LAMBTON KENT DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD



SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE



Thursday
Wallaceburg District Secondary School
19 00 hours

2003 03 27
Library
(7:00 p.m.)

 

 

M I N U T E S

 

 

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


Norma Hills, Sarnia & District Association for Community Living


Marion Lennan, Lambton County Developmental Services


Duncan Longwell, Trustee (Chair)


Graham McIntyre, Trustee


Sharon Nickerson, Member "at large"


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, Community Living Chatham-Kent




ABSENT:
Jenny Greensmith, Pathways Health Centre for Children




RESOURCE
Warren Kennedy, Superintendent of Education

STAFF:
Deb Ellacott, Denise Emery, Chris Gordon, and Geri Haskell, Special Education Co-ordinators

 

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1.0
CALL TO ORDER - 7:00 p.m.

 

 

2.0
ELECTION OF VICE-CHAIR

At the previous SEAC meeting Ted Scott was nominated for SEAC Vice-Chair but suggested that the election of Vice-Chair be delayed until Sharon Nickerson, who was unable to attend the last meeting, returned to accept or decline a nomination.

 

S. Nickerson indicated she was not interested in being nominated for SEAC Vice-Chair and felt T. Scott would make an excellent Vice-Chair.

 

Ted Scott was declared SEAC Vice-Chair by acclamation.

 

 

3.0
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF 2003 02 27

 

The Minutes of 2003 02 27 were approved as written.

 

 

4.0
BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES - None.

 

 

5.0
INTERNAL REVIEW OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND SERVICES DRAFT REPORT

SEAC reviewed, in detail, a draft copy of the “Internal Review of Special Education Programs and Services” Report.

 

W. Kennedy outlined the process involved in developing the Report and the groups (Principals, Executive Council, etc.) that have or will be involved in reviewing the draft prior to submission to the Board in late April as an information item.

 

W. Kennedy explained that the report was broken down into four segments: Background, Reports Previously Submitted for Board Action/Information, System Recommendations, and Summary of Recommendations. The Report “offers a planned approach for the future provision of appropriate special education programs and services”. W. Kennedy stressed the fact that the Report is based on the assumption that the Board will receive additional special education funding for 2003-2004.

 

SEAC was provided the opportunity to ask questions about the Report and to provide comments and/or suggested revisions. Some points/suggestions/concerns included:

· ensure additional staff are fully qualified/trained in special education

· we are adding additional EA’s, but no additional Resource Teachers. Is this the right mix? (It was felt that with the addition of several new special class programs and early intervention strategies, the current Resource Teacher caseload may be lessened.)

· common theme at recent Autism Conference: Autistic kids are generating ISA dollars, but they are receiving the expected support.

· should we be spending special education funds on programs for non-exceptional or non-identified students?

· Be very cautious about who is permitted to take virtual courses (some LD students need assistance with the social aspect of school).

· would like to see more good Resource Teachers instead of more EA’s. EA’s are only effective with LD students if they are well-trained in the area.

· additional staff seems to be geared toward the younger students and the older students have been forgotten.

· checks and balances need to be put in place regarding the question on Page 3 of the Report: “How do we account for expenditures when in some instances there is little to no student progress?” (there needs to be some checks in place that reviews the progress of students as it relates to their current program)

· adjust first sentence on Page 2--nothing in Report to support an inclusionary model for DD students.

· Page 23, Recommendation #2--Transportation costs could be reduced by offering programming in neighborhood schools for DD students.

· Page 23, Recommendation #4--add, “by offering training to staff” to the end of the sentence.

· emphasize integration and inclusion in the DD/MF section (3e) recommendations.

 

W. Kennedy suggested that the words “where the program is offered” could be added to the end of the first sentence on Page 22.

 

D. Longwell suggested that any further suggestions or comments from SEAC members could be forwarded to W. Kennedy. A revised version of the Report will be available for SEAC members once the consultation process is complete.

 

 

6.0
SPECIAL EDUCATION PLAN

6.1

Revised Draft of Section 2.11 - Special Education Staff

A revised version of Section 2.11 of the Special Education Plan, Special Education Staff, was reviewed.

 

Suggested change:

· on the Special Education Staff Charts, Item 4.1 - Psychological Associate, change the PhD qualification to Masters.

 

D. Ellacott informed SEAC that the individual section-by-section review should be complete by the end of April. A complete draft version of the Special Education Plan will be brought to SEAC in May. The Board should receive the Plan in June for approval prior to the submission to the Ministry of Education by the July 31, 2003 deadline.

6.2
Section 2.12 - Staff Development

Revised copies of Section 2.12 of the Special Education Plan, Staff Development, were distributed for SEAC review.

 

No changes were suggested, although staff were reminded to provide SEAC with copies of the “After School Workshop” catalogues each time they are published.

 

A revised version of Section 2.13, Equipment, was distributed for SEAC review prior to the next meeting.

 

 

7.0
CORRESPONDENCE

 

D. Longwell informed SEAC that Julie Wolfe has forfeited her seat on SEAC representing the Learning Disabilities Association of Lambton County. Correspondence indicated that the Learning Disabilities Association of Lambton County may appoint a replacement member.

 

 

8.0
ASSOCIATION REPORTS AND OTHER BUSINESS

D. Scherer distributed a poster concerning a “Bullying” workshop on April 15, 2003, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., at Chatham Collegiate Institute. She also distributed copies of the Learning Disabilities Association of Chatham-Kent, Summer 2003, Tutoring and Social Skills Programs brochure.

 

W. Vallee announced details of a conference sponsored by the Family Alliance Ontario and Integration Action for Inclusion: “Choices, Options and Opportunities” – April 25 and 26, 2003.

 

Referring to the same conference (Choices, Options and Opportunities), J. Wright encouraged Board staff to attend the “High School Inclusion: Supporting Students with Significant Disabilities to be Real Members of High School Communities”, session on Friday, April 25.

 

J. Wright submitted a copy of her presentation to the Equity Task Force for the Ontario Human Rights Commission in October, 2002. She requested that Trustees receive a copy.

 

D. Emery distributed copies of the Winter, 2003 issue of Voice, a magazine published by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario. The issue features an article written by Geri Haskell, Denise Emery, and Cathy Telfer, entitled “Special Education in the Regular Classroom”. D. Emery appears on the cover of the magazine along with a special needs student from Indian Creek Road School.

 

D. Emery also distributed information on an “Inclusive Activities for Students with Physical Disabilities” workshop on April 30, 2003. SEAC members are welcome to attend. To register, contact D. Emery.

 

 

9.0
QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC

A. Kuhn provided SEAC with additional information on how to discourage staff from “over assisting” special needs students.

 

 

10.0
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

J. Wright enquired about the Best Buddies Program. C. Gordon mentioned that she had been in touch with Best Buddies staff and they are hopefully coming to speak with our Principals in the near future.

 

D. Ellacott mentioned that the Speech and Language Program Review Committee should be ready to bring their recommendations to the next SEAC meeting. The Autism/PDD Transition Committee will also provide a progress report at the next meeting.

 

· Professional Development

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

· Board Website Demonstration

· Kurzweil Software Demonstration

· Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA)

· Exceptionality Presentations

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

 

 

11.0
NEXT MEETING





Thursday, April 24, 2003


Wallaceburg District Secondary School - Library


7:00 p.m.

 

 

12.0
ADJOURNMENT - 9:00 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joan Sparks,


Recording Secretary.