Special ed. PTA invited to help pick new director

By GAIL SCHONTZLER Chronicle Staff Writer

Bozeman School Superintendent Kirk Miller has invited parents of special education students to help, along with teachers and staff, in the search for a new special education director.

Miller attended Tuesday’s meeting of SEPTA, or Special Education Parent Teacher Association. About two dozen parents attended the second meeting of the newly chartered group at Willson School.

A national search will be conducted to replace Yvonne Humble, who is stepping down after the recent death of her husband to have more time for raising her two children, Miller said last week at a meeting of the newly chartered Special Education Parent Teacher Association,

Miller said he plans to interview candidates in early June, and wants input from all parties.

He has scheduled five meetings with about 120 special education teachers, aides and staff. They are using the consensus process to seek ideas about increasing the effectiveness of the program and the attributes needed in a new director.

Miller invited the special education PTA to help develop interview questions for the candidates and have five to eight members participate in the interviews.

So far, the list of attributes for the new director seems to describe “Madonna, or Jesus,” Miller joked.

“The one non-negotiable is our school district will serve children,” Miller said. “Special education students are included in that mission.”

Cindy Bruckner, speaking for a parent group called TASK or Together Advocating for Special Kids, reported that they had met in January with Miller and Humble to discuss a list of parents’ concerns.

“I hope we never have such a long list again,” Bruckner said, unless it’s to praise the schools.

TASK’s concerns, she said, include: increased professional training for teachers and aides; increased hours for preschool special-education children, getting back to four days a week; and changes in the policy that requires special-education students to finish high school by age 19, instead of the previous 21.

She said the parents’ group also wants to see the children pushed academically.

The most important change TASK wants to see is better communications between the parents and the new director, Bruckner said.

She thanked Miller for including special education parents in the search committee for a new principal at Emily Dickinson School, which has a special education classroom.

Maggee Harrison, SEPTA president, also thanked Miller for his time. The group is interested in making effective change and positive consensus building, she said.

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