ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES

 

 

DATE OF MEETING:  June 7, 2006

 

DATE OF NEXT GENERAL MEETING:  September 30, 12 noon, Town Hall Meeting Room (12-1 will be a General Meeting, potluck lunch, 1-4 will be the PAC Training Institute).

 

MEETING ATTENDEES: Ellen Cavanagh, Wendy Feddersen, Becky Gordon, Kari Hoffmann, Jayne Rowe, Sue Tokay, and Janet Zimmerman

 

MEETING MINUTES:

 

  1. Update of programs/budget for 2006/2007

 

Charles Horn was not able to attend, but sent email saying that the Learning Center was to be moved from the special education budget to the Bromfield School budget for next year.  He reported that the negotiations for the inclusion of Devens middle and high school students were not yet final, and that the addition of an adjustment counselor for next year is contingent upon finalizing arrangements with Devens.  He also stated that professional development for next year has yet to be finalized, but that efforts would be made to include a parent piece when presenters come into the schools for staff.

 

 

  1. Treasurer’s report

 

*We have about $500 left in our account.  Major expenses for this year have included a $300 expense for the MASSPAC training to be held September 30, and gifts and stipends for speakers at our workshops. The district will pay the $200 MASSPAC dues for the 2006/2007 school year.

 

*The SEPAC is planning a Yankee Candle sale, with brochures to be sent to families of kids on IEP’s only (perhaps families of kids with 504 plans too if we can find a way to mail to them).  Sale dates for the candles will be September 11-25, with orders to be turned in by October 2.  Orders will be received by Thanksgiving. 

 

*A proposal to obtain $1,000 from the Lions for an Understanding Autism Program for early elementary school-aged children will be presented at the Lions Meeting June 8 (update:  the grant from the Lions was approved June 8).

 

  1. 2005/2006 Programming

 

a.  Below is a list of programs presented for the 2005/2006 school year:

 

2005-2006 HARVARD SEPAC SCHEDULE

September 22, 2005

Steering Committee Breakfast, Ken’s Steakhouse; 9-11 am

January 26, 2005

Financial Planning seminar with MetLife, Bromfield Library; 7-9 pm; Steering Committee Meeting

February 7, 2006

Basic Rights Workshop, with Hudson and Marlboro SEPACs, Mulready Elementary School Library, Hudson, MA; 7-9 pm

February 15, 2006

Fiscal 2007 Budget Presentation, Bromfield Library, Superintendent Tom Jefferson, presenter; Bromfield Library, 7-9 pm

February 22, 2006

“Talk with Tom”; focus group for parents of all age groups with superintendent Tom Jefferson; Bromfield Library, 8-10 pm

March 13, 2006

SEPAC Presentation to integrated preschool, in conjunction with talk “When Children Misbehave”; Base Room, Bromfield, 9:30-11:30 am

March 15, 2006

“Chat with Charles” focus group for parents of elementary school aged children, Bromfield Library, 7-9 pm;

March 22, 2006

“Chat with Charles” focus group for parents of middle school aged children, Bromfield Library, 7-9 pm

April 26, 2006

Reading issues in young children, Peggy Bragg, HES reading specialist, Bromfield Library, 7-9 pm

May 3, 2006

Federation for Special Needs Workshop "How to Write an IEP" with Kathy Bach, 7-9 pm, Bromfield Library

June 7, 2006

Planning meeting for 2006-2007 school year, 7-9 pm, Bromfield Staff Lounge

 

 

 

The best-attended events were the budget presentation and focus group meeting held with Tom Jefferson.  The IEP workshop presented by the Federation for Children with Special Needs also drew positive reviews.

 

b.  MAJOR DISCUSSION POINTS BETWEEN the “DISTRICT” AND SEPAC PARENTS 2005/2006 SCHOOL YEAR:

 

These areas of concern were obtained from the 4 major meetings the SEPAC held this year to funnel input from parents to the district (2 focus groups with Charles Horn/Will Verbits and 2 with Charles Horn /Tom Jefferson/Will Verbits).

 

MAJOR POINTS OF ADVICE FROM SEPAC TO the DISTRICT (not in any specific order):

 

  1. IEP’s need to be followed from the beginning of the school year, and to be followed consistently throughout the year.
  2. Some general ed staff need further training re: implementation of IEP’s,
  3. Some students need a “substantially separate” setting in middle school; and/or the service structure needs revamping.
  4. The amount of homework is a major issue for some kids on IEP’s in the Harvard system.
  5. There is often confusion on how to escalate issues properly, and on the difference between IEP’s and 504 plans.  A significant percentage of calls to SEPAC members involve questions on how to obtain services.  The calls often come from parents who have kids who are exhibiting “behaviors” but who do not necessarily meet the criteria for having an IEP (such as kids with attention deficit disorder or undiagnosed behavioral issues).  Clear instructions on the website and in official handbooks for HES and Bromfield  would help to communicate escalation paths more clearly.
  6. SEPAC is concerned about lagging membership.
  7. Parents of young children need to be integrated into the SEPAC.  The parents would like this, and the SEPAC would too.
  8. A support group for parents of kids on the Spectrum is requested.
  9. The best attended meetings were those which included Tom Jefferson
  10. Chats with Charles may need some revamping—they need at least to be held earlier in year, with more opportunities for giving feedback during the year.
  11. There is a need for greater access to extracurricular activates such as sports for kids with learning differences—particularly for kids with more significant differences.

 

 

 

MAJOR POINT OF COMMUNICATION FROM DISTRICT

 

The district would like to see a more visible presence from parents of special needs kids.  This would be very helpful at budgeting time, and in order to be a credible group, there needs to be a year-round presence.

 

 

  1. Programming for 2006/2007

 

    1. The PAC Training Institute is planned and paid for.  It will be held September 30 from 1-4 in the meeting room of the Harvard Town Hall.  Suzanne Gervais, President of the state MASSPAC organization, will be the trainer.  The first general SEPAC for next year will be held at noon, prior to the Training Institute.
    2. Charles Horn has agreed to hold focus groups (Chats with Charles) on Wednesday evenings early in the school year.  We did not try to schedule these due to his absence.  (Action:  Sue Tokay/Liaisons/Charles to schedule focus groups before the beginning of summer vacation).
    3. The district is responsible for the Basic Rights workshop—(Action:  Sue Tokay will ask Charles if he would like to plan this workshop next year).
    4. Other ideas for programming

Action:  Janet Zimmerman will ask Susan Downing if she would be willing to do a workshop on neuropsychological exams.

Action:  Wendy Feddersen will ask Dr. Jankowski at NEMC if he would be willing to do a talk on psychopharmacology.

Action:  Kari Hoffmann et. al. to follow up as required on the Understanding Autism Program Proposal

An ADHD workshop was thought to be a good idea as well.

 

  1. SEPAC brochure

 

The most recent draft of the SEPAC brochure was reviewed and approved. We hope to distribute the brochures with IEP’s and elsewhere next year. 

 

6.      Survey Results

 

The originals of the surveys and the data compiled from the survey conducted by the special education department about the SEPAC were passed around for the group to examine.

 

The SEPAC has some issues with survey methodology, but what we were able to get out of the surveys is that a lot of people don’t know what the legal mandate of the SEPAC is, or what it does.  We hope to take steps to remedy this next year.  The brochure mentioned above is one way to help this situation.

 

7.      Nomination and Election of Officers

 

The following Steering Committee members are stepping down at the end of this year:

 

Kari Hoffmann

Bonnie Sweeney

 

We appreciate their years of service, and wish them the best!

 

The following new and existing officers were nominated and elected:

 

Ellen Cavanagh (Corresponding Secretary)

Barbara Closs

Becky Gordon (Treasurer)

Maria Kaufmann (Membership, School Committee Liaison)

Sue Tokay (Program Consultant)

Janet Zimmerman

 

We are happy to welcome several new Steering Committee members with younger children!

 

Other SEPAC members who have signed up to help up out next year (so far):

 

Debbie MacKenzie, Middle School Liaison

Jayne Rowe, Middle School Liaison, PTA Liaison

Christine Wyman, Recording Secretary, HES

 

We will continue recruiting over the summer, and may add more Steering Committee members after the September 30 training session.  We need to fill the Chair slot for the Steering Committee.  The major responsibility of the Chair as defined in the bylaws is to organize and run the 3 General Meetings per calendar year outlined in the bylaws.

 

The SEPAC also needs one or more people to serve a liaisons to the Bromfield High School population.

 

APPENDIX 1:  BYLAWS

 

Harvard Special Education Parent Advisory Council

Bylaws (Approved June 7, 2006)

 

 

 

Article I: Name of Organization

 

The name of this self-governed organization shall be the Harvard Special Education Parent Advisory Council, also known as the Harvard SEPAC.

 

Article II: Mission of the SEPAC

 

The mission of the Harvard Special Education Parent Advisory Council is to work for understanding of, respect for, and support of all children with special needs in the community. To that end, they will work to:

 

·        Promote a network of parents of children with special needs, and provide a forum to share information.

 

·        Advise the Special Education Director, School Committee and Harvard town and school officials on the development and operation of special education programs, parent and teacher training needs, and help to develop policy.

 

·        Promote communication between SEPAC members, local, state and national organizations, councils and groups.

 

·        Promote communication and programs within the community to encourage understanding, acceptance and inclusion.

 

·        Provide informational forums to parents, educators, students and professionals.

 

Article III: Terms of Membership

 

Membership shall be open to any resident of Harvard or person affiliated with the Harvard Public Schools. A voting member shall be any general member who is a parent or guardian of a child with special needs residing in Harvard, with or without an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan, who has attended at least one meeting of the Harvard Special Education Parent Advisory Council during the past 12 months. A request to the Chair in writing can be made to vote in lieu of attendance at one meeting.

 

Meetings are defined as any Harvard Special Education Parent Advisory Council meeting, activity, or committee meeting at which attendance is taken.

 

Article IV: Officers of the Special Education Parent Advisory Council

 

Officers of the Harvard Special Education Parent Advisory Council are nominated by the Steering Committee and hold office for one year.  Those present at the annual meeting elect them.  If any office becomes vacant, nomination and appointment can be made by the Steering Committee to fill the vacancy.

 

The Steering Committee of the Harvard Special Education Parent Advisory Council consists of:

 

            Chair

 

·        Set the agenda for each general meeting.

 

·        Preside at all general meetings of the Harvard Special Education Parent Advisory Council.

 

·        Recommend the organization and monitor the function of sub-committees.

 

·        Act as a primary Liaison to the Special Education Director and School Committee

 

            Co-Chair

 

·        Preside at meetings in the absence of the Chair, or at the request of the Chair.

 

·        Assist the Chair as appropriate and perform those responsibilities of the Chair at his/her request.

 

Secretary

 

·        Write minutes of SEPAC business meetings

 

·        Disseminate educational materials to the SEPAC

 

·        Coordinate public communications (if needed), not including those communications that are the Chair's.

 

             Treasurer

 

·        Coordinate efforts to apply for grants, donations, reimbursements or any other funds for which the Harvard Special Education Parent Advisory Council may be eligible. (This can be a collaborative effort, not just the Treasurer).

 

·        Manage and account for funds collected, donated, and spent for the Harvard Special Education Parent Advisory Council.

 

·        Coordinate fund raising activities. (Fundraising can be done by anyone).

 

 

           General Member/Liaisons

 

In addition to the officers described above, the SEPAC Steering Committee shall include general members, or liaisons These liaisons shall consist of at least one representative from each major student grouping (pre-school, elementary school, middle school, high school, out-of-district).   The liaisons will have primary responsibility for addressing issues within their respective student groups, and for interfacing with parents and school officials at all levels as necessary.

Officers can also serve as liaisons to the various school groups.

 

Article V: Elections

 

Elections shall be the first order of business during the last meeting of the school year, also called the Annual Meeting.   Elections shall be decided by a simple majority vote of the voting membership present at this meeting.  The Steering Committee for the following school year will be elected at this meeting.  Changes to the Bylaws can be voted on at any specifically announced general meeting during the year.

 

The Department of Education will be informed of the annual elections. With the names, addresses and phone numbers of the new Steering Committee by July 1 of each year.

 

 

Article VI: Meetings

 

General Meetings shall be held at least three times during a calendar year.  General meetings can be held in conjunction with SEPAC workshops, or separately. . Notice of all general meeting dates and elections shall posted in public venues such as the SEPAC website or local newspapers.  A calendar of meetings for the following school year will begin to be developed during the Annual Meeting.

 

Minutes of all Harvard Special Education Parent Advisory Council meetings shall be recorded and retained for public record.

 

Article VII: Subcommittees

 

 Subcommittees shall be created as needed.

 

Article VIII: Amendments to Bylaws

 

These bylaws may be amended by a simple majority of the voting members at the spring general meeting or at other specifically announced general meetings during the year.  Proposed amendments to the bylaws should be circulated to the email distribution prior to the meeting at which a vote will occur.

 

Article IX:  Expenditure of Funds

 

Expenditure of funds in excess of $50 requires approval of a majority of the Steering Committee.  Expenditures less than $50 are reimbursable by submitting receipts to the Treasurer.

 

Article X:  Dissolution of SEPAC

 

The SEPAC can be dissolved by a unanimous vote of the Steering Committee. 

 

Article XI

 

Roberts Rules of Order are the default procedures for this organization.