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SSSD parents drop suit | Wilkes-Barre News | The Times Leader
The parents of three students at the former Scranton State School for the Deaf have officially withdrawn their suit, according to a representative in U.S. Judge Richard Conaboy’s office.
A hearing on the case was scheduled for Friday morning in federal court but has been canceled.
The suit was filed April 23 by attorney Drew Christian on behalf of parents of three students at SSSD to stop the implementation of a transition plan that has since been executed between the state Department of Education and the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf.
In a letter dated Tuesday to Conaboy, Christian said all of his clients’ concerns have been addressed in the transition plan. He said that determination was made after a review of several documents that were not previously disclosed when the suit was filed.
Christian’s clients were listed as Robert S., a minor, and D.S., individually and as parent and natural guardian of Robert S.; K.N., a minor, and M.N.K., as parent and natural guardian of K.N.; and R.S. and V.S., minors, and E.S., as a parent and natural guardian of R.S. and V.S.
Students who attended SSSD will continue learning at their current campus this fall when the school begins operating under the leadership of WPSD under a transition plan announced May 9 by the state.
Under the three-year transition plan, the Scranton campus will become a permanent day program for kindergarten through eighth-graders, and its residential program will be discontinued by the 2011-12 school year. After 2012, residential programs will be available only at the Pittsburgh area campus.
Day and residential programs will be continued through the 2009-10 school year for all grade levels, during which time WPSD will assess the Scranton campus and its students and programs.
SSSD’s high school grades will be phased out at the end of the 2010 school year. Any high school student who decides to continue attending the special education school will have to attend the Pittsburgh campus.
“We were confident the transition plan involving the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf would sufficiently address the concerns raised in the complaint,” said Mike Race, state Education Department spokesman. “We are glad the plaintiffs share our satisfaction with that plan. Now, all of us can move forward to ensure the deaf and hard of hearing students in the Scranton region will continue to receive the services and support they deserve. WPSD is committed to that goal, and so are we.”
Race said the agreement between the state and WPSD has been signed and was submitted to the federal court in Scranton as an exhibit. He said it is available to the public for review in the court’s docket system.
All SSSD employees will be furloughed June 30 when the state quits operating the school. WPSD Superintendent Donald Rhoten said there will be interviews of SSSD employees who are qualified and interested in working for the new school.
Ruth Gerrity, president of the SSSD Education Association, said staff members have been invited to apply for jobs with WPSD.
The state has estimated it will save $2 million this year when WPSD, a private charter school, takes over operations. That savings will increase to $2.5 million annually for 2010-12 school years.
The parents of three students at the former Scranton State School for the Deaf have officially withdrawn their suit, according to a representative in U.S. Judge Richard Conaboy’s office.
A hearing on the case was scheduled for Friday morning in federal court but has been canceled.
The suit was filed April 23 by attorney Drew Christian on behalf of parents of three students at SSSD to stop the implementation of a transition plan that has since been executed between the state Department of Education and the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf.
In a letter dated Tuesday to Conaboy, Christian said all of his clients’ concerns have been addressed in the transition plan. He said that determination was made after a review of several documents that were not previously disclosed when the suit was filed.
Christian’s clients were listed as Robert S., a minor, and D.S., individually and as parent and natural guardian of Robert S.; K.N., a minor, and M.N.K., as parent and natural guardian of K.N.; and R.S. and V.S., minors, and E.S., as a parent and natural guardian of R.S. and V.S.
Students who attended SSSD will continue learning at their current campus this fall when the school begins operating under the leadership of WPSD under a transition plan announced May 9 by the state.
Under the three-year transition plan, the Scranton campus will become a permanent day program for kindergarten through eighth-graders, and its residential program will be discontinued by the 2011-12 school year. After 2012, residential programs will be available only at the Pittsburgh area campus.
Day and residential programs will be continued through the 2009-10 school year for all grade levels, during which time WPSD will assess the Scranton campus and its students and programs.
SSSD’s high school grades will be phased out at the end of the 2010 school year. Any high school student who decides to continue attending the special education school will have to attend the Pittsburgh campus.
“We were confident the transition plan involving the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf would sufficiently address the concerns raised in the complaint,” said Mike Race, state Education Department spokesman. “We are glad the plaintiffs share our satisfaction with that plan. Now, all of us can move forward to ensure the deaf and hard of hearing students in the Scranton region will continue to receive the services and support they deserve. WPSD is committed to that goal, and so are we.”
Race said the agreement between the state and WPSD has been signed and was submitted to the federal court in Scranton as an exhibit. He said it is available to the public for review in the court’s docket system.
All SSSD employees will be furloughed June 30 when the state quits operating the school. WPSD Superintendent Donald Rhoten said there will be interviews of SSSD employees who are qualified and interested in working for the new school.
Ruth Gerrity, president of the SSSD Education Association, said staff members have been invited to apply for jobs with WPSD.
The state has estimated it will save $2 million this year when WPSD, a private charter school, takes over operations. That savings will increase to $2.5 million annually for 2010-12 school years.
