[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

[Brad & Roxanne Black]

Alright, now I'm getting really pissed off!!! As if we don't have enough crap to deal with, now this Bill 33. Enough!!!! Enough!!! Enough!! I will be seeing my MLA today and I encourage all of you to do so….Maybe we should just lock up all these kids and throw away the key, that would be easier right? Well not as long as we FEAT parents are alive and kicking.

[Ursula Lee]

Bill 33 has passed 3rd reading as of May 11, 2006. This Bill allows schools to limit the number of special needs kids with IEPs in a class to 3. There does not appear to be a method to choose which 3 special needs kids stay and which go (where to, the Bill also does not say). The BCTF regards this as a great victory for their working conditions. The govt has acquiesed to appease a union that has negotiated away (with government's consent) our childrens' full rights to equal education. This is a blatant exhibition of the complete disregard and disrespect of the value of our children in the eyes of teachers and government.
FOLKS!!! you need to get on your MLA's case and you need to let the teachers in your schools know that you understand they have just beaten the (virtual) crap out of our kids …yet again. And you WILL NOT stand for it!

[Alexei Trebounskikh]

Hello, everyone!
Our district resource teacher insists that we register for kindergarden. We are not yet given any guerantees that we will be able to have ABA therapist from our home team support my son in school. Is it strategically right move to register him, given that registration tied up with allocating funds for the school?
Any information will be greately appreciated.
Please e-mail Alexandra privately at rhinocerus@praisemail.com

[Alexei Trebounskikh]

Hello, everyone!
We are having a lot of difficulties with burnaby school board.
I initially contacted district resource teacher and Special education director in February about having ABA therapist from my child's team as a SEA in school. Due to her busy schedule, SED was able to get back (after my many letters and phone calls)to me a week ago just before I was trying to get legal help.
So she informed me that in a week from now she will know if there is a posting for our school. And basically she was ambivalent about what is going to happen. I do not want to waste any more time and wait for her to inform me. could you please share with me any tips legal and otherwise on how to make it work on our terms. Your help will be greately appreciated.
Please e-mail Alexandra privately at rhinocerus@praisemail.com

[David and Barbara McLeod]

Hello All,

Jean Lewis is on the Bill Good Show tomorrow (CKNW 980 AM), Tuesday,May 16th at 10:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. She will be discussing the issues around the Hewko trial and Bill 33, with respect to the proposed cap of three special needs student per class.

Please call in with your horrendous school stories.

As well, please write or call your MLA to say NO to Bill 33 as discriminatory towards special needs students. Will our kids have the choice of segregation or having to attend a different school to be included in regular classroom? At this point, parents may be the last hope to stop or at least amend this Bill.

[Susan Burns]

hi all………..took a break from the board as I couldn't keep therapists……my autistic teen is deaf…..we've been using Margaret Newbury Jones the special needs sex educator extensively [boundaries and interpersonal stuff] and James plays competitive basketball…..needing 2 therapists in Coq. Andrea Sharpe is our consultant
Susan
spbpt2002@yahoo.ca

[Michelle Weis]

Hi Barb

Email me privately and I can get in touch with you!

Talk to ya soon

geminisky@adelphia.net

[Deleted User]

Barbara,

I'm going to a company fund raising meeting about helping the Children's Hunger Fund, Monday 2pm, Richmond. The same basic ideas can be applied to raising funds for treating autistic children and improving their education at all stages of life.

It's a bit more work and organisation than winning the lottery but more reliable, too.

georgewade1@mac.com

[Barbara Rodrigues]

I agree with Michelle – there is a whole group of kids in our community who do NOT benefit from integration (especially as they age up) also the fact is there are many kids with autism who are bullied/made fun of and segregated within the school system. No one can handle them – knows what to do with them and they are just warehoused in the system until they 'graduate'.

If you had seen or did see Brigette Taylor – you could see she was passionate about this – there being a need for a well run school where these kids (kids that aren't 'mild') can actually learn and grow. I personally don't care if Jeremy has so-called buddies within the school system – and people will always look at him different at this point – no matter what – I live in Penticton and there are kids with autism within the school system but that doesn't change many kids outlooks especially in middle/high school UNLESS your child is so very mild that no one notices – then of course everyone accepts them – then they aren't really different.

What I do care about is what his future holds. My son doesn't have the ability nor the desire to be 'friends' with most kids his age. He still has a great quality of life and continues to learn. We still work on behaviors and hope that he can continue to be involved in the community, etc. We don't lock in him the house and do tons of outings and go places he enjoys and also some he doesn't.

I think choice is a factor here and for those of us whose children do not fit into the mild category or missed out on early intevention and the many children that are classicly autistic should have the option to have a great education. They don't have that option now. To open private well run schools for kids with autism gives those kids a chance – those whose children do well within the public system can stay there as that's where they excell. I think it's all about choice and people should have that choice for their kids. Right now – we don't.

As you can see I am quite passionate about this and would love to win the lottery and open a school. :-)

Barbara

[Michelle Weis]

Hi Nancy,

I agree that parents should have an option as to what type of school would benefit each childs needs. Integration is a key point for younger children and should be utilized to its fullist potential.

What typically happens at Summit Educational are children attending preschool and once they have enough skills under thier belt they can be integrated into a typical classroom, woth support from Summit. My younger son had early treatment, therefore, lost his diagnosis and has been in a regular school system for all his school years.

The benefit of Summit is that it is free, quality education. Parents could chose to have an additional program at home but is not a necessity. Summit as well, has an after school program for parents who choose longer individual instruction or work later hours.

But in my case with Bradley,and many others…a typical classroom is not an option. As Bradley got older my focus was not integration and acceptance. It was gaining skills needed to survive as an independent adult.

I think having both systems is an asset to these children cause most children – if started early and intense enough – need both to maximize their individual potential.

I hope that BC can one day provide these kids with this opportunity. It is so wonderful to walk in to Brad's class and seeing these children working in groups and individualized wihtout and stims or disruptions. By all means they are not perfect, but they are all working at their maximum potential. And really….that is what we are striving for!

Just my two cents.

[Author]

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