LAMBTON KENT DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

 

SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE

 

Thursday,

Wallaceburg District Secondary School

             7:00 p.m.

June 14, 2007

Library

 

 

 

M I N U T E S

 

 

PRESENT:

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

 

Melissa Hewitt, VOICE for Hearing Impaired Children

 

Norma Hills, Community Living Sarnia-Lambton

 

Elizabeth Hudie, Trustee (Vice-Chair)

 

David Katzman, Community Living Wallaceburg

 

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

 

Charlene Taylor, Member "at large" (Chair)

 

Wenda Vallee (for Margaret Smith), Autism Ontario - Chatham-Kent

 

Janet Vanderwerf, Member "at large"

 

 

REGRETS:

Dan Fentie, Autism Ontario - Sarnia-Lambton

 

Rose Gallaway, St. Clair Child and Youth Services

 

Bruce Stonefish, Trustee

 

Malcolm Tyrrell, Community Living Chatham-Kent

 

 

RESOURCE

Jim Costello, Superintendent of Education

STAFF:

Pam Graham, Principal of Special Education

Peg Dawkins, Denise Emery, Geri Haskell and Debbie Seager, Special Education

  Co-ordinators

 

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1.0

CALL TO ORDER AND APPROVAL OF AGENDA - 7:10 p.m.

 

 

2.0

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF 2007 05 17

 

The Minutes of 2007 05 17 were approved as written.

 

 

3.0

BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES - None.

 

 

4.0

APPROVAL OF 2007 AMENDMENTS TO THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PLAN

 

 

Regulation 306 of the Education Act requires that all school boards establish and maintain a Special Education Plan.  The Board must maintain the Plan and ensure that it is amended from time to time to meet the current needs of the exceptional pupils of the Board according to the following schedule:

-         every two years, prepare and approve a report on the special education programs and services it provides (complete report submitted in June, 2005)

-         review the plan once a year and send any amendments of the Plan to the Ministry of Education.

-         reports or amendments must be submitted by July 31 of every year.

 

The Ministry has declared this year an “amendment” year due to the fact that they are in the process of revising the format of the Special Education Plan (it is expected that the Plan will become part of a larger Board Accountability Report).

 

G. Haskell lead SEAC through a review of a complete listing of the proposed amendments to the Special Education Plan for 2007 which will be presented to the Board for approval prior to submission to the Ministry of Education.

 

D. Katzman pointed out an error with the “DD” acronym which should stand for Developmental Disability or Developmentally Disabled.  The error will be corrected.

 

Motion:      Moved by N. Hills, seconded by M. Lennon, that the Special Education Advisory Committee recommend that the Lambton Kent District School Board approve the 2007 Amendments to the Special Education Plan.

 

The Motion CARRIED.

 

 

5.0

SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFFING COMPLEMENT - 2007-2008

 

 

SEAC reviewed the Recommended Staffing Complement for Special Education 2007-2008 chart.  The following reductions will take place for 2007-2008:

- Special Education Co-ordinators:  -.2

- Central Office Support Staff:  -.5

- DD/MF Program Elementary Teachers:  -1.0

- E-ABLE Program Elementary Teachers:  -1.5

- Social Skills Program Elementary Teachers:  -1.0

- Speech and Language Services:  -Contract CDA’s and SLP

- Educational Assistants:  -25.0

- Tutor Escorts:  yet to be determined.

 

The following increases will take place for 2007-2008:

- DD/MF Program Secondary Teachers:  +1.0

- Speech and Language Pathologists:  +2.0

 

J. Costello detailed and provided rationale for each of the changes.  An additional 1.0 Psychometrist and 2.0 Communication Disorder Assistants will also be hired on a temporary basis for the entire 2007-2008 school year as a result of funding made available through the Ontario Psychological Association (OPA) Project.

 

E. Hudie explained that the Trustees approved the use of pulling monies from reserves in order to “rescue” five E.A. positions, 18 CYW’s, and some I.T. Technician services.  SEAC thanked the Board for their commitment to special needs pupils.

 

J. Quaglia stated he would be interested in viewing a similar chart indicating the FTE of all other employees within our schools (i.e., Teachers, CYW’s, Secretaries, Custodians, etc.).

 

 

6.0

DRAFT 2007-2008 SEAC MEETING SCHEDULE

 

A DRAFT SEAC meeting schedule for 2007-2008 was reviewed.  All meetings will be held in the Library at Wallaceburg District Secondary School (except for October Open Houses), beginning at 7:00 p.m., unless announced otherwise.  The following dates were agreed upon:

·         Thursday, September 20, 2007

·         Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - Open House - John McGregor S.S.

·         Wednesday, October 17, 2007 - Open House - Alexander Mackenzie S.S.

·         Thursday, November 22, 2007

·         Thursday, December 13, 2007

·         Thursday, January 24, 2008

·         Thursday, February 21, 2008

·         Thursday, March 27, 2008

·         Thursday, April 24, 2008

·         Thursday, May 15, 2008

·         Thursday, June 12, 2008

 

 

7.0

2006-2007 SPECIAL EQUIPMENT AMOUNT (SEA) CLAIMS

 

A Memo detailing costs related to the 2006-2007 Special Equipment Amount (SEA) Claims process was received by SEAC.  During the 2006-2007 school year SEA Equipment was purchased for 192 students at the actual cost of $1,056,995.  Total cost to the Board will be $153,600 ($800 per student).   The Ministry is visiting next week to conduct an audit on thirty of our claims which will involve a complete review of each claim and school visits.

 

SEAC members provided some suggestions regarding promoting home use of available specialized software (eg., premier suites):  posting details of available software on the board’s website, offering workshops to parents.

 

C. Taylor inquired about the status of the e-text library.  J. Costello announced that one of the Educational Assistants connected with the Assistive Technology Team has been hired for the Summer months to scan and proof “electronic” textbooks.

 

 

8.0

CODE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROJECT UPDATE

 

G. Haskell distributed copies of the CODE Special Education Project “Success Through Early Intervention” Interim Report.  Data is still being compiled to complete the final report which is due on June 20, 2007.  A comprehensive assessment package is being formulated as a result of the project which will become part of the early years support document.

 

CODE has recently announced a third year of the CODE Special Education Project.  Boards may submit proposals for a maximum of $110,000 to focus on system implementation of effective capacity building and instructional practices for improved achievement of students with special needs.

 

 

9.0

BEHAVIOUR PROGRAM REVIEW COMMITTEE UPDATE

 

P. Graham reported on the activities of the Behaviour Program Review Committee.  The Committee will meet on June 18, 2007 and will begin to formulate their recommendations.

 

 

10.0

SEAC OPEN HOUSE PLANNING

 

SEAC discussed the format of the Open House evenings on October 10 and 17, 2007.  The following suggestions were made:

·         Opening Remarks and Greetings - Director of Education and a Parent/SEAC Representative and a Senior Student?

·         Presentation - Premier Suites Demonstration?

·         Closing Remarks - ?

·         Information Stations - Students at some of the stations?

 

Community agencies with SEAC representation are welcome to provide pamphlets, etc. which will be placed at the “SEAC Station” for public access.

 

 

11.0

CORRESPONDENCE:  MINISTRY MEMORANDUM, DATED MAY 17, 2007, RE:  REPORT OF THE REFERENCE GROUP ON AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

 

SEAC received copies of the Ministry Memorandum which provides specific information regarding the response of the Ministry of Education to the Report of the Reference Group on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).  D. Emery provided background information.  The Memo also introduced Policy/Program Memorandum (PPM) 140 which provides direction to school boards to support the use of applied behaviour analysis (ABA) as an instructional approach in the education of many students with ASD.  Staff, along with SEAC representative, M. Smith, recently attended a regional training session in London on June 6, 2007 regarding the implementation of PPM 140.   Training will be provided this Summer for ten staff members for four days.  A one-day in-service will also be offered to Principals this Summer.  More training will take place in the Fall for additional staff.

 

 

12.0

ASSOCIATION REPORTS AND OTHER BUSINESS

 

D. Scherer circulated details of workshops for first or second year students with disabilities attending St. Clair College, Thames Campus in the Fall.  The workshops will take place on August 21, 22, and 23, 2007 and will provide information on how to access services, accommodations and testing services, assistive technology, learning strategies, and study skills.

 

D. Katzman announced that Community Living Wallaceburg has received a grant which will allow them to offer workshops for their adolescent/adult clientele, families, and staff about understanding sexual abuse and exploitation.

 

J. Quaglia conveyed details of recent events that reinforce the fact that when school, home, and outside agencies all work together it results in greater success for the student.

 

J. Dorssers attended the SEAC Training Conference in Toronto on June 2 and 3, 2007.  She provided a verbal summary of the guest speakers and workshops offered.  J. Dorssers has a package available containing conference presentation powerpoint slides for anyone that is interested in reviewing.

 

D. Emery distributed copies of the Summer, 2007 edition of “Staff Development for All Employees”, highlighting the special education-related workshops.  She also provided details of several other in-service sessions that will be conducted over the Summer related to special education.

 

 

13.0

QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC - None.

 

 

14.0

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

 

D. Katzman would like SEAC to receive information on the recent changes to the Safe Schools Act.  He would also like to encourage special programming that would keep pupils in their neighbourhood schools.

 

D. Scherer encouraged SEAC to make formal recommendations to the Board more often than they have in the past.

 

·         Priority-setting Exercise (September, 2007)

·         EQAO Results (Fall, 2007)

 

 

15.0

NEXT MEETING

 

 

 

Thursday, September 20, 2007

 

Wallaceburg District Secondary School - Library

 

7:00 p.m.

 

 

16.0

ADJOURNMENT - 9:00 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joan Sparks,

 

Recording Secretary.