Topic: Work Session/Committees/Special Board Mtg. - Jan. 30, 2023
Time: Jan 30, 2023 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Executive Summary
This item will go to the Special Board meeting on 1.30.2023 following the committee meetings.
Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Ukeru is a crisis management technique rooted in the belief that the use of physical restraints is unnecessary and unproductive. Ukeru believes that all intervention - educational and behavioral - should be built on an approach of comfort rather than control. Ukeru is hands off response to respond to crisis management of student behavior. Ukeru centers on a philosophy of comfort vs. control: (a) using a trauma-informed approach to create a supportive, caregiving environment sensitive to clients' past experiences of violence and victimization; (B) helps individuals thrive in the least restrictive environment consistent with achieving the best outcome; and (c) achieves the greatest impact with the least amount of disruption to an individual's return.
GRAFTON will provide training in GRAFTON’s course (the “Course”) entitled “Ukeru®: The “Least Resistance” Approach to Crisis Intervention Training” to 3 participants for Ukeru train-the-trainer initial certification and 6 participants for Ukeru train-the-trainer recertification of WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT who have been designated by WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. The training will be held on March 29 & 30, 2023 at 6820 Market Street, Russell, PA 16345.
Purpose
The Board adopts this policy to ensure that individuals with disabilities are permitted to participate in and benefit from district programs, activities, and services, and to ensure that the district does not discriminate on the basis of disability.
Three federal statutes impact the analysis of when or if a student with a disability has the right to bring a service animal to school: Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
In accordance with this Policy, the District shall permit students and other individual with disabilities to use service animals in District buildings; on District property; and on vehicles that are owned, leased or controlled by the District, upon request and submission of required documentation. “Service animal” as used herein shall mean any dog individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability.
Definition
Service animal means any dog individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability.
Miniature horses also may be utilized as service animals if: , as determined on a case-by-case basis, if all of the following apply:
1. The miniature horse is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability;
2. The facility can accommodate the type, size and weight of the miniature horse;
3. The owner and/or handler has sufficient control of the miniature horse;
4. 3. The presence of the miniature horse does not compromise the safe operation of the facility.; and
5. The miniature horse is housebroken.
The work or tasks performed by a service animal shall be directly related to the individual’s disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing nonviolent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors.
The provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship does not constitute work or tasks for the purpose of this definition.
Per Title II of the ADA, the Board shall permit individuals with disabilities, in accordance with this policy, to use service animals in district buildings; on district property; and on vehicles that are owned, leased or controlled by the school district, when the service animal is “required” for the individual with a disability “because of the disability” and when the animal is “individually trained” to do work or perform tasks for the individual with a disability. The work or tasks performed by the service animal must be directly related to the individual’s disability.
Admission Of Service Animals To Schools
A student or an employee with a disability may submit a request to bring a service animal to school for educational or employment purposes. A student or employee seeking to bring a service animal to school must comply with the requirements as set forth in this policy and any administrative regulations governing this issue.
Parents/Guardians of students with disabilities may submit a request to the building principal for their student to bring a service animal to school. The building principal shall forward the request (a) to the Director of Pupil Services; (b) if the student has previously been identified as an eligible student under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504”) or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”), to the student’s 504 Team or IEP Team; and (c) if the student has not previously been identified as an eligible student under Section 504 or IDEA, to the District’s special education department for a determination whether the student should be evaluated for eligibility under Section 504 or IDEA.
Upon receipt of the request, the building principal shall provide a copy of this Service Animal Policy to the student and parents/guardians of the student.
Before a service animal shall be allowed in a district building, or on district property or vehicles, the district is authorized to make the following inquiries to the owner or handler of the animal:
1. Whether the service animal is required because of a disability.
2. Description of the work or task the service animal is trained to perform in relation to the individual’s disability.
3. Proof of current state and/or local required vaccinations, and immunizations of the animal. Updated proof of vaccinations and immunizations shall be supplied to the District on an annual basis.
If the student provides the above requisite information to show the student is entitled to bring a service animal to school under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the District shall take the following actions:
1. If the student was previously identified under Section 504 or IDEA, convene the student’s 504 Team or IEP Team to conduct the following analyses:
a. If/when a parent requests the 504 or IEP Team to consider whether a student needs a service animal in order to receive FAPE or when a parent is requesting that the school supervise, care or control the service animal for the student, the relevant Team shall consider the parent’s request and make a determination whether it believes the service animal is necessary to provide FAPE to the student.
b. Even when the Team determines the service animal is not necessary to provide FAPE, the Team should nonetheless consider how or if the presence of the service animal in school may necessitate changes to the child’s IEP or 504 Plan. (Ex: presence of animal changes educational needs of child: if service animal reduces student’s physical aggression but increases student’s distractibility, Team will need to address this shift in behaviors).
c. Even when the Team determines the service animal is not necessary to provide FAPE, the Team should determine whether reasonable accommodations (within the meaning of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act) which do not fundamentally alter the nature of the program are necessary to allow the child to bring the service animal to school. The Team should consider that while the school is not required to provide staff support to care for or control a service animal, it should consider whether the school needs to provide reasonable accommodations in the nature of providing support to the student using a service animal as needed in a particular instance.
2. If the student was not previously identified under Section 504 or IDEA (and is not currently eligible under either of those statutes), a designee from the District’s special education department should meet with the building administrator and the student’s parents to discuss issues related to the student’s care and supervision of the service animal in school and whether it is necessary for the school to provide any reasonable accommodations or support to the student using a service animal as needed in a particular instance.
3. If, as a result of the student requesting to bring a service animal under Title II of the ADA, the student was subsequently evaluated under IDEA and/or Section 504 and found to be eligible under either of those statutes, the IEP or Section 504 team should be convened to consider the issues raised in Paragraphs 1a – 1c above.
In all cases, while the IEP or 504 team should document the student’s use of a service animal if a student is eligible under either of those statutes, the use of the animal under Title II is not contingent on the IEP/504 process and should not be delayed while waiting for the IEP or 504 process.
Admission Of Service Animals To Public Events
Individuals with disabilities may be accompanied by their service animals while on district property for events that are open to the general public. This right of access does not extend to the schools generally or to other activities that are not open to the general public.
School administrators may inquire of the owner or handler of an animal whether the animal is required because of a disability and the specific tasks that the animal has been trained to perform but shall not ask questions about an individual’s disability.
The district shall not require an owner or handler of a service animal to pay an extra charge for the animal to attend events for which a fee is charged.
The Superintendent or designee shall develop and disseminate administrative regulations to implement Board policy and accommodate individuals with disabilities requesting use of a service animal in district buildings and on district property and vehicles.
The designated administrator shall ensure that all individuals involved in a situation where a service animal will regularly accompany an individual in district buildings or on district property or vehicles are informed of the Board policy and administrative regulations governing this issue. Involved individuals can include administrators, appropriate employees, student and parent/guardian.
General Rules Applicable to Use of Service Animals:
The owner or handler of a service animal shall be solely responsible for:
1. Supervision and care of the animal, including any feeding, exercising, clean up and stain removal.
2. Control of the animal at all times through the use of a harness, leash, tether unless either the handler is unable because of a disability to use a harness, leash, or other tether, or the use of a harness, leash or other tether would interfere with the service animal’s safe, effective performance of work or tasks, in which case the service animal must be otherwise under the handler’s control (e.g., voice control, signals or other effective means).
3. Damage to district buildings, property and vehicles caused by the animal.
4. Injuries to students, employees, volunteers and visitors caused by the animal.
5. Annual submission of documentation of vaccinations and immunizations.
To avoid confusion or miscommunication, an individual accompanied by a service animal is encouraged (but is not required) to identify the animal by exhibiting one or more of the following: the animal's laminated identification card; the animal's service vest; or another form of identification showing the animal to be a service animal.
District administrators may exclude a service animal from district buildings, property and vehicles under the following circumstances:
1. If the animal is out of control and the owner or handler does not take effective action to control it. Examples of being out of control is if the service animal barks repeatedly resulting in disruption to a class or presentation or if the dog is aggressive to other students or staff.
2. If the service animal is not housebroken.
3. If the presence of the service animal would “fundamentally alter” the nature of the service, program or activity within the meaning of the ADA.
Any individual with a service animal who is aggrieved by a decision to exclude, limit or remove a service animal may appeal that decision in accordance with applicable Board policy. The appeal must be in writing, submitted to the Superintendent and provide detailed information regarding the basis of the appeal.
Use of Service Animal for Educational or Employment Purposes
An individual with a disability must submit a request to bring a service animal to school for educational or employment purposes. However, there is no automatic right to be accompanied by a service animal in the school setting. A student or employee seeking to bring a service animal to school must comply with the requirements as set forth in this policy and any administrative regulations governing this issue.
Before a service animal shall be allowed in a District building, or on District property or vehicles, the owner or handler of the animal shall submit to the building principal a written request and the following documentation from a certified professional:
1. Verification of the need for a service animal.
2. Description of the function(s) the service animal is expected to perform in relation to the individual’s disability.
3. Current license.
4. Current veterinary health certificate.
5. Proof of current vaccinations and immunizations of the service animal.
Use of Service Animal for Non-Educational and Non- Employment Purposes and for Public Events
Individuals with disabilities may be accompanied by their service animals while on District property for non-educational and non-employment purposes (e.g. while visiting a school) and for events that are open to the general public. In these instances, which are more likely to be temporary in nature, a written request (as outlined above) shall not be required. However, District personnel may inquire of the owner or handler of an animal whether the animal is a trained service animal and the specific tasks that the animal has been trained to perform. District personnel shall not ask questions about an individual’s disability, and the District shall not require an owner or handler of a service animal to pay an extra charge for the animal to attend events for which a fee is charged.
Responsibilities of Owner or Handler of Service Animal
The owner or handler of a service animal shall be solely responsible for:
1. Supervision and care of the animal, including any feeding, exercising, clean up and stain removal.
2. Leashing and properly restraining the animal at all times.
3. Damages to District buildings, property and vehicles caused by the animal.
4. Injuries to students, employees, volunteers and visitors caused by the animal.
5. Submission of appropriate documentation to the District in accordance with this Policy.
Procedure for Service Animal Written Requests
When a written request is required, the Superintendent or his/her designee shall receive each completed written request by an individual with a disability to be accompanied by a service animal and respond to the request. With the exception of requiring documentation from a certified professional as indicated above, the District personnel shall not ask questions about an individual’s disability.
Exclusion of Service Animals
The District may exclude a service animal from District buildings, property and vehicles under the following circumstances:
1. Presence of the animal poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others.
2. Owner or handler is unable to control the animal.
3. Presence of the animal significantly disrupts or interferes with the educational process.
4. Presence of the animal would require a fundamental alteration to the program.
Implementation
The Superintendent or his/her designee shall develop a model written request form to be used in those instances when an employee or student desires to bring a service animal to school for educational or employment purposes. Additionally, the Superintendent or his/her designee shall develop administrative regulations to implement this Policy and to ensure that all individuals involved in a situation where a service animal will regularly accompany an owner or handler in District buildings or on District property or vehicles are informed of this Policy and the administrative regulations governing this issue.
Adoption Date - November 8, 2010
Revision Date - November 12, 2012, February ___, 2023
Revision Date -
Legal Reference - Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act – 29 U.S.C. Sec. 794 Americans with Disabilities Act – 42 U.S.C. Sec. 12101 et seq.
- Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability, Title 28, Code of Federal Regulations – 28 CFR Part 35, Part 36
- Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Regulations, Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations – 29 CFR Part 1630
- Pennsylvania Human Relations Act – 43 P.S. Sec 953
- Rabies Prevention and Control in Domestic Animals & Wildlife Act – 3 P.S. Sec 455.1 et seq.
Cross Reference -
Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Starting July 2022, the Office of Pupil Services implemented of the PAWSitive Support pilot program. In January 2023, the Office of Pupil Services released a survey to all WCSD employees and students to collect input about the PAWSitive Support program. The survey includes 1,536 responses.
The January 2023 survey yielded 1,536 responses. 75% of student respondents and 78% of staff respondents believe the PAWSitive Support has improved the school climate.
The January 2023 survey yielded 1,536 responses. 50% of student respondents and 53% of staff respondents believe the PAWSitive Support has enhanced social and emotional learning.
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Executive Summary