School Officials: Special Ed Move Will Mean Smaller Classes, More Chances

Brick school district officials made their case to a group of parents of special education students Monday night, pledging that moving Emma Havens Young Elementary School special ed students to Osbornville Elementary School would lead to smaller class sizes, more opportunities to expose students to mainstream classrooms and increased technology in the program.

"At Emma Havens, the class sizes are already 24 or 25, so we add three more kids, we have 28 kids in a room," explained Superintendent Dr. Walter Uszenski to a group of about 40 parents.

At Osbornville, just down the road, class sizes are smaller, so when special education students have the opportunity to take mainstream classes with their regular education counterparts, they can do so in a smaller and more comfortable setting, Uszenski said.

Some parents had complained that the move from one school to another could upset their children. Parents lashed out at school administrators at a recent Board of Education meeting over the change, but Monday night's meeting was relatively calm.

"Out of all our schools, [Osbornville] has the most assistive technology," said Andrew J. Morgan, Interim Manager for Special Services in the Brick district.

The school, recently renovated, is equipped with interactive Smart Boards and other technologies that can combine lessons during the day, he said.

In the case that some children may be uncomfortable with the move, Morgan said it would be mitigated by a transition plan that will be put into place that will not only include the same teachers, therapists and staff members moving to Osbornville, but even an orientation scheduled for next week that will include a bus run so students can get used to their new route.

"We're not going to have someone new come in and learn about your child," said Morgan. "There will be continuity."

"The plans are actually an excellent opportunity for all your children," said Brenda Calderone, the president of the Special Education PTA, who was an early critic of the plan.

"I wouldn't just say that, as I have a special needs child. I wanted him to have the opportunity to be with typical kids. His opportunity was limited because he was being put into a mainstream classroom with 30 kids," Calderone said. "When I heard that your kids would have this opportunity to be mainstreamed into a classroom with maybe 15 kids, I thought, 'wow, what an opportunity this is.'"

Some parents at the meeting complained about a lack of communication from district officials as the plan was being developed. An online petition incorrectly stated that special ed children would be sent to a "segregated basement" at Osbornville. In fact, the special ed classes will be on the main floor of the building.

Uszenski said rumors about where students would be taught flew before district officials even made the final determination, and some of those rumors could be traced back to staff members.

"Anyone who spread rumors will be reprimanded according to board policy," he said.

All of Osbornville's students should be comfortable when they return to school in September, officials said. The school has new floors, new drop ceilings, and its first level has been renovated and remodeled.