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136 <br /> READING SCHOOL COMMITTEE MINUTES NOVEMBER 25 , 1985 <br /> Presenters were members of Understanding Handicaps , Town-wide Coordi- <br /> nator Mrs. Judy LeBlanc, Mrs . Carol Everson, and Mrs . Cynthia Hampson . <br /> In addition to explaining the Program and reviewing its two-year <br /> progress in the Reading Schools , they gave School Committee members ! <br /> some tasks to do which are typical of those given to students in the <br /> Program. As the Program is currently dealing with the handicap of <br /> mental retardation, the tasks were designed to give a sense of the <br /> frustration felt by those with a mental handicap. <br /> Over the past two years the Program has dealt with the handicaps of <br /> blindness, deafness, physical limitations , mental retardation and <br /> invisible handicaps . Mrs . LeBlanc said the Program includes 150 <br /> volunteers and its main purpose is to develop new attitudes by <br /> dispelling fear and developing knowledge. She said the purpose of the <br /> current unit is to dispell the myths about retardation by having <br /> students try tasks such as those given to the School Committee members <br /> and hearing speakers who have this handicap, so that they realize that <br /> although people have some differences , they are the same on the <br /> inside . The major goal of the Program is to help students to be more <br /> understanding of all kinds of handicaps . <br /> Chairman Allen conveyed the thanks of the School Committee for a°most <br /> interesting and enlightening presentation. <br /> METCO Program Review <br /> A review of the METCO Program, established in 1966 , was presented b <br /> the Coordinator of Reading 's Program, Mr. Russell Hill and Mr. Marcus <br /> Mitchell , Public Relations Officer of METCO, assisted by METCO <br /> instructor Mr. Keith Jones , and several METCO parents and students . <br /> Mr. Hill noted that the Program started in Reading in 1968 with nine <br /> students and now there are 102 bussed from Boston to Reading , some of <br /> whom leave home at 6:30 a. m. He added that there is a late bus three <br /> days a week, enabling METCO students to participate in after school <br /> activities in Reading , such as glee club, intramural sports , Scouting , <br /> etc. <br /> Mr. Shannon asked if , with the changes in the Boston School System, <br /> there is a need for Boston students to be bussed out, or whether the <br /> Program is primarily serving. the needs of Reading students . Mr. Hill <br /> said that despite the improvement in Boston Schools that some parents <br /> still do not have confidence in them, adding that he feels there is <br /> still a need for college-bound students to come to suburban schools . <br /> Mr . Hill noted that the Program is "a two-way street , " as most <br /> children in the suburban towns would grow up in isolation without it . <br /> He added that he thinks there will be a need for the Program for a <br /> long time, despite improvements in Boston Schools . <br /> Mr. Shannon then asked about the drop off of students at the middle <br /> school level . Mr. Hill replied that only about 1% drop out to go to <br /> private schools , but some students have moved to Hyde Park or Roslin-1 <br /> dale and the bus does not pick up students in those communities . <br /> METCO student added that the kind of education students get by goin_ <br /> to the suburbs is an experience they cannot get in Boston. Another <br />