LAMBTON KENT DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Thursday,	Wallaceburg District Secondary School	7:00 p.m.
December 13, 2007	Library

M I N U T E S

PRESENT:	Ruth Ann Dodman, Trustee
	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)
	David Katzman, Community Living Wallaceburg
	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)
	Janet Vanderwerf, Member "at large"
REGRETS:	Jackie Dorssers, Ontario Association for Families of Children with Communication Disorders
	Marion Lennan, Lambton County Developmental Services
	Malcolm Tyrrell, Community Living Chatham-Kent
RESOURCE	Jim Costello, Superintendent of Education
STAFF:	Pam Graham, Principal of Special Education Patti Palmer and Liz Zantingh, Special Education Co-ordinators Jim Stewart, Lambton Kent Secondary Administrators’ Association

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

1.0	CALL TO ORDER AND APPROVAL OF AGENDA - 7:00 p.m. Trustee Ruth Ann Dodman was introduced as a new 2008 SEAC Member, replacing Trustee Bruce Stonefish.

2.0	APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF 2007 11 22 The Minutes of 2007 11 22 were approved as written.

3.0	BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES

3.1

Suspension/Expulsion Data Update J. Costello read aloud an e-mail he received from a Secondary Vice-Principal suggesting that the 2005-2006 Exceptional Pupil Suspension data may have been incorrect. The Vice-Principal believes that during the conversion between two Student Administration Systems (Maplewood to Trillium) only multi-day suspensions were counted for 2005-2006, eliminating all of the one-day suspensions that may have been issued (resulting in decreased numbers). A lengthy discussion took place concerning the suspension of exceptional pupils. J. Costello explained that with the implementation of Bill 212 in February, 2008, the list of mitigating circumstances that administrators must consider prior to suspension will be expanded. J. Stewart iterated that school Administrators do not like to suspend students. If a student is suspended they have probably done something quite serious and have jeopardized the safe learning environment of other students or staff. The introduction of Child and Youth Workers into some of the schools has helped with the reduction of suspensions. E. Hudie suggested that data be collected surrounding the use of Child and Youth Workers. Any supporting information Trustees can receive during the budget process would be helpful.

3.2

SEAC Awareness J. Costello announced that the Board has recently hired a person to expand our Websites. Discussions are occurring to possibly enhance the Special Education/SEAC sections of the websites. J. Costello suggested that another way to promote SEAC awareness may be to bring in a guest speaker for an evening and invite parents, staff, and students. Sponsorships or partnerships could be established to assist with costs. SEAC agreed that a guest speaker evening would be beneficial and asked staff to investigate possibilities. E. Hudie and R. Dodman thanked SEAC and staff for the Open Houses held in October.

4.0

REPORT FROM THE BEHAVIOUR PROGRAM REVIEW COMMITTEE

A report including recommendations from the Behaviour Program Review Committee was reviewed by SEAC. The Behaviour Program Review Committee has worked over the past year reviewing programs and services for students with behavioral difficulties. Committee members included: · Christine Davenport, Supervisor of Psychological Services · Tim Deictic, Principal of Continuing Education · Lee Easterbrook, Itinerant Behaviour Resource Teacher · Rose Gallaway, SEAC Representative · Mike Gilfoyle, Principal, Alexander Mackenzie Secondary School · Pam Graham, Principal of Special Education · Karen Hellerman, Principal, A.A. Wright School · Jonathan Quaglia, SEAC Representative · Karlene Shaw, Itinerant Behaviour Resource Teacher · Jim Stewart, Vice-Principal, Wallaceburg District Secondary School · Liz Zantingh, Itinerant High Needs Resource Teacher P. Graham presented twelve recommendations from the Committee: · Maintain a wide variety of programs and services available to behavioural students. The current model offers a range of options to meet student needs. · Establish a data tracking system around behavioural students to determine program success levels. · Trained personnel need to be available in every school to deal with students with behavioural concerns. A specific job description and consistent training need to be put in place for the trained personnel that will reflect the Board’s expectations for the role. · On-going professional development which focuses on strategies and prevention needs to be in place in all schools. · Child & Youth Worker placements need to be prioritized for those rural schools where access to local agency services is difficult due to distance. · Rural schools should be prioritized for service through the itinerant teams due to the difficulty of access to community agencies. · Information about behavioural strategies needs to be communicated to all stakeholders on a regular basis. This could be done through the Board website, a newsletter, Student Success teachers, the Special Education Update, etc. · Continue to build capacity within schools to deal with behavioural concerns as the first educational placement of choice will be in the student’s home school. · Review the roles of the different community agencies annually with staff. · Continue to be creative when exploring and expanding partnerships with community agencies. · Establish protocols with community agencies around the registration and movement of the highest needs behavioural students. · Continue to investigate strategies to deal with the increasing levels of mental health concerns. SEAC thanked the Behaviour Program Review Committee for their efforts over the past year.

5.0	OCTOBER 31, 2007 EXCEPTIONAL PUPIL STATISTICS
	A chart summarizing the total number of exceptional pupils was reviewed. The chart revealed a total of 3392 exceptional pupils as of October 31, 2007. SEAC asked for a comparison between 2007 and 2006 figures.

6.0

2006-2007 EQAO RESULTS

SEAC received a copy of the October 9, 2007 Report to the Board revealing the 2006-2007 EQAO Assessments results for the following areas: · Grade 10 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) · Grade 3 and 6 Assessments of Reading, Writing, and Mathematics · Grade 9 Assessments of Mathematics The report also included special needs population results as compared to the provincial standards and methods for improvement for each of the Assessments. EQAO results are also posted on the Board’s website. J. Costello announced that the Special Education Department is conducting a thorough analysis of the data.

7.0

SPECIAL EDUCATION PLAN

C. Taylor read aloud, and P. Graham distributed copies of, a Ministry of Education Memorandum, dated December 7, 2007, formally announcing that 2007-2008 will be an “amendment year” for Special Education Plans. Boards are required to report amendments only for 2007-2008 rather than conduct a full review. Board-approved amendments are due to the Ministry of Education by July 31, 2008. Last year the Ministry had announced that they were in the process of revising the Special Education Plan format and that it was expected that the Plan would become part of a larger Board Accountability Report. It appears that the new process is not ready, resulting in the additional “amendment” year. SEAC will begin a section-by-section review of the Special Ed. Plan in January.

8.0	REVISED 2007-2008 SEAC MEETING SCHEDULE The February, 2008 SEAC Meeting has been changed to Wednesday, February 20, 2008. SEAC was provided with a revised 2007-2008 SEAC meeting schedule.

9.0	CORRESPONDENCE C. Taylor mentioned that she received a letter from four teachers from Alexander Mackenzie Secondary School. A copy will be sent to each SEAC Member with their next meeting agenda package.

10.0

ASSOCIATION REPORTS AND OTHER BUSINESS D. Katzman reported that the children’s residence her mentioned at the November meeting will be located in Dover Township. They hope to have the home operational by the Spring of 2008. C. Taylor announced that her employer, Bayshore Home Health, will be providing funding to establish a Personal Support Worker concurrent program at Alexander Mackenzie Secondary School. Participants will have the opportunity to graduate with both a secondary school and a college certificate. It is hoped that graduates will fill the need for the high demand for qualified Personal Support Workers in the area of home health care. The funding provided will assist with the purchase of equipment for the clinical portion of the program (hospital beds, blood pressure cuffs, smart boards, etc.). C. Taylor and the Principal of Alexander Mackenzie Secondary School, Mike Gilfoyle, have been instrumental in the establishment of this new program which will begin in September, 2008.

11.0	QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC - None.

12.0	FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS · Election of SEAC Chair and Vice-Chair · Presentation: Safe Schools and Bullying (including input to Board policy revisions) · Review of Special Education Plan · Comparison of Exceptional Pupil Statistics (2006 vs. 2007)

13.0	NEXT MEETING
	Thursday, January 24, 2008
	Wallaceburg District Secondary School - Library
	7:00 p.m.

14.0	ADJOURNMENT - 8:30 p.m.

Joan Sparks,

Recording Secretary.