| Advocates for
Special Kids - ASK Volume 3, Issue 1
September 2003 Newsletter
"Back to School Edition"
"BE SURE AND VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT:
www.advocatesforspecialkids.org"
"Back To School
2003-2004"
Amidst all the recent news
about comings and goings of Superintendents and financial ups and downs
of MBUSD, one item has yet to make the news, i.e., this past July, the
United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR)
notified MBUSD and families that OCR would proceed to resolve a
complaint previously filed by MBUSD families.
OCR’s letter includes the claim that MCHS fails "to offer a
full continuum of placement options designed to meet [students’]
individual educational needs as adequately as the needs of nondisabled
students;"that students with disabilities are denied "an equal
opportunity to graduate from high school" and are not provided with
instruction in all areas of the core curriculum and in all essential
academic standards; that MBUSD has "denied students with
disabilities access to CP, AP and honors courses by refusing to provide
accommodations or modifications for students with disabilities in these
classes, and by informing their parents that students who receive
accommodations and modifications will not receive graduation credit for
the courses."
Additional allegations which include MBUSD’s failure to
appropriately implement IEPs, to provide information necessary for
parental decision-making, students not being in their least restrictive
environment [LRE] and the exclusion of students with disabilities from
CAHSEE and retention remediation programs relate to the entire school
district.
OCR staff are scheduled for an onsite visit to MBUSD in the next few
weeks and they should hear parents’ concerns. A "Synopsis of
Complaint Allegations" from the original complaint is posted on ASK’s
website at www.advocatesforspecialkids.org under "Documents."
If you wish to provide input, document your student’s issues in
writing using the "Synopsis" as a guide, and forward it ASAP
to Deborah Blair Porter, 1156 5th Street, Manhattan Beach, 90266.
This is a rare opportunity for MBUSD families to make a difference,
not only for the education of their own children, but for future MBUSD
students. It is also a chance to make our school community a better,
more inclusive place for ALL our children. PLEASE
SPEAK OUT!
Hometown Fair -
Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5, 2003
ASK Snapple Booth - Help ASK Raise
Money and Awareness!
Volunteer!
Volunteer! Volunteer!
We need YOU at our Hometown Fair booth! We need
donations of $$$$ and TIME!
We need volunteers for both Saturday and Sunday!
VISIT OUR FREE SPEECH BOOTH SATURDAY!!!
We need help with delivering inventory! We need ice
chests!
We need able-bodied DADS and kids
who want to practice making change!!
Booth shifts both days are 9:30-12:00, 11:30-2:00,
1:30-4:00 and 3:30-6:00
Contact Susan Viker
or Deborah Porter (e-mail at lviker@earthlink.net; d.blairporter@verizon.net)
Upcoming ASK Meetings
[All ASK Meetings
are at the Pacific Christian Center, 1403 Pacific Avenue, Manhattan
Beach.]
09/29/03 - 7 PM: ASK Meeting: "Futures Planning:"
adult transition featuring Twilla Elliot, MBUSD Transition Program, El
Camino College; and transition to public schools from Early Start/early
intervention programs for ages 1-3, featuring Mary Ann Clark, SW SELPA
program/transition specialist.
10/27/03 - 7PM: ASK Meeting: Parents Only: Networking and Support
11/24/03 - 7PM: ASK Meeting: Chime Pre-School and Inclusive
Education: Julie Fabrocini of Chime Pre-School will speak about her
San Fernando Valley pre-school and the inclusive education it provides.
12/29/03 - NO MEETING! HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE!
01/26/04 - 7 PM: ASK Meeting: Ins & Outs of Central Auditory
Processing Disorder (CAPD): Rosalyn Firemark will speak about her
work as an audiologist and her work related to CAPD.
02/23/04 - 7PM: ASK Meeting: Parents Only: Networking and Support
03/29/04 - 7PM: ASK Meeting: Public Meeting and Lecture - Speaker
to be announced
04/26/04 - 7PM: ASK Meeting: Parents Only: Networking and Support
05/24/04 - 7PM: ASK Meeting: Public Meeting and Lecture - Speaker
to be announced
06/28/04 - 7 PM: ASK Meeting: Parents Only: Networking and
Support
|
ASK is a non-profit organization dedicated to
helping parents with issues related to special education. To
contact ASK, call (310) 480-9310. ASK does not accept payment for
providing assistance to families, rather raises money in
furtherance of its efforts through fundraising andaccepting
donations. We also accept sponsorships of our newsletter, covering
typical costs of with printing and mailing the newsletter. Your
sponsorship will be gratefully acknowledged on the newsletter
cover. If you wish to donate toASK or sponsor an issue, please
contact ASK or speak to an ASK Board member. |
Advocates for Special Kids - September 2003, Volume 3,
Issue 1
Advocates for Special Kids
c/o 3109 Walnut Avenue
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
"Families and friends of
children receiving special
education in Manhattan Beach & the South Bay"
"Disability is a natural part
of the human experience and in
no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or
contribute to society. Improving educational results for children
with disabilities is an essential element of our national policy of
ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent
living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with
disabilities."
20 U.S.C. § 1400 Congressional Findings
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA]
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