LAMBTON KENT DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD



SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE



Thursday

2003 10 23
ACCESSIBLE EMPLOYMENT RESOURCE CENTRE
7:00 p.m.


1150 Pontiac Drive, Sarnia

 

 

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, Community Living Sarnia-Lambton


Al Kuhn, Community Living Chatham-Kent


Marion Lennan, Lambton County Developmental Services


Duncan Longwell, Trustee (Chair)


Sharon Nickerson, Member "at large"


Donna Scherer, Learning Disabilities Association of Chatham-Kent


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




REGRETS:
Wenda Vallee, Autism Society of Ontario


Veronica Vaughan, Wallaceburg & Sydenham District Association for Community

Living




ABSENT:
Graham McIntyre, Trustee




RESOURCE
Warren Kennedy, Superintendent of Education

STAFF:
Deb Ellacott, Special Education Co-ordinator

 

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

 

1.0
CALL TO ORDER - 7:09 p.m.

 

 

2.0
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF 2003 09 25

 

The Minutes of 2003 09 25 were approved as written.

 

 

3.0
BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES - None.

 

 

4.0
PRESENTATIONS

4.1

Job Start and Accessible Employment Resource Centre

Bob VanSickle, Supervisor of Community Employment Programs, Community Living Sarnia-Lambton, presented information on the programs and services provided by Community Living Sarnia-Lambton.

 

Connie Burrowes, Assistant Supervisor, provided details of the Job Start Program which is delivered by Community Living Sarnia-Lambton and funded by the Government of Canada (HRDC). Job Start is an eight-week program designed to help people with various barriers prepare for employment. Website: www.jobstartsarnia.com

 

Carol Villeneuve, Resource Co-ordinator, conducted a tour of the Accessible Employment Resource Centre which provides job search support and resources in a completely accessible environment, including the availability of adaptive technology. Website: www.aercsarnia.com

4.2

Mild Intellectual Disability Exceptionality

D. Ellacott presented and distributed detailed information on the exceptionality of Mild Intellectual Disability, including:

· Ministry Definition

· Attributes

· Curriculum

· Placement Options and Program Descriptions.

 

 

5.0
NEWSPAPER ADVERTISEMENT: CALL FOR SEAC MEMBERSHIP

A sample of the newspaper ad inviting applications from local associations and interested individuals to serve on SEAC for the next three-year term was reviewed. The ad will appear in local newspapers on or about November 5, 2003. Letters of application are due by November 28, 2003. The Board will appoint the new SEAC Members, using pre-established criteria, at the first regular Board meeting in January, which is January 13, 2004. The first official meeting of the new SEAC will be in February, 2004.

 

W. Kennedy pointed out that SEAC applicants must be:

· Eighteen Years of Age or Older

· Canadian Citizens

· Public School Electors

· Not an Employee of the Board.

 

Copies of the ad have been forwarded to the Executive Director/President of each association currently represented on SEAC.

 

A. Kuhn suggested that a copy of the ad be brought to the attention of School Councils.

 

 

6.0
ISA UPDATE

 

W. Kennedy reported that it is expected that 110 ISA Level 2 and 3 claims will be submitted during the current cycle due to the Ministry of Education on October 31, 2003. This is in addition to the 451 currently funded ISA claims. An ISA Validation Team from the Ministry of Education will be visiting our Board on December 1 and 2, 2003 to review each of the new claims. An ISA Enrolment Audit will also take place on October 31, 2003, where it is estimated we will report 35 ISA students as leaving and 21 ISA students as entering from other Boards.

 

W. Kennedy noted that the Minister's Advisory Council on Special Education has recommended a move toward a more census-based approach to special education funding due to the workload ISA has created.

 

 

7.0
2003-2004 PROGRAM REVIEWS

 

Three special education programs are scheduled to be reviewed during the 2003-2004 school year: Physical, Vision, and Hearing. Now that the current ISA cycle is nearing completion the Special Education Co-ordinators will begin to establish the necessary Program Review Committees.

 

 

8.0
IN-SERVICE SESSIONS

 

D. Ellacott provided a summary of various special education-related in-service sessions that have taken place this Fall, including a full-day of workshops scheduled for Educational Assistants on the October 24 Professional Activity Day.

 

D. Ellacott also announced that an in-service session will be held at the Brigden Fairgrounds on November 25, 2003, featuring guest speaker, Leslie Andrews. SEAC will be provided with additional details, once available.

 

 

9.0
CORRESPONDENCE - None.

 

 

10.0
ASSOCIATION REPORTS AND OTHER BUSINESS

 

R. Gallaway announced that an overwhelming response has been received to the "Street Proofing Program" offered through the Dual Diagnosis Program of St. Clair Child and Youth Services. Classroom visits should begin in November.

 

A. Kuhn shared information on a Financial Planning and Benefits Workshop hosted by Community Living Chatham-Kent. He also distributed copies of the "Special Needs Resource Portfolio" developed by the Chatham-Kent Family Support and Resource Network.

 

S. Nickerson distributed materials she gathered at the recent Annual General Meeting of the Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario, including information on a new drug available that may assist persons with ADHD.

 

J. Greensmith explained that the Pathways Health Centre for Children continues to struggle with funding to support their current programs and services.

 

D. Longwell reminded SEAC of the November 10, 2003 Municipal.

 

 

11.0
QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC - None.

 

 

12.0
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

N. Hills was thanked for arranging the meeting at the Accessible Employment Resource Centre.

 

T. Scott would like to provide a "website" presentation at the next meeting. He also suggested that the annual Exceptional Pupil Statistics be brought to the November meeting.

 

W. Kennedy felt that the Special Education section of the Board's website could be presented at the next SEAC meeting.

 

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

· Exceptionality Presentations

· Safe Schools Act and Its Effect on Exceptional Pupils

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

 

 

13.0
NEXT MEETING





Thursday, November 27, 2003


Wallaceburg District Secondary School - Library


7:00 p.m.

 

 

14.0
ADJOURNMENT - 9:10 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joan Sparks,


Recording Secretary.