PERC at Overbrook School for the Blind

Therapist Claire Ricker Dies

2010-08-20T08:03:00.000-07:00

Claire Ricker, a therapist for many years at OSB, who treated so many of our children at one point or another passed earlier this week. Please see obituary below, and regrets -- JD

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/philly/obituary.aspx?n=claire-m-ricker&pid=144779744

IEP checklist app for iPhone

2010-02-03T08:14:00.000-08:00

There is a new iPhone app to help us and other prepare and track IEP goals, link below, you'll need iPhone (maybe iTouch, not sure) and iTunes to get the app, I have not even seen it run let alone test it, and no word about other platforms -- thanks to Jerry Kitzhoffer and Jackie Brennan for the notice -- JD

The Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC) has developed an Individualized Education Program (IEP) Checklist iPhone application. The IEP is an individualized program designed to support the educational needs of school aged students with disabilities. The IEP app is offered free of charge. To download the IEP Checklist app, visit the Apple iTunes store, and type IEP Checklist in the search box, or use this link:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/iep-checklist/id348702423?mt=8

Feb 6, 2010: Estate Planning in Chestnut Hill

2010-02-02T12:47:00.000-08:00

On February 6 SPEC welcomes Hillary Freeman, Attorney with the law firm Hinkle, Fingles & Prior. The firm has many years of experience providing expert counsel and legal services to families of people with disabilities. She will introduce the topics of estate planning, guardianship and special needs trusts – what every parent should know in order to avoid mistakes when planning for your child’s financial future.

http://specialparents-exceptionalchildren.blogspot.com/2010/01/feb-6-2010-estate-planning.html

No RSVP is necessary. Light refreshments will be served from 12:30 TO 1:00. Parking is available at the lot behind Top of the Hill Plaza, entrance on Bethlehem Pike. The Library is close to the terminus of the 23, L and 94 buses and the final stops of the R8 and R7 train lines.

Get information about support services!

2009-12-03T10:53:00.000-08:00

Saturday, December 5, 2009
1:00 – 3:00 pm
Chestnut Hill Library, 8711 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia*
Speaker: JOE SCULLIN
Director of Community Social Services, UCP

We welcome Joe Scullin, a longtime parent advocate and expert on social services available to children with special needs. He will discuss appeals, grievances and complaints with systems and services for individuals with disabilities. He will also answer questions about waivers, Medicaid, and special education. Bring your questions! Come at 12:30 for light refreshments and to meet other parents. We will start the presentation promptly at 1:00.

Other meetings and information about SPEC is found at the SPEC website.

Calling all Parents and Teachers ...

2009-11-17T09:04:00.000-08:00

P.E.R.C. Meeting

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

6:00pm in the Nevil Center Conference Room

What is PERC? We are the Home & School Association or PTA, if you will, here at Overbrook. We are here for you and your child. Let’s work together to help our children succeed. We invite all Overbrook parents and educators to join us in our quest for our children to have the best!

Going Green

2009-10-19T18:26:00.000-07:00

Overbrook Parents are always proud of the School, but now we can even brag about being the first school in the country to go "Platinum Green" -- see this story in the BizJournal for details -- in short, ...

"Overbrook School is the first and only school in the country to receive platinum, the highest level achievable, for an aquatic center — an $11 million, 25,000-square-foot center designed to allow blind students to safely enjoy water activities."

Also noted in the AIA News -- I wonder if I can get my next car in platinum green? -- JD

Advocacy Request from the Director

2009-07-02T12:25:00.000-07:00

Dear Friend and Supporter of Overbrook School for the Blind,

We are asking you to contact your state representative and state senator via email, letter or telephone to ask for their help in amending Act 70, the Act that provides for Overbrook’s state appropriation funding.

PA House Bill 1665 provides special funding guidance for PA approved private schools (including the four chartered school for the deaf and blind, which includes my daughter's school :-) -- please contact your representatives and let them know how important it is to support this legislation (as well as your family and friends); you can determine your state senator’s and representative’s contact information by clicking on the following link and putting in your home address: www.congress.org -- some points to consider:

H.B. 1665 is important to schools that educate children with disabilities because it will help our school to keep up with the funding for special education and basic education. Both basic and special education are likely to have significant increases for 2009-10 because of federal stimulus dollars, which can’t be used for the Approved Private School for the Children with Disabilities. Because the increase for special education is from federal dollars, the line item for special education this year is flat lined. This means that in 2010-11 there will be no increase for our school, unless H.B. 1665 is enacted.
Our Approved Private Schools teach children with the most severe and complex disabilities – students who come with a variety of disabilities and in many cases, multiple disabilities. A student population with one or more complex and severe disabilities means higher costs to educate.
The bill applies only to those fiscal years in which special education is flat lined. In such a year, the increase for our school would be the average percentage of the increases for special and basic education in the last year in which there was an increase for special and basic education.
H.B. 1665 will require no funding for 2009-10 as our appropriation for the 2009-10 is based on last year’s special education line item.
(When communicating with Democratic House members) – “ Please tell Appropriations Chair Dwight Evans and your floor leadership, Majority Leader Eachus and Speaker McCall that you would like H.B. 1665 amended into the omnibus school code bill that will pass with the budget.”
(When communicating with Republican House members) - “Please tell Appropriations leader Mario Civera and your floor leader, Sam Smith, that you want H.B. 1665 amended into the omnibus school code bill that passes with the budget.”

INFORMATION FOR CONTACTING YOUR STATE SENATOR FOLLOWS AND IS LIKE THE ABOVE EXCEPT THAT IT REFERS TO THE SENATE BILL.

SUGGESTED LETTER/CONVERSATION POINTS FOR STATE SENATORS – REFERS TO SENATE BILL (S.B.) # 982

S. B. 982 is important to our approved private schools for children with disabilities because it will help our school keep up with the funding for special education and basic education. Both basic and special education are likely to have significant increases for 2009-10 because of federal stimulus dollars, which can’t be used for our Chartered School for the Deaf and Blind and for the Approved Private School for the Disabled. Because the increase for special education is from federal dollars, the line item for special education this year is flat lined. This means that in 2010-11 there will be no increase for our school, unless S. B. 982 is enacted.
Our Chartered Schools and the Approved Private Schools teach children with the most severe and complex disabilities – students who come with a variety of disabilities and in many cases, multiple disabilities. A student population with one or more complex and severe disabilities means higher costs to educate.
The bill applies only to those fiscal years in which special education is flat lined. In such a year, the increase for our school would be the average percentage of the increases for special and basic education in the last year in which there was an increase for special and basic education.
S. B. 982 will require no funding for 2009-10 as our appropriation for the 2009-10 is based on last year’s special education line item.
(When communicating with Republican Senate members) - “Please tell Appropriations leader Jake Corman, Education Committee Chair Jeffrey Piccola, and your floor leader Dominic Pileggi, that you want S. B. 982 amended into the omnibus school code bill that passes with the budget.”
(When communicating with Democratic Senate members) – “ Please tell Appropriations Chair Jay Costa and your floor leader Robert Mellow that you would like S.B. 982 amended into the omnibus school code bill that will pass with the budget.”

Thank you for your help with this. Your efforts to assist us in this time of need are most appreciated by all at Overbrook School for the Blind. We will let you know the outcome of your efforts!

Sincerely,

Gerald Kitzhoffer

Director

Jun 22: Golf Tournament 2009

2009-06-02T11:06:00.000-07:00

Please pass the word, the 2009 Golf Tourney is accepting registrations for golfers, as well as sponsors and other publicity opportunities, contacts below -- JD

PERC Golf Tournament 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Torresdale-Frankford Country Club
Frankford and Grant Avenues, Philadelphia, PA

Schedule:

10:30 am registration
11:00 am Bar-B-Q lunch at the clubhouse
12:30 pm Scramble tee-off (Best Ball)
6:00 pm Cocktails and Buffet Dinner

Donation: $275
Golf Attire Required

Sponsorship Contact:
Kathe Archibald
Karchibald@obs.org
215.877.0313 x264

Welcome to the PERC Blog!

2009-05-28T08:23:00.000-07:00

Hello, and welcome to our new blog!

We hope that this tool can help family and friends of the Overbrook School for the Blind in Philadelphia, PA to communicate and support the School.

Please feel encouraged to participate, it's a great school!

- JD