PAC Newsletter
January 2003
Next PAC Meeting Wednesday,
February 26 - Helping Youth with Serious Emotional Disturbance
Jerry Jacobs, MSW, LICSW, will discuss helping youth with Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED), including bipolar, depression, ADHD and anxiety. Jerry specializes in advocacy for children with learning disabilities and mental health issues. He facilitates interagency teams and fathers’ groups for MSPCC Project Connect and serves on many boards to promote the inclusion of children with learning and mental health challenges.
Meeting Agenda
Refreshments/Networking 7:30 PM
Introductions 7:40 PM
Announcements 7:50 PM
Meeting the Needs of Children and Teens
with Serious Emotional Disturbance by Jerry Jacobs 7:55 PM
The PAC holds monthly meetings during the school year at the Education Center, 100 Walnut St., Newtonville. All parents, teachers, specialists and others with an interest in education are welcome. For more information, contact the PAC Chairperson, Leslie Lockhart, at 617-527-5046 or newtonspedpac@hotmail.com.
Post Secondary Education January 15 PAC Meeting
At the January 15, 2003 PAC meeting, Laura Patey, M.Ed., Director of Disability Services at Wheelock College, Boston, MA and Caroline Pandorf, a graduate of Newton South, discussed post secondary opportunities for students with disabilities. Caroline told us that she had severe dyslexia and language based learning disabilities and didn’t learn to read until she was 14 years old when she was introduced to the Wilson reading program. Throughout her public school career, the almost exclusive focus on reading caused her to miss much of the core curriculum, like what are the branches of government and organizing a paper. She graduated from Newton South with a 1.2 Grade Point Average (GPA) and went on to Landmark College in Putney Vermont. Landmark is the only accredited college in the country designed exclusively for students of average to superior intellectual potential with dyslexia, AD/HD, or specific learning disabilities.
At Landmark, Caroline learned not only how to write a paper and take notes, she also learned self advocacy and self confidence and a determination to succeed. She graduated from Landmark with a 3.0 GPA. (See information on Landmark at www.landmarkcollege.org or call 802-387-6718.) Caroline now attends a four year school, Hood College, which accepted many of her credits from Landmark. At Hood, Caroline has a 504 Plan and feels comfortable asking for the accommodations she needs. Caroline stated, “The skills and strategies that I learned at Landmark I am able to use to be confident and successful at Hood. Now ...I'm able to advocate on my own and people do listen to me!”
Laura Patey explained that students have five options after high school: working; a vocational training program; college programs with no degree which are offered at Lesley and Middlesex and other colleges; an Associates Degree offered by community colleges; and a degree from a four year school. Most helpful in making the transition from high school is to have an idea what you are looking for.
Some schools have services for students with disabilities as needed and some have a program which is a prescribed set of services. Students should be sure that their needs and goals are a good fit with the program and should discuss it thoroughly with the school and with students. If a school receives federal funds (and almost all colleges do), they must provide services to enable students with disabilities to attend but schools don’t guarantee a degree. Some schools offer more comprehensive services and are more willing to provide accommodations. Discuss services with the school. Note how willing they are to discuss this and how flexible they seem. Laura pointed out that a school cannot provide services until a student has requested them.
The Massachusetts Rehab Commission (MRC) can provide financial support for education leading to employment if the student has a disability which interferes with their ability to work. Students should hook up with MRC by their junior year in high school. MRC will do an assessment to determine eligibility. If a student is eligible and has an employment goal, MRC can pay for education and equipment needed to prepare for a job or career. More information is online at www.state.ma.us/mrc or 800-245-6543.
Estate planning for children with special needs
November 14, 2002 PAC Meeting
Michael Bass, an attorney who specializes in trusts and estate planning, outlined supplemental special needs trusts and guardianship at the November 14 PAC meeting. Careful estate planning is essential to protect the interests of a child with special needs and their right to government entitlements. If a child has income in their name, that income may make them ineligible for government benefits like Social Security Income and Medicaid. A will, a supplemental trust, health care proxy, durable power of attorney and standby guardianship proxy are some legal documents which may be necessary to ensure that the child will have a full, satisfying life. Some questions to be asked during estate planning are: who will look after the child; where will the money come from, where will the child live and work; who will make medical and financial decisions for the child; how will parents guarantee that government benefits won’t be cancelled.
The parents’ will should indicate who the child’s guardian will be (if the child is under 18 or requires a guardian) and that the child’s share of any inheritance is left to their supplemental trust and not outright to the child. A supplemental special needs trust enables the child to have resources to enhance their quality of life and still be eligible for government benefits. The trust will be used to fund items for the child’s care, such as supplemental nursing care, equipment, transportation, training, education and recreation. The trust names a trustee and may have a trustee for financial matters and another for life style, medical and/or work concerns. Often a letter of intent will accompany the trust, setting forth the desires and priorities of the parents for the child.
When a child turns 18, they legally become an adult and responsible for themselves, their financial matters, education, housing, life style, etc. At this point, only the child can sign legal documents, including IEP’s – the parents’ signature is not needed. If a child is not competent to manage their own affairs and make decisions about their life, there are several steps parents can take to extend their supervision of the child: full guardianship, limited guardianship for a specific thing; and conservatorship where the conservator controls assets. Full guardianship gives the guardian physical custody and allows them to make decisions and sign legal documents for the person under guardianship. To obtain guardianship, parents or others seeking guardianship must file a petition in probate court and have a clinical report that the child is not competent to manage their affairs. If the situation changes, the court can later be petitioned to remove guardianship.
Estate planning is complicated and involves many other areas. Each family’s situation is different and must be assessed to make the best decision for a child with special needs.
Michael Bass is a member of the law firm, Bass, Doherty & Finks, P.C., 40 Soldiers Field Place in Boston. He can be reached at 617-787-5551 or mail@bassdoherty.com.
PAC Calendar
january — may, 2003
Wednesday, January 15 Post Secondary Opportunities
Wednesday, February 26 Helping Youth with Serious Emotional Disturbance
Wednesday, March 19 Organization/Study Skills by Lisa M. Brooks, M.Ed. Director, Commonwealth Learning Center, Needham, MA
Wednesday, April 30 Bully Busters by Linda Roach of South Shore Mental Health
Thursday, May 29 Basic Rights Training
All meetings are at 7:30 PM in Room 210 at the Education Center.
Social skills December 11, 2002 Meeting
At the December 11 PAC meeting, Andrew Aspel, psychologist at Underwood and Bigelow Schools, and Katherine Johnson, MA, BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) owner of Advances Learning Center in Newtonville, presented highlights on helping children learn social skills. Children with learning disabilities, Aspergers, and other disabilities often do not pick up on social cues and may act in a way that puts other children off. Lack of social skills makes it hard for a child to get along with teachers and other children and has a detrimental affect on their education and self-esteem.
Andrew Aspell works mostly with children at Underwood Elementary School. When a child is referred to him, he first observes the child and talks to the teacher. He then decides the method and place of intervention, such as recess or in his office. Andrew works with a child at the child’s pace acting as a social coach. He gave an example of a child with Aspergers who was very anxious and had a hard time interacting with other kids. Andrew went to recess with him and each time led a game for the child he was helping and other children. The children enjoyed the games and looked forward to participating in an activity which included the boy with Aspergers. Before and after the games, Andrew talked to the boy about what skills he needed to work on and how to interact more successfully with other children.
At Bigelow Middle School, Kathy Marsh, a speech pathologist, runs social skills groups. She asks the kids what skills they want to work on, then they try out the skill and return to the group to discuss how they did. The groups help the kids to be more insightful about their behavior.
Katherine Johnson became interested in social skills when her nephew who has Autism was about four years old. Her company, Advances Learning Center, has groups for kids four-16 years old with about four kids in a group. Children are grouped by interests and the skills they want to work on.
Social skills fall into three categories: Friendship; play and cooperation; and body language. Friendship includes the social rules and conventions most kids learn by observation, like apologizing and talking on the phone. Play and cooperation skills allow children to play and interact. It includes skills like taking turns and sharing. It’s estimated that 70 – 80% of nonverbal communication is body language, which includes facial expressions and recognizing another person’s disinterest.
Katherine uses a five-step method to assess a child’s needs and help them learn and retain skills. Step one is assessing the child’s needs through observation and interviews with parents and teachers. She then writes observable, measurable goals and breaks each goal down into teachable skills. An example given was a goal of Engaging in Conversation. Teachable pieces comprising this goal are: 1) asking questions; 2) telling personal stories; 3) starting a conversation; 4) staying on topic; 5) knowing when to interject; and 6) noticing the other person’s disinterest.
Next she chooses how best to teach the skills to reach the goal. Methods include: role playing, peer modeling, video modeling and feedback, silent signals, children’s literature and videos. Most of the methods involve watching or reading, then discussing what happened and why.
Step two is setting up the environment. The environment should be one that requires a skill the child needs and may be with only an instructor or with other kids.
Step three is choosing motivational strategies to encourage the child when they use a skill successfully. Step four is adults’ modeling the behavior. Katherine pointed out that parents’ behavior has a big influence on a child. Step five is reinforcing after a child has acquired a new skill. Teaching social skills often takes years and requires a variety of strategies. Katherine recommended books on social skills listed on the internet at http://www.monroe.lib.in.us/childrens/childrens_dept.html. Choose Booklists and then Social Skills.
Katherine Johnson’s company, Advances Learning Center, is at 46 Austin St in Newtonville. She can be reached at 617-332-9822 or kjohnson@advancesonline.com
No Child Left Behind and Special Education
by Carol Daynard, Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Services
The reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act one-year ago has transformed the landscape for schools across the country. This piece of legislation, which is in the popular press almost daily is known as the No Child Left Behind Act. It effects all school districts receiving Title I, Bilingual, and Safe and Drug Free School Funds. What is the implication of this law for students with disabilities whose services are still governed by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act?
Students with disabilities participate in the district (state and federal) accountability system that measures compliance with No Child Left Behind. Under No Child Left Behind all schools are expected to make annual yearly progress in language arts and mathematics until all students reach proficiency by 2013. If any school does not meet the annual benchmark for two consecutive years, the school is considered an under performing school. Parents whose child fails the assessment and attends one of these schools then have both the option to choose to enroll the child in a higher performing school within the district and to access supplemental services for the student. The law provides other consequences ultimately culminating in a take over of the school if benchmarks are not met over 5-7 years.
For children with disabilities, the challenge is to assist them in reaching proficiency and achieving annual progress goals. This holds our children to a high standard for themselves and as members of their school community. Only a very small percentage of students will be exempt from this standard. Our children will demonstrate what they know and can do through a variety of modalities and measures. All these steps will support our goals for children as well as hold our district to a high standard.
The good news is that Newton is a very high performing district. Our students with disabilities are making progress and meeting standards for the most part. The challenge will be to achieve the annual performance goals set out by the federal government so that our children’s performance will continue to support the overall performance of each school. Then we will have truly benefited from our inclusive practices and will be able to support our philosophy and practice.
Some websites with information on Transition from High School
National Center on Secondary Education and Transition - www.ncset.org
Massachusetts Department of Education Transition Information -
www.doe.mass.edu/sped/688/default.html
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