District ABA Advisory

May 7, 2014

Welcome and Call to Order

2. Adoption of Agenda (Approved by Eleanor 1^st, Irene 2^nd) 11 in attendance
3. Adoption of previous meeting minutes – Jan 22, 2014 (Approved by Jackie 1^st,  Nancy 2^nd)
4. Update on Advisory structure and new website/email data base.

• Nancy Robins is stepping down but is still available for questions. Elaine Raynault is chairperson and Dawn Weishuhn is secretary.
• Elaine is working on new website and possibly a Facebook page.
  • Facebook page is favoured as long as no comments can be placed on the page without being screened.
• Nancy Robins will give Elaine the e-mail list so Elaine will be able to send out future e-mails.
  • It may be a challenge in transferring e-mail list easily, will try using mail chip.
  • Would like to also use mail chip to have a blurb at bottom of e-mails for people to unsubscribe and change their e-mail address.

5. Recap of recent meeting with Catherine Remedios and Michelle Schimidt
6. EA Planning Tool –

• EA Planning tool is not being applied to ABA SW but principals may use it to distribute the current EA hours due to lack of hours.
  • Currently the Surrey School District is short 900 hours per week.
  • Catherine Remedios suggested for us to write a letters to the board of trusties, MLAs and Ministry of Education regarding fighting for hours for all the kids that need them.
    • A letter will be written and disturbed to everyone to tweak or add their personal touch then mail out.

1. Who is responsible for quality of SW work? Chain of Command

• Teacher is in charge of the classroom however the principal is responsible for everyone in their school.
• Suggestion that ABA program should be viewed more like a medical program so that parent must be informed/consulted about changes.

1. Request for written statement from CR/MS regarding processes –

• Elaine did not receive, will be eventually be on the home school page and ABA District Advisory website.
  • ABA District Advisory will be persistent on this matter until it is done (e-mail weekly was suggested).
• It was brought up that the kindergarten forms are not findable on the hub and the form has been changed since Kindergarten orientation.

1. Requests to revisit HR/CUPE policies/decisions regarding posting timeline as well as ABA SW’s eligibility to be trained to handle medical procedures.

• Catherine and Michelle will revisit the time line for hiring and posting. We may meet with CUPE.
  • Currently first posting is Aug 8 to 18 (existing), second posting is Aug 21 (new hires)
    • EAs get posted to any postings not filled after Aug 21.
  • Principal writes the postings, meet them sooner than later.
  • ABA SW can’t to do medical procedures unless they have SETA course.
    • Nancy Walton recommends breaking up SETA course in modules so that a EA or ABA SW can take the appropriate module. Catherine and Michelle will consider this.

1. Surrey Connect special needs funding

• DL for the district- they don’t get money for special needs, all of it stays in the district.
  • Karen Stephenson is the assistant district attendant in charge of Surrey Connect, if you have issues, contacts her.

1. Falsified SW application documents. What we can do to prevent this.

• We request that consultant or parent e-mail the SW application documents directly to district.

1. Purpose of a Psych Ed and when it is needed

• Psych Ed to be done preferably before grade 10 in order to see if you can write the provincial exams.
• Need the psych Ed to get a navigator or access the navigator.

1. High school Transition: Support hours and Posting info

• New posting for going to high school, high school principal writes the posting with input from elementary principal.

i.Sharon Baxter and Nancy Walton gave a talk/presentation to trustees for different district.

• Jordan Tinney (District Superintendant) was there and enjoyed the presentation.
• Other districts where there, however better attendances was hoped for.

6. BCCPAC “Speak up! A parent’s guide to advocacy” a. introduce this and will have copies for those who would like one

• Link will be up on the ABA District Advisory website when up.

7. Open Forum

Curriculum for Surrey College, it has been reviewed and no changes are going to be made.  Parent suggests that it goes from 2 times per week to 1 time per week.  Parents are open for student from Douglas could be hired provided that the 1000 hours from specific qualified consultant.

8. Adjournment at 8:45pm.