May 7, 2014
Welcome and Call to Order
- Adoption of Agenda (Approved by Eleanor 1st, Irene 2nd) 11 in attendance
- Adoption of previous meeting minutes – Jan 22, 2014 (Approved by Jackie 1st, Nancy 2nd)
- 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.
- Recap of recent meeting with Catherine Remedios and Michelle Schimidt
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Currently first posting is Aug 8 to 18 (existing), second posting is Aug 21 (new hires)
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Adjournment at 8:45pm.