LMA Connections Blog

Thanks to Eli’s Mobil Store at Breton and Burton, Lake Michigan Academy has been awarded a $750 ExxonMobil Educational Alliance grant for our Science Program. Funded by the ExxonMobil Corporation, the ExxonMobil Educational Alliance program is designed to provide Mobil Retailers like J & H Family Stores with an opportunity to invest in teh future of their ccommunities through educational grants to neighborhood schools.

How is LMA different? How can you tell when different is “better”? Our kids move often. Helping them learn how to harness this energy is one of the areas in which we focus. Seating options, fidget tools, movement breaks, etc…  these are important tools for helping children develop strategies for learning.  “Getting Kids Moving in School” shows that this is gaining national attention!

MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special Education and
Early Intervention Services will conduct public hearings to receive
comment on the following proposed administrative rules and documents:

Special Education Programs and Services Administrative Rules
(2009-043ED)
Criteria for Specific Learning Disabilities
Nonpublic Services Plan

The rules are promulgated by the authority conferred on the
superintendent of public instruction by sections 1701 and 1703 of 1976
PA 451, MCL 380.1701 and MCL 380.1703, and Executive Reorganization
Order Nos. 1996-6 and 1996-7, MCL 388.993 and MCL 388.994. The
proposed changes will bring the administrative rules into alignment
with the reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and
update outdated language.

In addition, the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic
Growth, State Office of Administrative Hearings and Rules will conduct
public hearings to receive public comments on the following proposed
administrative rule:

Due Process Procedures for Special Education (2009-049ED)

The rule is promulgated by authority conferred on the State Office of
Administrative Hearings and Rules by sections 1701 and 1703 of 1976 PA
451, MCL 380.1701 and 380.1703, and Executive Order 2005-1, MCL
445.2021. Rule 340.1883(3) contains an incorrect rule reference. The
current subrule references Rule 340.1881, a rule that was rescinded in
2005. Hence, this subrule must be amended to reflect the correct
reference (R 340.1724f).

The proposed rules are accessible on the Michigan Department of
Education, Office of Special Education and Early Intervention Services
Web site at www.michigan.gov/ose-eis under “Spotlight.” These rules
are published in the November 15, 2009, Michigan Register. The rules
are proposed to take effect upon the filing with the Secretary of State.

Public hearings for both rule sets will be held at the following sites:

Tuesday, December 1, 2009 from 3:30 – 8:00 p.m. at Wayne State
University Law School, Spencer M. Partrich Auditorium, 471 W. Palmer,
Detroit, Michigan 49202; and Wednesday, December 2, 2009 from 3:30 –
8:00 p.m. at Ingham Intermediate School District, Thorburn Education
Center, Conference Rooms B & C, 2630 West Howell Road, Mason, Michigan
48854.

Oral or written comment may be presented in person at the hearing or
submitted in writing by mail, e-mail, or facsimile no later than 5:00
p.m., December 18, 2009. All comment will be reviewed and considered
in the final version of the rules. Comments may be submitted to the
following:

Public Comment
Office of Special Education and Early Intervention Services
Michigan Department of Education
P.O. Box 30008
Lansing, MI 48909
Email: mde-ose@michigan.gov
Fax: 517-373-7504.

If special accommodations are needed to participate in the public
hearings, contact Meredith Hines at 517-373-0924 or email at hinesm@michigan.gov
by November 16, 2009.

What are skills you need to be successful? Some suggestions from LMA high school students were started on the wikispace: Student Skills.

Last week, Middle School and Junior High Teachers took students to experience the Grand Opening of the new Barnes and Noble store on 28th St. WZZM covered this event and some of our students contributed to their piece. You can view the video at this link:   Barnes and Noble Opening.

ArtPrize artist Jason Hackenwerth visited LMA on October 7! Hackenwerth is a current resident of New York City whose art is designed to “[break] down barriers between contemporary art and modern life”.  Lower School students enjoyed his afternoon presentation and all of us have been able to enjoy the sculpture he left behind for our enjoyment. If you have not seen it displayed in the main entry, be sure to stop in over the next week or so while it is still around!

Stay tuned: Junior High reporters will be publishing additional information about this amazing artist on Connections and in their first issue coming soon!

I have received information through LDA of Michigan about a workshop for parents being held in the Grandville area in September.

How to Meet the Needs of the Siblings of Children with Special Needs Workshop

• Do you have a child with special needs, and other children as well?

• Does your child’s special needs take up a lot of your time, energy, focus and

concern?

·  Do you want to be absolutely certain that the siblings’ needs are also met?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, we invite you to attend a free workshop that focuses on the siblings of your special-needs child.  In this workshop, Kimberly Gleason, a life coach, former teacher, and mother of 5 children (3 with special needs), will help you to

¨  determine what your children’s most critical needs are

¨  evaluate how those needs are or are not being met

¨  create an action plan for meeting those needs

Come for laughter, insight, group discussion, and plenty of support!  Child care is provided at no cost.  Please call or e-mail to register, leaving your name, contact information, and number of children needing childcare.

About Kimberly After growing up in Alaska, graduating summa cum laude with a BA in English and minor in psychology, and teaching high school English, Kimberly Gleason moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan.  A few years later, she decided to pursue her passion, which is people, specifically to see people live out lives full of joy and purpose.  Consequently, she is a personal life coach and owner of Coaching for Life Purpose, schooled at the Institute for Life Coach Training.  She is also a workshop facilitator and member of the Professional Coaches Association of Michigan.

Date: Mon, Sept. 21, 2009

Time: 9:30-11 a.m.

Location: Mars Hill Church

-go in the office (not church)

doors, located behind Brann’s

Steakhouse Restaurant

Workshop Outline

• Introductions / Icebreaker

• Objectives of the workshop

- To determine the specific needs of the siblings, in order of importance to the child

-To evaluate whether or not those needs are being met

-To explore the possible consequences of unmet needs

-To identify the benefits of needs that are met

-To create an action plan/timeframe for meeting the needs of each child

-To consider an accountability or support system

• Discuss needs

- List all children’s needs

- Determine your children’s specific and critical needs

- Evaluate how your children’s needs are (or are not) being met

• Create a Vision

- Explore the possible consequences of a child’s needs not being met

- Discuss the benefits of having a child’s needs met

• Make an Action Plan / Timeline for meeting those needs

• Accountability and Support System

- Discuss accountability and support system possibilities

• Conclusion

- Questions / Answers

- Support and encouragement

- Evaluation forms

For more information, please contact:

Kimberly Gleason

Coaching for Life Purpose

www.coachingforlifepurpose.com

kgleason777@yahoo.com

What does it take to teach at LMA? LMA is a learning community, but what does that mean for our teachers? Why do I love my job? (I can’t help but add that last one!)

Here is a summary of what it means to teach at Lake Michigan Academy:

Teaching at Lake Michigan Academy
The mission of Lake Michigan Academy is to promote quality education, academic excellence and individual achievement for students with learning disabilities.

We begin with the premise that not all teachers should be special ed, or even LD endorsed, but all should have solid training, once hired, on effective methods for our students.

Our ultimate goal is to teach our students to compensate for their learning disabilities by utilizing appropriate coping skills as they learn to advocate for themselves.

LMA teachers address both the academic and social/emotional needs of students through a small teacher to student ratio and working as an educational community with other staff members, students, parents, and our surrounding communities.

We believe that students should experience success, learn to deal with failure without fear, and develop a sense of responsibility for their own actions within a structured atmosphere. Our teachers facilitate these successes.

We believe that learning is an active, transformative experience, and the best learning methods are therefore experiential through many different senses (visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile).

We believe that learning should be given a context and a purpose, with a structured sequence of lessons that frame the learning and build abstract thinking.

Literacy is at the core of our curriculum and addressed in every class.

Our teachers are supported to develop as educational professionals.
• Exposure to and support for exploration of current educational research.
• Freedom and support to develop curriculum that meets the needs of their students and allows both teacher and students to grow as lifelong learners.
• Training and support in a variety of research-based instructional methods.
• Opportunities to attend and/or present at professional conferences.

As need for support for students with learning disabilities grows in West Michigan, Lake Michigan Academy is working to expand our programming options and enrollment to better address this need. As you know, Lake Michigan Academy is one of the best kept secrets in West Michigan and we are quite thankful for our parents and staff. Without all of you, we could not fulfill our mission and begin to meet this community need.

There is no question that the closer to the beginning of the year a student is enrolled at LMA the better. In light of this and to show our appreciation for your support and work in the community on our behalf, we have designed a Referral Program .
From August 10-November 1, 2009, current and previous parents are eligible for a Referral Award. Thank you all for your support of our program and of your children and thank you for sharing them with us!
Amy Barto
Executive Director

Fall Referral Program Details as Outlined by Lake Michigan Academy Board of Directors, August 2009

Lake Michigan Academy
Award Program for referring Qualified and Enrolled NEW students to LMA
Effective Dates August 10 – November 1, 2009

Purpose —-
• To spread the word about the uniqueness, quality and focus of the school programs.
• To find more eligible students to be served.
• To increase enrollment, which will allow more funds for school programs.

Referral Fee ———-
• Any eligible person, that refers a new, qualified, enrolled, and tuition paid student to LMA will receive a referral fee.
• For full time student the fee is $ 600, for part time student the fee is $ 450.
• This referral fee only applies to the regular school year enrollment and not summer sessions.

Eligibility – - – -
• Eligible recipients include: Current school year full time and part time LMA teachers, current student parents, and previous student parents (with paid accounts).
• Non eligible recipients include; Board members, Executive Director, Summer Director, Office manager, contracted staff, and non-LMA related persons.
• Eligible dates for referred student enrollment are August 11, 2009 through November 1, 2009. (At the sole discretion of the Board, these dates may be extended). Referrals received prior to August are not eligible.
• Eligible children include; Siblings of current students (but must meet assessment qualifications), children of current LMA teachers and staff (but must meet assessment qualifications).
• Non eligible children include; summer program students, previously enrolled students, currently enrolled students.

Payments —-
• The referral fee award will be paid in two parts – half for the first enrolled semester and half for the second enrolled semester. In the event of only one semester enrollment, only half of the fee will be paid. In the event of withdrawal no referral fee will be paid.
• The referral fee will only be paid after the tuition is paid. Referral fee payment dates will be determined by the school administration staff based on schedule of tuition payment receipts.
• Payment to parents of current students (including teachers and staff) will have the fee deducted from their student’s tuition. Eligible recipients without students will receive check payment (subject to IRS regulations) on the same schedule noted above.

Student Qualification ——
• Any potential student referred as part of this program must go through a complete and usual assessment and be qualified according to the usual and customary standards.
• The qualifications are completely and only determined by the Executive Director – Amy Barto.
• Required application paperwork or external assessment documents must be properly, timely and completely supplied.
• In the event of multiple referrals of the same enrolled student, the first referral source will receive the referral fee.
• In the event of more than 25 referrals (or unforeseen circumstances), the board has the right to discontinue accepting referrals due to the time required to properly assess the potential students.
• In the event that the school enrollment exceeds 50 students, the board has the right to discontinue enrolling referrals (whether or not qualified) in order to maintain the proper quality of instruction, space allotment and teacher/student ratios.
• In the event of disagreement about the qualifications of a referral or eligible recipient of the referral fee, or payment of a referral fee, the Board of Directors will make the determination and their decision is final.