Lee's Summit R-7 School District

6th Cir. Allows Teacher Retaliation Lawsuit in School Bullying Case - Civil Rights Law - U.S. Sixth Circuit

88 Percent of Missouri Public Schools Fail Federal Standards Lee's Summit is one of those public schools that failed federal standards and they have failed it for several years in a row.

R-7 joins lawsuit to prevent KC transfer costs

No Child Left Behind Waivers Leave Behind Students With Disabilities

School accused of putting autistic student in bag - WKRN, Nashville, Tennessee News, Weather and Sports

Civil Rights Office Expands Its Reach Into Schools

IEP problem with Lee Summit High School not help My Teens - YouTube

School board incumbents to seek re-election

Lee’s Summit R-7 Board of Education to Meet This Evening « KC Education Enterprise

Duncan's 82% NCLB Failure Prediction Way Off Base, New Data Show In fact, only three states, plus the District of Columbia, actually hit or exceeded Duncan's estimate on failure to make AYP: the District, at 87 percent; Florida; at 89 percent; Missouri, at 88 percent; and New Mexico, at 87 percent.

USA Swimming Coaches Molested, Secretly Taped Dozens of Teen Swimmers - ABC News

School system facing two lawsuits school, filed, lawsuits - Burlington Times News

The adventures of Princess Sophia: Teachers.... abuse of authority....... and disabilities

District Report Card

DISTRICT REPORT CARD LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII (048071) Contact Information (23) NCLB -- School Improvement School Status SCHOOL NAME AYP2011 Required Action Feeder School Title I Status Years Receiving Sanctions BERNARD C. CAMPBELL MIDDLE Not Met Non Title I School Improvement Year 4 6 CEDAR CREEK ELEM. Not Met Non Title I School Improvement Year 1 1 GREENWOOD ELEM. Not Met Non Title I No Sanctions 0 HAWTHORN HILL ELEM. Not Met Non Title I School Improvement Year 2 3 HAZEL GROVE ELEM. Not Met Non Title I School Improvement Year 3 4 HIGHLAND PARK ELEM. Met Non Title I No Sanctions 0 HILLTOP SCHOOL Not Met Non Title I School Improvement Year 4 4 LEE'S SUMMIT ELEM. Not Met Title I No Sanctions Y 0 LEE'S SUMMIT NORTH HIGH Not Met Non Title I School Improvement Year 1 1 LEE'S SUMMIT SR. HIGH Not Met Non Title I No Sanctions 0 LEE'S SUMMIT WEST HIGH Not Met Non Title I No Sanctions 0 LONGVIEW FARM ELEM. Not Met Non Title I School Improvement Y

North Carolina Recreational Therapy Association How can recreation be included as a "related service" in my child's IEP? Segments from the Therapeutic Recreation in Public Schools (Project TRIPS) web site: http://perth.uwlax.edu/hper/RM-tr/trschools.htm Are you aware that recreation has been identified as a related service ever since The Education for All Handicapped Children's Act was authorized in 1975? Many parents are not. The basic entitlements of P.L. 94-142 provide for a free, appropriate public education for all children. In providing appropriate educational services to all students with disabilities, the local education agency must ensure that these students receive all related services necessary for the child to benefit from special education. Related services as defined by the law include: speech pathology and audiology, psychological services, physical and occupational therapy, recreation, early identification and assessment of disabilities in children, c

Supreme Court Seeks Input On Special Education Case - Disability Scoop

Group Offers Advice To Parents On Restraint, Seclusion - Disability Scoop

Restraint, Seclusion Overlooked In Education Bill - Disability Scoop

Disability A Focus As School Bullying Protections Grow - Disability Scoop

Sex Abuse Lawsuit Against USA Swimming Video - ABC News

USA Swimming Scandal

Calendar The USA Swimming Team uses the Lee's Summit R-7 Aquatic Center for practice. They have the prime time hours.

Candidate Filing SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONSPublic Notice of Filing The Lee’s Summit R-7 School District will accept Declarations of Candidacy for any person interested in running for a position on the School Board in the April 3, 2012 election. Persons interested may file with the Secretary of the Board of Education at the school district’s offices located at 301 NE Tudor Road, Lee’s Summit, Missouri 64086.Filing will begin on December 20, 2011 at 8 a.m. The office will close at 4 p.m. on December 21, 2011 for the holidays. Filing will continue during the district’s regular business hours, January 3 through January 17, 2012, which are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Filing will not occur on days that the school district’s offices are closed due to inclement weather. The district’s offices will be closed on December 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, and January 2 and 16 and, therefore, will not be accepting candidate filings on those dates. Filing will end on January 17, 2012, with

Missouri Wants Out of No Child Left Behind « CBS St. Louis

Why "No Parents Allowed"? - Parentalrights.org - Protecting Children by Empowering Parents

Adam’s Story Excerpt Mommy, I Wish I Could Tell You What They Did To Me In School Today Everyday Atrocities Faced by Special Needs Children By Richard S. Stripp, Sr. IN LOVING MEMORY OF NOAH V. VARCADIPANE8/4/1996 – 11/14/2009 “MOMMY’S SUPERMAN” The children and adult characters in this book are based on students and individuals that the author has interacted with and/or worked with directly. The majority of children who “speak” in this book are non-verbal. Their words which you will read are fictitious and were never spoken by them but are based on actual events that occurred in their lives. It is the author’s belief that if the non-verbal children in this book could speak, what you are about to read is what they might have said. Any conversations between the author and anyone in the book are based on actual events and conversations. “Never, never be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to t

Stuck in RTI Purgatory

Progress Monitoring - Wrightslaw.com

Specific Learning Disabilities, Discrepancy and Response to Intervention Models & IDEA 2004 by Peter W. D. Wright & Pamela Darr Wright - Wrightslaw

Tax-Wary Voters, Needy Schools a Volatile Mix

NCLB Waiver Plans Offer Hodgepodge of Grading Systems

Manassas Swim Coach Suspended After Sex Allegations wusa9.com

Lawsuit accuses former KC-area swim coach of inappropriate sexual behavior - Law Firm Shamberg, Johnson & Bergman, Chtd. Attorneys Kansas City, Missouri

07/21/2008 Hearing/Trial Cancelled Scheduled For: 07/25/2008; 9:30 AM ; SANDRA C. MIDKIFF; Jackson - Kansas City 05/06/2008 Notice Transfer Notice & Case Management Conference Case Mgmt Conf Scheduled Associated Entries: 07/21/2008 - Hearing/Trial Cancelled Scheduled For: 07/25/2008; 9:30 AM ; SANDRA C. MIDKIFF; Jackson - Kansas City 04/30/2008 Judge Assigned 04/23/2007 Summons Returned Non-Est Document ID - 07-SMCC-2304; Served To - MATHES, STACI; Server - INDEP. DEPUTY; Served Date - 13-APR-07; Served Time - 23:59:00; Service Type - Civil Process Server; Reason Description - Unable to Serve Summons Returned Non-Est Document ID - 07-SMCC-2302; Served To - KEIMIG, JERRY; Server - INDEP. DEPUTY; Served Date - 13-APR-07; Served Time - 23:59:00; Service Type - Civil Process Server; Reason Description - Unable to Serve Summons Returned Non-Est Document ID - 07-SMCC-2303; Served To - KEIMIG, JERRY; Server - INDEP. DEPUTY; Served Date - 13-APR-07; S

Capturing the essence of an IEP Meeting with humor - National special education Examiner.com

Judge slams San Francisco school personnel for delay and stall tactics - National special education Examiner.com

The anti child industry devoted to keeping services at minimum - National special education Examiner.com

The anti child industry Part 2 - National special education Examiner.com

The anti child industry: Where the big money goes - National special education Examiner.com

Does your school have a secret history of abusing disabled children? Find out here - National special education Examiner.com Missouri 1. North Mercer R3, Mercer, MO (Seclusion Room: Closet converted to seclusion room) 2. Underwood Elementary School, Lee’s Summit R-7 School District, Lee’s Summit, MO (Seclusion: Child kept in closet for most of a month)

Does your school have a secret history of abusing disabled children? Find out here - National special education Examiner.com

Jeff Grisamore Not: Looking For Honest Legislators

Birmingham schools gets glowing audit of its special education department al.com

Penn State Scandal Shines Light on Child-Abuse Reporting Laws I have been witness to and heard stories of school employees that emotional, psychologically, and verbally abuse children. This should be included in these laws. Bullying is bullying. Zero tolerance should apply to everyone in a school building. Not just the children.

Court Declines Review of School Vaccine, Religious-Flier Cases

IEP FAQs Pop-Up: Special Factors in IEPs - Wrightslaw.com

R-7 board approves two-year calendar including weekly late-start days

Jeff Grisamore Not: Grisamore States That I Must Go Through Him To Talk To District

Most Kids Lack Early Intervention Services - Disability Scoop

http://dese.mo.gov/divspeced/Complaint_System/DPDecisions.html 2010/2011 Due Process Decisions *NOTE: Due process hearing decisions are only binding on the actual parties involved in that particular case regarding a specific student. These decisions are not binding in any other situation as they are not like court cases. Additionally, a due process hearing decision is subject to appeals in court and thus may be either upheld or overturned in a later court case. ________________________________________ Hearing Decisions: • Lee's Summit R-VII School District (875) Dismissals: • None at this time Settlement Order; parties settled: • Lee's Summit R-VII School District (930) Compliance 2009/2010 Due Process Decisions **NOTE: Due process hearing decisions are only binding on the actual parties involved in that particular case regarding a specific student. These decisions are not binding in any other situation as they are not like court cases. Additionall

(22) NCLB -- Adequate Yearly Progress Missouri (2011) Groups* Met Communication Arts 10 0 Mathematics 10 1 LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII (2011) Groups* Met Communication Arts 10 3 Mathematics 10 7 Overall Status LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Communication Arts Status Not Met Not Met Not Met Not Met Not Met Mathematics Status Met Not Met Not Met Not Met Not Met Attendance Rate Met Met Met Met Met Graduation Rate Met Met Met Met Met (23) NCLB -- School Improvement School Status SCHOOL NAME AYP2011 Required Action Feeder School Title I Status Years Receiving Sanctions BERNARD C. CAMPBELL MIDDLE Not Met Non Title I School Improvement Year 4 6 CEDAR CREEK ELEM. Not Met Non Title I School Improvement Year 1 1 GREENWOOD ELEM. Not Met Non Title I No Sanctions 0 HAWTHORN HILL ELEM. Not Met Non Title I School Improvement Year 2 3 HAZEL GROVE ELEM. Not Met Non Title I School Improvement Year 3 4 HIGHLAND PARK ELEM. Met Non Title I N

Excellence Without Equity Is Neither Excellence Without Equity Is Neither By Eric Witherspoon There are many excellent public schools in the United States— schools that receive distinguished awards, produce students with perfect ACT scores, and send their graduates to elite institutions of higher education . Yet within these same schools, you can find students experiencing none of these things firsthand, many of them students of color and from low-income families. I know this because I am the superintendent of just such a school, and my school is working hard to erase these divisions. Through the years, educators and policymakers have used many means to address gaps in opportunity and achievement through programs designed to support students with lower achievement histories. Many efforts have spurred gains, but nowhere near enough. To genuinely address these issues, schools need to rethink everything they do to maintain and grow excellence while ensuring every student shares i

Fight Against Bullying Moves to Congress

Special education administrator to retire

New Year At School By Matthew Readman

District identifying learning problems earlier The goals of RTI, however, do not include increasing the number of students in individualized special-education programs or extending their participation in those programs. Rather, RTI is aimed at keeping students with learning disabilities on pace with their peers and, when special education is warranted, minimizing its longevity. In short, “the goal is to keep as many as possible at grade level and out of special education,” Keimig said. According to Keimig, roughly 4 percent of students in the R-7 school district struggle with some type of learning disability, a general term for the variety of orders that make it difficult for students of normal intellectual capacity to learn. What happened to the 10% that they had just a few years ago? Minimize special education? They just don’t want to help those kids. We all know that.

Angry parents say the Lee’s Summit School District leaves its autistic students behind Feature The Pitch

Wrightslaw - Congressional Hearing: Special Education: Implementation of IDEA (Feb 28, 2001)

How to Avoid Special-Ed Lawsuits Plog

The great recession, the winners in education spending - National special education Examiner.com Missouri SPED directors attended the class that Weatherly gives on how to avoid special education lawsuits when denying children services that they are entitled to.

Retaliation: A Primer and The Retaliation Triangle - Wrightslaw

What do I do if the school won’t offer me an IEP evaluation? Children’s Education Alliance of Missouri

Law Will Create Special Needs Scholarship Tax Credit Program in Missouri Children’s Education Alliance of Missouri

Supersized Buyouts for School Chiefs Scrutinized

Parental Rights to End at the School Door? - Parentalrights.org - Protecting Children by Empowering Parents

Mental Health Services Uncertain For Adults With Autism - Disability Scoop

New Guide Offers Road Map To IEP Process - Disability Scoop

Sometimes I sit and relive the past four years. I think of all of the tears, anger, frustration, fear, anxiety, and hurt that my family has gone through. Then I think of all of the other families that are going through the same thing. Their lives being destroyed while they sit back and helplessly watch it happen. One thing always comes to mind. How do the people that are paid with my tax dollars sleep at night? How can they destroy the life and future of another human being and then take their paycheck? How can they hug their children while they are destroying the lives of other children? I was raised in the 60s and the 70s. My parents were strict and taught us to be honest, caring, and loving human beings. We were taught that you never progress in life without hard work, integrity, honor, and respect. You never hurt others or lie. I wonder what the parents our of teachers, principals, superintendents, legislators, and school board officials taught their children. Would they be

Despite what feds say, R-7 excels on tests Lee's Summit is making excuses for not doing their job. Does NCLB have faults? Of course. But, it is the only way that there can be any accountability. Lee's Summit doesn't want that. They want to pretend that they are the best without doing the work.

Angry parents say the Lee’s Summit School District leaves its autistic students behind - Page 1 - News - Kansas City - The Pitch

It's news to me Political sound bites John Beaudoin, Journal Publisher John Beaudoin is publisher of the Lee's Summit Journal. Tuesday night’s R-7 school board forum had a lot of reoccurring themes. The levy failed so let’s get over it. That was a big one. Another centered on current board member and candidate Jon Plaas being right. I lost track of how many times fellow board member Jack Wiley and hopefuls Chris Storms and Mike Smith commented about Plaas making a great point, agreeing with one of his statements or just flat out “being right.” Perhaps they were just being polite. But if they really think that, maybe Jon will be one of the three candidates they vote for on April 5. No one can argue that Plaas had a steady performance at the forum, reiterating his stance that the levy going to the voters wasn’t wrong, it was the amount and the fact that so much of it was going to “bail out” the teacher’s retirement fund. “Once you raise the property tax,” Pla

Superintendent's Blog: Each student has value 3-15-11 Let's hold the superintendent to his word. Many students in this district have not only been fired, but they were never even considered for the job of learning. His words are fabulous, but actions speak even louder.

School Board candidate forum set for next week

NYC charter school's $125,000 experiment - 60 Minutes - CBS News

Faces of Autism: How Do They Sleep At Night

Missouri education commissioner calls for reforms Springfield News-Leader News-Leader.com

Teacher salaries among lowest in area

Plaas suggests across the board salary cuts

Cuomo Seeks to Cap Pay for School Superintendents By THOMAS KAPLAN ALBANY — Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey saluted a number of other governors, including Andrew M. Cuomo of New York, last week for making tough decisions in tough economic times. On Monday, Mr. Christie had one more reason to applaud his counterpart in Albany. Mr. Cuomo, in his boldest attack yet on what he calls wasteful spending by school districts, introduced legislation to limit superintendents’ pay that would virtually replicate a measure that Mr. Christie imposed in New Jersey. Mr. Cuomo’s proposal would tie superintendents’ maximum pay to the size of their school districts , with the leaders of New York’s largest districts limited to a salary of $175,000 and those in the smallest limited to $125,000. It would not affect the New York City school system, where the chancellor, Cathleen P. Black, earns $250,000 a year. The bill was introduced after a month’s worth of sharp words from Mr. Cuomo aimed a

We need new leadership within the district. - Lee's Summit Tribune - Lee's Summit News

You only need vote for one candidate in the upcoming election.  You have the option of voting for three.   If you vote for two people that you really don't want you are giving them a vote and that might help them defeat the person that you really want. Terri Harmon has chastised the voters of Lee's Summit for not voting the way that she wanted on the tax levy.  Now she is asking you to vote for her in April.  Here are just a few of things that she had to say about the citizens of Lee's Summit: “This levy was the opportunity for our community to support our quality of education in Lee’s Summit and prevent further cuts from happening,” said Terri Harmon, a parent who voted for the levy. Already, administrators planned to cut nearly $20 million in this year’s budget. Wednesday, they began prioritizing programs, jobs and activities to save. The district needs to slash another $6 million dollars from budgets over the next two years. “We were obviously disappointed,” Har

School Board raises district tax levy

SchoolDigger.com - School Rankings, Reviews and More - Public and Private Elementary, Middle, High Schools

Missouri School District Rankings Rank (of 483) District # Students # Ranked Elementary Schools # Ranked Middle Schools # Ranked High Schools Rank score* 31 Parkway C-2 17467 18 5 5 0.821 32 Maryville R-II 1431 0 1 1 0.818 33 Ste. Genevieve County R-II 2023 2 1 1 0.815 34 Fairfax R-III 176 1 0 1 0.815 35 Hardin-Central C-2 220 1 0 1 0.812 36 Liberty 53 10263 9 0 1 0.811 37 Mound City R-II 303 0 0 1 0.811 38 Lee's Summit R-VII 17326 17 3 2 0.809 39 Bakersfield R-IV 382 1 0 0 0.807 40 Cabool R-IV 809 0 1 1 0.804

Waiting Lists, Fragmented Services Among Developmental Disability Barriers - Disability Scoop

ANALYSIS: Missouri wrestles with federal school money - Columbia Missourian

Locomotive Breath 1901: Citizens say NO to Lee's Summit School Tax Increase

BREAKING NEWS: LEVY FAILS

Education Week: Are Superintendents Necessary? One Colo. District Says No

Locomotive Breath 1901: Enough is NOT enough.

Cities, counties, and state governments, as well as citizens are all facing budget crunches. - Lee's Summit Tribune - Lee's Summit News

This tax levy will affect the elderly and disabled far more than any other group.  These folks are on fixed incomes and can not afford to have their taxes raised just because Lee's Summit has chosen to rob them once more. Who is going to make sure that these people can get out and vote on Tuesday?  I will volunteer my time and attention to this.  I would encourage everyone to do the same.  Everyone's vote needs to be counted and not just the school district employees and the same people that are endorsing this and scaring other folks into endorsing this. It's time that the citizens of Lee's Summit speak up and tell R-7 that enough is enough and that they will have to learn to budget just like the citizens do.  Do we really want to see the elderly give up food and medication so that Lee's Summit R7 can continue to boast about how wonderful they are?  I will not have that on my conscientious.  Let's get those same individuals out for the April vote, too.  Le

Stimulus Misuse: 514 Complaints to Inspector General - Politics K-12 - Education Week

A bean counter battle opens debate over education funding picture CountyNewsLIVE.com

Teacher Abuse by Principals-The Dark ... - Oprah.com

Oh, What A Tangled Web We Weave When We All Are On The Same Committees Lee's Summit R-7 School Board Members and Those That Are Running Ron Baker Annette Braam Gene Brixey Patti Buie Dr. David McGehee Jon Plaas Jeff Tindle Jack Wiley Mike Smith Terri Harmon Chris Storms Lee's Summit Cares Ron Baker At Least  Four Administrators From The R-7 District Citizens Advisory Committee Pattie Buie Terri Harmon Dr. David McGehee Janice Phelan Dr. Ann Starlin-Horner Chris Storms Jeff Tindle Gene Brixey (This information is hard to find and I could only find the minutes of a meeting and who was in attendance.  Janice Phelan is in charge of this and I had to ask her for a list the last time I needed it.) Remember folks that it is the CAC that proposed the tax levy.  It's not hard to get the CAC to propose it when the school board and administrators make up the majority of the CAC.  These are the same folks that decide who is on the CAC.  What would be c

In a district where nonviolent children are regularly sent to Ozanam or Gillis (where Jerry Keimig is on the board) adult behavior is excused or dismissed.  I have seen administrators, teachers, psychologists, and other personnel lie and bully children and nothing is done.  It is dismissed.  Yet if a child with autism, in elementary school, has a meltdown they are handcuffed and taken away.  Really?!! Why does Lee's Summit accept unethical, immoral, and illegal behavior from the adults that are supposed to protect this children?  How long will it's citizens sit back and allow it to happen?  How much longer will the district address this by calling me that "Tucker nut"?  How much longer will you allow this to happen to innocent children and continue to ignore it?

The Lee's Summit R-7 District Got $4 Million more in taxes Last Year, So Where’s the Shortfall? January 29, 2011 Despite the R-7 district's claim that tax revenue is shrinking, according to the Jackson County Collection Department they received $2 million more from property taxes this last year. According to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education the District did receive a shortfall in 2010 state taxes of about 6 million dollars, but the R-7 District received an additional 8 million more dollars from the federal government through the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009, yielding a net gain in tax dollars in 2010 of 4 million. The total tax revenue that went to the R-7 District in 2010 amounts to $169,051,445.80. But the district claims: "The financial crisis is compounded by growing enrollments and rising costs in areas such as fuel, utilities and benefits, including state-mandated retirement contributions." R-7 Website. In the Fl

Five file for three seats on Lee's Summit R-7 Board of Education Five candidates have filed for three positions on the Lee's Summit R-7 School District Board of Education. Filing closed for R-7 Board of Education candidates on Jan. 18. Candidates (listed in filing order) are Jack Wiley, Chris Storms, Terri Harmon, Jon Plaas and Mike Smith. Mr. Wiley is currently Board of Education vice president and has served on the Board since 2005. Mr. Plaas is currently a member of the Board of Education and has served on the Board since 2002. The annual municipal and school election will be held on April 5. Board of Education members serve three-year terms. Jack Wiley: Has been on the school board since 2005, is currently vice president of the school board, said that he would hold up our facilities to any one those in Johnson County, stated that he and his wife had babysat children with special needs so he understands what parents of children with special needs go through, said th

School board wants to up tax levy

Community members invited to serve on Lee's Summit R-7 School District Comprehensive School Improvement Team The Lee's Summit R-7 School District is seeking parents, community members and district employees willing to help design a new Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP) for 2011-2016. The team, consisting of approximately 40 members, will meet during March and April, to develop a student-focused strategic plan for the school district. The R-7 School District has been a leader in visionary, strategic planning for many years with an emphasis on broad-based involvement by staff, parents and citizens. In fact, the first R-7 School District five-year plan was created in 1990 with the process continuing successfully for the past 20 years. In preparation for the 2011-2016 Comprehensive School Improvement Plan, volunteers are needed to serve on the team. The group will meet from 4 to 8 p.m. Feb. 28, March 1, April 25 and April 26 at the Stansberry Leadership Center.

BREAKING NEWS: School bus overturns

School Bus Slides Off Road in Lee's Summit - WDAF

Elections complaint filed against superintendent for fliers Extra Credit education blog The Palm Beach Post