276-821-5632

Bristol Virginia Public Schools provides Special Education, a program designed specifically to address the unique needs of children identified as having a disability. This program is entirely free for students, parents, and guardians.

Services are provided for students ages 2 through 21 who have been identified with a disability that impacts their learning. Early referral and evaluation for students demonstrating delays is critical, as interventions can significantly improve the child’s progress in school and quality of life.

It is important to remember that difficulty in school doesn't always indicate a disability, and not every child with a disability will require Special Education services. Eligibility is determined through a formal evaluation process that confirms both the presence of a disability and a negative impact on a child's educational or developmental progress.

Special Education Staff

• Assistant Superintendent - Dr. Megan de Nobriga (mdenobriga@bvps.org)

• Secretary - Kerri Malcolm (kmalcolm@bvps.org)

• Secretary/Bookkeeper - Alisha Pickel (apickel@bvps.org)

• School Psychologist - Grayson Byrd (greynolds@bvps.org)

• Program Director of Exceptional Learners - Melanie Young (myoung@bvps.org)

• Itinerant Early Childhood Special Education Teacher - Joy Berry (jberry@bvps.org)

• Resource Teacher for Student Services - Sara DeBusk (sadebusk@bvps.org)

• Foster Care/Homeless Liaison - Sara DeBusk (sadebusk@bvps.org)

Special Education Parent Resource Center
located at Bristol Virginia Public Schools Central Office in Room 105

276-821-5629

Special Education Parent Liaison - Ginni Setting (gsetting@bvps.org)

Did you know that Bristol Virginia Public Schools has a Parent Resource Center (PRC) dedicated to supporting parents, guardians, and families of students with disabilities? The PRC aims to promote a cooperative partnership between parents, educators, and the community by offering a variety of workshops, newsletters, library materials, and personal experience designed to inform, support, and assist those in need.

Our PRC is operated by a parent liaison, Ginni Setting. As a parent of children with disabilities, Ginni is committed to fostering collaborative connections between families of students with disabilities and their schools.

The goals of the Parent Resource Center include:

• Help parents navigate the Special Education process and encourage parents to play an active role in their child’s education

• Promote a cooperative partnership between home, schools, and the community

• Offer an extensive lending library including info on local support groups, websites, and community resources

• Conduct workshops with speakers on parenting skills and special education issues

• Publish a newsletter designed to assist and inform families
  

VDOE Special Education Parent Involvement Survey

Each school year the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is required to report to the U.S. Department of Education the "Percent of parents with a child receiving special education services who report that schools facilitated parent involvement as a means of improving services and results for children with disabilities."

Your school division should have provided you with an opportunity to participate in a short survey, which VDOE will use to collect the necessary data to report on this requirement. Your participation in this survey will help VDOE collect additional information to identify training needs related to the special education processes.

The VDOE will use the results of this survey to improve parental involvement in the special education process and improve outcomes for all students within the Commonwealth. It is important to note that your responses are recorded anonymously and cannot be personally linked to your child.

Parents who have more than one child receiving special education services with an individualized education program (IEP) should submit one survey for each child by December 13, 2024.

Foster Care/Homeless Information

Special Education Information