LAMBTON KENT DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Thursday
Wallaceburg District Secondary School
19 00 hours

2001 03 22

Library

(7:00 p.m.)

M I N U T E S

PRESENT:

Jennifer Adam, St. Clair Child and Youth Services

Sandra Blondin, Our Children's Voice

Norma Hills, Sarnia & District Association for Community Living

Marion Lennan, Lambton County Association for the Mentally Handicapped

Duncan Longwell, Trustee (Chair)

Graham McIntyre, Trustee

Sharon Nickerson, Member "at large" (Vice-Chair)

Donna Scherer, Learning Disabilities Association of Chatham-Kent

Ted Scott, Member "at large"

Wenda Vallee, Autism Society of Ontario

Veronica Vaughan, Wallaceburg & Sydenham District Association for Community

Living

Jane Wright, Chatham & District Association for Community Living

REGRETS:

Karen Hasson, Association for Bright Children of Ontario

Diane Turk, Member "at large"

RESOURCE

Ruth Mattingley, Superintendent of Education

STAFF:

Deb Ellacott, Mike Gilfoyle, Cathy Koolen and Cathy Telfer, Special Education

Co-ordinators

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1.0

CALL TO ORDER – 19 05 hours.

2.0

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF 2001 02 22

The Minutes of 2001 02 22 were approved as written.

3.0

BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES

J. Wright inquired about the information requested under Item 11.0 of the Minutes concerning bus arrival and departure times. R. Mattingley explained that the information had been requested from the Transportation Officer, Kevin Fitzpatrick, and should be available in the near future.

4.0

PRESENTATION - SEAC ORIENTATION AND IN-SERVICE

R. Mattingley presented SEAC with information on the organizational structure of the Lambton Kent District School Board and provided each member with a folder containing:

List of Trustees (with addresses and phone numbers)
Board Meeting Dates and Locations
Senior Administration Names and Portfolios
Superintendent School Responsibilities
Education Centre Contact Information
Web Site Information
Directory of Schools
List of SEAC Members
SEAC Information Flyer

R. Mattingley introduced Cheryl Zinszer. Cheryl is the past Chair of the Waterloo County Board of Education SEAC, a current member of the Minister's Advisory Council on Special Education (MACSE), past President of both the Canadian and the Ontario Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), recipient of a national CEC Award for outstanding leadership in Special Education, and Principal of Special Education for the Avon Maitland District School Board.

C. Zinszer displayed a series of overheads and provided explanations for each under the following headings:

What is SEAC?
Mandate of SEAC
Why have SEAC?
How to Have an Effective SEAC
Meetings
Sample Topics
Items for Awareness

She also referred to Education Act Regulation 464: SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEES and distributed some information handouts and checklists.

She summarized her presentation by stating that in order to be effective, SEAC must work as a team, don’t' make demands--but give advice, and represent the views of the association--not your own.

SEAC members were provided with the opportunity to ask questions.

C. Telfer thanked C. Zinszer and presented her with a token of appreciation.

5.0

CORRESPONDENCE

A file containing the following correspondence was circulated for information (SEAC members could request copies of any of the file contents):

Thank you card from Carol Longwell and family.
Copy of letter sent to the Minister of Education from District School Board North East concerning the lack of funding for high needs students transferring from coterminous boards.
Copy of letter sent by the Toronto District School Board SEAC to the College of Teachers re: teacher qualifications.
Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario campaign poster (also distributed to each school).

6.0

ASSOCIATION REPORTS AND OTHER BUSINESS

S. Blondin distributed a flyer announcing "We Can All Play 2001" on April 5, 2001, at the Sarnia Sports and Entertainment Centre, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. This event will showcase recreation and leisure activities for people with disabilities.

Dr. Vaughan announced that the Wallaceburg & Sydenham District Association for Community Living approved a moderate Snoezelen Room to be located in Wallaceburg at their last meeting. They also reviewed the Special Education Plan and have submitted their suggestions to R. Mattingley.

D. Scherer provided details on an information session about Psycho-Educational Reports to be held on March 27, 2001 at Chatham-Kent Secondary School, beginning at 7:00 p.m. She also distributed a "Promoting Early Intervention for Learning Disabilities Initiative" bulletin from the Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario.

J. Adam announced that the dual diagnosis program for children between the ages of 6 and 16 with developmental disabilities and mental health problems that she mentioned at the last meeting is now ready for referrals. They also hope to offer learning opportunities and workshops to the community at a minimal cost in the near future.

J. Wright informed SEAC that the Chatham & District Association for Community Living reviewed the Special Education Plan and submitted their recommendations to the Special Education Plan sub-committee. They have also appointed Al Kuhn as their alternate representative on SEAC.

R. Mattingley reminded SEAC of the special meeting next Thursday, March 29, 2001, and stressed that a quorum was important.

7.0

QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC

None.

8.0

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

Overview of SEAC Presentation to School Council Chairs
Bus Arrival and Departure Times at Schools with Special Programs

W. Vallee would like an update on the relocation of special needs classrooms from the schools that have been designated to close at the end of this school year.

T. Scott wondered if there was any news on the ISA process for this year. C. Zinszer stated that the general feeling is that Boards will not have to go through the entire process that has been the practice for the past three years, but explained that there was no official news yet from the Ministry of Education at this point.

T. Scott suggested SEAC consider developing a brochure to distribute to schools, doctor office, etc., similar to the one produced by the Waterloo County Board of Education (attached).

9.0

FUTURE MEETINGS

Thursday, March 29, 2001 (Special Meeting) and Thursday, April 26, 2001

Wallaceburg District Secondary School – Library

7:00 p.m.

10.0

ADJOURNMENT – 20 45 hours.

Joan Sparks,

Recording Secretary.