DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION MEETING
September 25, 2009
KEDC, Ashland
MEMBERS
PRESENT:
Lisa Henson, Ashland Ind. Schools
Tammi Denham, Augusta Ind. Schools, online
Stephanie Little, Bath Co. Schools
Tom Riffe, Carter Co. Schools
Jennifer Whitt, Elliott Co. Schools, online
Lisa Thornton, Fairview Ind. Schools
Sue Hill, Fleming Co. Schools
Kim Taylor, Greenup Co. Schools
Stephanie Rice, Johnson Co. Schools, online
Rhonda Colvin, Lawrence Co. Schools
Susie Rice, Lawrence Co. Schools
Paula Lewis, Lewis Co. Schools
Greta Stanfield, Mason Co. Schools
Dawn Hardeman, Menifee Co. Schools
Carolyn Blair, Morgan Co. Schools
Debbie Preston, Paintsville Ind. Schools
Mischa Dixon, Raceland Ind. Schools
Pam Eklund, Rowan Co. Schools
Julie Mays, Rowan Co. Schools
Kim Staton, Russell Ind. Schools
Jill Griffiths, Big East Co-op
Kay Smith, Big East Co-op
Kathy Meredith, Big East Co-op
Chris Clevenger, Big East Co-op
NOT PRESENT:
Debbie Gould, Boyd Co. Schools
Sandy Ison, Boyd Co. Schools
Paula Ott, Bracken Co. Schools
Dena James, Martin Co. Schools
Christy Graves, Robertson Co. Schools
Christi Bailey, KSD Outreach
Jill Griffiths, Cooperative Director, called the meeting to order. Stephanie Rice is recuperating as well from surgery so she is unable to be here today. Linda Donovan, Director and good friend of Fleming County Schools passed away 9/24/09. Jill will be taking a donation and giving to the cancer society in lieu of flowers.
DATA SESSION
Ms. Griffiths held a Compression Planning session for the Quarter 2 KCMP report. The Parent Survey was altered by a district completing the survey more than once. The survey was meant for the director to fill out one time. For Indicator 11 you need to pin point just one root cause. The districts split into groups and shared their reports to make sure that the narrative linked. There was some confusion with Progress Reporting.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
DECS /COOPERATIVE NETWORK UPDATE
The State Advisory Panel will be held October 15th & 16th at Blue Lick State Park in Mt. Olivet. Larry Taylor has asked Gayla Scott and Kay Smith to hold a Literacy Session for the event. The parent of the child with dyslexia is not on the agenda this time so this shouldn’t be an issue. The hearing will be on Thursday night and Friday is usually their work session so you wouldn’t need to attend that day. Jill said that she realizes that the date is far away but would like for you to try to be in attendance for the State Advisory Panel so they could see and meet you to let them know that you are interested. While attending a meeting about Infinite Campus Jill had a discussion with Mr. Taylor about screening issues on referral and she was told that DECS will be giving the subject more consideration. The OSEP report is in house. They still have to fix non compliances that have not been fixed in one year but that has been done in state. OSEP expects KDE to redact child specific information on due process hearing findings and post them on the KDE website. Kentucky has also been told to look at disproportionate representation on disciplinary actions to get a handle on in school suspension activities. Although it isn’t clear if that information will have to be reported it is an area of concern. Larry is getting formal complaints about complaint investigations. Other agencies are questioning coop involvement in assisting districts in complaint investigations. Larry explained that it was an appropriate role for the Coops and said that they are not making any decisions only assisting the districts. He says that he does stand by the Coops with assisting districts and says to proceed as is for now. The 15 day appeal by either party is optional for states to have in the regulations but wants an investigation to show that decisions are being consistent and thinks that this may be an issue next regulation round. There where site visits for incidence rates but our districts didn’t get a visit. Era funding is still going on. KDE has tried to keep the state clear of charter schools in the past but KDE’s view of charter schools may change in the future due to stimulus money. Larry requested the DoSE meeting sign in sheet from last month. Ms. Griffiths did make a note of online participants and those who are regularly in attendance but couldn’t make that specific meeting.
COOPERATIVE UPDATE
Gayla Scott gave an update on the visit to Marshall Universities Help Center that she and Jill attended due to rising dyslexia concerns and issues. It was originally established for LD and ADHD students that needed support back in the 1980’s. This issue will be the focus of the next Summer Institute held here at KEDC. Jill added that next spring there will be an overview of LD also adding in ADHD and then have a 5 day institute on the multisensory approach to reading. After they understand this approach we will look at adding in curriculum based assessment if they need that. Jill wants to run it by the RTI team as a possible second tier intervention because it is a regular ed. issue.
CONSULTANT UPDATES
Visual Impairments – Due to Pam Howard’s recent back surgery Jill will be taking on the QPVI Cadre and enVISIONing the Future days. If you have any kind of emergency that needs to be addressed before her return please contact Meg Stone at KSB.
Literacy /Strategies – Kay Smith is accompanying Gayla Scott at all preschool meetings and will be working with preschool issues after Gayla retires. Gayla also reported that she is ready to take requests for Kansas Strategies training for any district that may need it.
Autism – The technical assistance grant for Autism awarded Louisville the model site this year and next year Big East will get to have a model site to model the 24 evidence based strategies discovered through research. Larry wants each district to be self sufficient and has asked that every district create an Autism Team. A rubric will be coming out to pick the model site. The teacher that holds this position will be under a lot of stress. Teams will consist of 2-3 teachers from each district keeping in mind that those chosen will need to be flexible enough to be able to come to the Cadre meetings here at KEDC once a month.
Literacy – Kay Smith says that she will be attending a meeting that KDE will hold that involves Literacy Consultants, KDE Consultants and parents. KDE will hold a session for “Struggling Readers” at the CEC Conference. Mary McCloud will be one of four Literacy Consultants presenting. Kay and Gayla are having a Literacy Cadre with 2 middle schools giving interventions to use for struggling students.
DIRECTOR ROUNDTABLE
ANNOUNCEMENTS & CLOSING REMARKS
BIG EAST MEETING SCHEDULE 2009 -2010
October 23, 2009 – Grayson Conference Center
November 20, 2009 – KEDC
December 11, 2009 – KEDC
January 22, 2010 – Morehead Conference Center
February 26, 2010 – KEDC
March 26, 2010 – Morehead Conference Center
April 23, 2010 – KEDC
May 28, 2010 – Morehead Conference Center
June 25, 2010 – KEDC