COVID-19 Related Services 2020

                                                                                                                                  March 30, 2020

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I am happy to share that I have received guidance that during the school closure the school district is able to provide speech and language services through electronic communication or a virtual or online platform (telepractice). In order for your child to receive these services, please respond to this email indicating that you would like your child to participate in speech and language services. From there, your related service provider(s) will work with you to schedule therapy times. We will be utilizing TheraPlatform to provide these services, which is an online therapy platform. I have included instructions for how to set up your child’s account.

Parent Directions:

  1. You will receive a welcome email from TheraPlatform.
  2. Click on the link to change your password.
  3. Click on the address of the virtual room.
  4. You will be asked to log in.
  5. First, test your setup to make sure that the camera, audio, and microphone are working on your chosen device. Laptop, desktop, or Chromebooks are the preferred device, but TheraPlatform can be used on multiple platforms.
  6. Then, click join scheduled session.
  7. You will see a calendar.
  8. Click on the session time you are joining.
  9. You will be brought into the virtual therapy room. Your therapist may be present. However, you may need to wait a few minutes if they are finishing another session.
  10. After your initial setup, you will receive an email for scheduled sessions. Please select Start Session to join the therapy session.

Students will need access to the following:

  1. A computer, laptop, or tablet with access to WiFi.
  2. A location with good lighting and free from distractions.
  3. Parent assistance to log in, start session, and provide technical support.
  4. Many students will require an adult to be present during the entire session. The adult will assist during the session by serving as a communication partner or helper.

Your therapists and I are excited to begin providing direct services. We appreciate your support during these unprecedented times and look forward to working with you and your child.

 

Sincerely,

Christine Williams

Supervisor of Special Services

cwilliams@gpsd.us