Special education cooperative: Ones with most need to receive therapy
More discussion of building options
Staff reporter
A shortage of speech pathologists and building space dominated the Marion County Special Education Cooperative meeting Monday evening.
Debbie Geis, representing Hillsboro USD 410, voiced concerns of the availability of a speech therapist at Hillsboro schools.
A letter had been submitted to the special education board prior to the meeting from Gordon Mohn, superintendent of USD 410.
"I feel our kids deserve some sort of service," Geis said. "We pay as much as everybody else for those services."
Chris Cesar, director of the special education cooperative, said he talked with the cooperative's speech pathologist, Paula Barta, and she agreed to provide services at Hillsboro Head Start for nine children.
Cesar said high school services will be minimized and concentration will be made on younger students.
Earlier the board approved the appointment of Julie Keithline, a second full-time speech pathologist, who will be available in January upon completion of education. The board also extended a contract to Stacey Parks for additional hours of speech services.
Doe Ann Hague, representing Peabody-Burns USD 398, said the most needy should be served.
"It's not so much an equity issue," Hague said, "but the most needy should receive the necessary services."
Lyle Leppke of Marion-Florence USD 408, said personnel were in the driver's seat because of a shortage of trained personnel in that field.
Cesar agreed it was a delicate balance to provide necessary services to students and not lose any teachers. He also recommended an early intervention approach that would include children ages 0-5, and then kindergarten, first grade, etc., until additional personnel is hired.
Special education board president Richard Drake who represented Goessel USD 411, suggested board members take this information back to their respective boards and let them know the cooperative was doing the best it could.
A tour of the current facilities at the beginning of the meeting gave Cesar an opportunity to show board members improvements completed this summer and the conditions of some of the facilities.
New interior paint was pointed out at the early childhood building. Cesar also pointed out cracked windows in both the early childhood and Oasis/gymnasium buildings which he thought was because of the buildings settling.
Cesar said the early childhood building was remodeled in the mid-1980s and was in "fairly good shape." A tour of the basement of that building showed something different.
Formerly a classroom, water drainage issues had been remedied by pouring concrete waterways to allow run-off water to flow freely through the basement to an outdoor gutter which caused concerns about mold.
A tour of the Oasis building and gymnasium divulged some offices and classrooms did not have proper ventilation and one classroom did not have heating or air conditioning.
In other areas of the building, the heating and air conditioning units are noisy, said Cesar, which was distracting to the classroom.
Other rooms that were toured included storage rooms that needed to be organized and multi-use areas such as bathrooms being used as janitors' closets and storage areas.
Cesar also addressed the challenge of classroom curriculum when students were from different districts. Instead of trying to follow each district's curriculum, a standard curriculum has been chosen.
Electrical power in the gymnasium was another concern as it has been "maxed out."
The cafeteria for the Oasis students is located in the front entrance on the west side of the building which has direct sunlight during meal times.
A 45-minute executive session later in the meeting was held to discuss land acquisition. When the session reconvened, no discussion was heard or decisions made.
Cesar also asked board members to review a draft of a letter to the five superintendents in the county.
The letter outlined a sequence of events that has led the special education cooperative to consider a new location for the facility.
An increase in the lease of the facilities with Marion-Florence USD 408 from $3,000 per year to $50,000 also was a factor for considering other options.
"Needs have changed in the past nine to 10 years," Cesar said, regarding previous contracts with the school district.
Hague expressed concerns about the current facilities hindering progress for the cooperative.
"We can't market our program and allow other school districts to come here because there's no room," she said.
Hague added she wasn't sure why Cesar was sending this letter.
"It's obvious the boards are not hearing the same thing," Geis said.
Leppke agreed.
"This is a good way for everyone to be told the same information," he said.
It was understood by the cooperative board that the lease increased because USD 408 was to assume the responsibility of structural maintenance of the three buildings, which includes early childhood, Oasis/gym, and administration building.
"Nothing was ever said as to why the lease was increased," Cesar said. "It was assumed it was for maintenance."
Leppke pointed out the lease states that USD 408 has assumed the responsibility of maintenance and upkeep.
With some corrections and modifications provided to Cesar from board members, the letter will be sent to all superintendents to be shared with their board members.
