blindschoolnow

VIEU - Petition to STATE Government

To:  The Honourable Bronwyn Pike, Minister for Education in the State of Victoria

The Petition of the VA VIEU Sub-branch supported by the general public draws to the attention of The Honourable Bronwyn Pike, Minister for Education

that, with the sudden decision of Vision Australia to permanently close its school facility, dispense with its visiting teacher service, its staff of specialist teachers and its teacher aides at the end of 2009, the futures of many vision-impaired children with or without additional disabilities are in peril.

The RVIB School, now Vision Australia School, and its visiting teachers, have assisted generations of children who are blind or have low vision in reaching their potential, supported many through the integration process into mainstream schooling and provided training and help to many schools.

We understand that Vision Australia will not overturn its sudden change of policy after 142 years, and will not reconsider offering the full range of services, believing education to be the sole responsibility of government.

Therefore the petitioners ask that the minister implement as quickly as possible a vital and effective centre of education which will carry on and expand the essential work of the current school.

The petitioners also ask that the minister fully provide every state-funded school with appropriate services and equipment as well as suitable training for teachers and aides in preparation for the unique challenges faced by each child who is blind or has low-vision.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

STATEMENT of GOALS - Coalition for BLIND SCHOOL NOW!

What is the Coalition’s mission?

To ensure the provision of quality education services to students who have visual impairments or multiple disabilities in order to empower them to achieve their highest level of independence.

What is the Coalition committed to getting?

We support inclusion but the pendulum must swing to the middle, offering CHOICE of mainstream or specialist schools or both.

Blind/Vision Impaired children will then have the freedom to choose the education which is best for them: specialist, mainstream or a combination of both. Typically a young child will learn life skills and feel at home in a blind school and then make the transition to mainstream when it is right for him/her.

A new blind school offers current mainstream children the chance to enrol full time or part-time into this new blind school if they are struggling in the mainstream so that they can gain the skills and confidence they need before returning to the mainstream.

 

By the beginning of school year 2010, a fully functioning specialist Educational Facility must be provided for students who are Blind/Vision Impaired with or without additional needs, with access to core curriculum and expanded core curriculum and necessary therapy services

•         New specialist school for the blind and vision impaired with or without other disabilities

•         Centre of excellence for Victoria (Australia)

•         Part- to full-time enrolment with flexibility to suit individual needs

•         Primary, secondary & youth/adult transition (residential option)

•         **Extended Core Curriculum (specialist education and life skills)

•         Mainstream Classroom Teacher & Aide short training courses (PD) as no specialist teacher training is available in Victoria

•         Funding

•         State Government

•         Federal Government

•         $15 M from Vision Australia from the sale to developers of RVIB school properties estimated to have totalled over $50 M

Services to be carried over from the Burwood school where possible:

• Reverse integration
• Multi-disciplinary assessment
• Feelix Library – early childhood pre literacy education
• Specialist subjects – art, music, PE and library education designed to engage students who are blind or have low vision, essential learning in a holistic education and areas of specialisation in which many students find their main strengths, interests and indeed passions
• Support skills – students in mainstream schools receive ongoing support and upskilling in key areas of extended core curriculum
• Residential Training (short or long term) for non-metropolitan students
• Education Resource Centre. Student and library for teaching, specialists and therapy staff.

 ** Extended Core Curriculum:

• Orientation and Mobility (O&M)
• Independent living skills (ILS)
• Technology
• Social skills
• Braille/Other Formats
• Visual Efficiency
• Compensatory and Functional Academic Skills
• Career Education
• Leisure and Recreation
• Specialist subject areas:- Music, Art, Physical Education, Library

 Location

Inner suburban central location supporting mainstream-school-based satellite locations. Co-located with a special or mainstream school or at a new standalone site.