LAMBTON KENT DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

 

SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE

 

Thursday,

Wallaceburg District Secondary School

             7:00 p.m.

February 22, 2007

Library

 

 

 

M I N U T E S

 

 

PRESENT:

Jackie Dorssers, Ontario Association for Families of Children with Communication Disorders

 

Dan Fentie, Autism Ontario - Sarnia-Lambton

 

Rose Gallaway, St. Clair Child and Youth Services

 

Melissa Hewitt, VOICE for Hearing Impaired Children

 

Norma Hills, Community Living Sarnia-Lambton

 

Elizabeth Hudie, Trustee (Vice-Chair)

 

Marion Lennan, Lambton County Developmental Services

 

Jonathan Quaglia, Member "at large"

 

Lisa Saul, Learning Disabilities Association of Lambton County

 

Donna Scherer, Learning Disabilities Association of Chatham-Kent

 

Margaret Smith, Autism Ontario - Chatham-Kent

 

Charlene Taylor, Member "at large" (Chair)

 

Malcolm Tyrrell, Community Living Chatham-Kent

 

Janet Vanderwerf, Member "at large"

 

 

REGRETS:

David Katzman, Community Living Wallaceburg

 

Bruce Stonefish, Trustee

 

 

RESOURCE

Jim Costello, Superintendent of Education

STAFF:

Pam Graham, Principal of Special Education

Peg Dawkins, Denise Emery, and Geri Haskell, Special Education Co-ordinators

 

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1.0

CALL TO ORDER, WELCOME, AND INTRODUCTION OF MEMBERS

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m.  C. Taylor welcomed the newly-appointed SEAC for the next four-year term (2007-2010).  SEAC members and staff introduced themselves.

 

 

2.0

ELECTION OF 2007 CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR

 

J. Costello explained that, according to Board administrative procedures, a Trustee must always be either the Chair of Vice-Chair of SEAC.

 

Trustee E. Hudie agreed to serve as SEAC Vice-Chair.

 

The floor was opened for nominations for Chair.  C. Taylor was nominated by N. Hills and allowed her name to stand for SEAC Chair.  Since there were no further nominations, Charlene Taylor was declared Chair by acclamation.

 

 

3.0

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF 2006 12 14

 

The Minutes of 2006 12 14 were approved as written.

 

 

4.0

BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES

 

J. Quaglia requested details on how the Premier Accessibility Suite software can be accessed from home computers.

 

J. Costello informed SEAC that Special Education Co-ordinator, Chris Gordon is returning to a teaching position at Alexander Mackenzie Secondary School, effective March 1, 2007.  Peg Dawkins, Resource Teacher from Northern Collegiate has been appointed as the new Secondary Special Education Co-ordinator.  SEAC thanked C. Gordon for her dedication to the exceptional pupils of the Board.

 

 

5.0

CIRCULATION OF DRAFT SEAC MEMBER LIST FOR GATHERING INFORMATION AND PERMSSION TO PUBLICIZE

 

A draft SEAC Member list was circulated.  SEAC Members were asked to fill in any missing phone numbers and e-mail addresses and to indicate whether or not their information could be publicized.

 

 

6.0

PRESENTATION;  2006-2007 BUDGET UPDATE AND REVIEW OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

Ron Andruchow, Superintendent of Business, provided SEAC with information on the 2006-2007 Budget based on actual grant data.  Highlights included:

·        total 2006-2007 board budget = $216.7 Million

·        $150.6 Million is spent on salaries

·        total revenue from Ministry grants and other sources = $213.3 Million

·        total transfer from reserves to balance 2006-2007 budget = $3.4 Million

·        Special Education grant = $22.8 Million

 

R. Andruchow outlined changes to the funding formulas, including some new initiatives that have lowered class sizes.  He explained that most of the funding formulas are calculated based on student enrolment which affects boards with declining enrolment.  He also provided details on the 2007-08 budget process and welcomed SEAC Members to attend any of the public meetings planned for the Spring of 2007.  SEAC will receive a 2007-2008 budget presentation during the May 17, 2007 SEAC meeting.

 

SEAC learned that annual financial statements and Auditor reports are posted on the board’s website (www.lkdsb.net) under Board Information/Business Office/Financial Statements.

 

 

7.0

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION MEMO RE:  IEP COLLABORATIVE REVIEW MEETINGS AND SELECTION OF TWO SEAC MEMBERS TO ATTEND

 

SEAC received a copy of a Memorandum from the Ministry of Education announcing Regional Individual Education Plan (IEP) Collaborative Review Meetings.  The purpose of the meetings  is to enhance leadership capacity with respect to the development, implementation and monitoring of Individual Education Plans, and to ensure connections among the student’s IEP, the Ontario curriculum and the Provincial Report Card.

 

SEAC was asked to choose two parent representatives to attend a half-day meeting on Thursday, March 22, 2007 in London.  C. Taylor and J. Vanderwerf volunteered to attend.  Each school board was also requested to send three staff representatives to a meeting on Friday, March 23, 2007 in London (J. Costello, G. Haskell, and Mike Gilfoyle, AMSS Principal, will attend).

 

SEAC Members were encouraged to e-mail their IEP concerns to C. Taylor.

 

 

8.0

SELECTION OF SEAC OPEN HOUSE DATES (FALL, 2007)

 

Wednesday, October 10 (Chatham) and Wednesday, October 17 (Sarnia) were chosen as the dates for the Fall, 2007 SEAC Open Houses.  John McGregor Secondary School will be contacted to see if the Chatham session could be held there.  Alexander Mackenzie Secondary School will be approached to see if they are willing to host the Sarnia session again.

 

 

9.0

SPECIAL EDUCATION PLAN

 

SEAC reviewed several sections of the Special Education Plan.  The following revisions were suggested.

 

 

9.1

Review of Section 2.11 - Special Education Staff

 

Appendix 2.11.1 - Special Education Staff chart has been updated based on 2006-2007 statistics.  The revised version was reviewed.

 

 

9.2

Review of Section 2.1.1 - Preamble

 

In 2nd Paragraph, change 2003 in the first sentence to 2005.

 

 

9.3

Review of Section 2.1.2 - Mission and Belief Statements

 

No suggested changes.

 

 

9.4

Review of Section 2.1.3 - Philosophy of Special Education

 

No suggested changes.

 

 

9.5

Review of Section 2.2 - Roles and Responsibilities in Special Education

 

No suggested changes.

 

 

10.0

BEHAVIOUR PROGRAM REVIEW UPDATE

 

P. Graham reported that the Behaviour Program Review Committee met for the second time.  They reviewed data collected from other district school boards on how they provide programs and services for behavioural students.  The Committee is also working on preparing a survey.  Areas of exploration include:

·        are we making the best use of our resources?

·        how do you measure success?

 

The Committee will meet again before the March Break.

 

 

11.0

CORRESPONDENCE

 

C. Taylor received a letter from the Ontario Association of Education Advocates outlining services provided by this new organization.

 

 

12.0

ASSOCIATION REPORTS AND OTHER BUSINESS

 

M. Tyrrell mentioned that Community Living Chatham-Kent is interested in exploring ways to get information to parents of younger students with developmental disabilities about the options available once their children reach adulthood.

 

D. Scherer informed SEAC that a recent workshop hosted by the Learning Disabilities Association of Chatham-Kent featuring behaviour specialist, Ronald Morrish, was very well attended.

 

D. Fentie announced that John Tory, Leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, will be including Autism as part of his election platform.

 

J. Dorssers provided information and distributed brochures on the services provided by the Ontario Association for Families of Children with Communication Disorders (OAFCCD).

 

D. Emery asked SEAC Members to contact her if they were interested in attending a presentation on Learning Disabilities by Dr. Maggie Mamen on Wednesday, April 25, 2007, Brigden Fairgrounds, 1:00 p.m.

 

D. Emery revealed plans to offer Geneva Centre Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) training to 50 Educational Assistants beginning in the Fall of 2007.  She also distributed copies of the Winter/Spring, 2007 Staff Development for All Employees booklet.

 

G. Haskell announced that “Moving to Inclusion” School Facilitator Training Workshops will be held on March 2, 2007, beginning at 9:00 a.m., at Brights’s Grove School and at Indian Creek Road School.  Participants will learn how to modify physical activities so that all students can participate.  SEAC Members were asked to contact D. Seager if they were interested in attending.  The Point Edward Optimist Club has donated funding to purchase a “Resource Bag” for each of our ten trainers.  This initiative was one of the recommendations made by the Physical Review Committee.

 

G. Haskell provided information concerning the IEP box on the elementary report card.  The Ministry of Education recommends that the box not be ticked if the student is strictly receiving accommodations.  The IEP box will not be ticked unless the student is receiving a modified program in the particular subject.   A letter will be drafted and sent home with report cards to explain the change to parents.

 

 

13.0

QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC - None.

 

 

14.0

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

 

·        CODE Special Education Project Update (March)

·        SEAC Orientation (April)

·        IEP Collaborative Regional Meetings Feedback (May)

·        Ontario Psychological Association (OPA) Project Update (May)

·        2007-2008 Budget Presentation (May)

·        Approval of Special Education Plan Amendments (June)

·        Priority-setting Exercise (Fall, 2007)

 

D. Scherer suggested that SEAC receive a copy of the OPA Project Proposal.

 

J. Costello reported that there is a strong possibility of reduced funding for the 2007-2008 school year which may result in some future decreases in the area of special education.  SEAC will be kept informed of the situation.

 

 

15.0

NEXT MEETING

 

 

 

Thursday, March 22, 2007

 

Wallaceburg District Secondary School - Library

 

7:00 p.m.

 

 

16.0

ADJOURNMENT - 8:50 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joan Sparks,

 

Recording Secretary.