SCCSHA Fall 2025 Newsletter

Kei Worry, M.S., CCC-SLP
Aug 29
5 min read

President's Corner

President's Corner

Kathy-Ann Murray, M.S., CCC-SLP

SCCSHA President 2025–2026

Dear SCCSHA Community,

For many of us, the end of summer marks the start of new routines, back to school, and the natural rhythm of change. As we transition to a new season, we have new opportunities for connection, learning, and growth as we continue our mission to support our growth and foster meaningful relationships with the people we work with. This time of year encourages us to reflect on where we’ve been and where we’re headed.

Last year, we had our professional development workshops focused on areas such as AAC, Incorporating Sensory Strategies in Therapy, Stuttering and Ethics. We sincerely appreciate all who attended our workshops as your participation and engagement continues to keep SCCSHA alive. We are grateful for your support.

We would like to welcome our new board members who joined us in May: events co-chair Belinda Lew, and student representative - Carly Soto. Additionally, we have a candidate for our Vice-President position, Kathy Bulman, who will be introduced and voted on at Fall Workshop.

As we look to fall, we are excited to share that we will be hosting a mixer in mid-September. Please look out for more details. The speakers for our upcoming workshop are SLPs Mai-Ling Chan and Garrett Oyama who will be sharing their expertise on Artificial Intelligence (AI), and music and other innovations related to our field. Please join us on Friday, October 24, 2025, at Sunnyvale Unified School District in Sunnyvale to gain insights on new ways to better support the needs of all our students, clients or patients. You don’t want to miss it!

Membership has its perks! By becoming an SCCSHA member, you will also receive a 20% discount on all of our workshops this year. This includes our Fall Workshop, virtual Winter Workshop in January 2026 and our Spring Luncheon in May 2026. Membership and workshop tickets can be purchased through our website www.sccsha.org. Whether you’ve been with us for years or are just joining us for the first time, we look forward to you joining us!

As we continue to bolster our association, we are excited to announce that we are currently seeking candidates to fill several board positions at the end of this year. If you are interested in getting involved and making a meaningful impact, we encourage you to reach out. Your involvement helps shape the future of our profession and

community.

The SCCSHA board is looking forward to a great year!

Legislative Corner

Ann England, M.A., CCC-SLP-L

Legislative Liaison

NEW LAW THAT EFFECTS DEAF, HARD OF HEARING, OR DEAF-BLIND STUDENTS

Summary: (AB) 1938 went into effect in January 2025 and requires LEAs (local education agencies) to consider the full language access needs of students who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind when implementing UDL (universal design for learning) initiatives pursuant to Education Code (EC) sections 56326.5(a) and 56345(d).

When an individualized family service plan or individualized education program team is determining the least restrictive environment for deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind students, they must consider the language needs of the student pursuant to EC sections 56326.5(a) and 56345(d) and review services and placements options.

Official guidance “Inclusion and Universal Design for Learning for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Deaf-Blind Students” posted on the CDE web page at: https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/lr/om062725.asp.

If you have any questions regarding this subject, please contact the CA Dept. of Education: CDESPEDDIRECTOR@cde.ca.gov.

NEW RESOURCES RELEASED TO STRENGTHEN LITERACY-BILITERACY INSTRUCTION IN CALIFORNIA

The California Literacy-Biliteracy Professional Learning Pack was released in May 2025 and is a comprehensive suite of resources designed to enhance literacy instruction and support educators across the state in improving student outcomes, especially for young readers.

The new Professional Learning Pack includes two crucial literacy guidance documents:

1. California Literacy Roadmap’s Literacy Content Blocks for English-Medium Classrooms (Transitional Kindergarten through Grade Five).

2. Preschool Through Third Grade (P–3) Learning Progressions for Language and Literacy Development.

All educators are encouraged to incorporate these materials into their professional development plans.

The full Professional Learning Pack is available here:

https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cl/

California Department of Education Multilingual Support Division Issues CA English Learner Roadmap:

CDE is committed to supporting LEAs as they continue to create asset-based, needs-responsive schools for multilingual English learners, immigrant, and migratory students. See the California English Learner Roadmap at: https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/ml/roadmap.asp

Student Corner

Hello! My name is Carly Soto and I am the new 2025-2026 student representative for SCCSHA! I am currently a senior undergraduate student at San Jose State University majoring in Communicative Science and Disorders with a minor in Child Development. I hope to use this degree to further my studies in graduate school and become a medical based SLP.

During my time at SJSU I have become very active on campus. I served as Vice President of Philanthropy at Delta Zeta Sorority which helped raise $17k for speech and hearing based organizations such as Starkey Hearing Foundation, American Society for Deaf Children, and Seriousfun Children's Network. I also have volunteered at the on campus clinic (Kay Armstead Center) and am currently the Fundraising Chairman for SJSU NSSLHA. I am also currently in the process of becoming a volunteer at Kaiser Permanente. In addition, I also run a personal SLP based instagram account if anyone is interested @carlyslp_ !

I am SO EXCITED to be a part of this team! I really would like to provide a strong foundation to improve connections between SCCSHA and SJSU! I truly believe this connection can lead to so many great things and leave a lasting impact. I am eager to start working with this team and being a part of what we have in store!

Fall Workshop

Join us on Friday, October 24, 2025 for our Fall Workshop at the Sunnyvale Unified School District Office: 819 W Iowa Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94086.

We have two dynamic sessions:

1. Artificial Intelligence in Speech-Language Pathology

Presenter: Mai Ling Chan, a multifaceted speech-language pathologist, global connector, invited presenter, technology entrepreneur, and industry historian. Driven by a passion for empowerment, she guides individuals, educators, and innovators in the accessibility space, helping them transform their visions into impactful realities.

Step into the future of communication with this groundbreaking workshop exploring the intersection of speech-language pathology and artificial intelligence. Whether you're a seasoned clinician, a curious researcher, or a tech-savvy student, this session will reveal how AI is revolutionizing assessment, treatment, and accessibility in speech-language pathology. Workshop participants will discover machine learning, explore ethical implications, and the incredible potential of AI in our practice.

2. Rhythm and Resonance: Music and Innovations in Speech Therapy

Presenter: Garrett "Scooter" Oyama, a practicing speech-language pathologist, musician, research coordinator, and UCLA PhD student in Communication/Cognition. With a multidisciplinary background in music, language, and cognitive science, he integrates insights across fields to advance the treatment of communication disorders.

This one-of-a-kind workshop blends music and cutting-edge tools to transform traditional speech therapy. Workshop participants will learn how musicality and new technologies can elevate engagement and effectiveness in providing speech therapy to our students, clients or patients.