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WANAQUE/RINGWOOD - Lakeland parents review special education
(by Teresa Edmond - Staff Writer - December 03, 2008)
WANAQUE - Residents have praised Lakeland Regional High School’s (LRHS) education program for helping students grow and develop their real world skills, but also said that there’s room for improvement.
Among such suggestions are developing more open communication between parents and faculty, a more equitable grading system in general and special education, and an educational setting that should zero in more on nurturing knowledge that goes beyond what standardized tests look for.
On Dec. 1, Ringwood and Wanaque families gathered at the LRHS lecture hall to weigh in on the high school’s special education program. Ringwood and Wanaque are the high school’s sending districts.
Districts must reassess their special education programs once every six years. According to state requirement, districts must conduct a self-assessment in eight specific areas. These are post-high school life, performance on state assessments, discipline, placement in the least restrictive environment for learning, parental involvement in the special education process, disproportionate representation of racial/ethnic groups, evaluation and reevaluation, individualized education programs, and programs and services.
Albert Guazzo, LRHS superintendent, said that the high school’s faculty and administration are open to the community’s suggestions and comments.
“You have an investment, so we kind of expect a pushback, and as long as you’re coming here, we expect feedback,” he said.
Steve Secor, a Ringwood parent, said that LRHS personnel should be more in touch with the school community in general, not just individuals. One way is through a liaison between both parties.
“The bottom line is communication,” he said. “The more communication coming back to parents will be the key to unlocking the secrets of the program.”
Some parents have said that the LRHS special education curricula is helping students prepare for the outside world by equipping them with life-building skills like money management and interaction.
Ringwood mother Vanessa Spann gave her view that her son has “matured so much” as a student thanks to the LRHS special education program.
“It takes a special kind of person to see deep inside a child,” she said.
Spann also said that some students should learn that they shouldn’t pick on individuals, who may be different from them, as is sometimes the case with general education students bullying the special education students.
Parents have also argued that grade rankings in different educational programs need to be aligned to better reflect each student’s acquired skills. For example, an “A” in an applied class might equal a “C” in an honors class, a difference that could mislead students and parents.
Victoria Wilson, tri-district special services supervisor, said that matching grades to a child’s skills is “a very interesting debate” from which information about state assessment, evaluation and Individualized Education Plan (IEPs) has been addressed.
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