Dr W. Douglas Tynan, PhD, ABPP from A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children gave a great presentation on Behavior - see below for more.
Dr Tynan also recommended these websites as useful resources:

• Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL): http://csefel.uiuc.edu
• Incredible Years: http://www.incredibleyears.com
• Triple P Parenting: http://www.triplep.net. He called attention to Top 10 for Parents in particular.

• MaryAnn Marshall - Brandywood
• Ken Goodwin - P.S. Dupont
• Jim Grant - Darley Road
• Carol Norman - Carrcroft
• Betty Pinchin - Claymont
• Kris Viar - Bush EEC
• Holly Van Such - Forwood
• Joyce Skrobot - Mt. Pleasant Elem
• Ann Hilkert - SITE program

• There are two upcoming Wrightslaw conferences scheduled locally in the near future (See bsnpta.org Events page for more details):
• Two day Wrightslaw bootcamp April 7-8 (Fri-Sat) in Lancaster, PA.
• A shorter, one-day session on June 14, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at The Boardwalk Plaza Hotel in Rehoboth Beach. Registration fees are $49 for a parent; $79 for two parents (includes one set of two books); and $89 for professionals. For registration information, contact Yvonne Coleman, Parent Mentor Coordinator, The Arc of Delaware, at 302-378-4574 or yfcol@atlantic.net. Soon information will also be available on the Wrightslaw website at www.wrightslaw.com.



• Support is needed for House Concurrent Bill 48 - Analysis for Speech and Language Pathologists (SLP)
The purpose of the resolution is "...that a Task Force be created to examine issues surrounding the shortage of licensed Speech Language Pathologists in the State of Delaware..."
• Determine if there a shortage of SLPs - a fairly obvious to anyone who has tried to hire an SLP
• If there is a shortage, look for reasons why
• Consider if up a local SLP Masters program at aCollege or University in Delaware would help the situation
Please call or write your State Legislator to support this important initiative.


• State Joint Finance Committee meeting re: Education Funding

Three members from our PTA and a former BSD student gave testimony in the Senate Chambers in Legislative Hall during the Public Education hearing before the Joint Finance Council. Elizabeth Nowland captived the chamber with her stunning testimony. Elizabeth's mother - MaryAnn Nowland, Ellen Coulston and State Representative Greg Lavelle also offered testimony. Outside of the their testomony, very little of the discussion or funding was geared towards Special Education this year. For example, while there is funding for 10 new math specialists - because the DSTP math scores state-wide are so poor - there are 19 districts in the state. What is the likelihood that one of our particular kids will be helped substantially by a half-time math specialist in the district? We need more parents and students (self advocates) to present at JFC and other policy making venues. It is essential that parents keep the needs of Special Education in front of public officials at all levels.


• The State Department of Education (DOE) is proposing cutting the funding for 25-30 Pass Through programsbecause DOE does not control the spending. There is no guarantee this money will be put back into the budget elsewhere. Reading Assist is one of these programs. We need this PTA community of parents, teachers or administrators to contact Senator Nancy Cook or Representative Joe DiPinto and ask them to reinstate the $300,000 grant DOE usually awards to Reading Assist.



• The kick off for the District's Strategic Plan was March 23, 2005.
Among the questions that this planning process must address are:
• How will the District respond to the changing needs of students, staff, families and the community?
• What changes need to occur to ensure that every student graduates from high school well prepared to be a productive, responsible, well-rounded citizen within our changing society and workforce?
• What will it take to become "one of the best in the region"?



• To supply data for the decisions and goals of the Strategic plan, the district commissioned three studies from independent outside firms:
• Elementary Schools by National Center for Educational Accountability.

This report will be reviewed at a public meeting on Tuesday, April 11th at 7pm at the District Office.
• Middle and High Schools by Southern Regional Education Board.

This report will be reviewed at a public meeting on Monday, April 10th at 7pm at the District Office.
• Special Education by Stetson Associates - report expected the beginning of May. We'll be communicating information about the report, including when it will be presented to the public.
If parents have not completed the paper survey or the online survey, they should do this right away. Paper surveys should be mailed directly to Stetson and Associates, Inc., 13910 Champion Forest Drive, Suite 208, Houston, TX 77069; or complete the online survey at http://www.stetsonassociates.com/brandywine_parent.htm.



• There will not be an bBSNPTA meeting, because the district is hosting the disABILITIES EXPO 3 April 26 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Mt. Pleasant Elementary School, and BSNPTA wants to support this effort and encourage all members to attend.



• In lieu of a May meeting, we are encouraging all BSNPTA members and interested parties to attend the public review of the Stetson review on Special Education in the Brandywine School District. Once the time and date of this public review is established, we'll be sending out information.



• BSNPTA Executive Board member positions are up for re-election. Alex opened the floor to nominations. All current board members are running again for the same positions. Members can vote for executive board members by accessing the BSNPTA website. For those members without access to the website, a paper ballot will be mailed to them.



• Membership Chairman Ellen Coulston addressed the March 22, 2006, budget hearing meeting. She stated that, unlike last year’s meeting where parents and community members could prioritize budget issues, school district administration talked about how utilities costs were the major concern for the upcoming budget year. David Blowman, CFO highlighted areas that need cost containment because of impending utility costs. School security at the high schools was a topic discussed at length.



• Some highlights of the keynote presentation by Doug Tynan, Ph.D., ABPP, from A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children on "Using Rewards and Setting Limits Effectively: Breaking the Coercive Cycle" were:
• Following the presentation, participants will:
• Recognize the coercive patterns of behavior seen in oppositional disorders;
• Appreciate the diagnostic issues around Psychiatric diagnoses in preschool children;
• Recognize risk factors for disruptive behaviors; and
• Be able to formulate a Positive Behavior Intervention to increase desirable behaviors.
• Dr. Tynan stressed the importance of breaking the coercive cycle.
• To change child behavior, the adult response must change;
• When you are arguing with the child, you are no longer in charge - you are equals;
• Increase positive interactions, instead of noting the negative behavior and yelling at child. The trap that parents and teachers fall into is they don’t notice when the child is doing well. Praise them when they are being good.
• Increase positive interactions daily, and at a routine time;
• Designated play "special time;"
• Concept similar to Greenspan "floor time;"
• DO NOT teach or ask questions;
• Be there, comment, join in the play;
• Let the child set the pace
• Reward child when he does something that is difficult for him to do consistently. Rewards are not bribes.
• Meeting adjourned at 8:20 p.m.