Governor S Advisory Council on the Blind

Governor’s Advisory Council on the Blind May 2, 2014 Smyrna Rest Stop Conference Room Smyrna, DE Roll Call: Lloyd Schmitz, Chair, Nancy Frankl, Ken Rolph, James Law, Mariam Nabi, Marjorie Deska Absent: Janet Brown Division for the Visually Impaired (DVI) Staff: Daniel Madrid, Director Elisha Jenkins, Deputy Director Guests: Janet Berry, Delaware Association for the Blind (DAB) Frederick Noesner, DAB Thomas Newcomb, Business Enterprise Program (BEP) The meeting was called to order at 10:15 am by Lloyd Schmitz. The minutes from April were approved as written. Director’s Report: Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) has two new staff: Tasha Pinkney and Derek Alexander. Lloyd asked about caseload. Dan said he will look at the numbers for New Castle vs. Milford. He will continue to assess. Lloyd doesn’t want people to have to wait a few months for services. VR State plan for 2015—begins on October 1, 2014. Plan is due in July. Public hearing—how many people participated? Ten members of public. half by teleconference. There will be some goals to expand in Kent and Sussex. People asked for more services for people losing vision later in life. Transition model is being finalized. What do we expect VR counselors to be engaged in? Will be ready for the next school year. Lloyd asked how many students participated in transition conference on March 31? Elisha will find out. BEP will have a new director, Rob Schmidlkofer. He will begin work on May 19. He has a long background in food services, in the military and in state government. He has worked with people with disabilities. He will have a mentor, Terry Smith, a national leader in BEP. Rob will be at Council meeting next month. Dan says that He will sit down with every operator, one on one, so he will understand the businesses. Smyrna Rest Stop gift shop—no progress—Lloyd will meet with Secretary Bhatt about this. Cafeteria at Legislative Hall given up. In recent years, not profitable. We will hand space back to Leg Hall. We still have vending machines there. Lloyd said BEP things have property tags. Lloyd just got spreadsheets for BEP finances. He needs to download them and then will forward to us. Thomas said he hasn’t received fringe numbers in a timely manner (the benefits). Delaware Industries for Blind (DIB): Full time HR person in DIB. They get limited HR support from the state. This will help with hiring, issues, workmen comp, benefits: Melissa Pacheco. Exploring partnership with HKF business: potential pre-fab molding for housing. DIB could manufacture these wood products. Looking at what the partnership would look like. They make things for Home Depot and Lowes. Also Cool Pop Industries: looking into. They make t-shirts, hats, and onesies for children. Delaware business. DIB has already started making things for them. Have talked to YMCA's about producing clothing. Scarf contract was extended. Will still do one type of scarf. Hoping they won’t have to lay anyone off because business is growing. Sales person is reporting exactly where she is looking for business, Sarah Fox. Executive Order No 44—office of supplier diversity. Includes people with disabilities along with minority businesses. Can get on suppliers’ list. Don’t have to post RFP to the general public. Gives opportunity to compete with other companies for state businesses. Three tiers of services: public works under $100,000; professional services $50,000; non-professional under $25. Have to go to this list to consider. Person has to be certified, qualified person with disabilities. So far, only two people on the list. No downside—gives opportunity to give a bid. Website for Office For Management. Education Program: Quality Performance for Visually Impaired QPVI Program: finalized survey data this month. Data on assessments, AT use, amount of time in special ed, services receiving. Will use to set goals. Full analysis of program. Student teacher ratio. The Vocational Rehabilitation Advisory Council (VRAC) keeps meeting with legislature members to talk about this. Now 28-1, but other states 10- 1. Have looked at Delaware School for Deaf: 54 staff, 100 students. DVI has 20 serving 233 students. School for Deaf receives twice as much money to support their students. Memorandum of Understanding— will have ameeting within a month. Resource room issues. Only 7 students in resource rooms right now. Next year down to 1 student in Kent County, but more braille students coming in New Castle. Parents want children in their home districts. The model has changed, funding has changed. We are at crossroads right now with resource rooms. Lloyd wants to know where we are with the ratio issue. VRAC working on finding sponsors. The council has offered support to VRAC. So far they haven’t asked for our help. Lloyd said we don’t have info to help them. Dan will go to the Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens (GACEC). Principal: couldn’t find a qualified candidate. Couldn’t set salary. Reached out to Department Of Education to talk about how position funded. Dan thinks the pay scale can be set higher—then can repost and try to get a principal. Want to post for longer, too. Nancy asked about Parent support group. DAB working with Carma Carpenter and Debbie Harrington This group should be able to start in the fall. Lloyd asked how will reach students? Will have another meeting soon. Materials Center: close to interviewing for volunteer coordinator, also will get a paraprofessional to do instructional material support—waiting on approval. AIM MOU: AgoraNet and Center for Disabilities Studies (CDS) responsible for all other materials, DVI responsible for VI materials. We have own database, they have theirs and we share. Supposed to meet more frequently with CDS. Lloyd said he doesn’t think this MOU is working properly. MOU filed and then nothing happened after 9 months. Lloyd said it didn’t do what it was supposed to do. Yes, VI Teachers can do their ordering without going through CDS. Fred asked: Are they brailling maps in prison program? Fred requested a map through O&M of New Castle County: major roads. Elisha will get back to him. Technology program—setting new standards for assessment. SETT Student Environment Task Tools--framework being established. This will help determine what equipment would be appropriate. Best practice framework. Close to making an offer for technology position. Any vacancies that haven’t been posted? Principal and casual seasonal teacher are last vacancies. 21 of 57 positions have changed in the last year. Made an offer for casual season O&M—will start in June. June: BEP August: VR and AT September: DIB October: ILS November: BEP December: To be decided Turnout for workshops has been low. Tech chat can include workshops so people are reminded of workshops. Public Comment: Thomas is pleased that BEP will have a new director. Meeting adjourned at 11:42 am.