UPPER GRAND DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MINUTES
The Special Education Advisory Committee of the Upper Grand District School Board met
on Wednesday, September 11, 2013, at 7:00 p.m. in the Boardroom at 500 Victoria Road
North, Guelph.
The following Association Members were present: Kim Brenner and Carole Craig,
Parents for Children’s Mental Health-Wellington County, Jason Offer, Association for
Bright Children-ABC (by conference call), Sue Shaw and Carrie Proudfoot, Autism
Ontario-Wellington County, Stacey Stevens, VOICE for Hearing Impaired Children, and
Laurie Whyte, FASworld Canada.
Present from Staff were: Trudy Counter, Coordinator-Communication, Language and
Speech Services, Jacqueline Foster, Special Education Coordinator, Christine Kay,
Principal, Tracey Lindsay, Superintendent of Program, Brenda Sherry, Itinerant
Technology Teacher, Sandra Szpular, Special Education Coordinator / Collaborative
Projects Lead, Cheryl Van Ooteghem, Principal of Program, Special Education
Consultants – Carla Anderson, Barb Tomkins, Mark Howe, Leta Vos, Naomi Theordor.
Trustees Present: Marty Fairbairn and Jennifer Waterston
Regrets: Pauline Busby, Community Living Guelph-Wellington, Sharon Dills, Learning
Disabilities Association of Wellington County, and Don Richardson, Integration Action
for Inclusion in Education and Community (Ontario)
Absent: Beth Haworth, Community Member-at-Large and Sandra Roberts, VicePrincipal.
Marty Fairbairn called the meeting to order.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Jennifer Waterston moved that the agenda of the September 11, 2013, meeting
be approved.
The motion carried.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Jennifer Waterston moved that the Minutes of the meeting held on June 12, 2013
be approved.
The motion carried.
REVIEW OF ACTION ITEMS:
Tracey Lindsay, Superintendent of Program referred to the process which began last
year around action items and recommendations made by SEAC at meetings each
month and provided updates regarding ongoing items. These include the Home Use of
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September 11, 2013
Assistive Technology Protocol which will be spoken about this evening, having
information about mental health added to the board website which we will be kept
updated about, the pathways for students with modified IEPs information will be
presented in October or November, and the Diagnostic Assessment in Support of
Student Learning – PPM 155 noting if further information is received, it will be shared
with SEAC.
A BIG GIFTED PROJECT CALLED DIGIFEST
Carla Anderson, Special Education Consultant and Brenda Sherry, Itinerant Technology
Teacher presented A Big Gifted Project called Digifest, a yearly event, currently in its
sixth year.
Carla Anderson explained the Digital Media Festival provides an opportunity for
students in our grades 4 to 8 gifted programs in Orangeville and Guelph to share their
digital stories. Some may be stories about themselves, while others may involve trying
to persuade the audience or share a message. These can be motion videos and most
include some type of sound.
Brenda Sherry spoke about the event location and the involvement of secondary school
drama students setting the scene for the students participating in Digifest (i.e. red carpet
entrance). Digifest was created as a means to involve gifted classroom students in a
creative endeavour that is also tied into curriculum expectations (i.e. understanding
variety of media texts, reflecting on yourself as media creator). The yearly event is a
celebration of everyone’s efforts and does not involve awards or prizes.
A variety of digital stories created by the students were shown using text, clips to
persuade, and literacy and music whereby a musician worked with students to create
the lyrics and music for the song used in a clip.
SPECIAL EDUCATION PLAN 2013-2014
Sandra Szpular, Special Education Coordinator/Collaborative Projects Lead drew
attention to the Special Education Report 2012-2013 and the Special Education Plan
2013-2014 distributed this evening. She spoke about the changes made to the Special
Education Report following recommendations made at the June meeting.
The Special Education Plan which is very similar to the Report, includes information
about our five Targeted Goals for Students with Special Needs which we will be working
and reporting on this year. These goals are based on Ministry of Education direction
and System Foci in the Board Improvement Plan for Student Achievement. Information
around the Board’s Consultation Process has been added to the Plan and is an area to
be further developed this year through discussions to broaden consultation methods.
We will also be updating some information in the Plan as the information becomes
available (i.e. Special Education Staff).
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September 11, 2013
DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONSULTATION PROCESS
Tracey Lindsay, Superintendent of Program spoke about our commitment around the
Board’s Consultation process to establish methods to gain feedback, and investigate
the input collected. We will be looking to SEAC members for input into this as well i.e.
what associations may like to see and how they would like to be consulted on matters
relating to Special Education which will then be discussed at the October SEAC
meeting. Tracey Lindsay has started making connections with other boards. This will
also be an item discussed at an upcoming Regional Special Education Council meeting
she will be attending and then shared with SEAC.
Attention was drawn to the change of the agenda set up which was made for clarity
purposes around the intent of each topic (i.e. information, consultation, discussion etc.).
Sue Shaw inquired about what the consultation process looks like from the board level
as this has been spoken about in the past. Tracey Lindsay responded that although this
is similar to what we have been doing, we are looking for feedback around how parents
want us to consult with them and how they would like us to bring information to them.
We would like to get this process in place as quickly as possible while making sure we
receive as much feedback as possible.
This will be an item on the October SEAC meeting agenda.
OPEN FORUM
Laurie Whyte reported September 9th is International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
(FASD) Awareness Day with lots of things happening internationally. She also referred
to a 12-day webinar that began on September 9th involving speakers talking about a
wide range of topics relating to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder at
“LivingwithFASD.com”. Laurie Whyte also spoke about positive feedback she received
from a teacher around the Provincial Outreach Program for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorder information.
Carrie Proudfoot reported the fall training is being held on October 4 & 5, 2013 and
noted the DSM-5 will be deconstructed at this session. The social events are up and
running.
Kim Brenner reported the Parents for Children’s Mental Health Leadership Retreat is
taking place this weekend. She will share information about the retreat next month.
Stacey Stevens reported that VOICE has announced their new Executive Director – Lori
Nikkel. Also reported was the upcoming presentation taking place on September 16,
2013 at KidsAbility Waterloo where Anita Bernstein will be speaking about strategies to
develop language and assist with a successful school year.
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September 11, 2013
UPDATES FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PROGRAM
Tracey Lindsay introduced Mark Howe, our new Special Education Consultant and
Cheryl Van Ooteghem, our new Principal of Program.
The Special Education Fall inservices will be taking place on September 16th and 17th
with various topics being covered for Elementary and Secondary Special Education
Resource Teachers (SERTs) as well as sessions designed for SERTs who are new to
the position this year.
The Special Education Report 2012-2013, the Special Education Plan 2013-2014, the
Minority Report and the Checklist were submitted to the Ministry of Education by email
and paper copies submitted by courier.
Tracey Lindsay further clarified the development of the consultation process noting we
are asking for feedback from associations as there was concern expressed about SEAC
not being provided with enough time to provide feedback with certain items presented in
the past. A suggestion was made to forward information to members ahead of time to
assist them to provide meaningful feedback.
Sandra Szpular spoke about the letter to Parents/Guardians of children with Special
Equipment Amount (SEA) Equipment distributed to everyone this evening. This letter
was created to provide information to parents around the four different ways their child
could use technology outside of school. Some consultation was through members of
SEAC that sit on committees around home use of technology. The idea was to have
this letter go home with students with SEA equipment. The letter could go home with
the first Individual Education Plans.
Discussion followed the review of the letter with suggestions made including: making
sure it is clear that all four options are to be available for students; questions be directed
to the school Principal; a description be added to each of the four ways to use
technology outside of school and perhaps re-ordering the bullets; include or
communicate the login information for students to access UG2GO; a similar letter be
sent home to all parents - not only parents of students with SEA equipment. Following
discussion, Sandra Szpular explained the rationale behind the order of the information
shared. Tracey Lindsay also explained that the letter was going home with students who
have SEA equipment as a result of a suggestion made by members of the Home Use of
Technology committee. It was noted that the comments about the UG2GO passwords
would be shared with Principals at an upcoming meeting.
TRUSTEE REPORT
Jennifer Waterston reported on the two Boundary Reviews currently taking place Ponsonby Public School due to growth in the attendance area and the new Rockwood
Elementary School which will also have a French Immersion program.
Jennifer Waterston asked members if they would consider moving the October SEAC
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September 11, 2013
meeting date to accommodate the King George P.S. Official Opening. The suggested
dates were October 2nd or October 16th. Members were asked what date was most
suitable for them and it was decided the SEAC meeting date would be changed to
October 2, 2013.
MEETING SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATION(S), MOTION (S) AND ACTION(S)
Action Items include:
1. Members were asked to provide any suggestions regarding the letter to
“Parents/Guardians of children with Special Equipment Amount (SEA)
Equipment” to Sandra Szpular and/or Donna Glodziak. This letter will also be
shared with other groups by Sandra Szpular to obtain feedback.
2. Suggest creating a general letter to go to parents/guardians about the ways to
use technology outside of the board.
3. Communicate passwords for UG2GO (i.e. with letter going home).
ADJOURNMENT
Laurie Whyte moved that this Committee adjourn at 9:07 p.m. to report to the
Board.
The motion carried.