HALTON CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD                            

                                   

MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATION                     Monday, September 20, 2004

ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING                              7:30 p.m. – Trustee Meeting Room

                                                                                                                                                 

Members/Alternates             Mrs. R.A. McAuley; Mrs. M. Bursey; Mr. D. Goch; Mr. C. Learn;

present:                                 Mr. B. Quesnel; Mrs. R. Quesnel; Ms. M. Hastings; Ms. M. Forhan;

                                                Ms. L. Stanciulescu; Ms. H. Ross; Mrs. A.A. LeMay

                                               

Members absent:                  Mrs. L. Kovalchek; Ms. S.Grierson ; Ms. G. Pearce

                                                           

Staff present:                        Mr. T.J. Fauteux, Superintendent of Special Education Services

 

Also Present:                         Mr. J. O’Hara, Executive Officer, Human Resources

                                                Mr. C. Campbell, Administrator, Health Promotion and Wellness

                                                Mrs. T. Browne, Special Education Consultant

                                                Mr. S. Gajewski, Principal, Bishop Reding Secondary School

_______________________________________________________________________________

 

1.         Call to Order

1.1    Opening Prayer and Welcome

         The meeting opened with a prayer.

 

2.         Approval of the Agenda

             

RECOMMENDATION                           Moved by:        C. Learn                                                                                              Seconded by:  M. Forhan

THAT, the agenda for the September 20th, 2004 SEAC meeting be approved as presented.

                                                                                                            CARRIED

 

3.         Actions to be taken

3.1    Approval of SEAC Minutes – June 21st, 2004

           

RECOMMENDATION                           Moved by:        A.A. LeMay

                                                            Seconded by:  D. Goch

THAT, the minutes of the June 21st, 2004 SEAC meeting be approved as presented.

                                                                                                            CARRIED

 

4.                  Presentations

4.1        Halton CDSB ODA Plan (Ontarians with Disabilities Act)

                        Joe O’Hara, Executive Officer, Human Resources

                        Charlie Campbell, Administrator, Health Promotion and Wellness

 

Members of SEAC were provided with the Halton Catholic District School Board’s second annual ODA Plan as information.  The document was distributed and sections highlighted.  

 

The Board is required to provide, as per the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the opportunity for persons with disabilities within the School Board system to help identify, remove and prevent barriers. 

 

A workgroup, comprised of Board employee groups and representation from SEAC, reviewed the Accessibility Plan in March and April 2004 and presented it to the Board as information in June 2004.  The Plan is available on the Board Website and in Braille and audio format. 

 

Regarding barriers identified in 2003 and 2004, it was pointed out that the working committee moved dates for removal of some barriers forward to the 2004-2005 school year.  The Board’s new initiative - the introduction of Evac Chairs in system elementary schools – was discussed.  In the event of an emergency evacuation, Evac Chairs will assist special needs students and staff who may have mobility issues.  Training for staff is currently underway. 

 

Around the question on attitudinal barriers and their application to students, these would be addressed  through instructional strategies within the regular curriculum and do not fall under the ODA Act.  Close-captioning on video materials produced by the Board for schools will be addressed by the Accessibility Plan working committee.

 

Members of SEAC were invited to review the Annual Accessibility Plan and to submit any suggestions for changes and/or modifications to the Superintendent of Special Education Services.

 

4.2        2005 Special Education Plan Timelines – Stan Gajewski, Principal, Bishop Reding

 

 

RECOMMENDATION                                Moved by:            A.A. LeMay        

Seconded by: L. Stanciulescu

 

THAT, the Special Education Advisory Committee of the HCDSB receive, at its regular monthly meeting of November 15th, 2004, presentations from associations represented on the Board’s SEAC with a time allotment of 15 minutes for each association that requests and that the Superintendent of Special Education Services invite each school principal to include in their monthly newsletter an announcement indicating that SEAC will be hearing presentations and concerns from parents for the development of the Special Education Annual Plan 2005.

                                                                                                                       CARRIED

 

Mr. Gajewski is currently completing an audit for the Board of its new Special Education Annual Plan 2005 and will be conducting various consultations to assist SEAC with the development of the new Plan for 2005.  The Plan will be submitted to the Ministry by July 2005.   

 

Members of SEAC will review the existing Special Education Annual Plan 2003 and provide feedback in preparation for the new Plan.  Timelines were discussed.  On the question of community consultation and / or input and using the current plan, members agreed that the November 15th SEAC Meeting would be devoted to presentations from member associations.

 

A communication, including a copy of the current Special Education Annual Plan 2003, will be forwarded to each association represented on the Board’s SEAC.  Each association will review the 2003 Plan and indicate their intention to the Special Education Services office to make a 15-minute presentation to SEAC at the November 15th SEAC Meeting held in the auditorium at Notre Dame Secondary School, Burlington.

 

All information gathered will be considered within the context of the Board’s philosophy and policy on Special Education and as per the standards and requirements outlined in Regulation 306.  A notice will be sent to all school principals, inviting parents of school communities to attend the November 15th SEAC meeting to listen to the association presentations and provide feedback/comments.

 

The process for the new 2005 Special Education Annual Plan was reviewed:

-    Consultation with SEAC;

-    First draft becomes the consultation document;

-    Data is collected from this consultation to produce the final draft;

-    Final draft is presented to SEAC then to the Board with submission deadline of July 2005.

 

Comments and / or feedback from associations will be submitted, in writing, through the Board’s Special Education Services Office. 

 

Mr. Gajewski concluded by adding that the process is a consultative one providing everyone with the opportunity to voice their opinion. 

 

5.                  Action Items

5.1        Resignation

 

 

RECOMMENDATION                                Moved by:            A.A. LeMay        

Seconded by: D. Goch

 

THAT, the Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) of the Halton CDS Board accept the resignation of Mr. Craig Newman from the Board’s SEAC as representative of VIEWS for Blind and Visually-Impaired Children, effective immediately.

                                                                                                                       CARRIED

 

5.2        Special Education Funding 2004-2005

 

 

RECOMMENDATION                                Moved by:                     M. Forhan

Seconded by:         R. Quesnel

 

THAT, the Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) of the Halton CDS Board receive the report on Special Education Funding 2004-2005.

                                                                                                                       CARRIED

 

Mr. Fauteux made reference to the Board’s 134 new ISA (Intensive Support Amount) claims from 2003-2004 approved by the Ministry of Education.  The Ministry of Education has suspended the ISA process for the 2004-2005 school year.  The Board was informed by the Ministry, in early September, that revenues generated by the 2003-2004 approved claims were clawed back. The Board had planned to utilize these monies for long range special education programs in 2004-2005. 

 

The claw-back situation has created difficult consequences for Special Education.  The report on Special Education Funding 2004-2005 was reviewed and, in an attempt to pressure the Ministry of Education, a letter was sent to the Minister of Education on behalf of the Board and SEAC. 

 

It was suggested that this issue be kept in the forefront by contacting Ministry officials and provincial and local politicians. 

 

Members of SEAC will be updated on developments as they occur. 

 

6.         Reports/Updates/Discussion

6.1  Evacuation Chairs

            This item was deferred to the October SEAC Meeting.

 

6.2  Update – ASD Consultant

In view of the increasing number of students being identified with Autism spectrum disorders, the Ministry of Children and Youth Services has decided to establish a school support system for ASD students comprised of specialists assigned as consultants to school boards.  A protocol is currently being drafted. 

 

Christine Hartley, Coordinator at Erinoak Centre for Children, will present at the October 18th SEAC Meeting outlining the intent of the program. 

 

6.3  Review of Standards – LD & Hearing Services

Members of SEAC were informed that the standards for the Board’s LD (Learning Disabilities) population and for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing population will be reviewed during the 2004-2005 school year.  A gap analysis will be conducted and a preliminary report should be ready for SEAC’s consideration in the spring of 2005.   

 

6.4 SEAC Calendar of Events

Changes will be brought to the SEAC calendar. 

 

7.         Information

 

RECOMMENDATION                           Moved by:        M. Forhan

                                                            Seconded by:  C. Learn

THAT, items 7.1 to 7.8 be received as information.

                                                                                                            CARRIED

 

            7.7 Parental Consent Information Flyer

            The Parental Consent Information Flyer (draft) was designed to complement the SE1 Form currently used in the schools to obtain parental consent for student assessments.  Legal counsel               was obtained with respect to the content.  Clarification was given on the section regarding Gifted     screening and relevant testing.   

 

8.         Agency Updates

8.1 There were no agency updates.

 

9.                     Future Agenda Items

9.1 October 18, 2004

§         Presentation: Erinoak (C. Hartley)

§         Presentation: ABC (L. Stanciulescu)

§         Presentation: Bullying Prevention Program (T. Wilson)

  

10.              Date of Next Meeting

October 18, 2004

 

11.       Adjournment

11.1  Motion for Absenteeism

 

RECOMMENDATION                           Moved by:            R. Quesnel

                                                                                 Seconded by:  M. Forhan

THAT, Mrs. L. Kovalchek; Ms. S. Grierson and G. Pearce be excused.

                                                                                                                 CARRIED  

 

11.2      Motion for Adjournment

 

RECOMMENDATION                           Moved by:            A.A. LeMay

                                                                                 Seconded by:  C. Learn

THAT, the meeting adjourn.                                                                     CARRIED

 

11.3  Closing Prayer

         The meeting adjourned with a prayer at 9:30 p.m.