LAMBTON KENT DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

 

SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE

 

Thursday,

Wallaceburg District Secondary School

                7:00 p.m.

February 24, 2005

Library

 

 

 

M I N U T E S

 

 

PRESENT:

Rose Gallaway, St. Clair Child and Youth Services

 

Susie Jones, Trustee

 

Al Kuhn, Community Living Chatham-Kent

 

Ryan Lester (for Norma Hills), Community Living Sarnia-Lambton

 

Lisa Matthews, Learning Disabilities Association of Lambton County

 

Laurie Mawlam, Community Living Wallaceburg

 

Graham McIntyre, Trustee

 

Maggie Rochon, Easter Seal Society of Ontario, Sarnia-Lambton Branch

 

Donna Scherer, Learning Disabilities Association of Chatham-Kent (Vice-Chair)

 

Charlene Taylor, Member "at large"

 

Wenda Vallee, Autism Society of Ontario

 

Mary Weerdenburg, Pathways Health Centre for Children

 

 

REGRETS:

Marion Lennan, Lambton County Developmental Services

 

Duncan Longwell, Trustee (Chair)

 

Jonathan Quaglia, Member "at large"

 

Janet Vanderwerf, Member "at large"

 

 

RESOURCE

Warren Kennedy, Superintendent of Education

STAFF:

Denise Emery, Geri Haskell and Debbie Seager, Special Education

  Co-ordinators

 

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

 

1.0

CALL TO ORDER AND APPROVAL OF AGENDA

 

SEAC Vice-Chair, D. Scherer, called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.  D. Scherer will Chair future meetings in the absence of D. Longwell due to illness.  G. McIntyre will temporarily replace D. Longwell as one of the Trustee representatives on SEAC.

 

 

2.0

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF 2005 01 27

 

The Minutes of 2005 01 27 were approved as written.

 

 

3.0

BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES - None.

 

 

4.0

TRAINING OF EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANTS

 

C. Taylor explained that while reviewing the survey results from the Physical Disabilities Program Review there appeared to be a common concern relative to matching the skill-sets of Educational Assistants to the needs of students. 

 

D. Emery explained that in addition to the qualifications that Educational Assistants have when hired, professional development and training is available for Educational Assistants on an ongoing basis:

·         Itinerant Teachers will provide specific training to both E.A.’s and Teachers.

·         all E.A.’s receive mandatory training in CPR and CPI.

·         E.A. Professional Development Days are organized with pertinent workshops offered.

·         a variety of after-school workshops are offered on a voluntary basis.

·         Autism Spectrum Disorder Consultants will provide individualized training to E.A.’s and Teachers.

·         E.A.’s may attend out-of-town courses and training for specific needs (e.g., Braille, Intervenor).

 

W. Kennedy stated that, on occasion, union seniority issues may cause a specifically trained E.A. to be transferred to another location.  However, the union representing Educational Assistants have made concessions allowing a temporary E.A. to be hired when an opening occurs during the school year, rather than moving a permanent E.A. into the position and causing a “ripple” effect throughout the system.

 

W. Kennedy informed SEAC that it is expected that the Ministry of Education will be providing funding in the future to create “Professional Learning Communities” which will provide specific training to all staff members of a school.

 

C. Taylor stressed the need for Educational Assistants to be trained well in advance of a student arriving with assistive technology.  She also wondered if any evaluation is conducted to determine if the assigned assistive technology is being effective.

 

W. Vallee, L. Mawlam, and M. Rochon would like to make the union representing Educational Assistants aware of the disruption it causes in the life of a student, both at school and at home, when a specifically trained E.A. is moved due to seniority issues.

 

SEAC members also expressed the need to provide parents with guidelines on who they should communicate with at the school when their child receives the services of an Educational Assistant.

 

W. Kennedy provided details on the following documents that may provide clarification to some of the concerns expressed by SEAC:

·         Administrative Procedures for ISA 1 Funding for Equipment for Students with Special Needs (currently being developed).

·         Educational Assistant Job Profile (currently under review).

 

 

5.0

OPSBA SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS

 

SEAC was provided with a copy of the recommendations contained in the Position Paper on Special Education Funding prepared by the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA).  The Position Paper was submitted to the Ministry of Education on February 4, 2005.  W. Kennedy explained each of the recommendations which support:

·         stable funding for 2005-06 that incorporates the total funding approved for 2004-05, including Cycle 5 adjustments before impact from reserves.

·         a new funding model that has a component based on total board enrolment and incidence rates, and reflects the actual cost of the provision of special education services.

·         collaboration between the Ministry and boards during the development of the new funding model.

·         accountability measures.

 

W. Kennedy explained that other provincial associations have made the same sort of recommendations.  He also informed SEAC that there is currently a Special Education Expert Panel on Literacy and Numeracy working on a report to the Minister of Education.  Their report should be presented during the Spring/Fall of 2005.  It is anticipated that the report will recommend increased funding for professional development.

 

 

6.0

UPDATES TO 2002-2003 INTERNAL REVIEW OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PROPGRAMS AND SERVICES

 

Revised versions of the following sections were distributed by W. Kennedy:

·        Section 3e - Programs and Services for Developmental Disabilities and Medically Fragile

·        Section 3g - Programs and Services for Students with a Mild Intellectual Disability

 

Revisions included updated statistics which supported the need to increase the number of special classes for students with developmental disabilities and medically fragile students.

 

Input from SEAC included:

·         attempt to locate secondary students with physical demands at one school.

·         match E-ABLE programming with secondary ABLE program expectations.

 

 

7.0

SPECIAL EDUCATION PLAN

 

Referring to Section 2.12 - Staff Development, of the Special Education Plan, D. Scherer suggested that administration consider making the workshop mentioned on Page 67 mandatory for new administrators.  The workshop deals with legislation, regulations, policies and legal issues.  W. Kennedy stated that he would raise the issue at the next “Terms and Conditions of Employment for Principals and Vice-Principals” meeting.

 

 

 

7.1

Review of Section 2.13 – Equipment

 

Section 2.13 of the Plan was reviewed.  Suggested revisions include:

·          Page 69, Under Item 1. (i), Remove last sentence:  “Any ISA 1 claims over $6,000 must be submitted…”.

·          Page 69, Under Item 1. (ii), Change 1st sentence to read:  “Students requiring assistive technologies for severe learning disabilities may have an assessment completed by a psychometrist, occupational therapist, or by a consultant from a provincial demonstration school.”

·          Page 70, Under Item 3. (v), 1st Bullet, Remove:  “(submits to the Ministry of Education for pre-approval if over $6,000)”.

·          ISA 1 Administrative Procedures, which are currently being developed, will be added as Appendices.

 

 

7.2

Review of Section 2.14 – Accessibility of School Buildings

 

Section 2.14 of the Plan was reviewed.  G. Haskell suggested the following revisions:

·          Page 71, 2nd Paragraph, Change last sentence to read:  “It is also available on the Board’s website under the “Board Documents” section.

·          Appendix 2.14.1 has been revised (may be replaced with a DRAFT copy of the 2005-2006 Annual Accessibility Plan if available in time).

 

 

7.3

Review of Section 2.15 – Transportation

 

The following revisions were suggested to Section 2.15 of the Plan:

·          Appendix 2.15.1 has been revised.

 

 

8.0

WEB-BASED IEP REVIEW UPDATE

 

G. Haskell updated SEAC on the progress of the implementation of the new web-based IEP:

·         recently met with the IEP service provider to sort out technical issues.

·         training for pilot schools will take place on  March 22.

·         Special Education Co-ordinators will prepare exemplar IEP’s for each exceptionality which will appear in an “IEP Manual” for staff.

·         SEAC sub-committee will meet to review sample IEP’s from pilot schools once available.

·         hopeful that training can occur in June with the complete roll-out of the new web-based IEP for September, 2005.

 

 

9.0

CORRESPONDENCE - LETTER FROM SIMCOE MUSKOKA CATHOLIC DISTIRCT SCHOOL BOARD SEAC TO VARIOUS MINISTRIES

 

A copy of a letter from the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board SEAC to the Ministers of Education, Children and Youth Services, Health and Long Term Care, and Community and Social Services concerning educational supports for students who are unable to attend school due to medical conditions was reviewed.

 

 

10.0

ASSOCIATION REPORTS AND OTHER BUSINESS

 

L Mawlam announced that Community Living Wallaceburg are currently accepting orders for their “box lunch” fundraiser to be held on April 21, 2005.

 

D. Scherer circulated details of an information session hosted by the Learning Disabilities Association of Chatham-Kent to be held on Monday, February 28, 2005.  “Understanding Students with Learning Disabilities”, featuring guest speaker Laura Smith, Resource Services Consultant, Amethyst Provincial Demonstration School, will begin at 7:00 p.m. at Chatham-Kent Secondary School, Library.

 

W. Kennedy distributed a chart outlining the budget process for the 2005-2006 school year.  The public will have the opportunity to provide input and receive information on the development of the budget at the Board meetings scheduled for March 29, April 12 and 26, May 10 and 24, 2005.  School Council Chairs will receive information at a meeting on April 19, 2005.  The Superintendent of Business will attend the April 28, 2005 meeting of SEAC to present budget details and receive input.

 

A. Kuhn reported on an article on the role of schools in reducing the rate of childhood obesity.  W. Kennedy and G. Haskell provided examples of how our schools are providing healthy food and drink choices for students.

 

G. McIntyre announced that the Ministry of Education recently released details of a $280 Million annual fund to repair, expand, or replace schools, along with new guidelines for school accommodation reviews.

 

 

11.0

QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC - None.

 

 

12.0

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

 

The Physical Disabilities Program Review Committee will present their recommendations at the March SEAC meeting.

 

 

13.0

NEXT MEETING

 

 

 

Thursday, March 31, 2005

 

Wallaceburg District Secondary School - Library

 

7:00 p.m.

 

 

14.0

ADJOURNMENT - 8:45 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

Joan Sparks,

 

Recording Secretary.