LAMBTON KENT DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE



Thursday
Wallaceburg District Secondary School
7:00 p.m.

2001 05 17

Library

 

M I N U T E S

PRESENT:

Jennifer Adam, St. Clair Child and Youth Services

 

Norma Hills, Sarnia & District Association for Community Living

 

Marion Lennan, Lambton County Association for the Mentally Handicapped

 

Duncan Longwell, Trustee (Chair)

 

Graham McIntyre, Trustee

 

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:

Sandra Blondin, Our Children's Voice

 

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

RESOURCE

Warren Kennedy, Principal, Wallaceburg District Secondary School

STAFF:

Mike Gilfoyle and Cathy Koolen, Special Education Co-ordinators

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1.0

CALL TO ORDER - 19 02 hours.

 

D. Longwell announced that Diane Turk, Member "at large", has resigned from SEAC. A replacement will be appointed in the near future.

2.0

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF 2001 04 26

 

The Minutes of 2001 04 26 were approved as written.

3.0

BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES - None.

4.0

SPECIAL EDUCATION BUDGET UPDATE - 2001-2001

 

D. Longwell referred to the report provided.

T. Scott would like the Superintendent of Business to make a presentation highlighting the special education particulars of the budget, including SEPPA and ISA. He would also like SEAC to receive information on how the available funding will affect special education staffing and programs.

Dr. Vaughan stated that it was probably safe to say that there would not be an increase in funding.

5.0

IPRC STUDENT GUIDE

 

During the annual review of the Special Education Plan it was suggested that a "plain language" or "student" version of the IPRC Guide be produced. W. Kennedy announced that two Resource Teachers at Wallaceburg District Secondary School have compiled a possible student version. It will be formatted and distributed to SEAC in DRAFT form for review at the June meeting.

6.0

PROJECTED SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFF - 2001-2002

 

A chart indicating the projected number of Special Education staff for 2001-2002 was reviewed. It was noted that the numbers were projections only and would be reviewed once the Ministry of Education Grant Regulations were received.

M. Gilfoyle compared the projected numbers to 2000-2001 staffing figures. The allocation for Elementary Resource Teachers has decreased by 3.5 due to declining enrolment and school closures, but the other projections have remained relatively unchanged compared to the current school year. More up-to-date information will be brought to SEAC in September.

7.0

SEAC MEETING FORMAT - 2001-2002

 

7.1

Possible Dates

 

 

SEAC was provided with the option of scheduling their meetings on the 4th Thursday or the 3rd Thursday of each month. It was agreed that meetings would be held on the fourth Thursday of each month (with some exceptions) according to the following schedule:

September, 20, 2001 (3rd Thursday)
October 25, 2001
November 22, 2001
December 13, 2001 (2nd Thursday)
January 24, 2002
February 28, 2002
March 21, 2002 (3rd Thursday)
April 25, 2002
May 16, 2002 (3rd Thursday)
June 20, 2002 (3rd Thursday)

The location of the meetings was discussed. Options included alternating meetings between Sarnia and Chatham and video conferencing (especially during the winter months). It was decided that meetings would continue to be held at Wallaceburg District Secondary School - Library, beginning at 7:00 p.m., unless otherwise announced. The meeting location could be reviewed again during 2001-2002 if required.

 

7.2

Draft Agenda Format

 

 

7.2.1

Timed Agenda Items

 

 

 

A sample SEAC Agenda was reviewed indicating approximate times for each individual item.

W. Vallee voiced concern about having timed agenda items explaining that she felt it sends a negative message and would not allow for thorough discussion surrounding important items.

J. Adam welcomes timed agendas--most committees incorporate some form of timed agendas in order to move discussions along and to encourage decisions to be made in a timely manner. She explained that items can be forwarded to the next meeting agenda if they require further discussion, or for difficult issues, a small discussion group or sub-committee could be formed with a report or presentation back to SEAC.

J. Wright stated that questions from the public might take more than the time allotted. D. Longwell explained that the times allocated were approximate only and there was always room for flexibility.

SEAC agreed to introduce the timed agenda format, on a trial basis, beginning in June.

 

 

7.2.2

Standing Agenda Items

 

 

 

The following will be standing SEAC agenda items for the 2001-2002 school year:

Call to Order
Approval of Minutes
Business Arising from Minutes
Special Education Plan
Correspondence
Feature Association
Association Reports and Other Business
Questions from the Public
Future Agenda Items

8.0

SPECIAL EDUCATION PLAN

 

W. Vallee suggested that the section of the Special Education Plan to be reviewed appear on the agenda so that SEAC members could review information prior to the meeting. She would like to see the Philosophy of Special Education reviewed first, beginning in September.

9.0

CORRESPONDENCE

 

A copy of a letter from the Halton District School Board to the Minister of Education was circulated. The letter requested that the Minister encourage all boards of education to provide a range of placements for pupils with exceptional needs.

A Ministry Memorandum was distributed regarding amendments to Regulation 181 and 306 of the Education Act. Regulation 181 has been amended to state that an IEP must be completed within 30 school days of placement through the IPRC process. Regulation 306 has been amended to state that the Special Education Plan is now due on July 31 rather than May 15 of each year.

10.0

FEATURE ASSOCIATION

 

10.1

Chatham and District Association for Community Living

 

 

Ron Coristine, Co-ordinator of Employment Services, gave a brief overview of the programs and services provided by the Chatham and District Association for Community Living, including respite services, employment opportunities, school-to-work transition, family support, advocacy, and public education. SEAC members had the opportunity to ask questions.

 

10.2

Next Meeting Feature Association

 

 

No Feature Association Presentation will be scheduled for the June meeting.

11.0

ASSOCIATION REPORTS AND OTHER BUSINESS

 

J. Wright announced that she made a presentation to the Board on May 8, 2001, on behalf of the Chatham and District Association for Community Living. J. Wright also announced that May is "Integration Month" and distributed bookmarks and submitted a poem.

T. Scott reported on the progress he has made on the development of the SEAC Brochure. While researching on the internet he discovered that 66% of English Public School Boards have some sort of link to special education on their websites, and most had their IPRC Parent Guide available on their webpage. English Catholic School Boards had very little mention of special education on their websites. It was also noted that many of the Northern Ontario Boards rely on video conferencing for their meetings.

D. Longwell reported on the "Meet and Greet" session on May 7, 2001, attended by himself, M. Gilfoyle and S. Nickerson. The event was sponsored by the Down Syndrome Association of Lambton County and Sarnia-Lambton Family Network.

W. Vallee received a memo from the Autism Society of Ontario requesting input on a revised version of ISA Profiles. The profiles appear to be worse instead of better.

12.0

QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC

 

A. Kuhn announced that he recently learned that Writeaway 2000, Version 3, is now available.

13.0

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

 

Budget Presentation (June)
IPRC Student Guide (June)
Special Program Transportation (September)
2001-2002 Special Education Staffing Figures (September)
Professional Development
Booklet of Strategies, Accommodations, and Tips for all Exceptionalities
Reading Academy Software Demonstration

J. Adam would like SEAC to receive a presentation on the steps that are followed in order to have a pupil identified as exceptional, including the psycho-educational assessment process and approximate timelines. C. Koolen stated that a presentation could be made outlining the "Steps to Success" process.

J. Wright reminded administration that SEAC is expecting a Transportation Report in September, indicating the bus pick-up and drop-off times and school start and finish times for all schools with special programs.

14.0

NEXT MEETING

 

Thursday, June 14, 2001

 

Wallaceburg District Secondary School - Library

 

7:00 p.m.

G. McIntyre mentioned he would be unable to attend the June meeting due to a prior commitment.

15.0

ADJOURNMENT - 21 00 hours.

 

Joan Sparks,


Recording Secretary.