Leadership Meeting Minutes 3-18-13
Present: LauraBelle Sherman-Proehl, Administrative Consultant—Early Childhood Programs birth to 5 at Iowa Department of Education; Barb Guy, Administrative Consultant—Part B, Director of Special Education at the Iowa Department of Education; Gwen Woodward, Regional Director-Western Iowa; Pam Rubel, Regional Director-Eastern Iowa; Megen Johnson, Supervisor for Vocational Rehabilitation at Iowa Department for the Blind; Patrick Clancy, Superintendent of Iowa School for the Deaf & Director of Iowa Educational Services for Blind and Visually Impaired (IESBVI); Kenda Jochimsen, Bureau Chief, Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation; Polly Fullbright, Dean of Deaf Education in Des Moines; Marsha Gunderson, Consultant for Education Audiology and Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Peggy Chicoine & Jeff Reese, interpreters
Deb Toomey, Leslie Stern, interns
Approval for Leadership Team Meeting Minutes in February
Motion by Kenda/Polly 2nd – a few revisions (Barb Guy and Tammy O’Hollearn and Kenda name change. Make changes and resend; minutes approved
Planning for a regional program in Iowa to serve deaf and blind and to be determined.
Document “Educational Services for Students who are Deaf or Blind in Iowa”
Background paragraphs added – it was important to honor what has been done and what is currently in place. Services will continue (ISD and itinerant) and we will build upon that.
What was discussed previously has been included.
1.2 Intent is to enhance services.
5. Where – we spent much of Feb meeting discussing criteria of where the first regional program should be (required and desired)
Board has asked to do one regional program first (pilot).
First program not in SW – ISD already providing services
Nor Vinton, because of different services there.
Option to consider, include:
NW (NW and AEA 8),
NE (AEA 1 and AEA 7)
Central (probably not Des Moines but a central location) and conversation about
SE (AEA 15, some of 9 & 10) that had significant needs but poor coverage. Barb mentioned having a desire to be rural. Central Iowa location does not meet ‘rural’ criteria.
(LauraBelle) Looking at a variety of ages is a good idea. Programming will be different for preschool vs middle school or high school. Transition is so important at both ends of the educational spectrum.
NW
NE
Central
SE
a. Number of students – historical perspective – trends over time- enough to sustain services over time; Examine birth population and future needs
C NE SE NW
b. Need for additional staff time – itinerant model
We could ask TDHH about potential need for additional services for students.
Could also ask TBVI that information.
design and disseminate survey for teacher of deaf and BVI to get additional data
AEA 8 need more staff time.
AEA 11 need more time.
Once locations are determined, some people relocate based on location “If you build it, they will come.” Regional center will draw people. Some factors we will never be able to define.
What is continuum we want to offer?
This site should offer those things?
What’s the most important thing? But after attending the conference in TX, it is critical to look at work experience and support of community. What’s the most impact we can get from the continuum. It will not be everything to everyone.
Some things will be provided by technology. Leaning toward community and resources available to community are vital (Businesses, VR, community college, community rehab providers). Knowing system of education, there is support through itinerant teacher model. Hearing panel of students talk about needs. Very persuasive. Support to transition. Want placement attractive to attract employment needs that will come along.
Feel mostly focus on pre-school and elementary to get firm foundation.
Direct instructional services for pre-school and elementary focus. Continuum of services
Direct instructional services – easier to set up for pre and elementary
MS and HS schedules and mandated schedules – it’s hard to provide additional services
Direct instructional services and bring in the community, how can it all happen?
For students not getting enough at itinerant level – this can give more instructional time and later on more community focus and less on instruction. I understand challenges to meet Carnegie unit requirements and still need transition services. They are in conflict. Life, Living and Work suffers more – can we fix this?
c. Outside of ISD area
Yes
d. Services to students in rural areas
NW, SE, NE, C
e. Willing participants – partners, personnel, administration
(AEA 8 has expressed interest, DM is supportive of concept but DM , C)
NW and C
f. Consideration of Pre-K-12
yes
g. Ability to network with other districts for short-term instruction
Or network through technology for extra support – academic high schoolers
Sharing expertise, technology, connectivity. NW area has poorest connectivity for community-based, not necessarily for education..
Some parts of the state have better connectivity for internet.
h. Flexibility, innovation ……
unknown
i. Access to community college and corporate partnership
C, NE=NW, SE
j. Parent to parent support,…..
Hands and Voices, PEC unknown
k. Consider location of other potential sites
Make sure we consider the other sites to follow so as not to be in conflict with sites to follow NW C SE+NE
(Desired categories)
l. # proficiency levels of students
m. Access to services as a whole – urban vs rural differences – rural area critical need – build upon services
n. Access to materials for the blind
o. Continuum of services
p. Continuum of services currently in place to build upon
q. Qualifications of personnel
r. Communication direct instruction manual and oral
s. Existing classroom space availability/infrastructure
Critical. DM does not have space.
Availability of space – need to consider each age group and availability (Johnston has space)
t. Adults to support and mentor-deaf and blind adults
Possibility to discuss when we propose region, then look at the above desired categories.
(Maria) Most important to find supportive location this first go around. A location that will be successful.
If it’s not successful, it won’t move forward for the whole state.
(Patrick) Have had leanings toward NW, but population size, will it be representative as the rest of the state?
(Barb) could focus on NE and Central areas. Remove NW and talk about NE and Central
SE is a lot of support and limited staff and pd support.
Barb recommend to make a list of towns/locations and dig deeper about what they can offer.
What is represented to expand = central less represented than other areas of the state.
NE communities
Charles City
West Union
New Hampton
Independence (building new high school)
Waverly-Shell Rock (a bit West)
Central
Johnston
Ames
Ankeny
Indianola
Pella
Waukee
Assignments due for next meeting – one week prior to the meeting provide info to Patrick to disseminate. April 15 at VR
Trend data on achievement – Barb and I*STAR
Preschool district sites – LauraBelle
DHH Classroom sites and audiology booths – Marsha
Community College sites or satellite site – Kenda
Business configuration – Kenda
Current student make up & historical make up – Pam, Gwen, Marsha
Infrastructure/demographics of community – Patrick
If you can make any informal contacts about sites, use those relationships to find out some information.
1.4 What will be the role of others in the program
What we ask of others to be a partner?
What would we ask them to contribute?
Report highlights - send details to Gwen, Pam, Marsha
AEA-Maria
· Support personnel (SLP, OT, PT)
· Help with reevaluation, evaluation,
· Space-location
· Employment partner for HS students (employ students with disabilities)
LEAs - Pam, Gwen, Marsha
· Stability – not moved from building to building
· Started from Supt down – problem solving, everyone owned the kids
· IT, transportation, sports available
Barb, Kenda, Polly – VR, Community Colleges, Businesses
· Real paid work experience
· Volunteer sponsorship issues
· Linkages with companies
· Expand beyond community colleges
· AP coursework
· Wind energy = accessibility for this population
· Linkage with PO
· Tutoring
· Providing interpreter training at community college
· Participate in IEP – what is necessary to be successful
· VR continue to identify gaps
· Connection between VR counselors who send student and those who receive
·
LauraBelle, Patrick – Dept of Blind, DE, others
· Partnership agreement
· Pool process –
· Evaluation outcomes assistance by accessing data
· Provide assurance of services that we meet requirements of law
· FAPE LRE considerations
· Home school concept – want consultation on legal aspects
· Dept for Blind is VR agency, Transition, career related, ECC, library, access to materials
· IHE site for student teacher experiences-Help in teacher prep to understand B/VI and DHH
· UNI teacher training program help with program evaluation
· Internship for leadership training
· Link with other instructors SLP and Aud prep programs
· Community rehab providers
· Remember DHS Medicaid waivers
· Dept of Health (interpreters)
April 15 next meeting at Voc Rehab.
WebEx will be an option.
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