Special ed. problems
need timely resolution
To the editor:
The Northern Burlington County Parents Advocating for Special Education group (PASE) is hopeful that the many problems regarding the Mansfield Township School District special education program have been heard and the significance of these issues has been noted by the district Board of Education.
We expect that the school board will cooperate with the parents in promptly formulating a plan of action. PASE is especially confident in the school board president, with her vast knowledge and expertise of special education. The group is looking forward to working collaboratively with the interim superintendent and the school board to ensure that (1) the district is accountable for any instances of noncompliance with state regulations and (2) appropriate action is taken to avoid noncompliance in the future.
One of the principal concerns consistently expressed to PASE by many parents is the child study team’s improper development and implementation of individualized education plans (IEPs) and 504 plans, in violation of state regulations. An IEP is a legal document that formalizes the Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) Act for a child with disabilities and must be adhered to in its entirety.
Another concern is that due to unacceptable turnover of related services personnel (six of the nine special education personnel who have left the district in the past year are therapists) and insufficient staffing, parents are being sent out of district for services to try to "catch up" on numerous hours of missed, but required, in-school sessions. For example, the parents are to drive their child 30 minutes to the school-approved speech therapist in Marlton, during working hours, for each missed speech session (up to 21sessions in some cases). These speech and other related services are to be provided in school during the school day as stated in a child’s IEP, just as math is to be provided in the typical classroom.
These and the other problems surfacing within this district’s special education program are very serious, and include not only districtwide noncompliance issues but also recurring procedural violations. A timely resolution is imperative to avoid further delays in appropriate services and to prevent further regression in these children with special needs.
Jeanine Baechtold
Mansfield
Family thanks school
for years of service
To the editor:
As we await the decision regarding the fate of Holy Assumption school I wanted to express our gratitude to the following: The SAC committee, the PTA members, the principal as well as the alumni as they have spent countless hours coming up with ideas to keep the doors of the school open. Their creativity and perseverance does not go unnoticed.
A special thank you to all the teachers and staff, they have not let this interrupt their curriculum. They have continued to provide a positive, loving, learning environment for the children.
Our family is very grateful to everyone at the school. We are hoping that when the Bishop makes his decision, it will be to keep the school open.
We wait and pray.
Donna Murphy
Bordentown
Longtime resident
grateful to police
To the editor:
Helen Allen wishes to thank all the wonderful people who came to her aide last Wednesday evening when she found her sister unconscious. She is especially grateful to the Bordentown City Police and Hope Hose for the kindness they showed to her and her sister. If you see Helen around town wish her a happy birthday. She turned 91 last Wednesday.
Jeannie Smith
Bordentown
Hit-and-run accidents
are a persistent problem
To the editor:
I have to be honest; when I read about the death of a pedestrian on West Burlington Street, I wasn’t the least bit surprised. I am a West Burlington Street resident, and in the five years that I have lived on this street, I’ve seen cars sideswiped, sideview mirrors ripped off and many near misses of adults and children trying to cross the street. Last year a woman waiting at the stop sign, was hit so hard from behind that her forearm shattered at impact and the bone was jutting out of her skin. In every case, all hit and runs.
The news of Ashley Mohacsi saddened me, but moreso infuriated me. I have made numerous complaints to the Bordentown City Police Department about the speeding vehicles that race up and down the street. Even number 409, the bus traveling from Trenton to Philadelphia, zooms down our street at a neck-breaking speed, shaking houses in its wake and then screeches to a halt at the corner of West Burlington and Farnsworth. I have called the bus company to complain as well. Not once, has anything been done.
The police cars sit at the Hope Fire Station as the cars whip around the corner, accelerate way above the 25 miles per hour speed limit, and race towards Fieldsboro. Conversely, I’ve witnessed vehicles zoom down West Burlington like it’s a highway, ignore the stop sign, and shoot around the corner of Farnsworth, barely missing pedestrians. Sue Young’s message is much appreciated, but it is not the answer to this ongoing dilemma.
The answer to the problem lies in the hands of the municipality. In other towns with similar problems, speed bumps are placed in areas notorious for speeders. The police need to regularly monitor the road and habitually give out speeding tickets to offenders. What a great source of revenue for the town! In addition, place warning signs around the residential areas and make the speed limit signs larger. Although pedestrians should "follow safety rules", it is the responsibility of the township to keep its residents safe. Residents of Princeton walk and cross the streets with confidence because it has been clearly established that pedestrians have the right of way no matter what.
My condolences to the Mohacsi family. I’m hoping that the residents and officials of Bordentown City will work together to make a difference so that a tragedy like this can be avoided in the future.
Suzan Milman
Bordentown City
