Parents of special needs children need to be aware the Brick Board of Education is considering a plan to move some elementary school special-needs classes that use verbal behavior training from their main schools into the Educational Enrichment Center (EEC).
The EEC was originally created to bring back our special-needs children that were being educated out of district due to lack of room and appropriate facilities.
The plan is to “mainstream” these special needs children by walking them across a parking lot to Veteran’s Elementary School in the rain, snow, ice and freezing weather.
The preparation required to relocate the children – getting coats on and off again, walking across the parking lot and settling down again – will cut into important instruction time. This will also disrupt the children’s daily education, causing regression in some cases. Allan Ferrara, the school district’s director of special services, will be holding a meeting inviting parents of special-needs children May 11 at 6:30 p.m. in the all-purpose room at the EEC to discuss this decision.
I hope all parents will attend this meeting and also the May 8 Board of Education meeting at 7:30 p.m., Lake Riviera Middle School.
Our children’s futures are in the balance.
Michelle Prachthauser
Brick