You Spoke. We Listened: HSD Parent Advisory Council Gives Families a Voice

For families of students receiving special education services, having a voice in their child’s education is essential. The Hazelwood School District’s Parent Advisory Council (PAC) provides an opportunity for families to connect, share experiences, ask questions, learn about available resources and provide feedback that helps strengthen the partnership between families, HSD and the Special School District of St. Louis County (SSD).

At the first PAC Family Voice meeting of the 2026-27 school year, families shared what is working, what can be improved, and what they need from PAC and their school district. Many participants were attending PAC for the first time.

“The purpose of the Hazelwood PAC (Parent Advisory Council) includes proving a platform for Hazelwood School District families to collaborate with one another and share knowledge regarding improving academic and social outcomes for students receiving support from the Special School District of St. Louis County,” said Monica Miller-Seawood, HSD assistant superintendent. “It is important for families of students receiving special education services to have a voice in order to bridge the gap that can persist between home and school and to ensure that the family's perspective is a part of the plan for the student.”

Families Shared Their Voices

During the meeting, families identified several priorities, including making PAC easier to access, improving communication, providing clearer information about Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and parent rights, strengthening HSD and SSD collaboration, and creating more opportunities for family connection and support.

Families also expressed a desire for practical information about advocacy, transitions between schools and programs, accommodations, case managers, and who to contact when questions arise.

Miller-Seawood said one of the things that stood out most to her was families’ desire to better understand IEPs and the resources available to support their children.

“I heard our families indicate that they want to gain more knowledge regarding the development and implementation of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). I also noted that our families want to gain more knowledge around resources that are available to support the whole child.”

Angela Edwards, director of special education for SSD, emphasized that helping families navigate those processes is an important part of PAC.

“PAC explicitly focuses on helping families understand and navigate the IEP process and learn about parental rights and resources.”

Listening and Taking Action

HSD and SSD are using the feedback from families to identify changes that can make PAC more accessible, informative, and action-oriented.

Beginning with the 2026-27 school year, PAC meetings will be offered virtually in response to families’ strong preference for virtual participation. HSD also will communicate meeting dates farther in advance, provide reminders as meetings approach, and explore additional ways to share PAC information with families.

Future PAC meetings will also focus on topics families identified as priorities, including IEPs and parent rights, advocacy resources, transitions, student supports, staff roles and responsibilities, and family connection.

Miller-Seawood said the goal is for families to leave PAC meetings feeling more informed and prepared to participate in decisions regarding their children.

“Parents that participate in Hazelwood School District's PAC meetings will gain insight into the special education process and also be able to gleam support from other parents that are present. The goal of HSD's PAC is to provide information and support to our families so that they are able to confidently participate in IEP meetings where they are a part of the decision making process.”

The feedback also reinforced the importance of HSD and SSD working together to support students and families.

“The partnership between Hazelwood School District and Special School District is designed as a unified collaboration,” Edwards said. “The ultimate mission is to work together to directly improve each student's educational, self-efficacy, and social outcomes.”

Your Voice Matters

Strong communication among families, HSD staff and SSD staff is essential to creating a consistent support system for students.

“Seamless communication and active collaboration ensure that every adult involved in a student's education is aligned toward the same goals,” Edwards said. “Bridging communication gaps helps remove barriers to family participation and advocacy.”

For families who have never attended a PAC meeting, Edwards has a simple message: Your voice matters.

“If you have never attended a PAC meeting, you are not alone—the majority of participating parents at recent meetings were attending for their very first time! PAC exists specifically to prioritize "Parent Voice" and provide advice directly to SSD and HSD leadership. Every parent's lived experience and perspective are essential to shaping better outcomes for all students.”

The purpose of listening is not simply to collect feedback. It is to use what families share to improve the experience of students and families. Some changes can happen quickly, while others require additional collaboration, review and planning.

HSD and SSD will continue to listen, communicate progress, and bring unresolved questions to the appropriate teams.

You spoke. We listened. And together, we are working to strengthen the partnership between families, HSD, and SSD as One HSD.