Brock’s StoryBY: DEB SHEPARD

Principal, Rum River Elementary

Winter 2015

This document will be provided in an alternate format upon request in order to accommodate individuals with disabilities. Please call 763-506-1362 to request an alternate format.Published by Anoka-Hennepin’s Special Education Advisory Committee

It’s hard to believe our son,Brock is a senior in high school.Like all parents, I rememberthe day he was born like it wasyesterday. He came into theworld a little earlier thanexpected and he was alsosomewhat different than weexpected. Brock has DownSyndrome. As I look back, Iremember experiencing a widespectrum of emotions; I was sohappy to be the mother of thisdarling baby and starting myfamily, I was sad that my childhad a permanent disability, andI was afraid of what the futuremight hold for him.

Thankfully my fears and sadness were easily put to rest. Brock quicklyshowed us that he was a pretty typical kid. While it may have takenhim a bit longer to accomplish various skills and milestones, he wassuccessful. He began his “education” at just six weeks of age as partof the district’s Early Intervention Program. From there he went ontoECSE preschool before starting kindergarten. At the beginning of his2nd grade year, we made the decision to enroll Brock in anotherdistrict school that offered a specific program for students withDevelopmental Cognitive Delays (DCD). This was not an easydecision as it meant leaving his neighborhood school where his sisteralso attended.

Inside this issue!Child nutrition linked to behavior issues . . 2-3

Parent resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Brock’s story (continued) . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Special Education population in Anoka-Hennepin Schools . . . . . . . . 6-7

Student health concerns . . . . . . . . . . 8-9

Technology in ECSE . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11

Transition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-13

Transportation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Adapted athletics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Project SEARCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

If you would like a translated version ofthis document and/or further assistance,please contact your child's school or theFamily Welcome Center (763-433-4684).

Yog koj xav tau ib qhov txhais ua lusrau daim ntawv no thiab/losyog kevpab ntxiv, thov cuag nrog koj tusmenyuam lub tsev kawm ntawv losyog qhov Chaw Tos Txais Tsev Neeg(Family Welcome Center) (763-433-4684).

Si desea una versión traducida de estedocumento o más información, haga el favor de ponerse en contactocon la escuela de su hijo/a o el Centrode Bienvenida a la Familia (FamilyWelcome Center) (763-433-4684).

Haddaad u baahatid dokumiintigaannoocisa turjuman iyo/ama caawimodheeraad ah, fadlan la xariir dugsigaubadkaaga ama XaruntaSoodhoweynta Qoyska (FamilyWelcome Center) (763-433-4684).continued on page 5

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CHILD NUTRITION LINKED TO BEHAVIOR ISSUES,WHERE DO I START?

BY: JULIE MORRIS, INCLUSION SITE COORDINATOR, COMMUNITY EDUCATION, ADVENTURES PLUS PROGRAM

If you have a child with some significant behavior issuesthat affects their daily academic performance, thereseems to be many avenues to follow to get them thehelp they need. “The help” seems to usually boil downto a decision whether to go to the doctor to get aprescribed medication to help them perform the waythey need to in school, therapy of some kind, or mostrecently, families have been finding ways to modifytheir child’s diet in some way. Some may choose to doall three of these solutions. “It makes a lot more senseto try modifying a child’s diet before treating him or herwith a stimulant drug,” says Marvin Boris, a Woodbury,New York, pediatrician whose 1994 study found thatdiet affected the behavior of his young patients whohad both ADHD and food allergies. 1 When we try the“modify their diet” avenue, this can get complicated.“The first step is to get on a good elimination diet thatdoes away with the most common allergenic foods andall dyes and preservatives,” explains Boris. 1 If yourchild’s behavior improves after several weeks, addback foods, one at a time, until you findones that worsen your child’sbehavior. Those foods go on thelist of no-nos.” 1Sounds easyright?

A quick read of most labels onour prepared foods will list manyadditives such as food coloring,preservatives and flavorings.There remains a prevailingposition by the FDA that foodadditives, artificial coloring and flavorsapproved by the FDA are not detrimental tochildren’s behavior, emotions, and learning.

However, these additives are becoming redflags for a lot of guardians as they have inmany cases seen positive behavior changesin their own children, almost immediately

in some cases, when they have changed their child’sdiet. More and more families have been doing theirown research into the food products they are buyingand find ways to adapt their child’s diet with hopes thatthey are making their child healthier and happier. Thismakes most people think to eat more fresh and naturalfoods, right? If you think about it, we know less aboutwhat gets added to our fresh food such as meats,vegetables, and fruits that we are consuming then theprepared foods we might buy because they don’t comewith detailed labels. So what then? Buy Organic, BuyLocal and Buy Responsibly? This can get expensive forfamilies and where do you start? “If changing yourchild’s entire diet seems too daunting, at the very leasttry removing foods and other products—like vitaminsand toothpaste—that contain food dyes. “Dyes haveno essential place in kids’ diets,” says Ohio State’sEugene Arnold. 2 Although there is no substantialevidence that food additives, which have passed FDAstandards, will harm your children or seriously affect

their behavior unless of course the childis sensitive or allergic to a specific

ingredient.

Is it the food coloring, preservativesand flavorings causing the behaviorissues, unhealthy eating, or

something else? If everyonefollowed a “custom fit” food plan just

for them, humans would all be a lothealthier and probably feel a lot better too. InADHD and other neurobehavioral issues likeAutism, diet has been shown to play asignificant role in creating and exacerbatingsymptoms for persons affected by it. Withmedical advancements in allergy testing andexperiments of food intolerances it seemsthe majority of children with Autism, ADHDand various other learning disabilities havefood sensitivities. So we ask ourselves,

SEAC EMAILTo contact SEAC parent co-chairs write to:Dist11SEAC@yahoo.comWe welcome speakersuggestions, questions and concerns.

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The Special Education Advisory Committee(SEAC) meets the first Thursday of eachmonth (October-May) at the StaffDevelopment Center in Anoka. Dinner and networking starts at 5:30pm.

Meeting is from 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

Childcare available upon request, youmust RSVP. Mary.Gale@anoka.k12.mn.usor 763-506-13622015 Meeting Dates are as follows:Feb. 5, March 5, April 9 and May 7

Special Education Administrative Team

Director and Assistant Director:Cherie Peterson - Director of Special Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . 763-506-1353Marsha Polys - Assistant Director of Special Education . . . . . . . 763-506-1359

Special Education Supervisors:Jill Kenyon - Early Intervention Program/LAUNCH . . . 763-433-4801Emily Rustman - Early Childhood Special Education (3-5)/LAUNCH . . . 763-506-6101Kathy Ferguson - Pathways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 763-506-7601Lori Olson - Bridges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 763-506-7501Kimberly Adams - River Trail Learning Center/LO Jacob . . . . . . . . . . . 763-506-1901Melissa Hayes - Evaluation Team, Sandburg . . . . . 763-506-1579Carey Raph - River Trail LC/LO Jacob, Setting III EBD . . . . . . . . . . 763-506-1976Erin Jensen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 763-506-1358Dr. Jennifer Babiracki -Setting III DCD (elementary) and ESY . . . . . . . . . . 763-506-1367

Special Education Teacher and Learning Specialists: Carol McDonald . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 763-506-1351Kathy Steffens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 763-506-1418Rachel Wick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 763-506-1531

Special Education Coordinator of Staffing and Finance: Darcy Doke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 763-506-1360

Ple

ase

Join

Us!

why is this so common in children that have these diagnoses?Some believe the answer seems to be in the brain. 3Accordingto The Brain Balance Centers: “The brain controls everything,and a problem with the brain and its regulation of the immuneand digestive systems can result in all of the dietary andnutritional issues we see in these children. Therefore dietary andnutritional interventions, although helpful to managesymptoms, are only temporary if the imbalances in the brain arenot addressed.” Some families are turning to allergy and bloodtesting, and a brain balance program to find out a baseline ofwhere their child is at. “There are two nutritional componentscritical to helping resolve a child’s brain imbalance. One isdiscovering and eliminating sensitive foods that exacerbate FDS(or Functional Disconnection Syndrome) and the other isrestoring depleted vitamin stores.” These two things determineif your child has sensitivities and nutritional deficiencies, thendoctors can recommend a clear and simple plan to nutritionallysupport improved brain function and hopefully along with thattheir behavior improves. Of course there is no one “cure all”and the chemical make-up is different in each child thought itseems that similar nutritional deficiencies are present in childrenwith similar behavior issues. Some food for thought….

If your family is new to the food allergy world or you are lookingfor some hopeful and healthier alternatives and/or explanationshere are some helpful websites that can guide you:

For allergy aware recipes:http://vegangela.com/http://mochallergies.org/

Looking to bring “store bought” treats for your child’sbirthday to share?http://www.lennylarry.com/product-category/completecookie/http://www.alternativebaking.com/

Further Information on food allergy symptoms:http://foodallergies.about.com/od/diagnosingfoodallergies/a/Food_Allergy_Symptoms.htm

1 2 Annals of Allergy 72: 462, 1994.www.cspinet.org/nah/3_00/diet_behavior.html2 www.healthline.com3 www.brainbalancecenters.com/blog/2013/06/adhd-autism-diet-behavior/

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American Society of Deaf Children

800 Florida Ave. NE, #2047, Washington DC 20002800-942-2732 www.deafchildren.org asdc@deafchildren.org

The ARC Greater Twin Cities

2446 University Ave. W., Suite 110, St. Paul, MN 55114952-920-0855 www.arcgreatertwincities.org info@arcgreatertwincities.org

Autism Society of Minnesota

2380 Wycliff St., 102, St. Paul, MN 55114651-647-1083 www.ausm.org info@ausm.org

Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

8181 Professional Place, #150, Landover, MD 20785800-233-4050 www.chadd.org

Children’s Home Society and Family Services

1605 Eustis St., St. Paul, MN 55108651-646-7771 www.chsfs.org welcome@chsfs.org

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation8011 34th Ave. S., Suite 116, Bloomington, MN 55425651-631-3290 www.cff.org minn@cff.org

Downs Syndrome Association of Minnesota

656 Transfer Rd., St. Paul, MN 55114651-603-0720 www.dsamn.org dsamn@dsamn.org

Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota

1600 University Ave. W., Suite 300, St. Paul, MN 55104651-287-2300 www.efmn.org

Girl Scouts River Valleys

5601 Brooklyn Blvd., Brooklyn Center, MN 55429800-548-5250 www.girlscoutsrv.org

Minnesota Association for Children's Mental Health

165 Western Ave. N., St. Paul, MN 55102800-528-4511 www.macmh.org info@macmh.org

Minnesota Organization-Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (MOFAS)

1885 University Ave., Suite 395, St. Paul, MN 55104651-917-2370 www.mofas.org info@mofas.org

Minnesota Speech-Language-Hearing Association

1000 Westgate Dr., Suite 252, St. Paul, MN 55114651-290-6292 www.msha.net office@msha.net

National Council on Disability

1331 F St. NW, #850, Washington DC 20004202-272-2004, TTY 202-272-2074 www.ncd.gov ncd@ncd.gov

PACER

8161 Normandale Blvd., Bloomington, MN 55437952-838-9000, TTY 952-838-0190 www.pacer.org

Polaris-Special Needs Scouting, Northern Star Council BSA

763-231-7244 www.polaris.nsbsa.org samberg@northernstarbsa.org

United Cerebral Palsy of Minnesota

1821 University Ave. W., Suite 180N, St. Paul, MN 55104651-646-7588 www.ucpmn.org info@ucpmn.org

PARENT RESOURCES...This section includes resources that parents may want to accessdepending on the needs of their child.

Special Education Administration Structure

If you have a concern about your child’s specialeducation program or would like to speak to one ofthe administrative team, please feel free to call:

Director of Special Education:Cherie Peterson . . . . . . . . . . . 763-506-1353

Assistant Director of Special Education:Marsha Polys . . . . . . . . . . . . 763-506-1359

Special Education Supervisors:Jill Kenyon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 763-433-4801Andover, Madison, Sorteberg Early Childhood Center

Emily Rustman . . . . . . . . . . . . 763-506-6101Oxbow, Johnsville, Riverview Early Childhood Center

Kathy Ferguson . . . . . . . . . . .763-506-7601Champlin-Brooklyn Park Academy, Eisenhower, Hoover, Pathways

Erin Jensen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 763-506-1358Andover HS, Blaine HS, Champlin Park HS, CRHS, Anoka HS, STEP, Crossroads

Lori Olson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 763-506-7501Jackson MS, Northdale MS, Oakview MS, Roosevelt MS, Anoka MS, Coon Rapids MS, Bridges

Kimberly Adams . . . . . . . . . . 763-506-1901Evergreen Park, Mississippi, River Trail Learning Center

Carey Raph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 763-506-1976Andover EBD CB Only, Crooked Lake, Monroe, MorrisBye, Epiphany, Evergreen, River Trail Learning Center

Melissa Hayes . . . . . . . . . . . . 763-506-7921Franklin, McKinley, Sand Creek, University, Wilson,Sandburg, Eval Team

Dr. Jennifer Babiracki . . . . . . 763-506-1367Adams, Hamilton, Sandcreek DCD CB only, Ramsey,Rum River, Dayton, Jefferson, Lincoln, CBPA DCD CB only

My Child’s Casemanager is: ____________

Phone #________________________

CLIP & SAVE

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Moving Brock to a DCD program was one of the bestdecisions we’ve made regarding his academic and socialneeds. Often times, parents are hesitant to have theirchild be part of a specialized program, as they feel theseprograms take away from academics, inclusion, and thedevelopment of peer relationships. As parents, we hadthese same reservations; however, Brock’s experience inthe DCD program was extremely positive.

Brock’s involvement with the DCD program allowed formany successful experiences. Brock received academicinstruction at his level based on his specific learningneeds. While grade level content could have beenmodified for him in the regular setting, it was still contenthe didn’t understand and it didn’t have relevance for him.Learning wasn’t frustrating for Brock in the DCDclassroom. In this setting, he had the opportunity to learnat a pace that worked best for him, and he interacted withothers similar to his ability. He spent time in the regulareducation classroom during times that were beneficial tohim. This also allowed his peers to see him at his best andget to know him on a personal level because it was duringtimes of the day he could be himself doing the same thinghis peers were doing, showing he was more like them thandifferent. The students saw beyond his disability, and sawBrock, the young man with an engaging personality.Inclusion not only advanced Brock’s skills, it allowed otherstudents to gain a deeper understanding of theimportance of accepting and getting to know individualswith differences.

Brock’s accomplishmentshave exceeded what wehad hoped for him. Ofcourse, he plays a majorpart in his success. Wealso believe that the manypeople along the wayhave played a critical role in his success; special education teachers,

BROCK’S STORYCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

general education teachers,paraeducators, coaches, administrators,and all the students Brock has metalong the way. At the beginning ofthis school year, Brock was crownedhomecoming king at Blaine HighSchool. It was truly a magical day forBrock and our family. This specialrecognition of Brock not only speaksto his character, but to the character ofthe students Brock has traveled withthrough his educational career. Weare very grateful to everyone involvedwho created this positive environmentfor all students. It’s going to bedifficult for us to say good-bye asBrock graduates from high school inJune.

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WHAT DOES THE SPECIAL EDUCATIONPOPULATION LOOK LIKE IN ANOKA-HENNEPIN?

BY: CHERIE PETERSON, DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

All school districts throughout the nation arerequired to complete a special educationchild count on December 1st of each schoolyear. This report serves as the basis forfederal and state funding. This process hasbeen completed for the 2014-15 school yearand provides a very clear picture of the typesof students we serve.

Students can qualify for services under 13different disability areas. The total number ofstudents identified as meeting specialeducation have remained roughly the sameover the past four years in Anoka-Hennepin(Table 1). This year’s total was 5829 or roughly14.5% of the district’s population.

Table 2 depicts the changes in population ofthe high-incidence disability areas while Table3 depicts the changes in low incidencepopulations. The growth in the area of autismcan be seen in Table 2 but are must moreevident as you review the changes over thepast 10 years (Table 4). In 2005, autism wasconsidered a “low incidence” disability with atotal of 490 students reported. For the first

time, the population of students with Autismsurpassed all other disability areas and wasreported as 1110 in December of 2011. There aremany theories about why we are seeing changes inthis population but no firm answers. As a districtwe do know that we have been challenged over

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the last ten years in meeting these ongoingchanges through program development as wellas staff training.

Most other disability areas have been moreconsistent, however it is interesting to note thatthere has been a significant drop in the numberof students identified as Moderate-SevereDevelopmental Delay (see Table 3). It is ourbelief that this is likely more a change in labelswith more students being reported as MultiplyImpaired or as meeting the ASD criteria.

When we compare the district’s profile to thatof the state we see some changes that areworth noting. Most of the percentages ofdisability are very similar however thepercentage of students with autism is about19% for the district but closer to 13% for thestate. On the other hand, the percentage ofstudents identified as meeting criteria forlearning disabilities is about 17% for the districtwhile approximately 23% for the state.Approximately 14.5% of Anoka-Hennepin’sstudents meet criteria as students with adisability. This compares to a percentage of14.9% for the state.

It is difficult to compare our results to nationaldata because criteria and disability descriptionsare not the same from state to state.

In addition to providing the district with anoverall picture of the number of studentsidentified in different disability areas, thechildcount report does provide us with data onwhere students are served. In Anoka-Hennepinthe majority of students are served in Setting Iwhich is defined as being in the generaleducation setting 80% or more of the time.Approximately 15% of the students are servedbetween 60 and 80% of the time in the general education setting or in Setting II.Approximately 10% of our students are served for more than 60% of their time in a self-contained special education setting.

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Dr. M. Jocelyn Elders, former U.S. SurgeonGeneral, maintained “you cannot educate anunhealthy child and you cannot keep anuneducated child healthy.”

Student health needs have changed and increasedBecause of changes in society, family structure,child health, special education laws, health careand the educational system, the school healthservice of today does not function as it did evenjust 10 years ago. According to the Centers forDisease Control and Prevention, children cometo school today with many more medical, social,and emotional needs. Students who have adiagnosed health condition require continuity ofcare. Our student populations are exhibitingincreasing rates of all types of health concerns(Source: National Association of School Nurses):

Mental health conditions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22%

Obesity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17%

Vision deficiencies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13%

Daily medication needs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13%

Asthma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10%

Students missing more than 11 days of school due to an illness/injury . . . . . . . . . 6%

Hearing deficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5%

Allergies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4%

Seizure disorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/2-1%

Each student with a health concern may requireindividualized nursing care during the schoolday. For example: students with diabetes mayrequire school nurse time to assist with themonitoring of blood sugar levels and calculationof insulin doses. As the medical community

changes its care standards, these changes cometo school with the students. As an example: it isnow common for diabetics to requireindividualized care 2-3 times per day. Eachstudent’s care needs must be consideredindividually. If any of these cares can bedelegated, it requires in-depth training from theschool nurse for each person the care isdelegated to. To maintain safe care the schoolnurse must continue monitoring the care givenby the unlicensed caregiver. On top of theseincreased healthcare concerns, the MinnesotaDepartment of Health reports that 20% ofchildren in Minnesota are underinsured, makingschool nursing services the only regular sourceof health care some students receive.

The role of a school health staffAt Anoka Hennepin schools there are two staffroles that work in the health service. The healthpara educator sees your student when theycome into the office with routine care needssuch as: first aid, upset stomach, or just doesn’tfeel well.

There is also a Registered School Nurse withlicensure from both the Minnesota Departmentof Nursing and Education who specializes inhelping students and the school community tomeet their medical needs and provide advice ondisease prevention/health promotion. If yourstudent has an on-going health concern theyshould connect with the school nurse. Today’sschool nurse must have knowledge in thehealthcare of children and adolescents, families,and communities as well as the ability to workwith education, health care, and human servicessystems. They understand the school setting andhow to help students maintain their optimal level

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR STUDENTHAS A HEALTH CONCERN

BY: CYNTHIA HILTZ, MS, RN LSN, NCSN, HEALTH SERVICE COORDINATOR

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Watch for special home mailings of the"Can Do" Program. Classes will be offeredto students with special needs at AndoverElementary School.

For more information, please call Carolynn Meints at

763-506-1712

of health so that they can accomplish theireducational goals. School nurses provide directhealth care, leadership for provision of healthservices, health screening and referral andleadership for health policies. School nursespromote health, promote healthy schoolenvironments, and are the liaison betweenschool personnel, family, community, andhealthcare providers. They break down thebarriers to education for those students withhealth concerns. School nurses provide directand indirect healthcare services to students in acomplex environment utilizing an independentnursing process. The school nurse assesses thestudent’s health and makes referrals tocommunity resources as appropriate. Byproviding the school nurse with consent tocommunicate with private medical providersthey can coordinate care within the school.School nurses provide the benefits of medicalcare management, fewer student absence daysdue to health concerns, more time for teachersto work on teaching instead of health issues,reduced chronic health care emergency visits,and promotion of wellness for the entire schoolcommunity.

• Communicate with the health service staff.

• Provide consent for the school nurse tocommunicate with your private medicalprovider.

• Bring questions and concerns with regards tohealth care at school to the school nursesattention.

• If your student is unable to attend school dueto their medical condition communicate withthe school nurse. There are some alternativeways to provide the education program thatrequire private medical provider informationand documentation to determine if they areappropriate and that your student is medicallyhealthy enough to participate.

Parent/guardian to do list:

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Technology is certainly an integral part ofinstruction in our ECSE programs in Anoka-Hennepin. In an age where technology is soaccessible and children can often solve some ofour adult struggles with iPads and computers, itis important to use these tools to enhancelearning as we prepare students for the future.While it is easy to focus on computers and theuse of iPads (which we do have access to andutilize), there is so much more technology thatwe are using in our early childhood settings.Here is a peek into how I use it to address theunique and diverse needs of the students in myclassroom.

Within our circle time routine, technology is usedto prompt students as well as give them a voice.I use a laser pointer to teach students the days ofthe week songs as well as to prompt students asthey use their ownpointer to follow thelight and move left toright and top to bottom.This takes away theneed for a verbalprompt as well as hand-over-hand assisting,helping them to feelmore confident andindependent in this partof the daily routine. Thishas easily faded theneed for verbal supportas time passes. After we count how manystudents are here for the day, we “tap it out” onour learning drum where they can hit the drumand get visual and verbal feedback, reinforcing1:1 correspondence. We use voice outputdevices or switches with students to give themthe ability to vocalize a repetitive line in a story.

This is also used with verbal students as amotivator to stay engaged, recording a sound orsilly line from a book, so they are payingattention and waiting for their opportunity tointeract with the story. We have been starting toutilize beanie babies that we have emptied thestuffing from and use them to put over a switch,changing it from a plastic circle that we touch to

an animal from the story that they can bemore motivated to activate.

During learning tables or small group time,switches with randomizers are used so thatstudents that are nonverbal can practiceswitch use while prompting peers andengaging in learning tasks. They can askstudents to pick items by color, shape,number, category, etc., and are a greatlearning tool. Verbal peers also encouragetheir peers to “hit their switch” as they waitfor instructions. Ablenet spinners are usedand are set up with clothing pictures sostudents can dress their doll or put together

the Mr. Potato Head with the item the spinnerlands on. The learning opportunities are endlessand students stay engaged in learning with theaddition of this adaptive visual tool. We recentlystarted using Handwriting Without Tears to helpstudents have a multi-model approach tolearning the lines and strokes to correctly form

TECHNOLOGY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATIONBY: CATIE BUTCHER, ECSE TEACHER

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Anoka-Hennepin Special Education website. There are a variety of resources to explore.

CHECK IT OUT!www.anoka.k12.mn.us/specialeducation

letters. We use wooden pieces of lines andcurves, stamps of the lines and curves on magnadoodles, drawing on small chalk boards, androlling out lines of playdough to form the lettersin letter dough trays. This learning is enhancedwith the use of a glow station, where my studentswrite with a wand in the dark making a letter trailof light as they practice the letter we are workingon. iPad apps also supplement this instruction aswe use a letter formation app to watch, replicate,and then create letters using the correctformations we have been learning. The best partof the use of the iPad app, is that it allows you tohave an instant activity, so learning can bepracticed during transition times such as waitingfor bussing-making the most of our instructionaltime.

Playtime is another time to utilize technology.We have access to many switch activated toys,allowing students at any level of ability tointeract with toys. This year, a focus in my roomhas been to use those toys to get students tointeract and work together. When using a ballmaze switch toy and a regular ball maze toy at

the same table, students are able to use thesame materials as they can engage in anidentical task to their peers. It usually ends in arace as one student hits their switch to make theball go to the top and the other waits for theircue to drop their ball. Even setting out a switch-operated fan with peers that are playing withpinwheels encourages peers to come togetherand see the need for the other and createsinteractions. Setting out books that have a flatswitch in the back that repeats a line from a storymotivates students to interact with books andencourages literacy.

Technology integration assists teachers inallowing all students to participate in learning,while engaging them in a meaningful and hands-on way. I am blessed with an amazing team thatworks together looking for new ways to integratetechnology to support all learners. Through ourdifferent backgrounds and training opportunitieswe continue to add more ideas to our tool kit tocontinue to improve student learning. These arejust a few of the ways technology is beingutilized with some of our youngest students inthe district.

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There are three different avenues that highschool special education students can taketoward graduation.

One is graduating by credits with nomodifications. Another is graduating via IEPwith their senior class and a third is enrollmentinto a transition program if there continues to beidentified transition needs that require directspecialized instruction.

Transition programming and planningdiscussions should begin in 9th grade withfamilies and continue to occur annually at thestudent’s IEP meeting. During their 12th gradeyear the student’s high school IEP team will meetto identify if there continues to be transitionneeds and make a referral. Currently the district has three sites that deliver transitionprogramming for students 18-21 years old. Theyare Crossroads West, Pathways and Bridges.

In the past many students were referred to atransition program because the team felt itwould be good for them to continue to havesupport after high school, the student hadn’tobtained a driver license or they think they cantake college courses for free. That is no longerour practice. We acknowledge that it would begreat for many students, not just specialeducation students, to have additional supportafter high school, but this does not mean thatthey have a need for direct specializedinstruction in a transition area.

Students that are referred to the transitionprogram will go through an intake process at thesite in which the student was referred. At thatmeeting the team will identify needs in one ofthe five transition areas and develop goals andobjectives that need to be met in order to obtaintheir diploma. These intake meetings withfamilies take place during April and May of thestudent’s 12th grade year.

The following are guidelines that have beendeveloped to help teams determine the mostappropriate programming and site:

Crossroads West

• The student has successfully held ajob/participated in vocational site.

• The student has a transportation plan.

• The student has a post secondary goal.

• The student manages financial resources.

• The student is able to successfully accesscommunity resources.

• The student has been successful in severalmainstream classes with minimal support.

• The student has met some graduationrequirements and may have a fewsubstitutions.

• The student has not met IEP goals andobjectives.

• IEP team has agreed that student may NOTgraduate short credits.

Pathways• The student has not maintained a job and has

a need for direct instruction/support in thearea of employment.

• The student has not developed atransportation plan.

• The student does not have a realistic postsecondary goal.

• The student does not manage financialresources.

• The student has a need for directinstruction/support in the area of communityparticipation.

TRANSITIONBY: KATHY FERGUSON, SPECIAL EDUCATION SUPERVISOR

13

• With instruction and support the student willbe less vulnerable to exploitation.

• The student has the need for directinstruction/support to be successful in postsecondary classes.

• The student may have met some graduationrequirements through substitutions.

• The student has not their met IEP goals andobjectives.

• The student needs support to accessemployment opportunities.

• The student has a need for supportedtransportation.

• The student’s post secondary goal includessupported living and employment.

• The student will need support to managefinancial resources.

• The student will need direct instruction andsupport in the area of community participation.

• The student will need ongoing instruction andsupport to be less vulnerable to exploitation.

• The student will need direct instruction andsupport in the areas of home living.

• The student will need directinstruction/support to be successful in postsecondary classes.

• The student may have met some graduationrequirements through substitutions.

• The student has not met their IEP goals andobjectives.

School Buses are the safest form of landtransportation there is. From the vehicledesign and specifications, to the drivertraining, licensing, drug/alcohol testing, andbackground checks, we do our utmost tokeep safety the number one priority for thestudents we serve.

Three of our staff members coordinate thetransportation for students requiring specialservices. Coordinators work to route studentsin a timely manner, taking into account thestudent’s needs. We have two bus companiesand two cab companies that provide thedirect transportation service to students. Of the 120 buses serving students withspecial needs, we also employee 85 bus para-educators who ride on a number ofthose buses to assist the students and drivers.

If parents have concerns about transportation,they can contact us at 763-506-1125 and askfor Karla Bell, The Special Education RouteCoordinator. If a student is not riding, orthere is a specific timing issue with the bus,parents can call the bus company dispatcherdirectly.

If parents have questions abouttransportation – please call our office at

763-506-1125.

The mission of the Anoka-Hennepin School District

Transportation Department is, “to provide safe, reliable,

and efficient transportationservices to the students ofAnoka-Hennepin so when they arrive at their school,they are ready to learn.”

BY: KEITH PAULSON, DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION

14

Adapted athletics is an interscholastic athleticprogram for students, grades 7-12 with cognitiveor physical impairments. It is NOT SpecialEducation and NOT adapted physical education.

Students compete in one of two divisions:

CI- for students with cognitive impairments (fullscale IQ of 70 or below on the most recentevaluation) or

PI- for students with diagnosed and documentedphysical impairments that affect motor functionor gait pattern, or cardio/respiratory impairmentlimiting intensity and duration of physical activity.

What sports are played?

We participate in 4 different sports, indoorsoccer in the fall, floor hockey in the winter, andbowling or softball in the spring. Students whoparticipate are eligible to earn varsity letters.

Does each school have their own team?

We have one team representing the schooldistrict in each division, CI and PI, made up ofstudents from all of the secondary schoolscombined.

Is transportation provided?

Transportation is provided from the home schoolto practice and home after practice. A bus is provided for away games. Parents areresponsible for rides home after games.

Where do you play and practice?

Practices and home games are at the AndoverYMCA. Bowling currently practices at theAndover Lanes.

How often do you meet?

An average week is 2-3 days after school(combination of games and practices). Practicesbegin at approximately 3:20 PM and end at 5:15 p.m. Games begin at 4:30 p.m. Teamsports play 10-12 games during a season.

Is there a cost involved?

As with all extra-curricular activities, there is aparticipation fee. The fee is $100 per season.However, students on free lunch pay no fee andstudents on reduced lunch will pay a reducedfee to be set between the parent and the schoolactivities director.

Where and how do I register my son ordaughter?

Registration takes place prior to the start of eachseason with the athletic secretary at the highschool your son or daughter does/will attend. Atthe time of registration you will need a physicalform signed by your child’s physician. If your sonor daughter is registering for the PI team theywill need an additional page, page 4 of theMinnesota State High School League PhysicalForm. All registration materials can be pickedup from and turned in to the athletic secretary.

Who can I contact for more information?

You may call:

Ted Johnson at 763-506-2437

Sue Opat at 763-506-4933

Bill Newell at 763-506-2438

Pete Kutches at 763-506-8550

WHAT IS ADAPTED ATHLETICS?BY: TED JOHNSON, DEVELOPMENTAL ADAPTIVE PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER AND COACH

15

Workforce training opportunities are availablethrough Project SEARCH, a program designed toimprove employment outcomes for young adultswith disabilities, ages 18-21. The award-winninginternational program is hosted by Medtronic,Inc., and partners with school districts in thenorth metro, Anoka County VocationalRehabilitation Services, CountyDevelopmental Disability CaseManagement Services, OpportunityServices and the MinnesotaDepartment of Education. Morethan 40 students havecompleted the programsince its launch six yearsago, and 10 are currentlyenrolled in training thisyear.

The program’s goal is to preparestudents for competitive employment.Over the nine months, internscomplete three work experiencescalled rotations. These experiencesinclude manufacturing, officeadministrative in areas such as AccountsPayable and Human Resources, Xerox printcenters and science laboratory support. Thework place environment facilitates thelearning, teaching and acquisition ofcompetitive work skills.

Project SEARCH Interns graduate with workexperiences, resumes and are ready to earn awage in the real world. Nearly 70%-80% of thestudents are competitively employed afterprogram completion with graduates earning wellabove minimum wage. Several are employed byMedtronic.

“Interns are immersed in a work environmentevery day. They had an opportunity to learnskills that can transfer to future employmentopportunities. They get immediate feedback onboth the soft skills and the hard skills needed tobe successful on the job and receive dailyfeedback on their work performance.” PatBergstrom, Project SEARCH Instructor

“By lengthening the learning curve at thefront end through the internship,Medtronic gains employees with deepknowledge of the work environment,and their skills and confidenceincrease over time,” said Noi

Keothammakhoun with Medtronic.

And, it’s a winning team that supportsProject SEARCH. Instructor Pat

Bergstrom received the KarenJester Award in 2011 from Project

SEARCH for her excellent skills as aclassroom teacher (Centennial

Schools); Dave Thacker (CentennialSchools) received the 2011 Director of

Special Education Award from the State ofMinnesota; and Anoka CountyDevelopmental Disabilities unit received

the 2011 Odyssey Employment Award fromthe Minnesota Department of Human

Services.

For more information regarding this ProjectSEARCH program and the application processcontact Pat Bergstrom, Instructor –pat.l.bergstrom@medtronic.com or Lisa Ripken,Business Liaison at lisa.n.ripken@medtronic.com

PROJECT SEARCH PREPARING STUDENTS FOR COMPETITIVE EMPLOYMENT

BY: PAT BERGSTROM, MEDTRONIC PROJECT SEARCH INSTRUCTOR

NONPROFIT ORGUS POSTAGE PAID

ANOKA, MNPERMIT NO. 40

Special Education Department2727 N. Ferry St.Anoka, MN 55303

The FAMILY FOCUS newsletter will be mailed out approximately two timesa year to District #11 parents of students on IEP’s and 504 plans.

• If you know someone who would like to receive this newsletterplease call 763-506-1362, leave name and complete address.

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FAQ - Email us!In future Family Focus editions we will

answer questions from our readers in theareas of school services, community

services and family services. If you have a question you would like addressed email us at: Dist11SEAC@yahoo.com