Parents of Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 students who have significant disabilities can join a new support group designed to address concerns about the district’s special education programs.
Several parents asked the board last week to allow them more input on the scope of a pending audit of the district’s special education policies and programs.
Superintendent Laurie Heinz launched the examination of the district’s special education program after some parents objected to a proposal to have some students with disabilities start middle school one year early. District officials have since dropped that plan.
The first meeting of the parents’ group is scheduled to take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7 at Lincoln Middle School, 200 S. Lincoln Ave., Park Ridge.
Interim Director of Student Services Mike Padavic will attend that meeting, as will Heinz, district officials said. The meeting is designed to offer parents an “opportunity to brainstorm ideas for ways that District 64 can offer resources, networking opportunities and professional speakers at future meetings,” officials said in a statement.
Padavic, who has been with District 64 less than a month, said he would work “collaboratively” with parents and the board. He said he plans to turn over the district’s student services department “in great shape” to a permanent director.
Heinz told the board she planned to expand the search for a permanent student services director in the coming weeks, since she was not pleased with the number and quality of applicants.
Miki Tesija, whose son has Down syndrome and attends fourth grade at Field Elementary School, said she was pleased Padavic had met informally twice with groups of parents of special education students and called the newly formed support group a “great idea.”
However, Tesija — who led the effort by parents to push the District 64 board to prevent their children from having to start middle school a year early — said the board should form an official committee that includes parents of special education students to shape the scope of the audit and select a firm to conduct the work.
In December, Heinz said the audit would examine the district’s special education program and suggest ways to solve the “giant puzzle” of the district’s special education space, staffing and resource allocation.
Since Padavic replaced Jane Boyd, who left the district Dec. 1, Tesija said there had been some progress in improving relations with parents, but not enough.
Heinz said she and Padavic were working closely to select a firm to conduct an audit and determine its scope.
Tesija and other parents urged district administrators to consult with parents and develop a “mission statement” or list of goals while developing the scope of the audit and selecting a firm.
Board Vice President Richard Biagi said it appeared to him that Heinz and Padavic had settled on a scope of work for the audit and that the board would then be asked to “rubber stamp” the results.
“I don’t feel like we are part of this process,” Biagi said, adding that he thought the district should nail down its mission and goals for special education students before going forward. Biagi’s remarks were greeted with loud applause from the parents in the audience.
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“Before we start an audit, we need to know what’s needed,” said board Secretary Tom Sotos.
Heinz said she would update the board at its next regular meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 26 at Jefferson School, 8200 W. Greendale Ave.
Heather Cherone is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. Stacy St. Clair contributed.