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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-03-10 Speical Education Parent Advisory Council Minutes t:ECEIVED TOWN CLERK Town of Reading RF.;;DING, 4A. 9 Meeting Minutes 2929 SEP 21 AM 9: 11 -,M Board - Committee - Commission - Council: Date: 2020-03-10 Time: 7:00 PM Building: School - Memorial High Location: Address: Session: Purpose: Business Meeting Version: Attendees: Members - Present: Laura Noonan Alyssa Scaparotti Maria Morgan Amy Stewart Members- Not Present: Others Present: Approximately sixteen individuals, including district representatives. Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Amy Stewart Topics of Discussion: Call to Order by Laura Noonan at 7: 03 PM Public Comment Dr. Jennifer Sty$, Director of Student Services, announced that DESE' s Tiered Focus Monitoring (TFM) results came back positive - no deficiencies cited. There was one issue but it was resolved prior to results being published. Dr. Stys stated that parents are welcome to call her or Andrew from DESE with any questions and that the TFM results will be posted on Student Services website shortly. Old Business 01 . 14 .20 Meeting minutes approved unanimously by SEPAC board members . New Business Laura Noonan introduced topic of restraint/seclusion and reported the SEPAC observed it was a topic of interest in the community and that parents were sharing information with one another and there was a potential for misinformation to be shared. Noonan introduced Lauren Sabella, M.Ed. , LMHC, Behavioral Health Coach for RPS. Page I 1 Lauren Sabella - presented slide presentation on RPS restraint/seclusion model, which she updated to be current with SY 2019-2020 . Updated presentation now is be available on RPS website. The below description is an effort to report oral information provided in response to questions and comments and that may not explicitly be referenced in slide presentation. • Mandated trainings - all staff have to read through training materials • www.doe.mass .edu/lawregs - DESE policies drove RPS policies • Qualified Behavioral Support - contractor trains RPS trainers who train RPS staff • Physical escort which involves physical contact but does not restrict movement of student does not constitute a restraint • Transport - physically moving the student • First day of training of multi day training focuses on de- escalation and prevention • Imminent risk of harm to self or others is standard • Most physical restraints are less than five minutes • Nurses, administrative staff are all trained (principals trained) • No prone restrains in RPS - no one is trained so do not use them • All staff trained in restraint have been restrained themselves as part of training - it is comfortable; becomes uncomfortable when student resists • Signs of medical distress - immediately terminate restraint (even if signs are behavioral) • Restraint always is an emergency procedure - never planned (not included in IEP) • Most restraints are less than five minutes • Time and reporting requirements • Sabella reviews all restraint reports prior to it being sent home to the parents • DESE - collects data on restraint reports on yearly basis (earlier if involves injury) • RPS staff telephone call parent within 29 hours of restraint incident (typically is same day) and try to reach parent. Written report provided to parent within three days of restraint incident . If do not receive report within three days, call principal . • Amy Stewart questioned manner in which reports are distributed - mail, backpack or secure email - and suggested distribution method may impact timing of notice to parents . Dr. Stys agreed to follow up with staff at next meeting to discuss distribution practices of restraint reports . • BCBA Lisa Studer commented that report indicates when staff attempted to call parent and when report mailed/given to parent • Coolidge and Killam have de-escalation rooms • Room 2A at Birch Meadow does not exist . Gage 12 • Room 6A at Birch Meadow (room right off of main office and previously used as a de-escalation room) is not presently used as a de-escalation room. • De-escalation and trauma informed care - 201 staff trained (75o full training and 25% de-escalation training; all re- certified every year • Use least to most restrictive restraint • Who trains as to practices/procedures : Lauren Sabeila and 5 trainers (yearly training from QBS directly) • Principals and Lauren collect data • Weekly and monthly review protocols but typically only monthly because so few restraint incidents • Numbers are very low - 1-2 in entire month • Principal best source of contact (preferred over team chair) • Data is for any student, not just students on IEP • Lauren supports all students - not only special education students/staff • Parents cannot put in IEP that student cannot be restrained; imminent risk of harm to self or others standard applies 8 : 14 PM Dr. John Doherty, Superintendent presented on RPS 's proposed plan required by the newly enacted Student Opportunity Act. Dr. Doherty thanked the SEPAC for the opportunity to solicit feedback on the proposed plan. Dr. Doherty explained that the SOA allocates additional Chapter 70 funding to school districts in order to close achievement gaps . He reported that bulk of funds allocated to urban districts and that Reading will receive minimal funds. Regardless of funding allocation, all districts required to submit a plan to DESE. Dr. Doherty reviewed the proposed three year plan encompassing the following four commitments : (1) Focusing on student subgroups, (2) Using evidence-based programs to close gaps, (3) Monitoring Success with outcome metrics and targets, and (4) Engaging all families . In regards to the 2nd commitment, using evidenced based programs to close gaps, the following programs were identified: (a) supporting educators to implement high- quality, aligned curriculum, (b) diversifying the educator/administrator workforce through recruitment and retention, (3) facilities improvement to create healthy and safe school environments . Additional programs without allocated funding also identified. Dr. Doherty reported that the plan is due to DESE by April 1=, and that he plans to present plan to school committee at next Thursday night meeting. He welcomes community feedback on the proposed plan and welcomes emails and visits during office hours from families . Page 1 3 Board members and parents in attendance provided the following immediate feedback. • support for programs focusing on inclusion/co-teaching for students with disabilities and English learners (seconded) • support for research based early literacy programs in preK and early elementary grades and reading workshops • pleased to see diversity in workforce is a priority Based on immediate feedback, Dr. Stys commented that it may be valuable to have District present to SEPAC at future date on the co-taught model and inclusion practices. She referenced training my Landmark staff and significant efforts by her department to train and develop consistency among programs/schools in regards to inclusion. Dr. Stys also suggested that Chris Kelley and Allison Striker could present on specific phonics instruction and phonics awareness available in District. She referenced contract with speech language therapist and certified reading specialist in regards to professional development training. Dr. Stys commented that there is a lot of effort being made within the District that is not captured in the DESE form for the SOA plan. Portrait of a Graduate Amy Stewart inquired whether the Portrait of a Graduate initiative is DESE driven or District driven. Dr. Doherty responded is that the high school portion was initiated by DESS but RPS expanded it to apply to K-12th grade. Amy Stewart requested that Portrait of a Graduate design team be mindful of including all students, including students with disabilities, in exercise. She contrasted parent ' s goal of student showering independently versus school committee member' s goal of admission to best colleges as example of contrast between priorities. Dr. Stys and Dr. Doherty responded by describing Districts efforts to obtain vertical feedback and facilitate consideration of all students ' needs/goals. Dr. Doherty encouraged parents to respond to initiative ' s below three questions and email responses to him (john.doherty@reading. kl2 .ma.us) and RMHS principal Kate Boynton (kathleen.boynton@reading.kl2 .ma.us) . • What are the hopes, aspirations, and dreams that our community has for our young people? • What are the skills and habits of mind that our children need for success in this rapidly changing and complex world? • What are the implications for the learning experiences we provide in our school systems? SEPAC solicitation of caregiver feedback on co-taught classroom model . Amy Stewart reported on SEPAC' s efforts to determine whether individual parent concern shared with SEPAC about the implementation of the co-taught classroom model in the high school Bridge program represents a systemic issue and is requesting feedback on families ' experiences to help make that Page 1 4 determination. The SEPAC broadened the inquiry to all schools/programs ' co-taught classroom model for comparison purposes . Alicia Williams questions how the SEPAC defines cc- taught classroom model . Amy Stewart responded that the SEPAC presently is not working with an explicit definition but generally understands it to mean a classroom cc-taught by a general educator and special educator in equal roles and presumes that parents know whether their child is enrolled in such type of classroom. Dr. Stys commented that the updated program descriptions, presently being finalized, will likely clear up any ambiguity about the definition of co-taught classroom. Dr. Stys reported that staff have been working very hard on the program descriptions and she plans to update the SEPAC on their status at the next SEPAC meeting. New Resident Open House, April 7th 5:30-7 : 30 PM at Reading Public Library Laura Noonan inquired whether SEPAC should have a table at the New Resident Open House. Dr. Doherty advised that it is a worthwhile event with lots of community organizations in attendance. A parent commented that families with children often attend and the open house welcomes both new and long time residents . Maria Morgan volunteered to manage table and seeks additional volunteer (s) to assist . March 27- Teen Job/Volunteer Fair at Reading Public Library There was a discussion about (1) whether SEPAC should solicit a teen volunteer to assist with its website design and/or implementation of website updates; and (2) whether SEPAC should collaborate with library to encourage outreach to high school students with disabilities and encourage their attendance/participation in event . Maria Morgan commented that a lot of information had been added to SEPAC website in past which made the site appear overwhelming. Laura Noonan commented that she thought appearance of SEPAC website had improved recently due to efforts/updates by Maria Morgan and Alyssa Scarparotti. Alicia Williams voiced security-related concern with student having access to SEPAC website. Amy Stewart commented that objection to student access to SEPAC website on District server is the District's prerogative . Parent commented that teen job/volunteer fair has been small in the past and underwhelming. Parent expressed that employers not obligated to hire any students who attend fair. Amy Stewart commented that librarian Cate Zannino had attended the January SEPAC meeting and explicitly invited collaboration with the SEPAC and that fair presents an opportunity for collaboration. Amy Stewart suggested SEPAC effort could be as simple as suggesting to Zannino that students in high school special education programs be encouraged to attend fair and related resume/job search workshops hosted by library. Dr. Stys suggested that SEPAC could put Zannino in touch with her and RMHS principal Kate Boynton. Page 1 5 Dr. Stys commented that library outreach should include all kids in community, including METCO, disabilities and Austin Prep. Amy Stewart initially suggested a motion for purposes of collaborating with the library in regards to the fair for which three of four board members voiced support. After further discussion, Amy Stewart suggested a more broad/general motion to give the board flexibility to support the fair and moved to have the SEPAC reach out to the Reading public library to offer to support to help make the teen job/volunteer fair accessible and inclusive to all students. This second motion was seconded and unanimously approved by board. SEPAC solicitation for caregiver volunteer (s) familiar with special education services in co-taught classroom in Birch Meadow to speak with interested parent . One caregiver volunteer already stepped forward. Alicia Williams volunteered to speak to interested parent as well. Amy Stewart motioned to adjourn at 9: 14 PM. Motion seconded and unanimously approved by board. Page 1 6