Know Your Rights: Obtaining K - 12 Special Education Services Through the DOE

This free webinar is designed for parents who have children in grades

K - 12 with an identified learning difference and/or ADHD. In addition, we welcome professionals who wish to learn more about the rights of youngsters who are in either private or public school and need support services.

·  Did you know that if your child needs support services, he or she could be eligible for them through the Department of Education? These services could include individual tutoring, PT, OT and speech and language therapy.

Join Keith Haber and Sharon Thomas (facilitator) from MAIA Education Resource Center together with Education Attorney, Nicole Saldana to learn:

·  The difference between the public and private school requirements for obtaining services

·  Tips on how you can be your child’s best advocate during an IEP or IESP meeting

·  Your rights in securing a competent provider to work with your child

Our Speakers:

Keith Haber, MBA

Keith Haber is MAIA Education Resource Center's Associate Director. He has over a decade of experience in education and has worked at MAIA since its founding. Keith advises families on how to obtain support from the NYC Department of Education (DOE) for Special Education Teacher Support Services (SETSS). Keith has a BA in Management from Boston University and an MBA from New York University Stern School of Business. Keith has prior career experience in management consulting working for large international consulting firms.

Nicole Saldana

Nicole Q Saldana is the principal attorney of The Law Office of Nicole Q. Saldana, PLLC. She began practicing law 25 years ago as a Prosecutor and City Solicitor in Ohio. Nicole's passion for advancing the rights of children stems from her early career as an advocate for abused and neglected children. She relocated to New York in 2004 and spent ten years as a corporate employment law attorney where she also handled pro bono cases for families with special needs children. Since 2014 Nicole has devoted her private practice to special education law and advocacy. She has successfully represented hundreds of families in cases filed against the New York City Department of Education to secure tutoring services, private school tuition, private evaluations, and related services. Nicole earned her undergraduate degree from Hampton University in Virginia and her J.D. from the University of Cincinnati. She is licensed to practice in New York and Ohio.

Sharon Thomas, MSc, MSEd (Facilitator)

Sharon Thomas is a Learning Specialist and Educational Consultant. She is the Founder and Director of MAIA Education Resource Center, an organization started over ten years ago to identify and provide timely educational services. As the leader of MAIA, named after her daughter, Sharon guides a team of talented teachers with general and special education training who are invested in the overall development and success of their students. MAIA works with students K-College with and without learning differences through 1:1 tutoring, executive function coaching, test preparation, school placement, and workshops. Sharon is passionate about giving all students access to learning. Her work and advocacy for individual students, families and in schools reflect her belief that healthy learning environments understand and prioritize individual development and best research based teaching practices. Sharon completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology at Georgetown University and earned a master's degree in Child Psychology at University College London as well as a master's degree in General and Special Education at Hunter College.