Special education in Norwalk took an important step this week towards improving communication between parents and the school system. At two well attended informational sessions, the PAC along with Janie Friedlander, director of Pupil Personnel, presented a newly created parent handbook. It was being distributed for free in CD format and is also available for download on the Norwalk Public School website)
"This is the book that we wish we had been handed when our children were first diagnosed," said Jennifer Covello, a member of the PAC who moderated the presentation. The handbook includes "parent to parent tips", a list of "frequently asked questions" and information from the State Department of Education.
The handbook also incluces Bringing Knowledge to the Table: How to be an Effective Advocate for Your Child, a publication developed over eight years by SPED*NET Wilton, an special education advocacy group in Wilton. "This book has everything you need to start the process of advocating for your child," said Eve Kessler, president of Sped*Net Wilton.
The Special Ed PAC was formed last year as a result of the CREC report, last year's audit of the special education department that identified many problems in the department. The handbook is the first step in a multiple part strategy to improve communication. The PAC also produced a survey that was distributed at the meetings. They plan to hold focus groups in the future and update the website regularly.
Even with the introduction of the handbook, it appeared that some communication problems have yet to be adequately addressed. At yesterday's meeting, a couple parents expressed frustration that they are not getting notices about events and asked why there is no listserve. (According to Ms. Freidlander, it is illegal for the district to set up a listserve, but the PAC can set one up). One parent asked why she never received replies to her phone calls and emails. Several parents were not aware that central office was looking for parents to sit on the interview committee for the new Director of Pupil Personnel. (Ms. Friedlander is leaving at the end of this month.)
"I am optimistic that parents are getting organized around communication, we need more than an informal network" said Margaret Watt, a parent. "But the handbook is only one piece. The CREC report brings up structural problems--policy, financial and managment issues. When are those going to be dealt with?"
Thursday, March 11, 2010
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ReplyDeleteI will delete all commercial comments.
ReplyDeleteA hearfelt thanks goes out to all the volunteer parents that put this together with Wilton assistance. This is an excellent example of parent involvement. There was no information out there from the district accept ditto copies of rights which is required by law. This is a step in the right direction. But only the first step. Long journey ahead of us.
ReplyDeleteThe link to SpedNet Wilton Bringing Knowledge to the Table--this is a wonderful document, check it out.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.spednetwilton.org/BringingKnowledge.pdf
Will the board of education and new superintendent be addressing the problems associated with the CREC report? With all the problems of poor communication and mismanagement why are the same people still running that department? One person leaving is not going to help the situation when the same administrators in charge have been creating these problems for years. When can we expect a change? I heard that 3 of the 5 administrators were terminated from other districts. Is this the best we can do? Dr. Marks and the board, please look into this!
ReplyDeleteTo 10:03...I couldn't agree more. It seems as if parents have to fight like crazy just to get any type of program for their kids and then the program they receive makes the fight hardly worth it. If the administrators spent just a fraction of the money and the energy that they spend on bullying, name calling, and strong-arming the parents on putting together appropriate programs, everyone would be far better off. Some of the tactics used at PPTs are disgraceful. No parent should have to deal with that on top of everything else they are already dealing with. I don't know if it's true, but I have heard that the law firm that NPS employs holds conferences to instruct administrators on tactics to use to delay and deny a child's right to special ed.
ReplyDeleteThe parent handbook is at least a step in the right direction, but what it should tell the parents is that the attitude in central office is a huge roadblock to getting any type of program. Save your money so you can hire a lawyer. And just as the above poster notes, I doubt that those administrators that were terminated from other districts were terminated because of exceptional work. It is astonishing to me that NPS can look at a report as horrible as the CREC report and the best we can do at this point is a handbook. That's not meant to take anything away from the hard work that went into the handbook, but it seems there are other equally as pressing issues within special ed that should be tackled with the same level of urgency. I agree...really, is this the best we can do for our kids?
And for those that claim they don't care about special education in Norwalk. They should care because if more money were spent on programs and less on keeping the sped numbers down and legal fees, there would be more money left over for other programs away from special education. It would be a win-win for everyone.
"It is astonishing to me that NPS can look at a report as horrible as the CREC report and the best we can do at this point is a handbook."
ReplyDeleteTo 6:52: FYI - NPS did not do this work, it was a parent committee that did the work and developed the handbook.