[FEAT BC Admin]

In this discussion area, please feel free to share your experience in implementing A.B.A. programs in the school system. We would particularly like to hear from those parents who converted their school teams to A.B.A. We’d like to hear the nightmares as well as the success stories.

Any insight that can be shared by school-based special education assistants to help parents would also be very meaningful.

Topic

[FEAT BC Admin]

Subject:
RE: Room Four: School Related Topics
Date:
Thu, 29 Jun 2000 17:27:34 -0700
From:
"Doug Anderson"
To:

If you or your husband are self employed or have a receptive
employer, you
can have any expense recommended by a doctor written off by the
company as
an expense and it will not be a taxable benefit to any
individual. If you
want to know more, call Frank Molinka @ 604-929-7241. We have
used it for
years to covwer Ryan's (my son ) ABA program, and all of the
other costs eg
dental, prescriptions, etc.
Cheers
Doug Anderson

—–Original Message—–
From: FeatBC Discussion Board [mailto:admin@featbc.org]
Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2000 9:49 AM
To: Norsander@Radiant.net; Norsander@Radiant.net
Subject: Room Four: School Related Topics

————————————————————
FeatBC Discussion Board: Room Four: School Related Topics
————————————————————

By Barbara Rodrigues (Rodrigues) on Thursday, June 29, 2000
– 09:48 am:

… To top the morning off, the Income tax
just said they are going disallow our income tax expenses.

Barbara
Jeremy's Mom

[Barbara Rodrigues]

Hi Everyone:

Just wanted to update you on our search for getting Jeremy into school here in Penticton. I went to a forum about school options – they had 3 Christian schools there, the homeschool group and a private school.

When I approached the homeschool representive, inquiring if we (Jeremy and his aide) could participate in their outings/field trips – I got a cold reception and she said she would have to ask her group – but I definately got the sense she felt I had something catchy so I didn't pursue it.

I approached another Christian school and the principal seemed somewhat receptive as long as we provided our aide. She agreed to meet with me, we discussed Jeremy, his program etc. She was receptive but it has to go before the teacher and the board. We hear back from her sometime in July.

In the meantime, I found out that we had quite a large Catholic school in our community. Joe and I are both Catholic so I applied there. I got an application, applied as a Catholic (nonpracticing) and wrote Jeremy's disability and a long letter outlining his autism but the fact that he is a gentle nonviolent little boy, follows directions well, been in a program for 2 years and we would supply the aide. I said we were willing to meet with them to discuss the matter further. That we were willing to attend on a trial basis etc.

I sent the letter off….never heard from anyone for 3 weeks…so I called. I was told 'No they are full and need to keep spaces for parishner families…..'He also mentioned they are not equipped to deal with special needs, when I started to say , well, we – he cut me off, said,'I know you addressed that in your letter but we are full – we have 3 parishes that we serve!' Something about how defensive the principal was set my radar up. I quite frankly didn't believe him.

So……I sent my therapist to the school the next week, she applied, as a nonCatholic with a little girl for Kindergarten….when she dropped off her application, this past Monday, she was told they would let her know within the week…um….I guess parent's of autistic kids don't rate a call back even after 3 weeks.

Today, she was called and told that her daughter was accepted. Needless to say I am truly angry. I was lied to, told in no uncertain terms there was no room – no one asked to meet with us, no one was honest with us, no one said, can we meet Jeremy and see how he does, etc.

I am aware that they don't have to accept our son, but a little honestly goes a long way, a little courtesy a lot more.

Anyway just venting. To top the morning off, the Income tax just said they are going disallow our income tax expenses.

Barbara
Jeremy's Mom

[Isaac]

Hi Everyone,

The BC Government presented a report this week on the state of special education in the public school system. The report is entitled, “A Review of Special Education in British Columbia” and is the product of fifteen months of work.

Many thanks to Dee Dee Doyle on behalf of everyone at FEAT BC. Dee Dee is the Feat representative to the Special Education Review Committee and headed this project for Feat — kudos for a job well done!

“A Review of Special Education in British Columbia” is available for download in a printable version on the FEAT server @ https://featbc.org/downloads/review.pdf

The report is also available in standard web browser format (HTML) at http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/review/report/

FEAT BC’s submission to the Special Education Review Committee is available for download at: https://featbc.org/downloads/education.pdf

The Vancouver Sun published a piece on the Government report on Tuesday 06/20/00; full text is below.

Isaac
(Miki’s Dad)

_______________________________________________________
Review calls for special-education reforms in B.C.
The Vancouver Sun
Janet Steffenhagen, Sun education reporter

British Columbia should strive to identify special-needs children at a younger
age, fully integrate them into regular classrooms and train teachers and
assistants to deliver appropriate programs.

Those are some of the recommendations released Monday after a 15-month review of
special education that included consultations with parents, teachers,
administrators and special-ed interest groups.

Stewart Ladyman, a superintendent in the education ministry who conducted the
review with Linda Siegel of the University of B.C., said there is a growing need
to improve special education because medical advances mean more and more
children will be in need.

For example, he noted that 90 per cent of babies who weigh only one or two
pounds at birth suffer physical or learning disabilities — and an increasing
number of them are surviving and entering school.

"This is not just a little issue to deal with," Ladyman told a news conference
Monday. "We must realize that our society will have to accommodate a whole
variety of students. It's not just a blip on the map . . . [special education]
is not a fad."

Despite comprehensive provincial policies on special-education, the report found
widespread differences in delivery — including some school districts that are
still resisting the policy of inclusion of all students, even though it is in
its sixth year.

Ladyman said integration of special-needs kids — who number about 68,000 and
whose challenges include learning disabilities, physical impairments,
behavioural problems and giftedness — is usually accomplished in primary grades
but begins to dwindle by Grade 5.

And while policies about inclusion do not preclude special programs outside the
classroom for learning disabled and gifted children, deputy education minister
Charles Ungerleider said studies suggest their achievement drops in proportion
to time spent out of class.

The report also raises concerns about the ability of teachers and special-ed
assistants to understand and respond to the needs of such a diverse group of
students.

While teachers who graduate today will have some special-ed training, many of
those already in the system have had no formal preparation for working with
special-needs students.

"Indeed, many teachers expressed the view that they feel that they do not have
the knowledge they need to work with such students," the report says.

Noting that teachers will often encounter students with special needs, the
report recommends the ministry offer tuition rebates for teachers who enrol in
approved courses to improve their abilities in this area.

The report also stresses that teachers are legally responsible for students'
education, and must not abdicate in favour of special-ed assistants, who usually
have less training and are there to provide care and safety.

Education Minister Penny Priddy said she was pleased with calls for greater
consistency in programs around the province and increased involvement of parents
in developing individual education programs.

While implementation of some recommendations will take time, she said, she will
push to have some reforms accomplished within months.

Ladyman said he didn't call for more special-ed funding because that wasn't in
his mandate, but he does recommend changes to give school boards greater
flexibility in how they spend their allotments. The ministry spent $422 million
on special-ed in this school year.

Laney Bryenton, executive director of the B.C. Association for Community Living,
said she was pleased after one quick reading of the report that it addresses
concerns about inclusion and teacher training.

The report also recommends that:

– School boards be directed to implement B.C.'s special-ed policy and report to
the ministry on progress.

– Schools ensure individual education programs are dynamic and based on
educational needs, not solely on funding allocations.

– Educational needs of students — not workers' rights — be paramount in
decisions about deployment of staff.

– Audits focus on educational progress of students, not adherence to processes
and procedures.

– Special-ed funding continue to be targeted until there is evidence that
resources are being used to improve student success.

– No more special-ed funding categories be established for now.
_______________________________________________________

[David and Barbara McLeod]

Hi Everyone,

This is just a reminder of the workshop on June 10 in Parksville. Shelley Davis, MA, JD, a behavioural consultant from LEAP, San Francisco with present a workshop entitled Supporting Children with Autism at School – an ABA approach.

The workshop is for Teachers, Teaching Assistants, District Support Staff and Parents.

The session is sponsored by Qualicum School District and will be held at Springwood Middle School in Parksville from 9:30 – 3:30. Cost to non-district #69 participants is $25.00 payable at the workshop.

Register by calling Barbara McLeod (250)757-8566 or Anne Pearson at Winchelsea Elementary (250) 248-3012. For more information on the session please call Barbara McLeod.

Barbara McLeod
Alex's mom

[Sabrina Freeman]

Shelley Davis, ABA autism consultant from San Francisco, will be presenting a workshop sponsored by the Qualicum School District on Saturday, June 10, 9:30 – 3:30 at Springwood Middle School.

The title of the workshop:
Supporting Children with Autism at School – an ABA approach.

The workshop is for Teachers and Teaching Assistants.
Parents are welcome as well; cost for non-district #69 participants is
$25.00. Registrations forms are available from Barbara McLeod at (250)
757 – 8566 or Anne Pearson at Winchelsea Elementary at (250) 248 – 3012.
For information on the session please call Barbara McLeod.

[Barbara Rodrigues]

Hi. I am looking for anyone who currently has their child enrolled in a independant school, either Catholic or another form of Christian school. How was their reception to your child with autism? Was your own aide able to attend the class, etc. Looking for success stories (hopefully) and hoping to say (see, they are doing it in so-and-so). Please email me privately or to the list.

email – joe_rodrigues@bc.sympatico.ca

Thanks a lot.

Barbara Rodrigues

[Carol Ywan]

Hi there,
After hearing all kinds of stories about school, I am considering sending my son, going to kindergarten this Sept., to private school for grade school. Does anyone know that will private school take children with autism at all? Should I try or "don't even think about it"?
Thanks a lot.
Carol Ywan

[Isaac]

To the anonymous therapist,

Following up on DeeDee's post regarding the F.E.A.T. submission to the Ministry of Education Special Education Review: if you want to use the report as a resource for your paper, I would recommend the original FEAT BC Brief to School Districts available for download at https://featbc.org/downloads/education.pdf

It has a bit more detail than the government web site and hopefully fewer typos.

Isaac
(Miki*s Dad)

[Deleted User]

To the anonymous therapist and interested others:

check out the F.E.A.T. submission to the Ministry of Education Special Education Review at the following link:

http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/review/266autism.htm

DeeDee

[Deleted User]

I am a Senior Therapist and UBC student that will be involved in the school system as an SEA. I'm writing a paper on the treatment of children with Autism in school. I'd like the paper to be highlighted with parent's concerns, suggestions and frustrations, as well as any positive feedback you may have. Your postings will be much appreciated! I plan to present this paper to various school boards in B.C.

Thanks.

[Author]

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