Brookline SEPAC

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

Upcoming Brookline SEPAC events & notices

We have a number of exciting and interesting events coming up which you won’t want to miss. Please read the summary of each event here, and then click on each item to learn more.

Don’t miss our January speaker! Ruth Levine Arnold, HELPING STUDENTS IMPROVE SOCIAL COMMUNICATION IN AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT, Tuesday, January 27, 2009, 7-9 p.m., Runkle School Library, 50 Druce St., light refreshments.
SEPAC-BHS February meeting with John Ivimey, Bob Weintraub and Candace McCann: Integrating students with special needs into the social fabric of BHS, Wednesday, February 4, 2009, 8:30 a.m. For location and more information contact SEPAC BHS liaison Lisa Guisbond, lisa.guisbond@verizon.net or call 617-730-5445.
Coalition of Brookline Autism Parents (CoBAP) Workshop. Brenda Dater, SIFTING THROUGH THE MAZE: MAKING DECISIONS THAT IMPACT YOUR ASD CHILD AND FAMILY, Sunday, February 8, 2009, 6-9 p.m., Brookline Community Mental Health Center, 41 Garrison Rd, Brookline.
SEPAC February meeting: Clare Vann, AN I.E.P. FOR MY CHILD, a Federation for Children with Special Needs Workshop, Tuesday, February 17, 7-9 p.m., Runkle School Library, 50 Druce St., light refreshments.
SEPAC liaisons needed for Driscoll, Lincoln and BEEP! Please consider volunteering to assure communications among parents of children with special needs in our schools and among SEPAC leadership, membership and school administrators. Contact one of the co-chairs if you are interested: jedavid@hotmail.com, brndakine1@yahoo.com or pueda@comcast.net.
Important Notice from the Massachusetts Advocates for Children regarding the new state law on Transition Planning and Services for students with disabilities.
Don’t forget, SEPAC meets monthly with Candace McCann, Asst. Supt. for Student Services, second Thursday of the month, 8-10 a.m., Town Hall 5th floor. These meetings are open to all, and if you cannot attend you may forward your questions or concerns to the SEPAC co-chairs to address.

MAC notice regarding new transition rights for 14 & 15 year olds

In August, Governor Patrick signed a new law (S.286 - Chapter 205 of the Acts of 2008) which requires school districts to initiate special education transition planning and transition services at age 14, rather than age 16. Parents and educators applaud law-makers for this critical legislation, as delay until age 16 (the middle of high school) is too late to facilitate effective transition planning.

What to do if you are the parent of a 14 or 15 year old?

Request an IEP meeting (in writing) to discuss transition using the Transition Planning Form. Note: The IEP Transition Planning Form is simply a planning document, and is not included in your child’s IEP. Request a transition assessment (in writing) to address transition goals, objectives and services.

Make sure that your child’s IEP includes measurable IEP transition goals and objectives related to

Training
Education
Employment
Independent living, as appropriate

Your child is entitled to transition services that will help meet her transition goals and facilitate movement to post-school activities, including:

Instruction
Related services
Community experience
Development of employment (including integrated supported employment) and other post-school adult living objectives
Acquisition of daily living skills
Functional vocational evaluation

Be sure to list specific transition services in the IEP. Transition goals and services must be based on your child’s needs, taking into account his strengths, preferences, and interests.

Your child must be invited to the IEP Team meeting starting at age 14. Help to determine the best way for your child to participate.

For more information contact Leslie Lockhart, 617-357-8431 x 226 (llockhart@massadvocates.org) or Terri McLaughlin, 617-236-7210 x336 (tmclaugh@fcsn.org)

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.

« Hide it

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.