Aloha Notes: My career as a School Psychologist in Hawaii

LONG TERM RETRIEVAL DEFICITS: While a student might learn information adequately, they may nonetheless demonstrate difficulty retrieving it for use in future situations. Long term retrieval difficulties vary from each individual & depend on how the different types of information are presented. When a student experiences difficulty with retrieval of learned information, there are many things classroom teachers can try to support that student. Accommodations : Limit the amount of information to be learned during an instructional session, giving the student fewer concepts or skills to retain at anyone time. Examples might be limiting the number of spelling words to learn for the week or number of definitions to memorize. Provide a cheat sheets for the student to reference in order to compensate for memory deficits. These might be taped to the students desk and should also be available at home. Allow the student to use a calculator during math computation in order to...

Which is better, a 504 Plan or an IEP? Lately, I've sat in a number of meetings where a student's eligibility for Special Education is on the fence.  This is a question I often hear in the schools and see in message boards: Which is better a 504 Plan or an IEP? That' s a hard question to answer, because they both serve different purposes and have their own strengths. In a broad sense, they are both detailed plans, created by the school and parents to outline how a student with a disability will learn. A 504 Plan and an IEP are both intended to protect a student with a disability to ensure that they are learning in the least restrictive environment. A 504 Plan and an IEP also have unique differences. The way in which a student qualifies for services under each plan is a major difference. It is more difficult to qualify for special education services and receive an IEP. A student must meet criteria under one of the categories of special education. A student can...

The IEP court case of Doug C. vs. Hawaii When a student is found eligible for special education, an individual education plan (IEP) is developed and updated annually. Special education teachers have traditionally sworn by those dates, allowing no room for flexibility. However, a landmark case (Doug C. Vs Hawaii DOE) in  Summer of 2013, courts ruled that parent involvement is more important than exceeding timelines for annual or reevaluation deadlines.  The case began when a parent requested a meeting to be rescheduled due to illness but because of the school was going to go over timeline, school staff met without him present and made decisions about their child's program. The IEP team told parents that they had decided that their 18-year old son with autism was to transition from a private placement to the public home school.  Parents went and lost at due process but  found victory in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Despite Hawaii's Depar...

SELF STIMULATING BEHAVIORS AT SCHOOL.  Underwear Matters.  Trust me on this.  Over the past couple years, I have had numerous teachers shyly approach me for consultation, looking for strategies on for their students who are engaging in "self-stimulation" during class, at school, and even on field-trips. In one case, just finding the appropriate pair of underwear solved the problem. Basketball shorts and no underwear was not working out so well... but once discussed, it was a trail and error and a simple fix.  Many times, the teachers biggest concern is how to discuss the problem with the parent. Sometimes the behavior is suspected but not as obvious... But it is always better to have a conversation with the parent as soon as possible. To ignore the issue can be extremely problematic and can create habits that later will be difficult to break.  I think it is important to be mindful of parents cultures when bringing up the topic with them. Initially, it'...

What is the difference between a Section 504 plan and an IEP: Section 504 Plan: ( Chapter 61) Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1974  is a FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS LAW   that protects students with disabilities from discrimination. In Hawaii, Chapter 61 (previously Chapter 53) is the Hawaii Administrative Rule that ensures the applicability of § 504 in the public schools and assures a  Free Appropriate Public Education  (FAPE) to eligible students with disabilities. To qualify for a 504 Plan, a student must have a disability that is affecting a major life function. Unlike an IEP, a "major life function" does not have to be educational impact. A student can be doing well academically, but need social skills assistance or organizational skills due to   ADHD. With either plan, a direct connection must be made from the disability to the impairment in school.  A 504 Plan is usually a good option when the student is able to function well in a regular...

What do Honolulu School District school psychologists do over summer when classrooms are mostly empty and  students are enjoying their time at the beach?   May 2013 The last week of school at any school is always chaotic and for Kaiser High School, it was no different--seniors were getting ready to graduate, teachers were busy preparing and grading exams, and counselors and administrators were frantically wrapping up the school year. In the middle of the end of the year madness, the counselors and I got word that we all had to pack and move our offices....  (((Ah! Really?!)))  You really don't realize how much stuff you have in an office until you have to pack it all up and move. It really wasn't so bad though considering i was moving one building over. By mid June, I had packed my office and unpacked my files into their new home. Being a 12-month employee, I don't get summers off like my fellow school psychologists in California (iusd). Summers a...

Section 504 Accommodation Plans: Every month, the diagnostic team (Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Speech and Language Pathologists, School Psychologists, Clinical Psychologists, Social Workers, and Communication aides) meets in their complex groups. Last week was the first time I met the Kalani Complex Diagnostic Team and I feel fortunate to be working with such a solid team. During our complex team meetings, everyone shares updates, questions, and concerns for the district/school/complex. During our meeting, someone noted, “My school doesn’t do 504 plans. The administrator won’t allow it. What should I do?” In discussing this with the team, there were similar concerns shared. Someone mentioned that this is a problem nationwide, as she had a similar problem with a school on the mainland. Within every district, there seems to be a handful of schools who “do not offer” 504 Accommodation Plans (AP) and had a higher percentage of students with an IEP (Individu...

Aloha! As many of you know, HASP board members have been busy finding ways to promote School Psychologists throughout the state. Part of that battle is bringing awareness to the community and key members in Hawaii government. This article, found on the Civil Beat website, is a great outline of the Hawaii State Government structure. Enjoy! <3 Kels Hawaii State Government Hawaii’s governing structure has evolved from disconnected tribes to a monarchy to a republic to a U.S. territory to a state. During World War II, it was also under martial law. That evolution can be traced through a series of governing documents and key events. Constitutions The first version of Hawaii’s constitution was enacted by Kamehameha III for the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1840. It organized the government and its functions as a constitutional monarchy with a ruling king and democratic principles such as a bicameral legislature with a House of Nobles and a House of Representatives. Twelve years later, prompted b...