501(c)(3) annatant. Pandan aplikasyon nou an ap tann aplikasyon an, nou pa garanti ke donasyon yo ap dedwi nan taks . Si yo apwouve estati nou an, li ka vin retroaktif, sa ki ka fè donasyon ou an kalifye pou dediksyon nan taks. Nou rekòmande tout donatè yo konsilte pwòp konseye taks yo.

Fè yon don pou Zanmi Somerville SEPAC yo

A pwopo

Translated and Archived Newsletters

It’s officially #GivingTuesday, and this year is special: It is the first-ever campaign for the Friends of Somerville SEPAC! 💙
We formed this non-profit to be the engine behind the advocacy, ensuring the 1,000+ students with disabilities in our schools get the support they deserve.
Your donation today directly supports: ✅ Expert workshops for parents (on IEPs, Neurodiversity, and Rights). ✅ Outreach to our diverse, multilingual families. ✅ Creating a stronger, more connected community for caregivers.
We are just getting started, and we need our village to help us launch strong. Even $10 makes a difference right here in Somerville.
👇 Help us hit our goal at the link in our bio! Or text FOSSEPAC to 44-321 to get the direct link to our Giving Tuesday Campaign!
#SomervilleSEPAC #GivingTuesday2025 #SomervilleMA #FirstEver #SpecialEducation #SPS #InclusionMatters

Giving Tuesday is TOMORROW! 💙 We’re rallying the community to support the Friends of Somerville SEPAC. We are 100% volunteer-run, meaning every single dollar you give stays right here in Somerville to support families of students with disabilities.
👉 Donate here: link in bio! Or text FOSSEPAC to 44-321 to get the direct link to our Giving Tuesday Campaign!
#GivingTuesday #SomervilleSEPAC #SomervilleMA #SupportLocal #SpecialEducation #disabilityrights

If you’ve ever sat in a meeting, stared at an IEP, or tried to decode acronyms late at night, you know: special education can feel overwhelming and isolating.
Friends of Somerville SEPAC exists so families don’t have to do this alone.
We’re a small, volunteer-led nonprofit that raises funds and support for Somerville SEPAC, so they can:
❤️Create spaces where caregivers can ask questions and be heard
❤️Offer workshops, listening sessions, and community events
❤️Lift up the voices of families of students with disabilities in conversations about our schools
This Giving Tuesday, you can help us grow this circle of support.
How you can help today:
💚Text FOSSEPAC to 44-321 to get the direct link to our Giving Tuesday campaign
💚Or donate directly here: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/friends-of-somerville-special-education-parent-advisory-council-inc/friends-of-somerville-sepac-giving-tuesday
💚Share this post so more families can find community and resources
💚Tag a Somerville neighbor who cares about inclusion and belonging
Every dollar, every share, and every conversation helps build a Somerville where families know:
👉 You are not alone.
👉 Your child belongs here.
👉 Your voice matters.
Friends of Somerville Special Education Parent Advisory Council, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

50 Years of IDEA. 50 Years of Access. 50 Years of Progress. ✨
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the federal law that guarantees special education services to eligible children. We’ve come a long way since 1975, but a “seat in the room” is just the beginning.
Even at 50, IDEA isn’t guaranteed. Disability rights — and the Department of Education that enforces them — depend on constant advocacy and community action.
As the Friends of Somerville SEPAC, we honor this anniversary by recommitting to the spirit of the law: True Inclusion.
We advocate not just for compliance, but for connection, belonging, and the resources our educators and students need to succeed. Advocacy is how we turn the promise of IDEA into reality for every student.
Let’s keep pushing forward for the next 50 years — and protecting the rights that make that future possible.
#IDEAat50 #SomervilleMA #DisabilityAdvocacy #InclusiveEducation #FOSSEPAC #SomervillePublicSchools #IDEA #SpecialEducation #SpEd #Inclusion #DisabilityRights #DisabilityJustice #EducationAdvocacy #DisabilityJustice

There’s a big difference between being let in and being intentionally included.
Placement is logistical.
It means a student has a desk, their name is on the roster, and a compliance box is checked. They’re physically present.
Belonging is design.
It means the environment—the space, the curriculum, the schedule, and the social culture—expects and welcomes many kinds of bodies, minds, and communication styles before students even walk through the door.
Belonging looks like:
💚A playground where students who use mobility aids can move, play, and participate alongside peers.
💚Lesson plans built for multiple ways of thinking, communicating, and showing learning—expected, respected, and supported.
💚A classroom where every student is considered from the start, not added in later.
We are striving for a district where students don’t just occupy space—the space communicates, “You belong here, exactly as you are.” Whether a student navigates by wheelchair, communicates using AAC, is neurodivergent, or learns in other ways, they deserve to know school was designed with them in mind.
We’re working to move from simple “access” to true belonging and ownership.
How you can help today:
💚Text FOSSEPAC to 44-321 to get the direct link to our Giving Tuesday campaign
💚Or donate directly here: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/friends-of-somerville-special-education-parent-advisory-council-inc/friends-of-somerville-sepac-giving-tuesday
💚Share this post so more families can find community and resources
💚Tag a Somerville neighbor who cares about inclusion and belonging
Every dollar, every share, and every conversation helps build a Somerville where families know:
👉 You are not alone.
👉 Your child belongs here.
👉 Your voice matters.
Friends of Somerville Special Education Parent Advisory Council, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

"Advocacy turns promise into practice."

An IEP is a promise. IDEA is a promise.

But a promise on paper doesn't teach a child to read, support their sensory needs, or ensure they feel safe at school.

Only practice does that.

Friends of Somerville SEPAC exists to fund the advocacy that turns those promises into reality.

We are officially launching our mission this Giving Tuesday (Dec 2).

Help us put our mission into practice.
https://secure.givelively.org/donate/friends-of-somerville-special-education-parent-advisory-council-inc/friends-of-somerville-sepac-giving-tuesday
#Advocacy #SpecialEducation #PromiseIntoPractice #SomervilleMA #GivingTuesday #FriendsOfSomervilleSEPAC #DisabilityRights #IDEA

Did you know? 💡

We often talk about "inclusion," but do we know who we are including?

Here is the reality of Special Education in Somerville as of Fall 2025:

🔹 1,032 Students: The number of children with IEPs in our schools. That’s 18.5% of the district. 🔹 30.3%: The percentage of those students who are also Multilingual Learners. 🔹 12%: The percentage of students with disabilities (Grades 3-8) meeting grade-level expectations in English Language Arts.

The Takeaway: We have a large, diverse community with significant unmet needs.

That is why the Friends of Somerville SEPAC exists. We are the independent non-profit dedicated to raising the funds that fuel the work of the Somerville SEPAC.

This #GivingTuesday, your tax-deductible donation helps us:

Offer workshops for parents and caregivers.

Grow a multicultural, multilingual network.

Promote community-wide inclusion initiatives.

The Friends of Somerville SEPAC ensures that the families behind these numbers never have to navigate the system alone. Help us support every single one of them this Giving Tuesday.

🔗https://secure.givelively.org/donate/friends-of-somerville-special-education-parent-advisory-council-inc/friends-of-somerville-sepac-giving-tuesday

Disclaimer: Friends of Somerville SEPAC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit separate from the Somerville Public Schools and the SEPAC. #FriendsofSomervilleSEPAC #SpecialEducation #SpEd #Disability #DisabilityRights #GivingTuesday

Get ready for a spooky-fun time at the Monster Mash! 🎃👻

Be sure to stop by the @friendsofsomervillesepac and @somervillesepac table for some festive coloring activities! We can't wait to see your creative masterpieces and connect with the community!

Monster Mash Details

Date: Sunday, October 19, 2025

Time: 2:00 – 6:00 PM (Rain Date: October 26)

Location: Somerville Ave, between School St. and Washington St.

Come for the coloring, and stay for the community parade at 3:30 PM, live music, spooky crafts, and delicious food vendors like Taquisimo, Nibble Kitchen, and more!

For all the details: https://somervilleartscouncil.org/events/monster-mash/

(Poster Artwork Credit: Nate Devarie @nate_devarie )

#SomervilleMA #MonsterMash #SomervilleSEPAC #FamilyFun #Coloring #CommunityEvent #Inclusion #FriendsofSomervilleSEPAC

.pro-gallery-wix-wrapper {display: block !important;} .pro-gallery-wix-wrapper .gallery-item-container {opacity: 1 !important; display: block !important;}

Follow us on Instagram

@friendsofsomervillesepac

Evènman kap vini yo

Vin jwenn Rezo Kominotè nou an!

Tanpri ranpli fòm sa a pou rantre nan rezo kominotè nou an, resevwa dènye nouvèl ak bilten nou an, epi fè nou konnen kijan ou ta renmen patisipe. Tout moun akeyi, epi reyinyon nou yo ouvè pou piblik la.

Vin jwenn rezo kominotè nou an

Evènman kap vini yo

Thu, Dec 04
Monstr Pure!
Rankont Google
Learn more
Dec 04, 2025, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Rankont Google
Prepare w pou yon moman amizan e pè nan Monster Mash la! 🎃👻 Pa bliye pase bò kote Friends of Somerville SEPAC ak tab Somerville SEPAC la pou kèk aktivite koloran festiv! Nou pa ka tann pou wè chèdèv kreyatif ou yo epi konekte ak kominote a!
Mon, Nov 10
Monstr Pure!
Rankont Google
Learn more
Nov 10, 2025, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Rankont Google
Prepare w pou yon moman amizan e pè nan Monster Mash la! 🎃👻 Pa bliye pase bò kote Friends of Somerville SEPAC ak tab Somerville SEPAC la pou kèk aktivite koloran festiv! Nou pa ka tann pou wè chèdèv kreyatif ou yo epi konekte ak kominote a!
Sun, Oct 19
Monstr Pure!
Somerville Ave, Somerville, MA, Etazini
Learn more
Oct 19, 2025, 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Somerville Ave, Somerville, MA, Etazini
Prepare w pou yon moman amizan e pè nan Monster Mash la! 🎃👻 Pa bliye pase bò kote Friends of Somerville SEPAC ak tab Somerville SEPAC la pou kèk aktivite koloran festiv! Nou pa ka tann pou wè chèdèv kreyatif ou yo epi konekte ak kominote a!

Kontakte nou

Imèl: friendsofsomervillesepac@gmail.com

Avètisman

Tanpri sonje: Friends of Somerville Special Education Parent Advisory Council, Inc. se yon sosyete endepandan, ki pa gen bi likratif e ki gen yon aplikasyon 501(c)(3) annatant. Nou se yon antite legalman separe de Somerville Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SSEPAC). Misyon nou se sèlman charitab epi li konsantre sou ranmase lajan pou sipòte objektif ak aktivite SSEPAC yo.

A pwopo

Fè yon don pou Zanmi Somerville SEPAC yo

A pwopo

​

Follow us on Instagram

Evènman kap vini yo

Vin jwenn Rezo Kominotè nou an!

Evènman kap vini yo

Kontakte nou

Avètisman