Brookline SEPAC

Here's the latest news about Brookline SEPAC and the world of special education.

Message from Superintendent re: van driver arrest

May 13 — Brookline Police arrested and charged a school van driver with sexually assaulting a 12-year old girl with autism.

Israel Santiago, 41, of Roslindale, works for YCN transportation, which is employed by the Brookline district to transport special-education students to and from school. He was charged with two counts of aggravated rape, kidnapping and indecent assault on a child under 14 years of age.

More details on the arrest are available from the Brookline Tab, WCVB, and other news outlets.

Bill Lupini, superintendent of the Brookline Schools, passed along the following note to SEPAC this evening:

Israel Santiago, a van driver for YCN assigned to special education routes in Brookline as part of our contract with the company, was arraigned this morning on two counts of aggravated rape, one count of kidnapping, and one count of indecent assault and battery. Bail was set at $20,000 cash and Mr. Santiago remains in custody.

We are working primarily with the families of the 13-15 students who were transported to and from school by Mr. Santiago. Principals have been in contact with these families and have offered support from teachers, social workers, counselors and other staff in helping students and their family members deal with this difficult situation. In addition, we will be meeting with these families on Wednesday, May 14th at 6:30 p.m. at Runkle School to provide information as to how to discuss these types of issues with their children and answer questions.

In addition, we will be examining our protocols regarding student transportation in an effort to identify where we can make improvements in our contracts, routes, staffing and other aspects of the program.

Finally, I would want parents to know that we are appalled by the details of the allegation brought on behalf of this student. We will continue to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation and to support the student and family who filed this complaint.

I can provide you with more information as it becomes available.

Sarah Ward executive function presentation handouts

Thanks to everyone who showed up at Sarrah Ward’s presentation on “Getting It Done” on Thursday, April 3. We had a wonderful turnout, and we’re glad so many people found it helpful.

We have copies of her presentation handout available here for download, and if you’re looking for the handout in the future you also can find it on our resources page. You may also visit her website at executivefunctiontherapy.com, where she’s posted additional materials.

And if you’re interested, please join Brookline SEPAC’s Executive Function subcommittee where you can talk more about executive function and how it affects our children.

MCAS alert from Mass. Advocates for Children

The Massachusetts Advocates for Children has issued an alert advising parents of new guidance on MCAS accommodations issued by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (formerly Mass. Department of Education). You can review MAC’s alert here and also review the DOE’s Spring 2008 Update, Requirements for the Participation of Students with Disabilities in MCAS.

Recap of event on public safety needs of ASD individuals

On Tuesday, December 4, 2008 a group of Brookline organizations including the Coalition of Brookline Autism Parents (COBAP), Connecting Educators, Parents, and Students (CoPES) and the Brookline Police Department met to discuss The Public Safety Needs of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Conversation Between the Brookline Police and the Community. This topic had been initiated a few years ago at a series of CoPES meetings. Ruth Arnold, coordinator of CoPES and a Speech and Language Pathologist at the Heath School, distributed a summary of the meeting on the CoPES mailing list, which we’ve reprinted here below the fold.

See the rest of this entry… »

In attendance were District Attorney William Keating; Michael Jackman of ALEC (Autism and Law Enforcement Education Coalition); Captain John O’Leary, Detective Jen Canney, Officer Katie McDermott, and Officer Tim Stephenson from the Brookline Police Department; Lisel Macenka and parents from COBAP; and a significant turnout of parents, educators, and caregivers.

Background:

The community is aware of some of the challenges these individuals face including, but not limited to:

Sensory:

Uncomfortable when touched
Becomes over-stimulated when touched
Becomes anxious or agitated when there is too much noise/sounds (covers ears)
Intensity of Lights
Intensity of smells
May run away

Social/Emotional:

Confused by human emotions (facial expressions may not match tone of voice)
Has fears and obsessions
Is compulsive/rituals
Difficulty taking the perspective of another person/understanding point of view
more easily bullied/manipulated by peers to do something wrong (e.g.: shoplift)

Language:

Does not understand jokes, sarcasm, teasing and/or figurative language
such as metaphors and similes.
Is literal/concrete
Does not understand non-verbal cues. (gaze: looks like not listening, body language, facial expression, gestures, body distance/proximity, volume, monotone)
Language is overly specific/professorial
Uses perseverative language to remain calm
May repeat/parrot what is said
Blurts out information
Does not recognize danger, may run away/bolt
May seem rude/stubborn/argumentative
Reduced social problem solving abilities
May not understand consequences for behavior
Challenges with recognizing authority figures
lack of understanding the need to be respectful to authority figures (police and other emergency personnel)
Does not know how to ask for help/give or as for help, asks “why”

Agenda

Parents and officers from the Brookline Police Department shared experiences including their child’s elopement, driving the parents’ car without permission, calls requesting help when children were out of control or violent, possible racial concerns, sexual activities, restraint, and chasing.

Parents openly shared their experiences in an effort to inform officers about the challenges they face, and police officers candidly explained their approach when responding to call from parents or children, or when investigating situations where teenagers are congregating in inappropriate locations in the town.

The police emphasized their need to have as much information as possible about these children and adults BEFORE responding to a call. In that spirit, Officer Katie McDermott has created the Brookline Police Department Autistic Person Info Sheet for parents and caregivers to describe their ASD child’s disability and needs. Participation is s entirely voluntary. The information will be used in the event that the police receive a call so that they can respond most effectively and safely. If a child/adult afflicted with ASD has a public safety issue outside Brookline (on vacation, gets on the wrong train), with the parents’ permission, Brookline police will share this information with other police departments.

Parents, educators, caregivers, and the Brookline Police Department discussed:

When and why to initiate contact
When, and how to contact the police
Why they may be fearful to make the call
How the police and emergency personnel might respond
How the response can be modified to meet the specific needs of the child with ASD and his/parents
How the child with ASD might be perceived and treated
Project Lifesaver and other ways of keeping these children safe

Important conversations were initiated:

What is the schools’ responsibility to teach and inform students about risks?
The importance of informing and educating parents and children in BEEP and throughout their careers in the Brookline Public Schools.
Kids with ASD are at risk both as victims and as perpetrators!

What parents need to know:

When you call you may call either the non-emergency telephone number or 911. If your child has an information sheet, you may be specific in terms of the help you require. Usually when 911 is called police, fire, and emergency support is sent.
Call the BPD to arrange a tour of the police station. Police officers make themselves available 24/7 and are open to field trips, play dates or birthday parties at the station.
Police officers are willing to demonstrate squad cars and familiarize/desensitize students to lights and sirens.

What parents can do:

Request and complete the Brookline Police Department Autistic Person Info Sheet and file with the Brookline Police Department. On the form explain sensory, medical, dietary issues. Give strengths, challenges, and examples of what has worked and not worked in the past
ID bracelets for wrist of on shoe lace
For the safety of the child and the officer, identification cards should be kept on lanyard in front of the child or in a front shirt pocket, NOT in pockets.
Keep Brookline Police Department phone number in the child’s backpack.
Teach your child to say, “I have a card.” Or “I have ID.”
Teach your children to be respectful when approached by a police officer. Ask them to respond using “Yes Sir/Ma’am/Officer.”
Do not attempt to flee
Do not make sudden movements
Try to remain calm

What should parents tell:

“My child has special needs.”
Tell your neighbors. Be up front.

When to call the police:

The police prefer that parents call immediately to ensure valuable time is not lost and to prevent possible additional dangers.
Listen to your gut
Out of control
Exhausted every technique you know
Escalation of a situation
If there is a weapon
After five minutes
When you feel threatened
When you see behavior you have never seen before
When you come to the end of your rope

What teachers can do:

Students with ASD can be especially prone to become victims of bullies.
Teach “street smarts.”

Three handouts were distributed:

AUTISM (Approach - Understand - Talk - Instructions - Seek - Maintain,
How Families Can Contribute to Better Police Interactions,
Asperger Syndrome Guide for Teachers

Feel free to contact Ruth Arnold (email or 617-879-4556) or Officer McDermott (email or 617-730-2609) for copies of the other handouts.

Copies of the Brookline Police Department Autistic Person Info Sheet and a cover letter can be retrieved here.

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Superintendent’s letter on Override Public Hearing

We’ve been asked to pass along the following letter from the superintendent:

February 4, 2008

Dear Parent/Guardian:

As you may know, the Selectmen commissioned the Override Study Committee “to evaluate whether substantially more revenue capacity than what is currently projected is unavoidably necessary in order to maintain desired levels of services.” In January, the Committee issued their report, which is available on our website.

The Selectmen will hold a Public Hearing on the proposed budget override on Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at 8:00 p.m. in the Old Lincoln School (Town Hall) Auditorium. Specifically, the public will have the opportunity to comment on at least three major questions that were raised in the Override Study Committee report:

Should there be an override question put to voters as part of the FY09 (2008-2009) town and school budget development process?

If so, what specific issues should be included as part of the ballot question? For example, the Override Study Committee has recommended that the Selectmen consider the current structural deficit, estimated at $2.1 million for FY09, as well as issues concerning roads, parks, building maintenance, additional time in the school day, and elementary world language programs for consideration in the question.

Would the issues be incorporated in a single ballot question or as part of multiple questions?

As I wrote in my letter to you last October, much of the override discussion has focused on the schools, specifically our proposal to lengthen the school day in order to increase student-teacher contact time and make us more competitive in attracting and retaining teachers. In addition, we have worked closely with the Committee and Selectmen to examine the proposed elementary world language program and the annual challenges in creating our operating budget. Specifics of the FY09 School Department budget will be detailed in the Superintendent’s Budget Message, which will be presented to the School Committee on Thursday, February 14, 2008 at 7:45 p.m. in the Town Hall Auditorium.

I would encourage you to attend the Override Public Hearing, as well as the presentation of the recommended School Department budget, in order to learn more about the various questions being discussed by the Selectmen and to express your views on the school and town budget possibilities currently under consideration.

Sincerely,

/s/ William H. Lupini

William H. Lupini, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Access to accelerated academic programs

If you are a high school student (or the parent of one, or soon-to-be one) who is concerned about you or your child’s ability to access accelerated academic courses in school (for example, Advanced Placement classes), you may be interested in a recent memorandum by the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. It reiterates the right of qualified students with disabilities to access such advanced programs, regardless of their disabilities or services they receive in connection with those disabilities. Read the memorandum here.

Radio Boston show on special education

Radio Boston, a local weekly radio show produced by WBUR and hosted by David Boeri, broadcast a show in November on the impact of special education and its financial costs on Massachusetts schools. Sorry for the late notice here, but you can listen to the show online, download it using iTunes, or download it directly to your computer.

New DOE documents for Specific Learning Disability findings

From the Federation for Children with Special Needs:

The Massachusetts DOE has issued a new set of forms and technical assistance documents that are to be used when finding a student eligible for special education with a Specific Learning Disability (SLD). District eligibility Teams may begin using the new forms immediately and must begin using them by the beginning of the 2008-09 school yea. A variety of training opportunities will be available to districts over the course of the next several months.

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