ROUTINE

YORK REGION DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE

The regular meeting of the Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) was held on Thursday September 7, 2006 in the Board Room of the Education Centre, Aurora at 7:10 p.m. with Chair M. Aldridge presiding and the following members present:

Members: M. Bryan, L. Burtt, M. Cannell, K. Everest, S. Facchini, M. Graham, K. Gouthro, R. Jacobson-Cherry, I. Lehmann, F. MacDonald, and E. Maynard-Lloyd.

Alternate: N. Stephens.

Trustees: L. Carruthers, S. Korolnek, G. Unitas and Student Trustees J. Ferguson and K. Hart.

Staff: L. Crossley, C. McAdam, P. Milovanovic, L. Moreau, J. Porter, L. Sharratt and A. Ballard.

Regrets: A. Helps, C. Rennick and D. Rose.

Chair M. Aldridge welcomed back Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) members following the summer break. She extended a special welcome to the new student trustees Jeff Ferguson, from Huron Heights Secondary School and Kimberly Hart, from Richmond Hill High School. All SEAC members, trustees and superintendents introduced themselves and provided the student trustees an overview of the organization each represents.

Note: SEAC committee member K. Gouthro arrived at 7:15 p.m. and the Director of Education B. Hogarth arrived at 7:20 p.m.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

(*)1. Moved by N. Stephens, seconded by K. Everest:

That the agenda be approved as written.

- Carried -

MOMENT OF REFLECTION

S. Facchini read the moment of reflection entitled Unity by Ray A. Lingenfelter. A copy of the moment of reflection will be attached to the minutes for Committee members. L. Ziraldo will deliver the moment of reflection at the October 5, 2006 SEAC meeting.

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APPROVAL OF MINUTES – June 1, 2006

(*)2. Moved by L. Ziraldo, seconded M. Cannell:

That the minutes of the June 1, 2006 SEAC meeting be approved as written.

- Carried -

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Vice-Chair L. Ziraldo announced the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Learning Disabilities Association of York Region. The 30th Anniversary and Annual General Meeting and Open House will be held September 25, 2006 at 7:00 p.m., 11181 Yonge Street Richmond Hill. The Learning Disabilities Association of York Region’s 2006 award recipient is the Cunningham family. Rick Cunningham is principal at Forest Run Public School in Maple.

Next month the Learning Disabilities Association of York Region theme for public awareness will be “Is mental health a higher risk for students with learning disabilities?” The Association’s focus this year is on mental health and learning disabilities. The launch takes place at the Annual General Meeting September 25th, 2006.

PRESENTATION

Dialogue with the Director

Superintendent of Curriculum and Instructional Services L. Sharratt introduced Director of Education B. Hogarth to present the York Region District School Board’s vision for the upcoming year.

Director of Education B. Hogarth thanked SEAC members and the Board for making a difference in the lives of young people with disabilities and providing leadership for the Board and the province. The Board’s focus is not strictly on leadership, but accountability measures and how the Board gains student achievement especially for students with special needs and how the Board can progress and provide continuous improvement.

Director of Education B. Hogarth commented on the importance of relationships and imagination and how these can make a difference. He reflected on the word communication which covers quality discussion, thinking and building quality relationships which in turn bring trust and results for the Board and its students. The Director challenged SEAC members and the Board to think differently by considering problems as puzzles when looking at the classroom environment. The Board has a puzzle when a student with a learning disability is trying to put the learning process together. The question is how does the Board unlock that puzzle and make a difference.

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The Board focuses on literacy and the system has a plan which is based on three strands; quality schools; parent and community engagement; and workplace climate. According to B. Hogarth the question is how the Board gets these three strands to work and mesh together. The next stage is to continue to look at how the Board can make a difference and how the Board works for the students.

The Board is now at the stage to discuss, think and build relationships in relation to literacy. The Board must maintain the quality of the schools and special education programming and quality of those programs. The classroom improves if combining the planning process considers student achievement and how to reach this goal in the system. This will create a stronger future for the system. The transition between grades and divisions looks at pathways for all systems including elementary, secondary and post-secondary. It is important to break down the barriers and look at all students including special education pupils to see if those needs are being met. Continuing to work together will ultimately provide unequivocal support for all special educational students.

Chair M. Aldridge and Vice-Chair L. Ziraldo thanked the Director of Education B. Hogarth for speaking to the committee and for his presentation and vision.

Departmental Presentations – Regional Support Services Leads

Superintendent of Education L. Moreau introduced Special Education Department Leads Coordinator Dr. K. Stewart; Facilitator W. Coenen; Coordinator J. Christen; Team Leader D. Kennedy; Speech-Language Pathologist Team Leader K. Mitton; Coordinating Psychologist Dr. K. Boyko; Chief Psychologist Dr. M. Boer; and D. Pilkey, Work Experience.

Vice-Principal, Regional Special Education L. Crossley welcomed the Regional Support Services Leaders presenting SEAC with a brief overview of each department.

Psychological Services

Chief Psychologist Dr. M. Boer outlined Psychological Services which are offered to York Region District School Board students of all ages. With 37 full-time staff members across York Region, the main functions involve psychological assessments, intellectual screening, crisis response and intervention, consultation, intervention, and a provision of resources and learning opportunities.

The Board’s goal of improving literacy skills for all students is addressed through; • helping teachers and parents understand the student’s learning profile and needs, • providing assessment information to develop effective Individual Education Plans (IEP) and prepare Special Equipment Amount (SEA) claims so that students can obtain the assistive technology for learning, • providing response to crises and traumatic events counseling so that students are able to return to class, ready to learn, as quickly as possible, and Special Education Advisory Committee Page 4 September 7, 2006

• providing resources and learning opportunities so that teachers are better able to adjust their programming to reflect the learning needs for groups of students.

Work Experience Program

Work Experience Program Facilitator W. Coenen explained the program offers a unique learning opportunity providing on-the-job training for students ages 14 to 21 who have developmental disabilities, autism, mild-intellectual disabilities and multi- exceptionalities. The program is designed to promote career awareness and exploration while students complete their secondary education.

The Work Experience program started in 1986. There are more than 500 employers involved with 52 programs in 26 secondary schools in the York Region District School Board. Employers are from retail, maintenance, grocery stores, factories, clerical, community centres, classrooms, hospitals, food services, movie theatres, hotels and museums. Unlike co-operative education, the students are non-credit earning and receive job coaching. There are three active storefronts located at Unionville High School, Thornhill Secondary School, and Huron Heights Secondary School which provide a more intensive work experience.

The goals of the program include experiencing a method of learning which allows for the practical application of skills taught in the classroom; experiencing on-the-job training; and developing attitudes and skills necessary to work successfully. Independence at home, school, in the community and at work are important for the overall success of the program. The program aims at increasing independence, confidence, self-reliance, and self-esteem as well as providing an outlet to meet people and develop social skills, explore future post secondary opportunities and successful community integration.

Regional Vision Resource Services

Regional Vision Resource Services Coordinator Dr. K. Stewart has specially trained staff working with blind or visually impaired students including those with multiple disabilities within the full range of educational placements. Currently on staff there are 11 certified teachers of the blind and visually impaired, three classroom braillists, three teaching assistants and one central braillist. Approximately one child in a thousand has a visual impairment and approximately 50 to 70 per cent of those children with visual impairment have additional disabilities.

The York Region District School Board is the only Board in Canada to have the high number of classroom braillists who are specially trained in transcribing print into Braille and supports the programs of students who are blind in the regular classroom. The Board is also one of two Canadian school boards to have a central braillist who orders, transcribes and catalogues texts, exams and curricular materials in alternate formats. The central braillist is involved in Window-based technology and scanning procedures as well as the production of tactile and highly visual graphics.

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Students are taught adaptive skills needed to access the print and media demands of all areas of the provincial curriculum and classroom environment. The mastery of these skills results in access to learning in a manner equal to peers who are sighted. Skills include communications and literacy, daily living, visual efficiency training, social skills, career education, computer and adaptive technology, and recreation and leisure.

Consultation, assessment and program delivery are essential areas. Consultation involves teachers, administrators, parents, braillists, other support services, and outside agencies. Various accommodations provided include; - braille maps, graphs, charts, pictures and large print maps, - dark copies, - special seating and lighting, storage and work area, - descriptive video, preview films and videos, - extra time, modified curriculum, note taker and, - tactile learning materials.

Physiotherapy/Occupational Therapy Services (PT/OT)

Physiotherapy/Occupational Therapy Services (PT/OT) Team Leader D. Kennedy stated the PT/OT services are comprised of physical and occupational therapists that are health care trained, but provide services related to academic programming in schools. PT/OT services provide consultation and assessment to support educators of students with physical disabilities, developmental disabilities and motor impairment. The priorities for supporting students are physical abilities and needs, safe lifting, transfers and positioning, self-help skills, adapting the environment and equipment, fine and gross motor skills for students in the primary grade with severe motor needs, as well as written communication and computer access needs.

The functions of PT/OT services include IEP development for individual students; providing professional development for teachers and support staff; ability awareness and active living; school accessibility; curriculum planning and community liaison.

Autism Team

Autism Team Leader D. Kennedy presented the Autism Team as a multi-disciplinary team membership comprised of speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, special education resources teachers, child and youth workers, communicative disorders assistants, and early childhood educators who work together to provide a coordinated service that enable teachers to support students with autism within the primary division. To support the growing autism population the Board developed a coordinated team to support students and programming. The team is involved in consultation and liaison, assessment, program delivery and professional development.

The mandate is to support students mainly at the primary level. Referrals are made mainly through the principal.

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Regional Hearing Resources Services

Regional Hearing Resources Services Coordinator J. Christen explained the mission statement is to provide support in the form of consultation, assessment and direct service to all students in the York Region District School Board who are deaf or hard of hearing. Due to an extensive screening process staff are aware from birth of specific children have hearing issues. The referral process informs the department of what needs are arriving in the system. The Board is currently supporting 287 students with hearing disabilities. These hearing disabilities include hearing loss from mild to profound, students wearing hearing aids, Cochlear implants or bone anchored hearing aids, and students who may use FM amplification in school setting.

Regional Hearing Resource Teachers support students as follows. i. Access to curriculum through the auditory/oral approach. ii. Access to curriculum through sign language. iii. Intense language support and parent guidance for preschool age students at home or in the nursery and daycare environment. iv. FM amplification equipment for all students including those diagnosed with Auditory Processing Disorder. v. Awareness Workshops to students and school personnel.

The York Region District School Board has 20 specialist teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing, six auditory verbal specialists, three specialist teachers of the deaf in self- contained programs such as oral and sign language, one educational audiologist and one FM technologist.

The delivery of program supports starts with identifying children at an early age which is critical for language development. The preschool and home visiting begins with children two to four years old. There is intensive auditory and verbal programming with intensive parental guidance. The department supports the preschool screening process in response to Early Intervention and the Cochlear Implant Program at the Hospital for Sick Children.

Alexander Mackenzie High School has a new self-contained program supporting students with sign language from grades 9 to 12. Two primary self-contained sign language supported programs are provided at Sixteenth Avenue Public School and Oak Ridges Public School as well as an oral/auditory program at the primary level. Windham Ridge Public School provides the same oral/auditory program for the higher grades.

Speech-Language Pathology Department

Speech-Language Pathologist Team Leader K. Mitton stated the department is comprised of speech-language pathologists and communicative disorder assistants. They provide staffing to the autism team and behaviour team as well as the schools. This department helps students with articulation, voice or stuttering and the less obvious problems with speech.

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The Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) provides help for speech issues which are therapy focused. CCAC cannot see students unless they have been assessed by the speech-language pathologist. The Board speech-language pathologist focuses on a brain or language issue or any area which has an educational focus. They provide a more consultative role and provide referrals to CCAC. The speech department supports families and schools as they deal with students presented with communication difficulties; provide program recommendations; make connections with relevant community agencies and interpret incoming reports; evaluation and assessment; transition planning; and workshops and training sessions.

The speech pathologists’ job is to help parents and students understand language and teach children to be life-long learners. All areas in this department are connected to literacy so there is wide support for literacy development. The speech pathologists recommend strategies and support the developmental outcomes for reading and writing.

Behaviour Team

Behaviour Team Coordinating Psychologist Dr. K. Boyko explained the team has only been in existence for approximately two-and-a-half years. A specialized multidisciplinary team consists of coordinating psychologist, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, Special Education Resource Teachers (SERTs) and child and youth workers.

The team provides the following; • coordinated assessment, consultation and program development, • strategies, resources, materials and training to increase the skill level of Board personnel, • liaisons between schools, families, internal and external programs and community agencies, • professional development for Board personnel during the school year.

The Behaviour team sees students in grades 4 to 12 with a diagnosable condition, which may be developmental, behavioural or related to complex mental health needs and socio-emotional issues. This includes behaviour, communications, socialization, and safety issues as well as difficulty in at least two of the following areas; self regulation; compliance; organization; and transitions. The team supports school staff in meeting the needs of students with significant behavioural issues.

When the behaviour team becomes involved the action plan includes; - follow-up class visits by team members, - discipline-specific assessments, - IEP, safety plan, and transition plan review and suggestions, - modeling of recommended strategies, - suggested program strategies and material exemplars, - skills-based training for school, staff and students, - facilitating referrals to internal and external programs and agencies. Special Education Advisory Committee Page 8 September 7, 2006

Vice-Principal, Regional Special Education L. Crossley summarized the Regional Teams are growing with 140 staff members. The greatest success of all these teams is the daily influence they have on attitudes and belief structures within all the individuals in the Board and communities and making a difference to every student.

(*)3. Moved by S. Facchini, seconded by R. Jacobson-Cherry:

That SEAC receive the “Regional Support Services Leads” presentation and the “Dialogue with the Director” presentation for information.

- Carried -

Note: The committee recessed at 8:50 p.m. and resumed at 9:00 p.m.

SPECIAL EDUCATION PLAN

There is no update from the Ministry of Education.

SUCCESSFUL PRACTICES AND CHALLENGES

Vice-Chair L. Ziraldo stated the Learning Disabilities Association ran a four-day camp three times this summer entitled Learning Different Assistive Technology Camp 2006. The camp enhanced learning at home through adaptive technology.

REPORT FROM THE BOARD

Trustee S. Korolnek presented the following highlights from the June, July and August 2006 Board Meetings.

The following new schools were named. • Teston Village Public School in Vaughan • Carrville Mills Public School in Vaughan • Roberta Bondar Public School in Vaughan • Bur Oak Secondary School in Markham • Hartman Public School in Aurora • Little Rouge Public School in Markham • Sir Wilfrid Laurier Public School in Markham • Michaelle Jean Public School in Richmond Hill • Bill Crothers Secondary School in Markham (School for Athletics and Healthy Active Living).

• The 2006/2007 budget was approved at the July 4th Board Meeting, with an expenditure level of $893,187,000. • Two new Student Trustees were sworn in for the 2006/2007 year at the August 29th Board Meeting – Jeff Ferguson from Huron Heights Secondary School and Kimberly Hart from Richmond Hill High School. Special Education Advisory Committee Page 9 September 7, 2006

At the August 29th Board Meeting, a recommendation was approved to begin the process for the review of the trustee honoraria.

(*)4. Moved by K. Gouthro, seconded by L. Burtt:

That SEAC receive the Report from the Board for information.

- Carried - SPECIAL EDUCATION REPORT

Superintendent of Curriculum and Instructional Services L. Sharratt informed SEAC members of the variety of newsletters available for information.

During August the Curriculum Department held a four-day program called “Great Beginnings” for new teachers. More than 500 teachers were in attendance. Other programs run this summer included an Instructional Intelligence Institute with 125 teachers in attendance, the 13th Annual Summer Institute, with approximately 250 administrators and teachers. A tribes training program was also held for 100 teachers. Other training sessions included summer writing teams.

Superintendent of Curriculum and Instructional Services L. Sharratt stated the Board has a new teacher induction this year with 350 new elementary and secondary teachers and 900 Long-Term Occasional Supply teachers.

Superintendent of Education L. Moreau mentioned there will be a new director in the Ministry of Education Special Education branch in Toronto. The York Region District School Board has entered into an agreement to be a host agency for the Children’s Treatment Network (CTN). New staff will be hired and the Board will host 14 professional staff comprised mainly of speech-language pathologists and occupational and physical therapists. The Board will be the largest host agency in York Region. Transition services during the first week of school ran smoothly. Superintendent of Education L. Moreau commented the Individual Education Planner (IEP) is up and running. This year, all of the Board’s administrative functions are accessible for every administrator to access information for IEPs. Training and professional development is planned at school sites.

Vice-Principal, Regional Special Education L. Crossley commented staff were busy presenting at the summer institute programs. In staff development, IEP workshops will be the focus over the next month. IEP workshops for new teachers are being held in the schools all day September 12th, 13th and 19th entitled Writing Effective IEPs. Administrator breakfasts are being held in mid-October. Educational Assistants (EA) professional development and safety lifting workshops are being held September 22, 2006.

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(*)5. Moved by R. Jacobson-Cherry, seconded by M. Cannell:

That SEAC receive the Special Education Report for information.

- Carried -

COMMUNICATIONS SUB-COMMITTEE UPDATE

Vice-Chair L. Ziraldo stated the SEAC Annual Report is ready for Board approval.

A SEAC orientation will be offered for committee members and the student trustees. Action Item Dates will be coordinated with Administrative Assistant A. Ballard.

The Board brochure, entitled A Communication Guide for Students and Your Parents, is Action ready for distribution. Vice-Chair L. Ziraldo thanked everyone for their hard work Item completing the brochure. SEAC members were asked to contact Linda Porteous in Curriculum and Instructional Services at extension 3235 to notify her of the number of brochures each committee requires.

The Stop, Start and Continue Summary for May 2006 and an article entitled The Asset Approach giving kids what they need to succeed were distributed to members.

SEAC members and alternate members were requested to contact their organizations as to the nomination status for the upcoming election in November 2006. SEAC Action organizations must notify the York Region District School Board in written format by Item October 2006. The new elected term for SEAC committee members increases to a four-year term from the current three-year term.

The 50th Anniversary for the Council for Exceptional Children is scheduled from November 9, 10 & 11th at the Sheraton Parkway Hotel in Markham.

(*)6. Moved by L. Burtt, seconded by N. Stephens:

That SEAC receive the Communications and Sub-Committee Report for information.

- Carried -

FUTURE PRESENTATIONS

• EQAO Presentation – October 5, 2006 • Positive Parenting Practices (Triple P) – November 2, 2006 • Annual SEAC Holiday Celebration – December 7, 2006 • Safe and Supportive Schools – January 2007 • Children’s Treatment Network (CTN) – February 2007 • Social Emotional Academic Learning (SEAL) – March 2007 • SEAC Budget – April 2007 Special Education Advisory Committee Page 11 September 7, 2006

• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

ADJOURNMENT

(*)7. Moved by E. Maynard-Lloyd, seconded by S. Facchini:

That the Special Education Advisory Committee meeting adjourn at 9:35 p.m.

- Carried -