Miss-Delectable
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Messages
- 17,158
- Reaction score
- 7
State schools for blind, deaf seek public input | thenewsstar.com | The News Star
Together, the Louisiana School for the Deaf and the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired in Baton Rouge sustained more than $3 million in budget cuts in the past legislative session.
The cuts meant relocation of one school, consolidation of staff and sharing of some facilities, but Louisiana Special Schools Superintendent Kevin Lemoine wanted parents and concerned citizens to know the schools would be maintaining their individual identities and would be as strong as ever.
Lemoine and representatives from both schools were in town Thursday evening seeking public input on the future of the two schools.
Monroe's event, the fourth of eight town meetings around the state, was attended by parents of students and professionals with a vested interest in the success of both programs.
"We are here to provide information and communications that are essential for the future of our schools," Lemoine said.
Northeastern Louisiana has about 20 students who receive services at the residential facilities Monday through Friday and return home on the weekends.
Those in attendance Thursday contributed to the development of a five-year plan for each school that will be evaluated by the state Department of Education and compiled into a working document.
Lemoine said he plans to return to each community which has held a town meeting next summer with "measurable data" indicating the schools' progress toward the defined goals.
The Louisiana School for the Deaf was closed for nearly a month late last year following allegations of misconduct between staff and students in May and an incident between two students — one high school and one elementary — in September.
The state Department of Education and Superintendent Paul Pastorek made the decision to close the school after an internal investigation that began after the September incident indicated overall safety and security concerns at the facility.
The decision to temporarily close the facility was based on four factors, the incident between students, a determination that certain students may be a high risk of causing harm to themselves or other students, a report from two independent experts outlining its recommendations, and a meeting to analyze the capacity of the school to ensure safety that is at least equal to that of an ordinary school.
Pastorek also instituted an effort to improve safety at the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired following "incidents" at that school which he said "do not rise to the same level and frequency that led to the temporary suspension of services at the LSD".
Lemoine briefly addressed the incidents at the schools, saying that the schools would be taking a "proactive, rather than a reactive approach" to problems.
Together, the Louisiana School for the Deaf and the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired in Baton Rouge sustained more than $3 million in budget cuts in the past legislative session.
The cuts meant relocation of one school, consolidation of staff and sharing of some facilities, but Louisiana Special Schools Superintendent Kevin Lemoine wanted parents and concerned citizens to know the schools would be maintaining their individual identities and would be as strong as ever.
Lemoine and representatives from both schools were in town Thursday evening seeking public input on the future of the two schools.
Monroe's event, the fourth of eight town meetings around the state, was attended by parents of students and professionals with a vested interest in the success of both programs.
"We are here to provide information and communications that are essential for the future of our schools," Lemoine said.
Northeastern Louisiana has about 20 students who receive services at the residential facilities Monday through Friday and return home on the weekends.
Those in attendance Thursday contributed to the development of a five-year plan for each school that will be evaluated by the state Department of Education and compiled into a working document.
Lemoine said he plans to return to each community which has held a town meeting next summer with "measurable data" indicating the schools' progress toward the defined goals.
The Louisiana School for the Deaf was closed for nearly a month late last year following allegations of misconduct between staff and students in May and an incident between two students — one high school and one elementary — in September.
The state Department of Education and Superintendent Paul Pastorek made the decision to close the school after an internal investigation that began after the September incident indicated overall safety and security concerns at the facility.
The decision to temporarily close the facility was based on four factors, the incident between students, a determination that certain students may be a high risk of causing harm to themselves or other students, a report from two independent experts outlining its recommendations, and a meeting to analyze the capacity of the school to ensure safety that is at least equal to that of an ordinary school.
Pastorek also instituted an effort to improve safety at the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired following "incidents" at that school which he said "do not rise to the same level and frequency that led to the temporary suspension of services at the LSD".
Lemoine briefly addressed the incidents at the schools, saying that the schools would be taking a "proactive, rather than a reactive approach" to problems.