LAMBTON KENT DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

 

SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE

 

Thursday,

Wallaceburg District Secondary School

             7:00 p.m.

May 15, 2008

Library

 

 

 

M I N U T E S

 

 

PRESENT:

Ruth Ann Dodman, Trustee

 

Rose Gallaway, St. Clair Child and Youth Services

 

Norma Hills, Community Living Sarnia-Lambton (Chair)

 

Elizabeth Hudie, Trustee (Vice-Chair)

 

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"

 

Malcolm Tyrrell, Community Living Chatham-Kent

 

Janet Vanderwerf, Member "at large"

 

 

REGRETS:

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

 

Melissa Hewitt, VOICE for Hearing Impaired Children

 

David Katzman, Community Living Wallaceburg

 

Marion Lennan, Lambton County Developmental Services

 

Margaret Smith, Autism Ontario - Chatham-Kent

 

 

RESOURCE

Jim Costello, Superintendent of Education

STAFF:

Pam Graham, Principal of Special Education

Peg Dawkins and Patti Palmer, Special Education Co-ordinators

 

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1.0

CALL TO ORDER AND APPROVAL OF AGENDA - 7:00 p.m.

 

 

2.0

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF 2008 04 24

 

 

The Minutes of 2008 04 24 were approved as written.

 

 

3.0

BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES - None.

 

 

4.0

PRESENTATIONS

 

 

4.1

Local Agencies Supporting Students with Mental Health Difficulties

 

P. Graham introduced Todd McKelvie, STARRting Point Service Co-ordinator with the Family Counselling Centre in Sarnia and Kate Blonde from the Family Services Kent KIDS Team.

 

T. McKelvie explained that STARRting Point is a central point of access for families seeking services/help for their children under the age of eighteen.  Assistance provided includes:

·          Information - anyone wanting to know about available services for children who are experiencing difficulties.

·          Referrals - if a parent or child requires assistance, STARRting Point can connect with community programs and organizations.

·          Service Co-ordination - if needs are complex requiring assistance from a number of service providers, STARRting Point can develop a plan and arrange case conferences.

·          Residential and Respite Services - STARRting Point will assist families explore alternatives to respite care and if required, access to children’s residences funded by the Ministry of Community and Social Services.

 

K. Blonde outlined the services available through the Kent Interdisciplinary Support (KIDS) Team which is a single point access support for families seeking assistance in the Chatham-Kent area:

·          Help identify what exactly the difficulties are.

·          Advocate for families.

·          Provide short-term funding.

·          Referrals to residential treatment facilities for children/youth.

·          Arrange for neuron-psychological assessments.

 

Both agencies will assist families with applications for Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities (ACSD) funding or Special Needs Services at Home (SSAH) funding through the Ministry of Community and Social Services/Ministry of Children and Youth Services.  Some limited funding may also be available through Western Area Youth Services (WAYS).

 

K. Blonde encouraged SEAC members to report any gaps in community services they become aware of to school board administration, KIDS Team and/or STARRting Point so that the issues can be brought to the attention of the respective Ministries.

 

 

4.2

2008-2009 Budget

 

Sandy Anderson, Manager of Financial Services, provided an overview of the DRAFT 2008-2009 Budget.  After distributing an information package she highlighted the following areas:

·         general overview of the funding model, including improvements

·         enrolment projections (estimated to have 450 fewer students for 2008-2009)

·         projected local Special Education grant allocation for 2008-2009 is $23.4 Million (about $25,000 more than 2007-2008).

 

Details on the actual Special Education Grant structure were also included in the information package.

 

SEAC asked what the impact of the budget will be on Special Education programs and services.  J. Costello stated that current estimates appear to allow us to operate on a status-quo basis for 2008-2009.  A Special Education Staffing Complement Chart will be reviewed at the June SEAC meeting which may reveal some minor changes.

 

 

5.0

APPROVAL OF 2008 AMENDMENTS TO THE SPECIAL 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).

 

P. Graham led SEAC through a review of a complete listing of the proposed amendments to the Special Education Plan for 2008 which will be presented to the Board for approval prior to submission to the Ministry of Education.  She also suggested some additional amendments:

 

Glossary of Terms

·         Under “Placements”, change the fourth bullet under the ABLE descriptor to read:  May lead to an Ontario Secondary School Certificate, or a Certificate of Accomplishment.

 

Acronyms

·         Add:  OSSD - Ontario Secondary School Diploma, and OSSC - Ontario Secondary School Certificate.

 

Motion:      Moved by R. Gallaway, seconded by J. Vanderwerf, that the Special Education Advisory Committee recommend that the Lambton Kent District School Board approve the 2008 Amendments to the Special Education Plan.

 

The Motion CARRIED.

 

 

6.0

DD/MF PROGRAM REVIEW UPDATE

 

P. Graham reported that Special Education Co-ordinator, L. Zantingh is in the process of confirming the Review Committee membership.  It is estimated that five meetings will be held with the first one to be scheduled prior to the end of this school year.

 

 

7.0

CORRESPONDENCE - None.

 

 

8.0

ASSOCIATION REPORTS AND OTHER BUSINESS

 

C. Taylor reported a situation involving Colleges asking that new students requiring accommodations at the post-secondary level present a Psychological Assessment conducted within the last three years.  Most students have a Psychological Assessment done prior to entering Secondary School.  This could have a devastating impact on some families.  J. Costello reported that our Supervisor of Psychological Services had been informed of this possibility and has gathered some preliminary information and continues to investigate.  J. Costello will also raise the issue at the next Regional Special Education Council meeting later this month.

 

 

9.0

QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC - None

 

 

10.0

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

 

·          2008-2009 Special Education Staff Complement Summary

·          DRAFT 2008-2009 SEAC Meeting Schedule

·          2007-2008 Special Equipment Amount (SEA) Claims Report

·          DRAFT Annual Accessibility Plan

·          Post-graduate Opportunities (N.Hills/D. Katzman)

 

 

11.0

NEXT MEETING

 

 

 

Thursday, June 12, 2008

 

Wallaceburg District Secondary School - Library

 

7:00 p.m.

 

 

12.0

ADJOURNMENT - 8:15 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joan Sparks,

 

Recording Secretary.