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Home My WebLink About04 Report 06-089 Membership on the Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) 24 April 2006 Report No. 06-089 to the Board Re: Membership on the Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) ORIGINATOR: Michele Giroux, Executive Officer (Administration) Monica Ceschia, Manager of Board Services PURPOSE: 1. To amend Board policy P.019.GOV, SEAC deleting local associations and additional associations who have been without representation for longer than six months (Appendix A); and 2. To revise the name of one local association and the name of one group currently represented on SEAC; and 3. To seek approval of a request for membership on SEAC from the Ottawa Deaf Centre, and the appointment of a member representing that association on SEAC. BACKGROUND: 4. The Ottawa Deaf Centre has recently sent a letter nominating Sarah Colbeck as its representative on SEAC. This letter is attached as Appendix B. 5. At the time of amalgamation of the former Carleton and Ottawa Boards, all SEAC member organizations from Boards were invited to submit their request for membership on the new OCDSB SEAC. 6. The Ottawa Deaf Centre had previously been a member of both predecessor SEACs, but they withdrew their seat. They are now under new management and would like to re-establish their relationship with SEAC. 7. Board policy P.019.GOV, SEAC (Appendix A) states in item 3.6 that: “If a member association is without representation for six months, the association will lose its membership on the Committee. An association which has relinquished its membership in this manner may reapply at a later date, if there is renewed interest”. - 2 - 8. There are three local associations who have been without representation for longer than six months and have lost membership. These associations include the Easter Seal Society (ESS); the National Capital Region Chapter of the Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder (CHADD); and the Ottawa Regional Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of Ontario. These Associations were notified (2002, 2004, and 2002, respectively) that they were being removed from the SEAC membership. The amendment to the Board policy is for housekeeping purposes. 9. With the deletion of the associations noted above, the current number of associations under the local association category would be nine. 10. One association has changed its name since the last revision to Policy P.019.GOV, namely the Learning Disabilities Association of Ottawa is now known as the Learning Disabilities Association of Ottawa-Carleton (LDAO-C). The Ottawa-Carleton Elementary School Administrators’ Association group is now known as the Ottawa-Carleton Elementary Operations Committee. 11. Two additional associations under 3.2.2 of Board policy P.019.GOV, have been without representation for longer than six months and have lost membership. These associations include Capital Region Centre for the Hearing Impaired (CRCHI) and the Head Injury Association, Ottawa Valley (HIA). 12. The SEAC Executive was informed regarding this request by the Ottawa Deaf Centre and is aware that this report will go to Chairs’ Committee given the policy changes. 13. The Ottawa Deaf Centre meets the definition of additional member under the Ministry Regulation 464/97, Section 2(5) which states that the Board may appoint one or more additional members who are neither representatives of a local association nor members of the board or another committee of the board. 14. With the appointment of the Ottawa Deaf Centre as a member of SEAC, sign language interpreter services will be provided for SEAC meetings. Funding for this expense will be through the Board Services budget at $50.00/hr. RECOMMENDATIONS: THAT: A. Board policy P.019.GOV, SEAC be amended to delete local associations and additional associations who have been without representation for longer than six months, specifically, • Easter Seal Society (ESS) • National Capital Region Chapter of the Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder (CHADD) • Ottawa Regional Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of Ontario • Capital Region Centre for the Hearing Impaired (CRCHI) • Head Injury Association, Ottawa Valley (HIA). - 3 - B. Board policy P.019.GOV, SEAC be revised by amending the following names: • Learning Disabilities Association of Ottawa to Learning Disabilities Association of Ottawa-Carleton • Ottawa-Carleton Elementary School Administrators’ Association to Ottawa-Carleton Elementary Operations Committee. C. The Ottawa Deaf Centre is approved as a member of SEAC under the additional member category and that Board Policy P.019.GOV is revised accordingly, as noted in Appendix A. D. The Board confirms the appointment of Sarah Colbeck as the regular member representing the Ottawa Deaf Centre on SEAC for the term ending 30 November 2006. Lorne M. Rachlis Michele Giroux Director of Education/ Executive Officer (Administration) Secretary of the Board Appendix A Report 06-089 POLICY P.019.GOV TITLE: SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE Date issued: 18 November 1998 Revised: Authorization: Board: 98/10/26 1.0 OBJECTIVE To establish a Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) as required by the Education Act and Ontario Regulation 464/97. 2.0 POLICY Terms of Reference 2.1 The Special Education Advisory Committee shall: a) make recommendations to the Board in respect of any matter affecting the establishment, development and delivery of Special Education programs and services for exceptional pupils of the Board; b) participate in the Board's annual review of its Special Education Comprehensive Plan; c) participate in the Board's annual budget process as it relates to Special Education; and d) review the Board's financial statements related to Special Education. 3.0 SPECIFIC DIRECTIVES Composition 3.1 The Board shall appoint three trustees to the Special Education Advisory Committee. 3.2 A representative and alternate member nominated by each of the following associations and organizations shall be appointed by the Board for the duration of the term of the Board: 3.2.1 the following local associations (a maximum of 12 may be selected under Ontario Regulation 464/97 in accordance with Section 2 (1) and (2)): i) Association for Bright Children, Ottawa Region Chapter (ABC) - 1 - P.019.GOV ii) Down Syndrome Association, National Capital Region (DSA) Removed ) Easter Seal Society (ESS) Removed ) National Capital Region Chapter of the Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder (CHADD) iii) Integration Action Group of Ottawa (IAG) Revised iv) Learning Disabilities Association of Ottawa-Carleton (LDAO-C) v) Ontario Association for Families of Children with Communication Disorders (OAFCCD) vi) Autism Society of Ontario, Ottawa Chapter (ASO) vii) Ottawa-Carleton Association for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (OCAPDD) Removed ) Ottawa Regional Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of Ontario viii) VOICE for Hearing Impaired Children (VOICE) ix) VIEWS for the Visually Impaired (VIEWS) 3.2.2 the following additional associations (that is, under Ontario Regulation 464/97 Section 2 (5), "one or more additional members who are neither representatives of a local association nor members of the Board or another Committee of the Board"): Removed i) Capital Region Centre for the Hearing Impaired (CRCHI) ii) Head Injury Association, Ottawa Valley (HIA) iii) Ottawa-Carleton Assembly of School Councils (OCASC) New iv) Ottawa Deaf Centre 3.3 Upon the recommendation of a committee consisting of trustees, the Board shall appoint up to three community representatives for the duration of the term of the Board. 3.4 All members and alternates of the Committee must be eligible to vote for the members of the Board, be resident to the jurisdiction of the Board, and not be employees of the Board. 3.5 If a member is absent for three consecutive regular meetings without prior authorization by resolution, the member relinquishes his/her seat. 3.6 If a member association is without representation for six months, the association will lose its membership on the Committee. An association which has relinquished its membership in this manner may reapply at a later date, if there is renewed interest. 3.7 Vacancies on the Committee shall be filled through nomination by the association and/or Board appointment. 3.8 If both the representative and the alternate of a member organization are present, only the representative may vote. Both the representative and the alternate members will receive agenda and back-up material. 3.9 In addition to the membership appointed under paragraphs 3.1 to 3.3, the Committee shall include a non-voting representative from each of the following groups: i) Council for Exceptional Children ii) Ottawa-Carleton Elementary Teachers' Federation iii) Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation iv) Professional Student Services Personnel - 2 - P.019.GOV v) Ottawa-Carleton Secondary School Administrators' Network Revised vi) Ottawa-Carleton Elementary Operations Committee School Administrators' Association Non-voting representatives will receive the public agenda and back-up material and may participate in the discussion, but may not make or vote on motions. Quorum 3.10 Quorum shall be the majority of the appointed members. Reporting Procedure 3.11 The Special Education Advisory Committee shall normally report to the Board through the Education Committee. Notwithstanding this reporting structure, the Education Committee may review and comment on the reports and/or any recommendations from the Special Education Advisory Committee, but cannot alter the recommendations or reports. In addition, the Special Education Advisory Committee may send a report with recommendations directly to the Board or to the Committee of the Whole Budget where the normal reporting procedures would not allow for timely consideration of the recommendations by the Board. 3.12 The Special Education Advisory Committee shall have the right to appoint a non-voting representative to the Education Committee and the Chair’s Committee. Meetings 3.13 The Special Education Advisory Committee shall meet at least ten times during the school year. 4.0 REFERENCE DOCUMENTS Education Act, 1998, § 57 Ontario Regulation 464/97 Board By-laws and Standing Rules: Standing, Special Purpose and Ad Hoc Committees Policy P.010.GOV: Community Involvement on Board Standing Committees - 3 - P.019.GOV