Buffalo St. leads child-learning study

Business First of Buffalo – by Allissa Kline

 

On February 2, 2009, Tom Duffy a trainer for the Model Transition Grant administered by the University of Buffalo, funded by New York State, visited the Hewes Center and conducted staff development around the topic of teaching self-determination and self-advocacy for students.  Our Erie 2 CC BOCES is part of this grant which monitors the growth and progress of students with disabilities in terms of their post- secondary goals and transition to adulthood. 

Our teachers were taught the meaning of self-determination and self-advocacy in light of life in general, their own needs and desires.  Following this curriculum for this was discussed, shared and referenced.

The Hewes Center Special Education Team focused on  indicator 13 and indicator 14.  Summary conclusions included

1  all students grades 3-12+ will be invited to their CSE meetings. 

2.  Students will bring class work samples with them and will be schooled to speak about their future goals and ambitions.

3.  Focusing on indicator 13 and 14 of the SED requirements that are now monitored for IEP development, students will be involved in the writing of their IEPs, understand what an IEP is and why they have one;  know the difference between and IEP diploma and a Regents High School Diploma.  These latter differences are a huge impact in terms of future employment and post-secondary training for students. 

Three school sites need a school counselor/social worker.  This is one opening in which the person will be employed as an itinerant at 3 school sites – the Hewes Center, Fredonia and Chautauqua Lake Central School all sites which house Erie 2 CC BOCES special education programs ranging from Kindergarten to 12th grade plus.  This is going to be a very challenging position to fill because of the following needs.

1.  At Hewes the majority of pupils are male.  At the high school level, school counselling is of paramount importance.  This is where Regents diploma curriculum is taught and where special needs students are being groomed for a higher academic expectations including college and the trade skills.  A full time school counselor already services these students five days a week.  The position is based here for 2.5 days a week with the possibility of becoming 3 days.

2.  At Chautauqua Lake, the students are primarily IEP diploma and need far more mandated counselling services.  A full time social worker, already services these students 5 days a week.  The position is currently based here for 1.5 days a week. 

3.  At Fredonia School the student profile mirrors that of Chautauqua Lake.  At this site an itinerant who serves one day a week will be able to provide general counselling and outreach to parents and families.  The position is currently based here for 1 day a week.   

Questions:

1. The curriculum’s of social work and school counselling focus on different aspects and sometimes mirror each other.  Which job title will best fill the needs of our 3 sites – social worker or counselor?. 
2. Are these two job titles in schools interchangeable?

 

This is the case of a female 13 year old student in 7th grade.  She is volatile, emotionally unstable, self-injurious, depressed, manic and classified as a special needs student because of her disability – ED. 
She has been in a BOCES 1:6:1 program for about 6 months.  At the CSE meeting held in May 08, the community resource mental health advocate is able to sway the family into demanding that the the girl return to her home school because -”all the other students at that school behave in this same way.”  Unfortunately, no other members of the Committee on Special Education can dissuade the momentum that the meeting takes on and despite all teacher and counselor views to the contrary, a decision is reached to return the student to her own school district.  I could not attend this CSE meeting and I am shattered by the recommendation brought back to me by the classroom teacher and school counselor.

After the CSE meeting, the student continues to deteriorate in her behavior.  It has not been enough time for her to internalize the self controls being taught her in a 1:6:1 program at the BOCES.  In the month of June alone the student receives 6 disciplinary referrals with 3 time outs and 1 restraint.  Between April and May O8, she is deemed a danger to herself and others and hospitalization is sought in a mental health facility.  Another CSE meeting is called within 2 months, July 08, to review the recommentdation of the first CSE meeting.  This time the school district and the BOCES representatives are able to make stronger points to make the case for a reversal of the initial decision and based on frequency of visits to the time out room and number of discipline referrals that the student has received since Jan. 08 which shows a pattern of escalating behavior in the month of June, 08. 

Result:  No definitive action/result.  Parent/guardian are now not sure as to what is the best course of action – return to BOCES or seek another out of district placement.  At least we won on the first issue – there is universal  agreement on the part of BOCES, the parent and school district that the student is unable to return to her home school at the present time.  At this time there is no knowing whether the student will be returning to BOCES or not.   I would personally like to see the female student return to our BOCES program for another year and then transiton to her local high school.  I know that our BOCES teachers at the Hewes Center have the experience and training to understand negative, self-destructive behavior and its impact on education, more importantly they have the professional tools to attend to the issues presented by the student.  By this time she leaves a behavior based, will have internalized some self-control and self-discipline and learnt how to manage her behaviors with  counselling and medication. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A student in the fifth grade has brought in a young colorado blue spruce tree for planting in celebration of earth day this month.

How does a school deal with donations?  All donations to a school have to be approved or denied by the School Board.  No donation should be accepted quietly without notification to the School Board.  This latter policy is in place to prevent schools from becoming dumping grounds of others unwanted items that sometimes carry huge financial liabilities in terms of future injury to staff and students not to mention unwanted upkeep, expensive disposal and unnecessary maintenance. 

This tree has monetary value – $15 plus.  A written request to the Director of Instructional program stating the name of the tree, its growth needs and value, follows this donation together with an explanation of how this tree will be used for instructional purposes.  The BOCES Board of Education will be presented with news of this donation via an agenda item prior to the Board Meeting.  If this agenda item is approved as a donation, publicity can be sought for the planting of the tree.  Perhaps the local press can be alerted or the news will be published in the BOCES newsletter. 
We shall rely on the good services of our student at the High School level who are involved in the Conservation Program to prepare a hole for this tree and help our students plant it in a bright, visible place in proximity to our school building. 

May this tree flourish and live for years to come so that our students/teachers can enjoy it for years to come.