leadership in high schools

This past Spring work began on a collaborative model between Chautauqua Works and Erie 2 CC BOCES.  For the Alternative and Special Education High School student who attends the instructional programs at the Hewes Center, linkages were forged between Chautauqua Works and the BOCES.  The entire process of selling the model to students, engaging parents in the process and making work a fashionable alternative to doing noting over the summer became the focus of our consultant teacher, Rose Dorey and our work experience teacher, Amy Montgomery.  The greatest plus of this work experience exposure has been the notion of students understanding the need to not work “under the table”, the need to become tax payers and understand their role in the local economy.  Most important is the schools goal of making education and a high school diploma relevant to the world of work and the skills needed in that environment. 

Students must meet income eligibility requirements - family of four making less than $42,000 a year.  Preference for students on probation.  Will need proof of citizenship, have working papers and have clearance from a physician stating that the student has no work restrictions.  All students must be aged 16-21.  These students are placed in jobs in the community and will be supervised by counselors from Chautauqua Works.

The above program sponsored by Chautauqua Works is different from that offered at the Hewes Center for summer school in that regression statements dictated summer school attendance and limits the number of hours worked to less than 30.  Please refer to category on Collaboration with Chautauqua Works.

Any comments regarding the difference between this summer program and the work experience programs of Erie 2 CC BOCES in the past?

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. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This summer for the first time at the Hewes Center we have two non-Boces teachers who have been hired together with several paraprofessionals that have been hired to work but whom are formally trained and regularly work as teachers, counselors, nurses aides, bus drivers, and retired police officers.  Due to the large staff needs we are still looking to hire a teacher substitute for both our Hewes and LoGuidice Centers, two speech teachers and a substitute teachers aide.  This large a demand for paraprofessional staff has meant that for the first time in 6 summers we are hiring very recent high school graduates with tons of common sense:) and many commendations from teachers and high school coaches. 

Patrick Smeraldo, summer school co-ordinator,  has begun his work alongside me interviewing and screening summer staff.  We work the phones calling references and hunting down component school district related service professional like Occupational Therapists and Speech Teachers.  Every evening we assess where we are at.  Pat has developed a system that is displayed in the ‘war room’ this is where we keep a running count of all are staff needs and student assignments. 

As of today we have recommended for hire 32 new paraprofessionals for summer school, 2 special education teachers who are non-BOCES and a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant.  Still to go is the hiring of one full time speech teacher and one part-time speech teacher to service 9 days of this related service.  We are down to the wire tomorrow……… 

Yesterday I took an afternoon call from an irate parent.  She wanted to let me know that despite a CPS call to her door last Friday, April 4, 2008 she and members of her family were not condoning sexual misconduct on the part of her 14 year old daughter and for that matter nor was a boyfriend’s family!.  She wanted me to know that she was angry that people in the school would report her to Child Protective Services, believing these actions could have taken place with her knowledge and consent. 

Any time a mandated reporter, that is anyone working in schools or around youth, believes that child neglect, abuse, sexual misconduct etc is being imposed on a child and causing harm to body and mind, a report must be filed.  The report is completely confidential.  One has to call a toll free number and answer concise questions posed by the initial investigator.  If the case is warranted, a number will be assigned to the case and paper work needs to be filled out by the complainant.  The paper work is kept in school offices or the Nurses Office. 

I myself have made several reports and have always left work knowing that the authorities are investing the complaint that day.  It is better to err on the side of caution because this is the law and the life of a child is precious.  Parents may get irritated or angry but I for one would always like to know if my child was in harms way.  I would rather know that my child was feeling victimized or abused that not.   Children feel safe in schools so they talk openly.  It is in this climate that many children have revealed the sadness and despair of their lives.   Schools have been at the forefront of improving the quality of life for many students because of the mandated reporting that is required of all personnel.  Abuse and neglect cannot be ignored.  Remember, children and the elderly are the most vulnerable in our society. 

Read your School’s Code of Conduct to discover more about the responsibilities of Teachers and Staff toward protecting our students. 

Thanks to the Model Transition Program in place for High School students at the Hewes Center, 4 students will be visiting Jamestown Community College all day tomorrow 4/9/08 with their consultant teacher Rose Dorey and the Coordinator of the MTP grant, Jennifer Clark. The Model Transition Program is a state department of education funded intiative which has granted the Erie 2 CC Boces together with Lake Shore and Silver Creek Central School Districts over $700,000 for the next 3.5 years.  The grant is administered  in conjuction with VESID with program advisement, support and training from  Cornell University and State University College of New York at Buffalo. 

 The students are one 9th grader, Ben R., two 11th graders Julio Z and Cody A, and one 12th grader Danielle J.  The two 11th graders are both students of Career and Technical Educaton so will graduate with extra college credit in math, science and english as a result of the accreditation agreement between the CTE division of Erie 2 Chautuaqua Cattaraugus BOCES and Jamestown Community College.  As a result these two CTE students will have a leg up on their college counterparts in terms of college credits and will be accruing savings because of this in terms of college tuition and time spent on an Associates Degree which JCC awards.  Of note is the fact that the CTE department of this BOCES has various other articulation agreements with colleges and universities. 

The purpose of this visit to to expose our students to the college entry process and get them to consider college as an educational extension to their high school years.  It is our goal within the Alternative and Special Education High School program to expand the opportunities for skills development and job readiness of our students.  All students who are eligible for help and support through this state wide grant, are classified special needs students who have a 504 Plan or an IEP.