Thursday, October 31, 2013

Autism Acceptance Day: Imagine a World Where Everyone Was Against You....

Disabled 5-year-old's death in Kenner classroom is re-examined in court | NOLA.com

WATCH: Special Needs Children Choked, Tackled, Electrocuted & Killed In Schools (GRAPHIC, VIDEO) | The Libertarian Republic

Schools Claim Wide Leeway for Restraining Special Needs Kids

ABC News filed a special report that featured the stories of special needs children who are brutally restrained in their school environments. Schools believe they need a range of tactics and leeway to deal with autistic children who “act out”.

WATCH: Schools put genius child in special ed, tell mom he can’t learn. Now he’s free, and he could even win a Nobel Prize

Some of the tactics include receiving electric shocks and choke-holds, as well as securing students in restraint rooms. Kids have died from some of these incidents. A surveillance tape from the interview below shows five teachers tackling and restraining a child in what they called a “therapeutic hold”, which killed him. Doctors blamed the death on “cardiac arrest while being subdued”.

Student who had mouth taped shut speaks out | KOB.com

A special-needs student is recounting the moment he says an APS teacher’s aide taped his mouth shut.

But the teacher’s aide says the incident didn’t happen how we’re being told.

Dolores Lopez spoke briefly with KOB Eyewitness News 4 late Monday night.

She didn’t deny she taped the boy’s mouth shut, but says it was done in a “playful act.”

Still, the boy is scared because Tuesday morning he’s going to see her in class.

He is a special needs boy, but don’t think for one second Augustine Reynoso doesn’t feel pain.

And a painful memory is all the 16-year-old with cerebral palsy has of school on September 24th.

"Dolores put the tape on me and then...” he said.

Asked where she put it, Reynoso responds, “On my mouth. On my mouth. And then I didn't know what to do.”

Dolores is Dolores Lopez, a teacher’s aide at Rio Grande High School where Reynoso is a junior.

APS place Lopez on leave for three weeks, one week without pay, as it investigated the allegations.

An eyewitness tells KOB, Reynoso was making animal noises in class.

He was told to stop, but didn’t.

Lopez then "got out the scotch tape and ripped off four pieces of the tape. She applied the tape from under the nose to the bottom of his chin. “Auggie” was moving his head back and forth asking her not to put it on."

Reynoso says he felt “sad” and “scared” when the tape was placed over his mouth.

His grandmother, Genoveva Alvarado stepped in when Reynoso’s mother rejected him.

"He's my first grandson. He's the oldest. He's mine. Imagine how much I love him"

She’s upset and fears this abuse could very well happen again.

"[Lopez] seems really nice when I talked to her. I never thought she would come to an extreme like this," she said.

What’s worse, Lopez is back at Rio Grande High School and back in the same classroom with her grandson.

“I never thought she would be allowed back,” said Alvarado. “I said: they're going to be careful to not allow her back in because if she just taped my boy what if tomorrow something else happens?”

Lopez cut our conversation short saying KOB needed to talk to the teacher’s union.

KOB asked APS to talk to us again today about the case. They declined saying this is a “personnel matter” and “the investigation is complete.”

It’s not clear whether APS will talk about why the teacher’s aide is still allowed to be in the same classroom as Reynoso.

Local Teachers Fail to Report Abuse of Special-Needs Student | Broward

Local Teachers Fail to Report Abuse of Special-Needs Student | Broward

Three teachers at a Broward County high school have been charged with failure to report the suspected abuse of a special-needs student. Lauren Book, child sexual abuse survivor, prevention advocate and CEO of the Miami-basedLauren’s Kids foundation, comments below: “Any teacher’s failure to report suspected child abuse is a crime. But when this teacher works with special-needs children who often struggle to communicate, this failure to report — and thus failure to protect — is even more saddening, sickening and unacceptable. Locally, a special-needs teen at Western High School in Broward County wrote an essay in class detailing her rape. It was read by not one, not two, but three teachers who chose to do nothing and ignored the girl’s cry for help. Because the events in this case transpired two years ago, the teachers — who remain employed by the Broward County School District — are being charged with first degree misdemeanors. If this type of extreme negligence were to occur today, those who failed to report suspected abuse to the proper authorities would be punished with a third-degree felony. I am proud to be able to say that this is because of Lauren’s Kids’ work with the 2012 Florida Legislature on a law called ‘Protection of Vulnerable Persons,’ which has been called the toughest mandatory reporting law in the nation. When it comes to reporting suspected abuse, we must do whatever we can to protect our children — if there is any reason to suspect, we must report. Unfortunately, this is the third case of school teachers’ and administrators’ failure to report in Florida that I’ve come across this year — the first at Manatee High School in Bradenton in which four administrators have been handed third-degree felony charges, and a second case that is materializing at Arnold High in Panama City Beach. In the case of Western High…in our backyard…a child with special-needs used her voice to speak up, and her voice was squashed.” Lauren Book, M.S. Ed Founder and CEO of Lauren’s Kids - See more at: http://www.communitynewspapers.com/broward/local-teachers-fail-to-report-abuse-of-special-needs-student/#sthash.bEmZ6vrX.YCEY51Ej.dpuf

Teacher's aide accused of shoving special needs student - KCTV5

Teacher's aide accused of shoving special needs student - KCTV5

KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV/AP) -

A teacher's aide in the Kansas City School District is accusing of shoving an 11-year-old student who has Down syndrome.

Both state social workers and school district officials are investigating the teacher's aide after another aide and a teacher came forward to report that the employee in question had shoved Devon Williams.

Darwin Williams, the boy's father, said he wants criminal charges filed. He filed a police report, and Kansas City police confirm that detectives are investigating.

Devon is a student at the African-Centered College Preparatory Academy off East Meyer Boulevard in Kansas City.

Darwin Williams said he is outraged. He said he was told that the aide shoved his son against a wall with no warning.

When Devon got home that day, Darwin Williams said he and Devon's mother could tell something was wrong.

"He was not his normal self," Darwin Williams recalled. "He came home with his head down and moving real slow. Normally, when he comes home from school, he's happy-go-lucky."

But he couldn't tell his parents what happened, and his parents didn't know until they were contacted by state social workers, who were alerted by district employees.

The 49-year-old aide denies that she shoved Devon. She provided a written statement to the school in which she said she is completely innocent and would never commit such a terrible act against a child.

Citing privacy laws, a Kansas City Public Schools system spokesman said he could not discuss the specific allegations.

The district did issue the following statement:

"KCPS takes the health and safety of its students seriously, and does not tolerate the abuse or harassment of any student. In general, and as mandatory reporters, any allegation of abuse results in a notification to the state's child abuse hotline, where it is reviewed by state officials. Concurrently, an investigation is undertaken by KCPS and police are notified. Appropriate actions taken based on the findings of those investigations."

Darwin Williams said the district desperately needs to reopen a school for special needs children. The Delano School was closed in 2011, and Darwin Williams maintains this wouldn't have happened if Delano were still open.

"They need special care and special teachers for them," he said. "They can't operate correctly in the public school system. They need a special school for special needs students."

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Performance of Students With Disabilities Hard to Gauge in School Accountability - On Special Education - Education Week

Getting a clear picture of how students with disabilities have performed under the accountability measures once mandated by No Child Left Behind is difficult because of differences among states in measuring progress, says a report from the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, a project of the Institute of Education Sciences.

The Inclusion of Students With Disabilities in School Accountability Systems: An Update is the latest snapshot of how schools fared under an accountability system that required them to break out the performance of students with disabilities and move them towards 100 percent academic proficiency. The report looks specifically at the four school years from 2006-07 to 2009-10; school accountability has in recent months changed dramatically with the permission of accountability waivers that have now been granted to 42 states and the District of Columbia.

Looking at student performance, the report found that in the 31 states with relevant data that the researchers were able to gather, more than half—56 percent—of the public schools were not accountable for the students with disabilities subgroup in any of the four years examined. In contrast, 23 percent of schools were consistently accountable in each of those years.

The researchers then turned their attention to schools failing to make adequate yearly progress, and for that measure were able to collect information from 39 states and the District of Columbia for 2009-10. Six percent of schools in those states that did not make AYP did so solely because of the students with disabilities subgroup. Twenty-eight percent missed the mark because of the disability subgroup and some other factor.

Once a school was identified as being in need of improvement because of the performance of students with disabilities, it tended to stay that way: 83 percent of schools in that category in 2007-08 retained that classification through 2010-11. The same held true for schools that did not face any sanctions because of the disability subgroup: 74 percent of the schools not identified for improvement in 2007-08 continued in that status through 2010-11.

So what to make of all of these statistics? In their conclusion, the authors of the report say that it is hard to tell.

Although the ESEA may be straightforward in its overall objective to improve the achievement of all students, the numerous provisions and regulations may make it challenging to determine exactly how well [students with disabilities] have been performing. Adding to these complexities is the fact that states use different tests, adopt different proficiency standards, use different methods for measuring progress, and set different minimum subgroup size for accountability purposes. These differences lead to variation across states in how [students with disabilities] are included or excluded from school accountability systems and how [students with disabilities] performance affects schools' AYP determination and school improvement status, which make cross-state comparisons difficult to interpret.

An upcoming report from IES will focus on school practices that relate to student educational outcomes.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Lee's Summit R-7 School District: Action Alert: Group Homes and Institutions are Not Community Living

What does "community" mean to you? For some people, this question doesn't mean much. But for the hundreds of thousands of Americans receiving Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS), the meaning of community has huge implications.

In 2010, the State of Missouri tried to use Medicaid funds that were intended to serve people with disabilities in the community to build group homes on the same property as an institution. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) rightly refused to allow Missouri to use Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) funding for this plan, as the purpose of HCBS funding is to help people avoid institutionalization, not to fund placements that segregate people from their communities.

As a disability rights organization committed to advancing equal access and inclusion for all people with disabilities, ASAN belives strongly that anything that segregates people with disabilities from our communities is not community.

CMS has been trying to implement strong minimum standards for HCBS settings, to prevent what almost happened in Missouri from happening again. CMS has proposed regulations that would prevent HCBS dollars from going to institutions, settings that are on the grounds of an institution, settings that are segregated on the basis of disability, and settings that have the characteristics of an institution, such as lack of privacy or rules about when people can eat and sleep. This is a significant opportunity for the disability community to support a real minimum standard for the meaning of community living.

We need your help to make these standards a reality. CMS will issue a final rule by the end of 2013. Unfortunately, the institution, nursing home, and sheltered workshop industries have already written to CMS and Congress opposing any standards for how and where HCBS dollars are used. We need our community to write in to tell Congress and CMS that:

Community living cannot occur on the grounds of an institution or in settings that operate like institutions, denying people privacy and imposing rules that limit personal freedom and choice.

Community supports do not involve the use of sheltered workshops and other facility-based settings that separate and congregate people on the basis of disability.

HCBS funding should be used to support people with disabilities living in typical housing that they control, located in existing communities, alongside neighbors with and without disabilities.

HCBS funding should be used for supported employment and community involvement - not for sheltered workshops or segregated day service settings.

Here's what you can do:

Contact your Senators and Representatives and ask them to write letters to Secretary Sebelius letting them know that you SUPPORT the proposed rulemaking by going to Contacting the Congress. Including your personal story and a photo is encouraged.

Don't hesitate to add your thoughts about what community living means to you.

Send a copy of this advocacy alert to your friends and colleagues encouraging them to write in too - the more people who write in, the stronger our position will be. Help us get the word out!

This is a critical opportunity to have our voices heard. Now is the time to speak up and speak loudly about the importance of these new regulations.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Police: school principal dragged child with Down Syndrome across concrete floor

An 11-year-old boy with Down Syndrome was pulled from his classroom by his private school principal and badly hurt, according to police and his family.

Meibol and Cesar Suarez adopted their grandson, who has Down Syndrome, after his parents were no longer able to take care of him.

They enrolled him in a school for children with learning disabilities, where they believed he would be safely taken care of.

But according to Neptune Beach Police Department in Florida, about three weeks ago the 11-year-old was harshly disciplined in class, and criminal charges could follow.

“This is my child. I have to protect my child,” said Meibol Suarez.

She’s still furious weeks after her son came home with bruises on his arm and side.

She said that as a child with Down Syndrome, he sometimes throws himself to the ground and refuses to get up.

According to police, on September 12, while at the New Leaf School for Change, the 11-year-old did just that.

But what happened next Suarez says is shocking.

“The child was defiant,” said Lt. Adam Militello with the Neptune Beach Police Department. “He was not getting up from the ground and the principal pulled him across the floor, just under 30 feet, some of it unfortunately over concrete and over two door thresholds.”

Cesar Suarez remembers picking his child up from school that day. And he couldn’t believe his eyes.

“You could imagine, when I saw his hand like that and his rib cage I said ‘Jesus Christ this is criminal,’” Cesar Suarez said. “‘What did you do to my baby?’ The only thing she could say is ‘I’m deeply sorry.’”
He says New Leaf Principal, Ronda McDonald, has apologized several times, sending cards and emails.

She acknowledged to FCN that the incident occurred, but said any injury she caused was “unfortunate and unintentional.”

“I want justice to be done,” said Cesar Suarez. “And I hope we get justice.”

“I would like to see that this never happens to any other kid ever,” said Meibol Suarez.

Principal McDonald said the boy did not appear to be in distress during the incident.

She said she deeply cares for the child and his family.

The Suarez’s son has been placed in another school.

Lt. Militello said this is an ongoing investigation but it will be up to the State Attorney’s Office to decide whether to file charges.

Monday, October 21, 2013

Missouri House Interim Committee on Education Hearings | Missouri Learning Standards

The Missouri House of Representatives Interim Committee on Education is holding a second round of hearings about a number of education issues facing the state. The Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education encourages parents, teachers, administrators and community members to attend these hearings and make your voices heard. This is your chance to provide input on the priorities for lawmakers leading up to the 2014 legislative session.

Topics will likely include:

Common Core State Standards
Foundation formula for education funding
Student transfers from unaccredited to accredited districts
Teacher tenure
Educator evaluation

Interim House Education Committee Hearing dates and locations:

Monday, October 21, 3:30-6:30pm at LaGrange College, 2800 Palmyra Rd, Hannibal, MO 63401
Tuesday, October 22, 1:00-4:00pm at Northwest Missouri State University, Student Union Board Room, 800 University Dr. Maryville, MO 64468
Tuesday, October 22, 7:00-10:00pm at UMKC – Atterbury Student Success Center – Pierson Auditorium Room 245 – 5000 Homes, 5110 Rockhill Rd., Kansas City, MO 64110
Wednesday, October 23, 1:00-4:00pm, University of Central Missouri, Elliott Union, Elliott Room #237A/B, 511 South Holden, Warrensburg, MO 64093
Wednesday, October 23, 7:00-10:00pm, University of Missouri – Columbia, 319 Jesse Hall, Columbia, MO 65211

St. Louis schools taking aim at social promotion : News

ST. LOUIS • Each year, around 2,000 children in the city’s public elementary and middle schools receive the worst score possible on state reading exams.

And yet, just 134 students in grades three through eight were held back this year, according to state data.

It’s a fact that was pointed out to St. Louis Public Schools officials in a stinging state audit of the district last month. Now city school officials are taking steps to better comply with two largely ignored state laws that prohibit children who lack adequate reading skills from advancing to the next grade.

In the next few weeks, parents of city school children are to receive notice if their child is reading more than one grade level behind. For the first time this fall, the district is giving a standard reading assessment to middle and elementary schools to determine where their skills stand. Those not reading adequately will receive reading improvement plans that may include tutoring, small group instruction and summer school. Parents will be asked to sign off on those plans.

Children whose reading skills don’t improve enough by the end of the school year could face repeating the same grade next fall, potentially leading to hundreds — if not thousands — of additional students being retained.

“The district is assuring that the policy of the district approved two years ago is fully implemented,” Superintendent Kelvin Adams said, referring to a policy that spells out what children at each grade level must master before advancing. “Will that result in more kids being held back? The answer may be yes.”

Adams would not speculate on how many students may be retained as a result. “I frankly, honestly, don’t have any clue right now. ”

The city public school system is among many that fail to fully comply with state’s promotion and retention laws.

One of those laws applies only to St. Louis Public Schools and requires the district to hold back any student whose reading level is more than one year behind. The other applies to all schools statewide and prohibits fourth-graders from advancing to fifth grade if they are reading below a third-grade level.

Exam results from the 2013 Missouri Assessment Program show that 5,437 fourth-graders across Missouri — about 8 percent of them — scored the lowest possible level of “below basic” in the reading section last spring. Yet only 224 fourth-graders statewide were held back this year, according to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

In the St. Louis area, 1,897 fourth-graders scored below basic on the state’s reading exam. Yet just 60 were forced to repeat fourth grade this fall, according to state retention data. No students at any grade level were held back at 274 area schools.

Those schools include four of the five elementary schools in the unaccredited Normandy School District, and at two of the nine elementary schools in the unaccredited Riverview Gardens School District, where the vast majority of students are behind in reading.

In St. Louis, no students were retained at 18 of the district’s 46 elementary schools. At three of the city elementary schools with no retained students — Dunbar, Monroe and Walbridge elementary schools — half or more students tested below basic last spring in reading.

It’s a reality that angers state Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, who believes schools that pass children without adequate reading skills are setting them up for life as an illiterate adult.

MIXED RESEARCH

At a legislative hearing in Jefferson City, Nasheed was close to yelling as she grilled Education Commissioner Chris Nicastro about why the department wasn’t pressuring schools to end so-called social promotion.

“So are we really serious about educating our kids when you can let a kid go from one grade level to the next knowing they’re not fit for the next level? Knowing that we’re setting them up for failure?” Nasheed said. “If we’re not educating them, we’re going to incarcerate them.”

But studies are mixed as to whether retaining children actually helps them in the long run. Dozens of reports spanning two decades indicate that students who are held back in middle school are more likely to drop out of high school. Other studies suggest students who repeat a lower grade perform much better academically for a few years, but their gains are often lost over time.

“Grade retention tends to be traumatic for kids,” said Lars Lefgren, an economics professor at Brigham Young University who has studied the impact of retention on students in the Chicago school system. “You have to trade off your education objective against the trauma kids face.”

It’s why Nicastro says she’s not entirely sold on holding back struggling readers as the means to help them catch up.

“The whole notion of social promotion is a very complex one,” Nicastro said last month during a meeting in St. Louis. “What that means is we have to think differently about how we help children succeed.”

LIMITED RESOURCES

In St. Louis, Missouri Auditor Tom Schweich last month blasted St. Louis Public Schools on several counts, such as not doing enough to prevent standardized test fraud, failing to monitor the hundreds of programs in its schools, and not doing enough to bring in competitive bids for services.

But he said it was the findings on promoting inadequate readers to the next grade level that troubled him the most.

District officials responded by saying that the city school system does not have the resources to retain all students not reading at the required level, and fully following the law would hurt the district financially.

The cost of holding back one student in St. Louis Public Schools is $14,375.

Despite the expense, Adams said the district is taking steps to fully comply with Schweich’s audit recommendations, including student retention. But Adams maintains that holding children back isn’t enough to help struggling readers, and in some cases it could make the problem worse if the right kind of tutoring and other interventions aren’t provided.

Members of the district’s Special Administrative Board last week cautioned Adams to consider any unintended consequence. Adams assured that the district would be doing everything possible to make parents aware if their children could face the potential of repeating a grade next year.

“I just don’t want to see us here next May hearing from parents that they are surprised their child isn’t being passed,” board president Rick Sullivan said.

Board member Richard Gaines said the notion of social promotion isn’t acceptable. But there are things to be considered that aren’t always obvious, he said, when holding a child back. “We want to move these kids along so socially they are not out of balance,” he said. “It needs to be seriously discussed how you do this.”

Adams later said it’s why the issue is a complicated one. But nevertheless, he expects Schweich to be pleased when the auditor returns to St. Louis in December for a follow-up report.

“The lawmakers have the best intentions about what they’re enacting,” Adams said. “It’s up to us to make sure we can follow it to the degree it doesn’t hurt kids. The intent of the law is to make sure kids can read.”

Walker Moskop of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.

Autistic boy's noise leads to eviction notice - Ottawa - CBC News

An Ottawa couple with an autistic son are facing the threat of eviction from their downtown condominium because of complaints that the boy makes too much noise.

Logan From autistic boy noise complaints eviction

Logan From, 8, has autism. A small trampoline that helps him let off steam has led to complaints from neighbours. (CBC)

John and Kerri From said they moved into a second-floor townhouse in Centretown to be close to a school with an autism program.

Their eight-year-old son, Logan From, has a specially constructed small trampoline inside the condo that his parents say helps him let off steam.

Last Wednesday, the family received an eviction notice because of the noise.

Their neighbour downstairs had complained, which was followed up with a letter from the building's property management company.

The letter said "running and trampoline noise" carries to the adjoining units and shakes the walls.

It also said that if the noise can't be stopped, the family has the property management company's "blessing to look for more suitable accommodation immediately."

John and Kerri From said they don't dispute that their son is an active, rambunctious boy who makes noise, but they said they feel targeted.

'I feel like we are being discriminated against'

John From Kerri From autism son eviction

John and Kerri From say they feel discriminated against. (CBC )

"I have cried more on the Wednesday than I have in my whole entire life," John From said. "I don't know how else to put it. It was just mean. It just felt really, really, really mean."

"I feel like we are being discriminated against. What if a baby with colic was here?" said Kerri From. "Would that not be acceptable? Would they have to leave?"

The Eastern Ontario Landlord Organization said landlords are obligated to act on complaints about noise from tenants, and tenants are required to keep noise levels down.

For now, Kerri and John From plan to file a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal, as well as look for another place in the area to live.

You can watch Sandra Abma's full TV report in the video player above.

55 years in prison for e-mails and phone calls? | The Daily Caller

The criminalization of mental illness — i.e., the imprisonment of individuals with a mental illness for behavior that is a symptom of their illness — is a damaging, and increasing trend. Daniel Jason is just one of tens of thousands of individuals trapped by it.

Handsome, with an athletic build but a gaze that can make him appear lost, Daniel has Asperger Syndrome. A developmental disorder (on the autism spectrum), Asperger Syndrome makes it difficult for Daniel to communicate and socialize normally with others. Individuals with Asperger Syndrome want to form strong and loving relationships with others but don’t know how to do so. Their focus on something can become obsessive.

Those with Asperger Syndrome usually have normal or above average intelligence. In December 2005, Daniel graduated early from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor’s Degree in finance. The next year he entered the university’s graduate school of business. Daniel took $2,000 of his bar mitzvah money and made $120,000 by trading options online.

Unfortunately, Daniel’s first time dating did not go well. In late December 2005 or early January 2006, after about 11 months of dating, his girlfriend, a fellow student, ended their relationship. In emails, phone calls, and text messages, Daniel alternated between begging his ex-girlfriend to get back together and threatening to reveal personal secrets if she didn’t.

Arrested on March 30, 2007 for violating a protective order that his ex-girlfriend obtained against him, Daniel has spent most of his time since then in prison, even though he hasn’t committed any violent crimes.

On May 29, 2008, after unsuccessfully representing himself at trial, Daniel was sentenced to five years in prison for violating the protective order and two years for witness tampering. On December 1, 2010, Daniel was sentenced to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release for mailing a threatening communication to his lawyer from prison.

On November 5, 2012, Daniel was charged with one count of stalking while restricted by a protective order (he sent several email and Facebook messages to his ex-girlfriend) and two counts of extortion (in two voicemail messages left at his ex-girlfriend’s place of employment, he threatened to disclose “embarrassing information” about her). If convicted at his trial, scheduled to begin October 22, Daniel can be sentenced to up to 55 years in prison. Prosecutors offered a 10-year sentence if Daniel agreed to plead guilty but have withdrawn their offer.

"The #1 mistake people make when working with those with Asperger's"

Video #1 —

Thank you so much for checking us out, we know that you'll be thrilled with what you see.

You can watch the video we promised you "The #1 mistake people make when working with those with Asperger's" by clicking here: Watch the video

Here at Asperger Experts, we come from an insiders perspective, and teach parents, teachers, therapists and those with Asperger's to live better lives, understand why they do what they do, and unlock the potential of themselves, and everyone around them.

The basis of everything we teach is contained in this video, so make sure to watch it.

If you ever need anything please email us at expert@aspergerexperts.com

Talk soon,

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Asperger Expert

Thursday, October 17, 2013

LS Police Investigating Robbery at Home Depot Store - Lee's Summit Tribune - Lee's Summit News

LS Police Investigating Robbery at Home Depot Store

September 20, 2013

By Sgt. Chris Depue

On Thursday, 9/19/2013 at approximately 1:15 p.m. officers were called to the Home Depot store located in the 600 block of SE Oldham Parkway on a reported robbery. The initial investigation revealed that a suspect had entered the store via the garden center entrance.

When the suspect approached the cashier he attempted to pay for a small item. When the clerk counted back the change, the suspect stated that he had paid with a larger denomination and demanded more change.

The suspect became more agitated and eventually demanded all of the money in the clerk’s drawer. The clerk complied with the demand and the suspect fled from the store to a waiting vehicle. A weapon was never displayed during the robbery and there were no injuries reported.

The suspect is described as a black male, approximately 5’7” tall with a slender build and balding. The suspect was wearing a dark t-shirt with white lettering and khaki shorts. The suspect vehicle is described as a dark colored Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Letter From The President

Dear Sherri:

Thank you for writing. My Administration is working to ensure America’s young people have educational opportunities worthy of their potential, and I appreciate hearing from you.

There is no stronger foundation for success than a great education. We must provide our children with the world-class education they need to succeed and our Nation needs to compete in the global economy. Our classrooms should be places of high expectations and success, where all students receive an education that prepares them for higher learning and high-demand careers in our fast-changing economy.

Equipping young Americans with the tools for success must start at the earliest possible age. Today, fewer than 3 in 10 4-year-olds are enrolled in a high-quality preschool program—and for many children, this lack of access to preschool can leave a shadow that lasts a lifetime. That is why I have proposed working with states to make high-quality preschool available to every child in America. Every dollar we invest in early childhood education can save more than seven dollars later on—by boosting graduation rates, reducing teen pregnancy, and reducing crime. In states that make it a priority to educate our youngest children, students grow up more likely to read and do math at their grade level, graduate high school, hold a job, and form stable families of their own. So we must do what works and make sure none of our children start the race of life behind.

My Administration continues to make historic investments to strengthen our public education system, including our Race to the Top program—a competition that spurred states to make comprehensive reforms of their public school systems to prepare all students for college and career. Race to the Top focuses on what is best for our students by engaging state and local leaders and educators in adopting better standards that prepare students for college and career, turning around our lowest-performing schools, developing and rewarding effective teachers and leaders, and implementing meaningful assessments to track the progress of our students. Building on this ambitious program, I announced a new initiative to provide high school students with challenging and relevant academic and career-related learning experiences that prepare them for success in higher education and the workforce. With funding I have proposed in my FY2014 budget, we will reward schools that redesign teaching and learning in high schools to foster new partnerships with colleges and employers and strengthen classes that focus on science, technology, engineering, and math—the skills students need to thrive in a high-tech world.

To further reshape our educational system, we also need to reform the No Child Left Behind Act—a law that has helped advance accountability and expose disparities in educational opportunities and outcomes, but has labeled too many schools as failing and imposed too many unworkable remedies. Because America’s students cannot afford to wait any longer for Congress to act to fix No Child Left Behind, my Administration launched a new Federal-State partnership to provide states with flexibility to advance needed educational reforms in exchange for a commitment to raise standards for all students, improve accountability for low-performing schools, and help teachers and school leaders become more effective. A majority of states has now been granted flexibility from No Child Left Behind, and while states are required to maintain a focus on underserved students, they can move away from one-size-fits-all interventions and mandates to advance locally tailored solutions to do what is best for students.

The future of America’s economic strength is determined each day in classrooms across our Nation. To remain a global leader, we must cultivate a learning environment with an effective teacher in every classroom and an effective principal in every school. Supporting a strong teaching workforce and inspiring school leadership is a top priority for my Administration. In these challenging financial times for state and local budgets, we have worked to help schools keep teachers in the classroom, preserve or extend the regular school day and year, and maintain important afterschool activities. My Administration has also put forward robust plans to strengthen and transform the teaching profession through a series of investments to help states and districts pursue bold reforms at every stage of the profession. This includes attracting top-tier talent and preparing educators for success, creating career ladders with opportunities for advancement and competitive compensation, providing meaningful evaluation and support for the development of teachers and principals, and getting the best educators into the classrooms of the students who need them most.

Across our country, young people are dreaming of their futures and of the ideas that will chart the course of our unwritten history. A world-class education system will equip our Nation to advance economic growth, encourage new investment and hiring, spark innovation, and ensure the success of the middle class. Preparing our students for higher education and rewarding careers fulfills our promise to our Nation’s youth and strengthens America for generations to come.

Thank you, again, for writing. To learn more about my Administration’s work, please visit www.WhiteHouse.gov/issues/education.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama

Jeff Grisamore Not