Special Education Presentation Held At Port Washington Board of Education Meeting

The Port Washington Board of Education met Tuesday night at S for a three-hour meeting that included — aside from regular business — presentations from the Pupil Personnel Services and the Art Department.

The first presentation was given by Mehri Fryzel, Executive Director of Pupil Personnel Services, who spoke about special education in the district.

She started off explaining that the actual definition of a student with a disability is, “A student under the age of 21 who is entitled to attend public school and who, because of mental, physical or emotional reasons has been identified as having a disability and who requires special services and programs,” Fryzel said, who continued that these students cannot be identified as disabled if they lack instruction in math, reading, or limited English proficiency, cultural or economic factor.

In the Port Washington School District, special education services include resource room, consultant teacher, co-teaching (in middle and high school) and special classes. There are also out-of district students with disabilities, whose needs are too intensive and therefore must be placed in either a special class operated by another school district, BOCES program, private day school like Henry Viscardi and Mill Neck, a state operated school or residential school placement.

“If we cannot provide an appropriate or meaningful education for youngsters in the district, then our committee might choose to send them someplace outside,” Fryzel said.

During Fryzel’s next couple of slides via her PowerPoint presentation, she showed the audience that overall, 764 (or 89.92 percent) students have a disability and 657 of those students are educated within the seven schools. Additionally, 77 students are placed out-of-district.

Fryzel also noted that 80 percent or more of those students served in-district spend most of the school day inside the regular classroom.

“That’s a number that really, I am very proud of and I hope you feel very similarly,” Fryzel said. “Because really what that means is that my administrative colleagues here, the general education administrators…in addition to the special education staff, all work collaboratively to make sure that to the greatest extent possible, kids with disabilities have the same experience as non-disabled peers.”

In terms of funding, Fryzel said approximately $693,000 or 66.8 percent of their grant money is used to support the special education teachers, speech teachers and psychologists in the school district.  

“The way we wisely use our grant money is to fund some of the staffing needs that we have so that we can provide our youngsters with the services that are mandated on their IEP [individualized Education Program] and give them the kind of experience that allows them to have the appropriate education,” Fryzel said.

In wrapping up, Fryzel the most rewarding part for her is learning about the disabled students’ post-graduation successes.

“In total, 44 youngsters with disabilities either graduated or aged-out last June and of that number, we had 17 youngsters move on to a four-year college, 19 move on to a two-year college, and two additional youngsters go to some other post-secondary school,” Freyzel said.

In addition, two students started employment immediately following school and two students went on to the military service.

“Our goal is really to make sure that when [the students] leave school—even if that is at the age of 21—that they enter supported employment at the highest possible level,” Fryzel said. “Because that’s something that all youngsters get when they are here in district schools; that they’re able to reach for the best that they can do, not just for what is moderate for them.”   

All of the board members thanked Ms. Fryzel for her presentation, but had some comments and questions for her regarding some of her information.

Board president Karen Sloan said, “This presentation was especially helpful…and I would like to echo the sentiment that I too am very proud [of the students].”

Trustee Sandra Ehrlich followed up with, “[The presentation] reinforces my view of the wonderful work that you are doing in your department…and you are really focused on what is best for all the children.”