Parents Raises Concerns About Special Ed

A Grafton resident expressed his frustration last night with the post-graduation special education program for students ages 18 to 22.

Craig Dauphinais, who has a child in the program, told School Committee members that there have been delays in responding to parents’ concerns and finding adequate activities and transportation for students in the program.

“We really think the program needs a lot of improvement,’’ he said. “We’ve gone up the chain and I’ll tell you, I am not impressed. I have a lack of confidence in a lot of the staff.’’

He said that meetings to discuss these issues with staff members have been held, only to be followed by weeks and months of delays in getting answers. As one example, he said that he had hoped his daughter and other young people in the program could have access to the pool at the Whitin Community Center in Northbridge.

After weeks of “waiting patiently’’ to find out more, he finally called the facility directly, and was told that they welcome students from other communities at the pool at a cost of $1 per person and indicated they would be willing to accommodate the Grafton youngsters.

He said he obtained this information in the course of two days and three phone calls. “If I had gone there [personally], I would have had it done in an hour,’’ he said.

Instead, he got a letter from the Grafton program saying youngsters could access only the gym and not the pool and only once a week.

“What I’m looking for is some creativity, some energy,’’ he said.

He wanted to hear a response from special education administrator Kathleen Baris, but committee members suggested she should have her say at a future meeting.

The committee wanted the issue placed on the agenda so others in the community could have their say.

Committee member Donna Stock said these issues should be addressed as soon as possible. She had heard other concerns, she said, and the discussion was “long overdue.’’

Committee member Teri Turgeon said she was “disappointed’’ at what she was hearing after deciding she would let the administration handle the issue.

She said she wanted to find out the resources available to students in the program, the components of the program and the success rates of its participants.

The delays, she said, “make no sense.’’