Transcript Document

Spring Presentation to School Committee
2009-2010 School Year
Presented by
June 3, 2010
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2009-10 AB SpEd PAC Officers
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Co-Chairs: Nancy Sherburne & Bill Guthlein
Treasurers: Sasha Stavsky & Caroline Jarvis
Secretaries: Valerie Ryan & Lynne Zawada
Past PAC Chair: Stephen Lowe
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School Committee Representatives: Mike Coppolino & Xuan
Kong
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We want to thank Mike Coppolino & Xuan Kong for their
invaluable support and guidance to the AB SpEd PAC.
June 3, 2010
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Introduction
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On the following slides our original 2009-2010
goals are shown in black, with our progress
towards those goals shown in green.
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As the year progressed, the PAC contributed to
the community in other ways not originally
envisioned in the summer of 2009. Those areas
are noted following the original goals in a section
titled Other Contributions.
June 3, 2010
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Goal 1: Service to the Community
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Provide support to individual families
• The PAC regularly supported families by phone, email
and in person. In particular we helped clarify parental
access to test “protocols.”
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Maintain online Parent to Parent support forum,
information distribution list & PAC website:
www.abspedpac.org
• Our site and distribution lists continued to provide
information and support to families.
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Complete Special Education Parent Handbook
• Deferred. New goal: complete by fall 2010.
June 3, 2010
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Goal 1: Service to the Community
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Participate in the Bullying Policy Task Force
• Nancy Sherburne represented the PAC on the
Bullying Prevention Task Force and two
subcommittees –
1. Bullying Prevention/Curriculum and
2. Bullying Intervention/Response
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Pursue multiple fundraising opportunities
• Our fall bulb sale was a success and we explored a
potential grant opportunity
June 3, 2010
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Goal 1: Service to the Community
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Co-host Back-to-School Picnic, Bullying
Panel, Parent Workshop
• Pupil Services and the PAC held a family picnic
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June 3, 2010
on Sept. 30th at Danny’s Place.
CAFY, NPFH, PS and the PAC co-hosted a
bullying panel presentation on Oct. 20th.
Pupil Services and the PAC co-hosted the 4th
Annual Parent Workshop featuring Rick Lavoie
on Nov. 6th.
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Goal 1: Service to the Community
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Present a variety of parent education
speakers/ workshops
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June 3, 2010
Oct. 14th, “An IEP for My Child”
Dec. 9th, “Basic Rights” (canceled due to snow)
March 9th, “Transition Workshop”
April 13th, “Sensory Integration”
May 5th, “Shut Up About Your Perfect Kid”
(brought to our attention and co-sponsored by
Sue Horn and ABRSD – thank you, Sue)
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Goal 2: Build on New SC Policy
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Continue quarterly meetings with Pupil Services
and PAC Board to discuss district special
education programs
• We met this year on Nov. 17th and Apr. 29th
Increase parent opportunities to participate in ongoing planning, development and evaluation of the
district’s special education programs
• The Autism Parent Focus Groups increased parent
participation and feedback on program design. This was
a wonderful success. (See Addendum A for feedback)
June 3, 2010
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Goal 3: Developing Stronger PAC –
Pupil Services Relationship
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Co-host the 2nd Annual Special Education Family Picnic &
4th Annual Parent Workshop in fall 2009
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Done.
Continue regular monthly meetings between Liza Huber
and PAC Chairs to facilitate communication and improve
relationship between PAC & Pupil Services
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We met in Aug.,Nov., Dec.,Jan., Apr. and May
Fundraise as able to help bridge budget shortfalls
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Successful fall bulb sale in October 2009.
June 3, 2010
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Goal 4: Technology
 Apply current technology to more steps in the
IEP Development Process (Use ESPED &
laptops in IEP meetings)
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To expedite IEP development
To minimize errors and misunderstandings
To reduce staff time spent on meetings and document
revisions related to IEP development
Progress on this task force has been disappointingly
slow. Look forward to seeing how Westford uses this
technology on June 14th and refocusing the team’s
efforts on achievable results for the district.
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Goal 5: Equal Consideration of
Independent Testing by Teams
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Identify mistakes parents and their specialists
make, which lead to the devaluation of specialist’s
testing and recommendations
• Alerted PAC members to common pitfalls. Pupil Services
reports 80% of students found eligible for services based on
IEE recommendations at ABRS and 50% at APS without
additional testing. Pupil Services tracking additional IEE
statistics this year.
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Conduct a mock Team evaluation of IEE testing
with Pupil Services’ Leadership Team during 1st
quarter of the school year
• Not done – unable to schedule.
June 3, 2010
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Goal 6: Survey Follow-up
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Participate in and assist in the Autism
program review pre-K through high school.
• Collaborated with Pupil Services to conduct four
parent forums in Dec. and Jan. Provided written
summary of parent priorities from these meetings.
Discussed actions at Apr. 29th Quarterly Meeting.
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Research what the national norms and
standards are for a successful autism
program.
• Reviewed National Standards Project. No commonly
accepted norms and standards found to date.
June 3, 2010
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Goal 6: Survey Follow-up
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Promote and support special education changes
consistent with successful autism programs.
• In process. Pupil Services revised assistant schedules
based on focus group feedback. More to do.
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Participate in the Bullying Policy Task Force
• Ongoing.
Resurvey special education community in 2010
• Survey planning to begin over the summer.
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Other Contributions
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Promoted SGP to measure student progress and published
analysis of districts’ recent MCAS performance.
Proposed a set of cost savings suggestions to help address
budget challenges.
Raised awareness of stakes if fail NCLB for special
education subgroup at Conant and R. J. Grey.
Delivered comparative analysis of special education
spending at Westford.
Published SC candidate views to PAC members on issues
of interest to the special education community.
Contributed to the Conant Principal Search Committee.
June 3, 2010
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Looking Forward
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Encourage use of SGP to see how successful
programs are at delivering academic results.
Support increased spending on professional
development for teachers.
Encourage development of quality in-district
programming to reduce OOD costs.
Help implement improvements identified in Autism
parent focus groups in tangible way.
Support increased use of technology in IEP
development process.
Share analysis of Spring 2010 MCAS (NCLB) results.
June 3, 2010
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Addendum
A.
Summary of Parent Priorities from Autism
Focus Groups
B.
New DESE Guidance for PACs
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Has financial implications for existing funds raised
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PAC may consider creating Friends of the PAC as a
separate fundraising entity going forward
June 3, 2010
Tess is exploring options with Town Treasurer – will need
to move forward with Finance Director
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