LAMBTON KENT DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD



SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE



Thursday
Wallaceburg District Secondary School
19 00 hours

2003 06 12
Library
(7:00 p.m.)

 

 

M I N U T E S

 

 

PRESENT:
Rose Gallaway (for Jennifer Adam), St. Clair Child and Youth Services


Jenny Greensmith, Pathways Health Centre for Children


Norma Hills, Sarnia & District Association for Community Living


Jane Wright, Community Living Chatham-Kent


Marion Lennan, Lambton County Developmental Services


Sharon Nickerson, Member "at large"


Donna Scherer, Learning Disabilities Association of Chatham-Kent




REGRETS:
Duncan Longwell, Trustee (Chair)


Graham McIntyre, Trustee


Ted Scott, Member "at large" (Vice-Chair)


Wenda Vallee, Autism Society of Ontario


Veronica Vaughan, Wallaceburg & Sydenham District Association for Community

Living




RESOURCE
Warren Kennedy, Superintendent of Education

STAFF:
Denise Emery, Special Education Co-ordinator

 

*********************************************************************************

 

1.0
CALL TO ORDER - 7:02 p.m.

 

In the absence of both the SEAC Chair and Vice-Chair, W. Kennedy chaired the meeting.

 

 

2.0
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF 2003 05 29

The Minutes of 2003 05 29 were approved as written.

 

 

3.0
BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES

W. Kennedy pointed out that a detailed outline of training received by bus drivers who transport special needs students was attached to the Minutes of 2003 05 29.

 

 

4.0
SPECIAL EDUCATION PLAN UPDATE

W. Kennedy announced that the Special Education Plan - 2003, was approved by the Board on June 10, 2003, as presented by SEAC Chair D. Longwell. Associations are welcome to submit feedback/comments which could be included in the "Consultation" section of the Plan.

 

The Plan will be submitted to the Ministry of Education by the end of June.

 

J. Wright mentioned that the School Council Chair of John McGregor Secondary School was unaware of our Special Education Plan. W. Kennedy outlined steps taken over the past year to bring the Plan to the attention of stakeholders, including a brief presentation at a "central" School Council Chair/Principal meeting in April, 2003. It is hoped that an "electronic" version of the Plan can be established in the near future that will be accessible via the internet.

 

J. Wright suggested that school entry and exit ages/dates be mentioned in the Plan, in order to avoid confusion, particularly for students who reach the age of 21 during the school year. It is currently unclear when 21 year-old students are finished their secondary school program. W. Kennedy explained that Senior Administration are in the process of amending an Administrative Procedure to clarify the issue.

 

 

5.0
2003-2004 SEAC MEETING SCHEDULE

A DRAFT SEAC meeting schedule for 2003-2004 was proposed. The following dates were agreed upon:

 

· September 25, 2003

· October 23, 2003

· November 27, 2003

· December 18, 2003

· January 22, 2004

· February 26, 2004

· March 25, 2004

· April 22, 2004

· May 20, 2004

· June 10, 2004

 

All meetings will be held in the Library at Wallaceburg District Secondary School, beginning at 7:00 p.m. (unless announced otherwise).

 

 

6.0
CORRESPONDENCE






6.1
Ministry of Education Memorandum

SEAC was provided with a copy of a Ministry Memorandum, dated May 8, 2003, outlining details of their "Special Education Program Standards Discussion Document". Information on piloting the Standards for the delivery of autism-specific special education programs and services was also included.

 

D. Emery announced that the Special Education Department did submit a proposal to participate in the PDD/Autism Standards pilot. To date, no response has been received back from the Ministry of Education.






6.2
Letter from the Greater Essex County District School Board to the Minister of Education

A letter, dated May 12, 2003, from the Greater Essex County District School Board to the Minister of Education, was reviewed. The letter was in support of a previous letter issued by the Trillium-Lakelands District School Board and expressed concern regarding the administrative costs involved with the ISA process.

 

 

7.0
ASSOCIATION REPORTS AND OTHER BUSINESS

J. Greensmith distributed copies of a new information pamphlet from Pathways Health Centre for Children.

 

J. Wright circulated some materials she received at a conference. She also submitted a newspaper article from the June 5, 2003, edition of the Windsor Star, featuring the graduation of an autistic student in Alberta.

 

N. Hills updated SEAC on the Summer respite and employment support programs offered by the Sarnia & District Association for Community Living.

 

D. Scherer mentioned that the Learning Disabilities Association of Chatham-Kent continue to accept registrations for their Summer social skills and tutoring programs.

 

 

8.0
QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC - None.

 

 

9.0
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

· Professional Development

· Booklet of Strategies, Accommodations, and Tips for all Exceptionalities

· Board Website Demonstration

· Kurzweil Software Demonstration

· Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA)

· Exceptionality Presentations

· Safe Schools Act and Its Effect on Exceptional Pupils

· Link between IPRC, IEP, and Transition Plans, etc.

 

W. Kennedy suggested that SEAC receive presentations on "Kurzweil" and "DRA" at the September meeting, and the "Link between IPRC, IEP, and Transition Plans" could be presented in October.

 

J. Wright would like an update on the new Teacher Evaluation process, including copies of the final version of survey forms for students and parents.

 

S. Nickerson is most interested in the "Safe Schools Act and Its Effect on Exceptional Pupils" presentation.

 

 

10.0
NEXT MEETING





Thursday, September 25, 2003


Wallaceburg District Secondary School - Library


7:00 p.m.

 

 

11.0
ADJOURNMENT - 7:35 p.m.

 

W. Kennedy thanked SEAC for their attendance during the 2002-2003 school year and wished everyone an enjoyable Summer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joan Sparks,


Recording Secretary.