Seattle Schools Community Forum

Asperger's Syndrome is a higher-functioning form of Autism.  In 2012 it was reclassified in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) under the umbrella term "autism spectrum disorder.  Some have called it "autism lite" but the change may signal issues in how children receive services for this condition.  Autistic author and activist Temple Grandin expressed a similar fear.  “It is my opinion that social communication disorder is part of the social impairment continuum of the autism spectrum.  I fear that many Aspies will be switched into this diagnosis when school districts get short on funding," she wrote on her website . Most of us know people with Asperger's (whether we know they for certain that is diagnostically true) because we have all met people who seem socially awkward, unable to make those connections - intuitive to most of us - that make relationships and who have difficulty with focus and follow-thru. Many adults ar...

A great story from Huffington Post on the " Buddy Bench ."   Second-grader Christian Bucks, of York, Pa., knew that some of his classmates felt lonely during recess , and he decided to do something about it. His simple, utterly heartwarming solution was to install a playground "buddy bench."  As reported by the York Daily Record, a buddy bench is a designated seating area where students feeling lonely or upset can seek camaraderie . The area is customarily painted in bright, inviting colors. Christian told the Record that he hopes the bench will help "grow our dream circle of friends." Next up in what's coming up in the next Legislative session .  For education, it'll be more of the same from Senator Tom & Company.  From the Times: The state Senate majority caucus congratulated itself Tuesday for surviving a year and vowed to pursue legislation that did not pass last session, including changes to K-12 education and workers com...

Two Special Education stories of note. First, the Times reports that the State will accept SPS's Special Ed plan with a few extra conditions.  The concern seems to be that the staffing plan seems more worried about teachers's needs than meeting student needs.  The State also wants the district to spend more federal dollars on consultants to help to shape/improve services.  Also, the AP is reporting that Bainbridge School District has to pay the family of a student with Asperger's who was bullied $300,000 in damages .  The lawsuit started in 2010 when the student was then 14 and at Bainbridge High School.  The parents had gone so far as to get a restraining order against four male students as well as contacting the Bainbridge Island police.   The students were found guilty of criminal conduct relating to their actions towards the victim. Another STEM school with an aviation twist has opened in south Seattle.  The school, Raisbeck Aviation High Sch...