[FEAT BC Admin]

Please use this section to advertise for things that are needed or are available for sale (or free). For example, ads for specific A.B.A. therapy materials, therapists, & baby-sitters are welcome. Your message will be distributed to members of the Discussion Group.

Topic

[Elaine Raynault]

A Message for Surrey ABA Parents:

The ABA Advisory is sending out a friendly reminder that if you are making a NEW request for an ABA SW in the Surrey School district for the 2014/2015 school year, the deadline to submit paperwork is March 1st. If you have a Kindergartener entering school next year or have a new diagnosis for your school aged child and would like to have an ABA Support Worker next year, you need to make a specific request to the district. If you know anyone for whom this applies, please pass along this information.

Statement from the District:

“Surrey School District (No. 36) welcomes new ABA Support Worker applications for the 2014/2015 academic year. The deadline to receive all required documentation for first-time applicants is March 1st, 2014.
If you currently have an ABA Support Worker you are NOT required to re-apply. Your request has been documented and it is assumed that, unless we are informed otherwise, you wish to continue receiving ABA support.”

[Joan Broto]

Posting on behalf of a family-

**BI/ABA-SW Position**

We are looking for a Behavior Interventionist to join our established home team, in the hope of supporting our son in the school as an ABA-SW for Fall 2014 (Grade 1).

He is in a very supportive school in the Cloverdale area. If you have or are nearing 1,000 hours of ABA experience, we would love to hear from you. Our son is easy-going and our programs focus on advancing his academic, communication, and social skills.

All supervision and training will be provided by Dr. Joan Broto.

Please email for more information to sandiarto2002@yahoo.com

[Jenny Miller]

The supporters of Susan DeBeck, the teacher who was fired by VSB for standing up for kids with special needs, have created a Facebook page: Friends of Susan DeBeck. Show your support by Liking the page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-of-Susan-DeBeck/724189614267264?hc_location=timeline

[Amanda (Ying) Li]

Experienced Behaviour Interventionists Needed (Richmond)

We are looking for experienced behaviour interventionists to work in our home with our sweet and fun loving 3 years old daughter diagnosed with autism.

Minimum Qualification:
1) Fluent in English
2) Backgrounds in Psychology, Special Education, Early Childhood Education, and Speech & Language Pathology.
3) Minimum 2 years working as BIs for ABA Program
4) Current first Aid & CPR certificates are an asset
5) Be reliable, fun, patient, and enthusiastic about working with children
6) Minimum age for applicants is 20
7) Clear criminal record check completed within the last 12 months
8) Must be able to provide 2 references from parents that you have worked with
9) Must be willing to commit to a one-year term
10) Hours will be Monday to Friday 2 and 1/2 hours per day in the mornings

If you are interested in this position, please EMAIL us your resume with your availability and expected hourly wage to Ying_Li_98@yahoo.com.

Compensation: $18-$30 per hour based on your experience and qualifications

[Jenny Miller]

This is a letter written by Susan DeBeck, the beloved University Hill Elementary School teacher who was fired by the Vancouver School Board because she said teachers need better training to teach kids with special needs effectively, and because she complained about how a boy with autism was forcibly dragged down the hall for extended crying. She asks that concerned citizens write the VSB Trustees whose emails are at the bottom:

Dear Colleagues and Parents of University Hill Elementary and other Concerned Colleagues and Citizens,

I feel the time has come to explain my absence from University Hill Elementary since September 2012. I was terminated as a teacher with the Vancouver School Board on October 29, 2013 for insubordination and unprofessional behavior. Until my termination, I was instructed by the VSB not to speak with anyone about my case so I could not communicate with you, the University Hill community.

I wrote letters to the Superintendent and School Board Chair in June/July of the 2012. I had no idea these letters would result in my termination. What were my issues? I asked why students from the Acadia Road catchment, at that time in portables at Queen Elizabeth School, were denied their cross boundary rights and denied entry to openings at University Hill Elementary in 2011/12. The province and the Vancouver School district have a policy stating all students have a right to cross boundary if there is an opening at a school within the district. To arbitrarily change the policy and treat such action as inconsequential undermines the stability of the system. I believe transparency of governance is crucial to prevent the abuse of power invested in the Board and ensure that all students are treated fairly and equally. I was silenced when I questioned this.

My second issue centres on students with special needs. First, I wanted the School Board to address issues regarding the behavior management of students with special needs. I witnessed one of my students with special needs being dragged down the hall by his armpits when I asked for assistance after the child had been crying for an extended period of time. The Board upheld this action as coming under the protocols of Crisis Prevention Intervention training. I have CPI training and disagreed. The CPI states clearly that physical intervention is to be used only as a last resort and only if the child is doing harm to himself or others. I, as a teacher, cannot ask for and be assured by the Board that students with special needs will be treated in a respectful way when behavior problems arise.

Second, this mishandling of my student implied broader issues regarding the education of students with special needs. The incident points to the lack of important skills some classroom teachers and administrators have both in the behavior management and specialized teaching requirements of students with special needs. I explained to the Board that although I am responsible for the student’s program, because I have no training in special needs, I did not feel adequate to the task of meeting the needs of the students with special needs in my classroom, in particular those with autism. I had realized when observing some specialized programs and learning environments dedicated to the education of students with autism that my skills fell short and that as a result my students with special needs were being shortchanged. I asked that the district apply the findings of research with regards students with special needs and empower classroom teachers so we can provide more informed learning environments for our students with special needs. I have seen this as a systemic problem since 1982 when students with special needs were first introduced into the regular classroom. Over that period, I personally, have not had, as a classroom teacher, a single professional development day at a school devoted to special needs. Nor in my memory has the district offered such a professional development day. Although students with special needs are welcomed into public school classrooms, duplicities abound. I suggested to the Board that dismissing me dismisses my concerns regarding students with special needs, concerns we can only address together in a spirit of cooperation.

I suggested to the Board that classroom teachers are afraid to talk about the challenges and difficulties they have with students with special needs because to do so is easily misinterpreted as prejudice and not supporting integration, such as it was in my case. After expressing my concerns regarding teaching students with special needs in my letters, I was told there was doubt I could teach students with special needs and doubt I was wanted in the employ of the Vancouver School Board. As a consequence of this and what was deemed my insubordination, I was terminated.

We as educators consider critical thinking to be one of the most important skills we can instill in our students yet the Board tells me that as an employee, I am not to criticize my employer, that to do so undermines public education. A healthy system is one where communications are open and receptive and responsibilities are shared. The atmosphere I found myself in over the past two years was not this. I never once engaged in a dialogue. There was no interest in my professional concerns, though I know, they are shared by many educators.

My treatment says much about the values of the Vancouver School Board. How those in power treat those with less power is significant because at the end of this chain are our students, your children. I have included the emails of the Trustees who voted to terminate me. I invite you to offer them your thoughts in an effort to open dialogue on these important topics. PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO ANYONE YOU THINK MIGHT BE INTERESTED in sending their opinion to the Vancouver School Board.

Thank you, sincerely, Susan DeBeck

EMAIL ADDRESSES OF THE VANCOUVER SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEES:
Superintendent Cardwell:
scardwell@vsb.bc.ca

School Board Trustees:
patti.bacchus@vsb.bc.ca

mike.lombardi@vsb.bc.ca

ken.denike@vsb.bc.ca

allan.wong@vsb.bc.ca

rob.wynen@vsb.bc.ca

fraser.ballantyne@vsb.bc.ca

ken.clement@vsb.bc.ca

cherie.payne@vsb.bc.ca

sophia.woo@vsb.bc.ca

[Dione Costanzo]

Susan DeBeck is a Vancouver teacher who claims she was fired for protecting a child with autism.

Here is the CTV news story from last night – http://www.ctvnews.ca/video?playlistId=1.1687775

This is an opportunity for the ABA community to comment and educate those involved about ABA. You can post a comment here:
http://bc.ctvnews.ca/teacher-claims-she-was-fired-for-standing-up-for-student-with-special-needs-1.1687840#commentsForm-485595

My comment:
Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is a structured teaching method in which functional skills are broken down and taught one step at a time.

That means that children with autism can learn and flourish in all areas including language and communication, play and leisure, self help, life skills and academics.

Families of children with autism often put ABA teams together to work with their children at home. And the results are worth the emotional and financial stress.

However, once a child with autism enters school in a district that does not have supports for ABA programs, the results achieved at home can be severely compromised. All the successes achieved can grind to a halt and often the child regresses.

ABA is widely considered to be the most effective, evidence-based learning approach for children with autism yet Surrey is the only school district in B.C. that has an established system for hiring ABA-trained teaching aides.

Children have a right to an education and ABA is the best method to achieve this for children with autism. Implementing these programs, and training and hiring more ABA teaching assistants is the right thing to do, and it's the law.

According to the landmark Supreme Court of BC ruling – Hewko v. B.C., 2006 BCSC 1638 – what is required for children with autism to access an education is adherence to their established ABA programs, and the availability of teaching aides that are trained to carry it out.

In most B.C. school districts, ABA programs are not accommodated nor do teaching aides have the proper training to support these programs. Getting an appropriate education system for children with autism in place with ABA-trained teaching aides requires political will and leadership. It will not increase costs but it will be utilizing existing funds more effectively.

[huda bisher]

pm:

Behavior Interventionist- Unique Position (Surrey)
Posting on behalf of a family:

We are looking for energetic person who loves to work with kids and enjoys
implementing an ABA home program in a fun and unique way?

If so, please reply to this ad. Our ABA home team (supervised by our
BCBA Consultant) is looking for a Behavior Interventionist to work
with our son with Autism .
Experience is preferable.

[Bev Sharpe]

The FEAT BC Discussion Group has been designed to discuss any topic relevant to home-based A.B.A. programs (including Government funding and school issues). When we use the term A.B.A., we mean discrete-trial-based interventions, also referred to as "Applied Behaviour Analysis" or "Lovaas-type" Intensive Behavioural Treatment for autism and related disorders.

Postings for positions for Applied Behaviour Analyst and qualified Behaviour Consultants are the only postings permitted.

Postings which do not conform to this criteria will be removed.

Beverley Sharpe
Director

[Dragos Ionescu]

Dear Directors, Facilitators and Friends,

You are cordially invited to our next lecture.
Looking forward to meet you on February 18, 2014 at the West Vancouver Public Library.

Truly yours,
Dragos

North Shore ASBC Lecture Series

The North Shore ASBC Support Group proudly presents:

ABA at Home
Setting up, maintaining and generalizing an ABA program

by
Katie Allen, M.SC., BCBA
ABLE Developmental Clinic

at
7:00pm, Tue Feb 18

in
Welsh Hall West
downstairs in the
West Vancouver Memorial Library

GUEST SPEAKER:

Katie is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Her Master of Science degree in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) was obtained through Northeastern University, Boston MA. Katie spent three years at the New England Center for Children, a leading day and residential program for children with autism in the United States. She moved to Vancouver to design and implement individualized home based ABA programs for children with autism and other developmental disabilities, with a focus on children with severe behavioural challenges.

TOPIC:

In this presentation, Katie will talk about:
* understanding what type of ABA program you're running;
* how to know what to expect from your involvement and outcomes, including common roadblocks;
* how data collection and functional analysis can help prevent some of the most common pitfalls;
* practicing true evidence-based intervention as opposed to just running ABA procedures.

DIRECTIONS:

The West Vancouver Memorial Library is at 1950 Marine Drive:
http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=1950+Marine+Dr,+West+Vancouver,+BC+V7V+1J8

The library is easily accessible via Highway #1 Upper Levels, taking either the 15th Street or 20th St. exits.

Coffee/Tea and snacks provided. Donations are greatly appreciated (but not required).

Please RSVP to <asbcnorthshore@yahoo.ca>.

Carol and Dragos
(Co-facilitators for ASBC North Shore Group)

[Jenny Tsou]

Permanent position as a job coach/support
worker (15-25 hours per week) for a young autistic adult….
===============================================
Burnaby family looking for individuals who are willing to be trained
as home therapists now and become future job-couches/support workers

My son is now 19 years old, and he has been involved in an intensive
ABA program for 15 years.
Not high-functioning. After finishing high school in 2014, he will
need one-on-one job-coaches and support workers who take him to do
volunteer works and leisure activities following ABA program.

If you are interested in this position, you need to be trained as a
home therapist.

Training and Requirements as home therapist:

* Training will begin immediately in the home program.

* The selected individual must work at home for min 2 shifts per week

* Attendance at monthly team meetings is mandatory.

* Experience supporting people with autism in inclusive settings is an
asset.

*Psychology/education-majored students,graduates are preferred. No
experience required.

* driver license required

Please e-mail resume to Jenny –
tsoujenny@hotmail.com

[Author]

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