I wanted to take this opportunity to explain a bit about the new PATHWAYS FOR ALL LEARNERS (PALS) program that has been added to the proposed RSU9 school budget. It is a large addition to the budget and it makes sense that people would like to understand it better.
In recent years, teachers, staff and administration have recognized the increasing needs of mainstream students unable to manage their emotions and behavior. Over the past several months, these staff, along with many parents, shared these concerns at school board meetings. The Board and attendees heard many stories of students disrupting entire classrooms with dangerous, scary and unpredictable behaviors. A child who cannot manage his or her emotions may throw things across the room, swear, spit, and become so agitated and volatile that the rest of the class is forced to leave the classroom for their own safety. When a student behaves in this way it not only affects that child but also the teacher, other students, nearby classrooms, administration, and potentially anyone nearby. We heard from parents and students that this kind of situation not only interrupts learning for that whole class but it is frightening to everyone.
These are not special education students; there is a specific process for a special education evaluation and while it’s possible that a student in PALS may go on to need special education supports, that is not the function of PALS. These are also not “bad kids”. These are children who are struggling and who don’t have the skills to manage the big feelings that they have and don’t understand. Parents, of course, do their best at home. Still, some students need extra help. Research shows that early intervention is critical. Teaching kids how to be safe and productive when they are in kindergarten is not only beneficial to that child but also can prevent bigger, more expensive needs as they get older.
The PALS program would create two new classrooms, one for grades K-2 and one for grades 3-5 and will be staffed by specially trained teachers, ed techs, social workers and Behavioral Specialists. These programs will work with the students and their families to identify needs, and provide the teaching, practice and behavioral supports to teach these little ones how to manage their emotions and behavior. The aim of this program is to prepare students to be reintegrated into their regular classrooms, opening up space for new students to participate, so while the program will accommodate 16 students at one time, two-three times that are expected to participate each year.
The benefits of the PALS program will extend far beyond the direct impact to student participants. ALL students in grades K-5 will benefit, as their learning environments will be vastly improved. Classrooms will be able to function peaceably and safely, with students focused on learning.
In an ideal world every student would come to school ready and able to learn and get along with others. That is not the reality, however, and we believe that this program is an opportunity to make a real difference in our classrooms, schools and the larger community.
Respectfully submitted,
Tami Labul
Farmington School Board Representative
Tami, Thank you for taking the time for the informative read on the PAL program.
While the need to help these children is obvious, there is just as big a need for the parents of these kids. I can only hope that the parent of any kid put into this program will receive a visit by the PAL personnel, to make it clear, there is a problem with their child.
I fail to think that you can fix the child without having some feeling that the parents are also doing their part.
Will this consultation take place??
Thanks for your information about this program. I guess I still have a question – why are these students no longer being picked up by Special Education like they use to be so that we don’t have to create a half a million dollar new program? What changed?
So, what will all this cost us?
Might want to also offer High School seniors a chance to work, hands on, since many might go into the teaching, social service field.
It would be an extra set of eyes, ears and hands.
Could be offered as credits and would be good experience for many reasons.
Zooey,
Special Education is for students with Learning Disabilities. Many of these student are very bright and have no academic challenges.
Bill Reid,
In my humble opinion, we will pay one way or the other. We can pay now, when there is a change to help these students learn to regulate their own behavior, or we will pay later when they become guests of the state in our prison system. Somehow, they have got to be taught to manage these behaviors. It is obviously not happening at home, for whatever reason, or the school would not be dealing with this. How do these kids get the help they need if we do not give it to them?
Good questions, thanks for asking for more information.
Dulles – There will be a parent component in addressing student needs. The district recognizes that it is important to address as many of the contributing factors as possible. Schools and families need to work together, absolutely and this is why the program includes social workers. It will part of their role to work with the families and assist with services and supports that might be needed.
Zooey – This program is not part of special education, it is designed for kids who have not been evaluated and deemed appropriate for special education thus far. It takes time and specific steps to refer and evaluate a child for special services. It could be that PALS students would ultimately qualify for and be served through special education services but this program would provide support and teaching while those referrals and assessments took place. The idea is that we could help these students through the PALS program and then they will ultimately go back to their regular ed classroom or they would qualify for special education and an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) would be developed to set their goals and services. Sometimes students come to school with an IEP in place if they were evaluated and given one in preschool for example. But lots of times kids come to school without any kind of preschool experience and it’s not known ahead of time that they may struggle in a typical classroom. PALS would be for those kids and then if a special ed referral is needed that would be initiated. There is a difference between a child with a qualifying special education diagnosis and a child who hasn’t learned how to manage their emotions and impulses yet. Helping those students learn those skills early will help every classroom and grade that follow.
It is my understanding that Emotional Disturbance is an eligibility category that enables a child to be referred to Special Education. If the the emotional disturbance is creating an adverse effect on the child’s learning achievements, they should be permitted to receive special education services. I can’t imagine that the stressors these children are exposed to wouldn’t negatively affect their learning outcomes. Are these students performing at grade level? Would love some clarification on this.
To Bill Reid….It is interesting the no one from the school answered your question as to the cost of the PALS program. If only Board members and school officials would realize that their continued lack of complete disclosure has lead to the public’s distrust of them. It appears they are trying to sway opinions rather than inform us like they imply. Why would you not include basic information such as the cost of a program when discussing it, and especially at budget time. This was also the case on the budget paperwork they sent everyone in the mail. No costs were indicated for any of the things listed as included in the budget such as the PALS program.
The cost of the PALS program is $461,603.00
Temple: You are correct that Emotional Disturbance IS an eligibility category, and students with “behavior issues” were always served as part of Special Education. I guess I don’t understand how that has changed so that we need a separate program for students with these needs. I know that it is often a long process for students to be identified.
Maybe that is a problem that needs to be addressed, rather than spending this much money when we really seem to have a way to meet these kids’ needs. I am all for them getting help, but let’s use what we have!
Cut the current budget by 2% take the savings and pay for PALS
So, a half million dollar program for what, an extremely small number of students? Sounds like a tax funded safe space for whiny liberals. Just start disciplining the kids that act out. It was good enough in the past and detention doesn’t cost a half million dollars. Keep them in for recess, oops, can’t do that. Make them stand in a corner, oops, can’t do that either. But somehow the households in RSU 9 now have to fund a “special” program that’s not “special” ed for “special” students that can’t cope due to a lack of discipline. I’m guessing there is not much common sense in RSU 9.
What is missing here is at a school board meeting I believe Mr. Ward stated they needed a bus to pick up these dysregulated kids at home and bring them to school. My question is: How many hours a day are these behavioral (dysregulated students) going to ride the bus. It was stated that these students would not go to their regular school and then be picked up. If K-2 is at mallet and 3-5 at Academy Hill School, what time is this bus leaving. Nearly impossible to pick up a student in weld, then go to Starks, Vienna, Industry etc. and get them there on time. I see what the most likely outcome of this and its SAD. Kids in Farmington and Wilton will be the ones picked up, the others left out
It is not easy to get a special education diagnosis. You can’t just say “this kid is misbehaving, he/she must have an emotional disturbance.” There are particular hurdles to getting a diagnosis. Many dysregulated children may eventually get a diagnosis – though that also increases costs. So no, this can’t simply be dismissed by moving them to special education. This program is needed in order to help all the kids in general education who lose out when one child disrupts a class, causes a room to be emptied, or are fearful or upset by bad behavior. I suspect those who are dismissing this did not attend the principals two presentations on the issue, full of evidence and examples, with an explanation on why these are not special education cases. Again, you can’t just say “bad behavior = special education.”
Hrtlss – your comment shows you don’t understand how schools are limited now by law. You can’t simply “discipline” a kid. Sure, you can keep kids in from recess – that happens a lot – but that doesn’t help the kids in a classroom that had to be emptied because of a disruptive child. You really should look at the material provided when the program was proposed. This is a real problem, it is serious, and it’s not just “some misbehaving kids that need to be put in their place.” It certainly is not a lack of “common sense,” that is an insult to educators in all schools who are coping with this. They are trained, they spend their lives working to help children, and when a problem comes up someone from the cheap seats with no understanding of the situation just dismisses them and says they have “no common sense.” Sorry, but your insult of our teachers and principals bothers me – you don’t see what they go through, you haven’t listened to or examined the evidence.
Alright, we get it, that something needs to be done with these out of control kids.
What we can not get, is a good description of exactly how the PALS program will be implemented.
Walk us through the process of how, a kid once put into the program, is actually taught how to be normal. Is the program a set length or driven by the kids progress. What is the pass/fail criteria? Or do all kids pass? If there is a fail category, what next?
Are we flying by the seat of our pants or is there a well documented program that has clearly demonstrated this expenditure is worth it?
Mr. Erb – I truly appreciate your concern for all students, and completely agree that dysregulated behavior should not be allowed to disrupt the learning environment of everyone else. But if a student’s behavior is so “bad” that a room needs to be cleared or is making other students fearful, that is more than just needing to learn a few social skills. In the past the district had Behavioral Specialists or behavior programs (through Special Education) to meet these kids’ needs. My question still remains – what changed? Is it just an ever increasing number of students with these issues? I did hear the presentation made by parents and teachers, and agree it definitely needs to be addressed, just still not understanding why Special Education is not the primary answer. Will this process be much faster than going through the Special Ed process? I need to hear some justification as to why Special Ed. is not the solution when it always was in the past.
I almost fall down laughing with this “Dysregulated” term. It is so typical of the education industry to invent a new word. Over the next few years it will gather some meaning, maybe denotational but certainly connotation.
Why must the teachers EMPTY THE CLASSROOM when some child acts up? Why? Just remove the child who is causing the trouble. Has common sense fled the school systems. There is something to be said for corporal punishment. But we must not talk about it. Right?
Lindy, I agree that the communications from the Administration do seem to foster doubts in the minds of the taxpaying citizens.
I certainly do sympathize with the Principals and the teachers for having to put up with the unruly students who disrupt the teaching day. I know what it’s like. I know segregation is not a good thing, but the school IS segregating when the class is removed leaving the disturbance behind. Be a bit creative and figure a less expensive plan on how to segregate unruly kids until they are ready for learning, playtime, sports,holiday observances,etc. Perhaps, more home -school coordination, minimum time by law in school, a good ,determined ed tech working one on one? Probably this all has been tried, but there has to be a better solution than this VERY EXPENSIVE EXPERIMENT. TOO many ifs, will it be canceled if it doesn’t work? How long will it be tried? How is it assessed, will records be available for the public? Numbers not names. Anyway, each to his own with thoughts, ideas, opinions, AND THE VOTE.
Thank you Tami Labul for describing the PALS program, and for letting us know it is a large addition to the budget.
After sitting in on School Board meetings for the past several years it has become obvious the efforts of the teachers, principals, and ed techs are being thwarted on an increasing frequency by incidents caused by students who are not capable of the self control needed to fully participate in their own education.
Requests have been made for at least the last three years for support in our elementary schools for students who frequently demonstrate very disruptive and even dangerous behavior. These requests were denied late in each years budget process, with several School Board Directors asking for evidence for the frequency of behaviors, actions taken, schools involved and numbers of students.
During the winter months, elementary building principals and teachers reported back to the School Board during at least two open meetings with the results of their study into the number and frequency and severity of disruptive incidents. They then provided an initial proposal for intervening with staff specifically trained to help our young students. After the open discussions at the Board meetings, the staff did further research, and identified some resources in our community to help with the interventions, both for the students and their families.
The PALS program approved for the proposed 2018/2019 budget is at a lower cost than originally proposed, due to the inclusion of these community resources.
I believe this multiyear effort to provide appropriate support for our young students should be approved. The cost is substantial, however, the cost of not supporting students when they most need it is being born by the very same disruptive students, their classmates, nearby classrooms, teachers and principals.
For the first time in my life, I agree with Bill Reid. Wow. I’m not going completely over to the dark side of conservative fundamentalism, but I have to say that we now have common ground. We have come full circle. It used to be that we had to mainstream everyone. Now, after doing this for 30 years, we realize that that stinks for the teachers and students who are generally trying to teach and learn. We can’t use punishments or any real consequences that use the students’ currency anymore. So now we spend half a million dollars to do what the teachers always wanted in the first place: get these (future) criminals out of my classroom! Or for the parents: get these (future) criminals away from my future engineer. That is what is happening. How about this? Hire a school resource officer who has the ability to bring that kid out of the classroom (physical restraints are legal for out of control citizens) until he is ready to re-enter and act like a student.
@Bill Reid. I have been busy this weekend and haven’t had a chance to do anything but work in my greenhouse and attend birthday party. Please feel free to contact me via my email posted on the schools website and I will gladly answer any questions you have regarding this program as best I can. As I will for anyone else. There isn’t enough time to put it all in a comment on here.
Zooey – special education requires a diagnosis, and in order to prevent abuse (putting kids in special ed who don’t belong) there are strict legal guidelines. Bad behavior does not equal a diagnosis for special education. Some of these kids eventually receive one, many do not. If the administration and teachers could do that, they would – and when they can, they do.
The teachers and principals did a lot of research in designing this program, and described how they plan to implement it (with a few logistical details to figure out). They looked at what other schools are doing, and I think made a compelling case. I understand Bob’s concern and many of us were hesitant to create a program. For me, talking with teachers, ed techs, and hearing more stories of what’s happening – and looking at the info from the principals, I decided that I’m convinced this will benefit students currently affected by these kids. I hope voters consider that info, but obviously it’s up to the voters at this point.
Bill – you’re absolutely right about the jargon. I’m not sure why these terms get invented, but the one I laughed at was elopement – which means running out of class (but not to get married…)
So, here we are about to vote on a half a million dollar program for sixteen children.
All of you who think this PALS program is a great idea should ask (1) are there alternatives and (2) Are there downsides to this program (there are.) Twenty states allow corporal punishment.
Please do some independent research. Search the internet for “Benefits of corporal punishment in schools.”
There are some good points there to consider. We have to be responsible citizens in RSU9 land and not just agree to every expensive scheme the school presents. Corporal punishment could very well have a place, probably limited, for school discipline in our state.
One day from voting and I still have not gotten any feedback on the questions I posed regarding the PALS operational process.
How about just an outline covering the first day through graduation.
Metrics of success?
Here is a question that occurred to me in the wee small hours of this morning. What do we do with a student we send off to the PALS classroom who continues to act out, disrupts, is violent or causes threats to his or her other PALS students? Is there yet another place to send him or her?
Bill Reid- you cannot physically engage with students, if they won’t listen and you can’t get them to leave you have to have EVERYONE else leave for their safety. It’s pretty sad that it had come to this, either it’s adults not handling themselves right or its parents being on their high horse and not understanding what really needs to be done. This program sounds like a great way to help ALL students by teaching children how to handle themselves and not having other classrooms disrupted.
I was originally assuming that a PALS program was an established program nationwide that the district was going to implement. My wife and I had been wondering the success rate of the program. Lo and behold, that is not the case. It looks as if, the benevolent leaders of RSU 9 have created their own program. What could ever go wrong?
They are asking the taxpayers to fund $460,000 for a program that has not previously existed. My guess would be next year at budget time, more money will be asked for because it was underfunded.
So, $460,000 for a program that has no known success/failure rate or previosuly utilized guidelines? I would love to know more about the research that was done to create this program? Have other programs been successful? What are their success rates for kids to be reintegrated back into the classroom? Do those kids stay in the regular classroom permanently? Or is there a revolving door? Who is going to determine if this program is effective? Hopefully, not the SAME people who have the incentive to keep it funded (ie. People that will lose their jobs if it isn’t successful)
It is our duty as taxpayers to question. It doesn’t make us anti-education. We want our tax dollars to go to something that is effective, not to a school district/ board that in essence is saying, Just trust us with your money. We also owe it to the children in this program who will basically be used as guinea pigs.
More money does not automatically equal a great education as the Vote Yes signs say.
This whole dysfunctional thig is a cop out, kids should be discipled at home, then at school.
The PALs program is not for 16 children. It is for the hundreds of children who have had their classrooms emptied regularly, and have had to deal with an out of control child who takes the time of teachers and administrators.
For those who question it, I really wish you’d have seen the two presentations by the principals, and their data and research (including comparisons to other programs nationwide). They also cut costs from their original proposal. It’s always easy to be against something new by saying “we don’t know for sure how it’ll work,” but in this case it is needed, and our education professionals have spent a lot of time and effort studying this, looking at what goes on elsewhere, and crafting a program that will work.
Many questions asked have already been answered in earlier articles, letters and comments. It’s frustrating to read accusations of lack of research and information when there has been so much – publicly shared at board meetings and beyond. If people want to oppose something it’s easy to simple question. But they’ve described the process, the goal of helping children quickly be able to reintegrate into the classroom, the comparison with other programs nationwide, and how this will work. This is an extremely well thought, detailed plan that has been openly shared and discussed. Sure, I get people deciding to oppose it, but not because of lack of information – the info is there!
Can you imagine all eight of these unruly students in one room? Oh will they have a ball, feeding on each others behaviors, seeing who can outdo the other, obviously not ready for school as the evidence reads, but after 2 presentations by staff the board approves this as a solution? I wonder what the turn-over of staff will be in this program and what their certification reads. I wonder if these kids will have lunch with the others or separate. Recess? Assembly? Sports? etc. A lot of questions arise about this program and if it doesn’t work……
@ Dulles and Bill Reid if you email me at jsillanpaa@mtbluersd.org I will give you my phone number and a time that I will be able to try and answer any questions you have regarding the PALS program.
Come on now Scott, Just because people are asking a few questions about the program, does not mean they are all in opposition to it.
We are just asking for some concrete examples of programs that are currently in place and have a track record for success.
If this concept was so thoroughly researched, why are answers to basic questions so hard for someone to provide??
Many school systems include options for an “Alternative School” for students who’s behaviors prevent them from being in a regular classroom.
RSU 9 does not have an “Alternative School”, PALS makes sense to me, rather then setting up a complete Alternative School at another locations.
Scott,
Can you provide the name of a similar program as a reference?
When the amount of time put into planning this program was discussed at the last meeting, I don’t remember thinking to myself, wow that’s a tremendous amount of time.
Again, 460,000 is a lot of money for setting up a program that “should” work.
Farmington resident, I’m at the airport in Boston ready to take a group to Germany, and all my materials for the school board info is back in Farmington, so maybe someone else can field this. The principals presented twice, and answered questions from the board; I’m convinced that it will work and is needed. We shouldn’t have classes being emptied and one disruptive child hurting the educational experience of a whole class – by definition that should stop. This was originally called “alternative education” because of the “alternate school” models that were investigated to design this, but I think to save money many aspects were modified. This isn’t an issue only we are facing – it’s happening all over the country. I sometimes wonder if all the chemicals put in foods and other products may not be having a negative influence on developing minds.
Scott, I agree with your comment “We shouldn’t have classes being emptied and one disruptive child hurting the educational experience of the whole class”…. So just remove the one kid…..