Makin' WAVES at the Y

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Waves started at the Baxter Y yesterday. Swimming lessons for the disabled are not just fun, but essential. There isn't much available for our kids in the Summer, but this program always has a waiting list. Now, I know why.

It was amazing. A one-on-one lifeguard for each participant, participants of every age group and disability, and the incredible Y facilities are the recipe for the perfect Summer activity for autism. Non-member cost for the program is approximately 150.00. It runs for 8 weeks.

This Y also offers sensory motor sessions, but, sadly, there are never enough takers for the class to be held.

Decatur Township Keeps Superintendent

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There are somewhat conflicting reports tonight that Don Stinson has turned down a job offer in Alabama to stay in Decatur Township. The Indystar reported that he "felt his mission was here".  The conflict appears to be in the email to the Alabama school district who offered the position in which he cites personal reasons for staying in Indiana.

So, at the moment, the Governing Board remains the same.

A Study for Everything!

New Study on Juvenile Justice and Special Education

 

A must read for Indiana Residents

RISE Interlocal

This is copied from the report published on RISE Special Services website:

APPENDIX A

BASIC LEGAL STANDARDS FOR AN INTERLOCAL
Mr. David Day, Esq., Church, Church, Hittle & Antrim, offers the following information
dealing with the basic legal standards for providing services through a Joint Agreement
or an Interlocal Agreement.


TO:  WILLIAM DREIBELBIS

FROM:  DAVID DAY

DATE:  JULY 1, 2009

RE:  RISE AGREEMENT

RISE currently operates under a joint services and supply agreement that was last
updated a couple of years ago.  The statute authorizing joint service and supply
agreements essentially allows schools to exercise jointly any power that they could
exercise individually.  

IC 36-1-7 provides an alternative means for more than one political subdivision to
exercise jointly a power that they could exercise individually.  This statute authorizes
Indiana political subdivisions (this term includes school corporations) to enter into what
are called “interlocal agreements” to accomplish this goal. The interlocal agreement, like
the joint service and supply agreement, contains terms concerning the duration and
purpose of the enterprise, the manner of financing and staffing and the methods to be
employed in terminating the agreement.  In addition, the statute provides for a variety of
ways to administer the agreement including the creation of a separate legal entity.

Unlike a joint services and supply agreement, however, which must designate one of its
participating school corporations to administer and supervise the joint program, the
interlocal agreement can either (1) delegate funding authority to the treasurer of one of
its participants; or (2) create its own funding authority.  If the latter option is chosen, then
the agreement must be approved by the attorney general.  Also, because this interlocal
would carry out the authority that is subject to control by the state, the State Board of
Education would also have to approve the interlocal here.  Neither of these approvals
should present significant obstacles.

This poses some interesting questions because we could do this differently than we do now, but will we? Our current JS&S names Perry Township as the legal representative (and I understand why they'd run the other way from that), but it's possible to continue as we have begun. While it seems to be the intention of RISE administration to move to it's own legal entity, it isn't strictly necessary or necessarily the wish of all the townships to do so. 

My understanding was that we would have to become our own entity. That isn't exactly true. SO it makes me wonder who's leaning to what and when it will all be revealed. The politics of the Interlocal boggle the mind.

Don Stinson, looking for love?

Image by lemonad via Flickr

The local blog Had Enough Indy? reports that Dr. Don Stinson of Decatur Township is in the process of changing jobs. I'm pretty familiar with his attitude toward the special ed. students in the townships. We're back at square one when it comes to political jockeying and local interests because the likelihood is that a school board may want to find someone who will follow their own vision. Vision these days seems to be limited to cutting corners.


Special education in the townships is already highly political and contentious. With the interlocal storm brewing, it's a whole new Governing Board on the horizon for families in Perry, Beech Grove, Decatur and Franklin Townships. This is especially true if the school boards wash their hands of the interlocal and allow it to self-govern.