SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL

(SPEDPAC)

GROTON DUNSTABLE REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

BUSINESS MEETING

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

MEETING MINUTES

 

Officers Present:                        Nancy Bugbee, President

(sign in attached)                        Sarah Campbell, Vice President

                        Maryanne Squeglia, Treasurer

                        Melissa Sweeny, Secretary

Members Present:                        Lisa McLaughlin, Newsletter Editor

(sign in attached)                        Lisa O’Connell

Staff Present:                         None

 

Meeting Location:                        Middle School North Library, Groton, MA

 

Nancy Bugbee, President called the meeting to order at 10:05 AM.

I.      Acceptance of Minutes from September 25, 2007 Meeting

The minutes were reviewed.  Sarah Campbell made a motion to accept the minutes from the 9/25/07 meeting.  Ms. Bugbee seconded the motion.  The minutes were unanimously approved. 

II.   PPS Survey

Maryanne Squeglia shared the parent feedback from the GD SpedPAC Survey (June 2006). 

Major concerns voiced by parents broke down as follows:

Boutwell – Speech/Language, OT, issues at home

Elementary – Social skills, Learning Disabilities

Middle School – Learning Disabilities, ADD/ADHD, Executive Functioning, Social Skills

High School – Mental health/emotional

Ms. Squeglia pointed out that the distribution of parent needs and concerns supports the need for SpedPAC to address all age groups when scheduling future lectures.

At this time it was pointed out that the parent/student feedback is over a year old.  At the first SpedPAC Business Meeting on September 25th, it was evident by the attending parents’ concerns that the student needs, particularly at the High School, have changed since the survey was done.  At the September meeting there was a large group of parents with children struggling with reading and some with ASD children.

“Communication” was also a recurring theme in the parent feedback.  There is a need to have more open, proactive communication between home and school. 

At this time, Melissa Sweeny and Ms. Bugbee shared the success of the first Florence Roche Principal/SpedPAC hosted Parent Roundtable on October 4th.  A follow up meeting was also scheduled in which the Florence Roche Principal, Ruthann Goguen, the Assistant Principal/Sped Team Chair, Deb Diggins, Sped Director, Cam Huston, and SpedPAC Officers, Ms. Bugbee and Ms. Sweeny, followed up on concerns and learned of actions taken to address them.  Another Parent Roundtable is planned for early December.

Ms. Sweeny stressed the need for SpedPAC Parent Roundtables to occur at all the district schools.  The concern was raised that not all principals would be behind this idea.  There may be a need for Dr. Genovese and/or Ms. Huston to be involved with setting up a district-wide policy.  Ms. Squeglia will follow up with Chris Jones, High School Assistant Principal/Sped Team Chair, who has expressed interested in holding such a roundtable.  Ms. Campbell will contact Steve Silverman, Middle School Principal, to find out his interest in doing this. 

III.  January ’08 Newsletter

Lisa McLauglin, Newsletter Editor, plans to distribute the winter edition of the SpedPAC newsletter in mid-January. 

Preliminary outline of contents includes:

·          Summary of An Evening with Dr. Genovese

·          Write up on Caroline McGuire’s presentation

·          Announcement of Finance/Legal lecture

·          Write up on Resource Library (GDEF grant-receipt to be determined)

·          Write up on recess donations for playground social skills/parallel play

·          Recap of Lynne LeForte

·          Write up on Florence Roche/SpedPAC Parent Roundtable

IV. Website

Additions/edits to be made:

·          Correct the date of the May Business Meeting to May 3, 2007

·          Add list of Educational Resource Library books available by school

·          PDF version of Caroline McGuire’s PowerPoint presentation to be posted

V.  Groton Ed Foundation (GDEF) – Mini-Grant Cycle ($500 per application)

Ms. Bugbee shared that Ms. Campbell wrote and submitted two grant proposals/requests:

1.      Elementary Resource Library – new titles to add ($559.56)

2.      Middle School Resource Library – new titles to add ($500+)

If the $500 grants are awarded, the SpedPAC will make up the difference in cost.

VI. Update – SpedPAC Account

Ms. Squeglia states the account balance is currently: $ 1,160.64.

To date the SpedPAC has spent:

·          $500.00 ($100 each) to Boutwell, Florence Roche, Prescott, Swallow Union and the Middle School for playground supplies

·          Back-to-School Open House (reusable) supplies ($36.19)

·          $10.00 Commonwealth of Massachusetts re-filing charge

Although Caroline Maguire does not charge a fee for her lecture, the SpedPAC will be making a donation.  Ms. McLaughlin made a motion to pay Ms. Maguire an honorarium in the amount of $250.00.  Ms. Bugbee seconded the motion.  The motion was unanimously approved.

Ms. Bugbee made a motion to give $100.00 to Boutwell/Early Childhood Center for the specific purpose of purchasing “inclusion resources for outside play at recess.”  Specifically, this includes items such as chalk, jump ropes and balls for use in parallel play.  Ms. Campbell seconded the motion.  The vote to approve the motion was unanimous.  The SpedPAC had already approved this for the 3 elementary schools and the Middle School at the September 25th business meeting.

Ms. Squeglia reported an update on the GD SpedPAC’s non-profit status.   As of May 2007 the GD SpedPAC is registered with the Division of Public Charities (Registration # 046791).  The letter was found at the GDRSD Administrative Offices.  The SpedPAC address has now been updated with the P.O. Box so that all future mailings will come directly to us.  The IRS application was received June 25, 2007.  The letter is now in our possession.  It should be noted that anyone that donates to the GD SpedPAC can now write it off on their taxes.  As a non-profit organization, all GD SpedPAC business and board meetings are open to the public.

Ms. Bugbee raised the issue of fundraising.  The SpedPAC needs to have clearly stated goals based upon our mission to “foster communication.”  Examples include our Lecture Series and Educational Resource Libraries.  All monies raised by the SpedPAC are for use in all schools, district wide.  It is suggested that the issue of fundraising be added to the next agenda for further discussion in January.

VII.      2007-2008 Lecture Series

Plans are being made for upcoming lectures on: Basic Rights (February); IEP; Financial/Legal.  Additional lecture topic ideas suggested:

·          Social pragmatics/behavior (Linda Price)

·          OT/Sensory Integration (Sue Lizotte, Groton Integrated Therapies)

·          Psychopharmacology/Rx/Medications (Jeff Prince)

·          Neurofeedback

·          ABA (Cheryl Davis)

·          Mood disorders/anxiety/depression

·          Progress monitoring. 

All members present were asked to investigate and share ideas at the next business meeting in January.

VIII.     Flow Chart – “Steps to Take if You Suspect Your Child Needs Services”

Ms. Bugbee shared a flow chart (attached) created for the Sharon SpedPAC website.  Ms. Bugbee proposed we add it to our website.  This will be contingent upon the Sharon SpedPAC granting permission and Ms. Huston reviewing it for district-appropriate content.

IX.       ALECs Math – Grant

Ms. Bugbee shared with the attendees that she received an email from Kristen Stone of the Groton Ed. Foundation (GDEF).  Ms. Stone questioned: 1) what is the SpedPAC philosophy on fundraising and 2) the Middle School mini-grant proposal to purchase the ALECs Math software program has named the GD SpedPAC as a possible source for funding and are we providing this funding?  Ms. Bugbee had a brief, informal telephone discussion with Lynne Jarvis, Middle School Team Chair, who inquired if the SpedPAC would be interested in considering their proposal.  The SpedPAC had not received any written proposal, nor heard any mention of cost.  Discussion among the officers at this business meeting included clarification of the role of the GD SpedPAC in the district.  All officers agreed that the “SpedPAC’s philosophy is to raise or request money only for specific educational initiatives that open lines of communication among constituencies in the District – and that can run from donating playground supplies to foster social interactions among children to encouraging parents to fund their teacher’s wish lists at the Scholastic Book Fair.  It is not SpedPAC’s goal to raise money so that it can then grant requests to those who need it.”  Ms. Bugbee responded to Ms. Stone’s inquiry with an email containing the above statement regarding GD SpedPAC’s philosophy.

X.        Updates from School PAC Liaisons

Information on the Florence Roche Principal/SpedPAC Parent Roundtable discussed and notes are found under section II above.

 

Other issues/concerns raised by those in attendance:

·          High School website SpedPAC reference/link out-of-date

·          Question as to whether District website is up-to-date on their SpedPAC reference/link

 

Meeting adjourned at 12:00 PM.