Since the last newsletter in December, much has happened on the legislative front. On January 20, 1998 the Joint Education Committee held its hearing on the Special Education Reform Bill H5220 at the State House. Several parents from Sharon attended this event and submitted testimony. A rally of parents, advocates, educators and children was held prior to the hearing. This rally was very moving and a dramatic backdrop to the main event of the day. Two parents from Sharon testified to the full committee and I believe this is an experience they will never forget! A special thank you and congratulations certainly are in order for Pam and Rick for their courage and their strong convictions that spoke for many.

The Sharon-Stoughton League of Women Voters is hosting a panel discussion on funding Special Education, called Show Us The Money. This is scheduled for Monday evening, February 23 at 7:30 PM at Stoughton Town Hall, which is located at 10 Pearl Street in Stoughton.

Parent Professional Advocacy League (PAL)
Boston, 800/537-0446
Norwood,
Carol Grimm, 781/376-7127

Developmental Disabilities Council
Boston, 617/727-6374

Office for Civil Rights-Education
Boston, 617/223-9692

Tourette Syndrome Association
Natick, 508/767-1010

Office on Disabilities
Boston, 800/322-2020

Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress
Melrose, 800/664-6372

The last Parent Connection was a parent to parent evening which was held on January 13. It was an informal gathering, in which much information was shared by the parents who came. We met new people and welcome them-Micky, Katherine, Brendon and Claudia. We hope the different programs that SSEPAC provides will reach as many parents as possible. Be it a workshop, the resource library, a parent support evening, or a legislative meeting. Ongoing feedback from participants helps to keep the programs relevant, current, and responsive. Please continue providing SSEPAC with your opinions and ideas.

The next two Parent Connections are scheduled for March 10 and June 9. These will be on a Tuesday evening, from 7-9 PM, and are at the Sharon Middle School Library. Some hot topics, which may be discussed at the next Parent Connection, could include student records, legal issues, dissection of IEP's, school issues, family dynamics, etc. Better yet, bring your own hot topic!

Sensory Integration International
http://home.earthlink.net/
~sensoryint/

The National Parent Network on Disabilities
http://www.npnd.org

Special Education Resources
http://hood.edu/seri-home.htm

Sibling Support Project
http://www.chmc.org/departmt/
sibsupp

Richard's Page of Autism Links
http://members.tripod.com/
~RSaffran/

National Down Syndrome Society
http://www.ndss.org

SSEPAC will provide two scholarships each for:
LDAM Annual Conference, May 2

On February 9th, the Education Committee reported House Bill 5220 out of their committee and on to the House Ways and Means. House Bill 5220 was amended to include a study of the impact of changing from the maximum feasible benefit standard to the federal free and appropriate public education standard. This means that we have saved maximum feasible benefit...for now. The bill also included a sliding fee scale for independent evaluations, and a slight increase in funding for special education. House Bill 5220 also would require school districts to have Parent Advisory Councils for Special Education. You were heard! Congratulations! On the legislative call in day (January 15) both Senator Keating and Representative Kafka's offices received over 50 calls from Sharon residents. That really got their attention! For each of you who made those calls, thank you! It really made a difference.

Be aware that this is still a ways from being a done deal. The action of the Education Committee was only the first hurdle. The bill could be changed at any number of points along the way. Senator Keating has been most supportive of the issues concerning parents regarding this bill. If you can, call or write him a letter of thanks. All along this process, it may be necessary to mobilize and make calls to key legislators.

Again, we should all be proud of our efforts in protecting the educational rights of children with special needs, but please stay involved; the process is not finished! If you have not yet called our legislators, it is not too late. Help us educate them about these critical areas of special education:

1-Do not repeal "maximum feasible benefit"; it is necessary to first study harm to children and cost. 2-Independent evaluations are critical and should, at a minimum, include a sliding fee scale.

3-Additional state funding for special education is required; the bill proposes inadequate funding.

Is IQ destiny? Not nearly as much as we think. Daniel Goleman's fascinating and persuasive book argues that our view of human intelligence is far too narrow, ignoring a crucial range of abilities that matter immensely in terms of how we do in life.

Drawing on groundbreaking brain and behavioral research, Goleman shows the factors at work when people of high IQ flounder and those of modest IQ do surprisingly well. These factors add up to a different way of being smart--one he terms "emotional intelligence." Emotional intelligence includes self-awareness and impulse control, persistence, zeal and self-motivation, empathy and social deftness.

These are the qualities that mark people who excel in real life: whose intimate relationships flourish, who are stars in the workplace. These are also the hallmarks of character and self-discipline, of altruism and compassion-basic capacities needed if our society is to thrive.

People who wouldn't dream of blaming parents for a child's asthma or diabetes are often quick to blame bad parenting for a child's hyperactivity, depression, or school phobia. The parents, in turn, often blame their children, believing that they're lazy or rebellious. Even worse, the children with these psychological problems often blame themselves, convinced that they're just bad kids.

If your child has a psychological problem, you know the tremendous toll it can take on him or her-failure in school, low self-esteem, and unhappiness-and on the whole family. You are not alone. Some 7.5 million children and adolescents have a diagnosable mental disorder, such as AD(H)D, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, or other conditions. Dr. Koplewicz explains how neither parents nor children cause these problems. No one does. If your child has one of these "no fault" brain disorders, it is simply the result of "DNA Roulette"; your child's brain is wired differently.