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Bedford School Group Takes Unique Approach To Special Education

BEDFORD, N.Y. -- The Bedford Special Education Parent-Teacher Organization takes a creative approach toward addressing an age-old problem.

Photo Credit: Edweek.org

The organization helps create awareness for children with special needs. Rather than discussions, Bedford SEPTO offers programs which put children into the shoes of special needs kids. The feedback is encouraging.

“For third-grade, we brought in a puppet show in which some of the puppeteers had disabilities,’’ said Katie Weisman, who was co-chair of Bedford SEPTO for eight years. “The children asked the puppets questions. They asked questions in a setting where they were comfortable.”

In fourth-grade, some students rode in wheelchairs and others felt what it was like to have a hearing impairment. Fifth-graders saw videos of students on the autism spectrum and broke into discussion groups.

“The idea is they get a personal perspective,’’ Weisman said. “They begin to think ‘What if I had this disability?’It makes them more sensitive to the special needs kids. It’s no different than raising awareness for racism. It’s just with a different group.”

Bedford SEPTO is a districtwide parent teacher group open to all families and staff in any school with an interest in special education opportunities and information. The organization provides a supportive environment for families and expands the resources available to families of children in the district with special needs. It also provides a forum for the exchange of ideas between parents, school personnel and community leaders.

Weisman, who has three teenage boys with autism, has been a key member of Bedford SEPTO since her sons started school. Millie Becker and Ruth Goldstein are now the co-chairs for the organization.

“We’re looking to reinvigorate some programs we’ve done in the past, and looking for new programs,’’ Weisman said.

Weisman is hoping to work with the district on curricular goals. She said the district, led by interim director for special education Ellen Garguilo, has done a good job in developing academic programs for special needs students.

“Still, there are some gaps over time,’’ Weisman said. “The range of special needs is so broad. How do you keep track of what the child learned? For a student going from first to second grade, it’s pretty standard throughout the district. But it’s much harder to follow with special education students who may be in a variety of settings."

With budgets getting tighter for school districts everywhere, school staff members find larger caseloads and extras get eliminated. “We are starting to fundraise and look for grants to help fill in some of the missing pieces,” said Weisman. “We invite the community to get involved in the process.”

Weisman said there are about 400 children in Bedford with Individual Education Plans, though not all are in special education classes.

For more information on meeting dates and services, visit the Bedford SEPTO website.

 

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