Parents at Stevens Forest Elementary School remain suspicious and worried about a school department plan to transfer severely emotionally disturbed children to their school this fall as part of a countywide program that helps such children.
During a contentious, 2 1/2 -hour meeting Thursday, parents accused school officials of ignoring their concerns and of having already made up their minds.
"The meeting was a disappointment," parent Ann Geddes said yesterday. "We felt they were giving us the run-around a bit, and that made us angry."
But school officials defend the proposal, saying Stevens Forest is one of only three schools in the county with enough self-contained space to accommodate part of the Waterloo Elementary School program, which serves 20 children this year.
"The program needs to be split," Sandra Marx, director of special education for county schools, told parents last week. "What we're trying to do is to make sure no one single school is singled out."
Under the plan being considered by the school board, Stevens Forest would get about 10 severely emotionally disturbed students this fall. About 10 more would remain at Waterloo, which has been home to the program for nearly 20 years. Enrollment at both schools could grow during the school year.
The program serves children whose emotional problems are severe enough to require a full-time psychologist, a crisis intervention counselor and a guidance counselor. Students get one-on-one attention in self-contained classrooms until they are integrated back into regular classrooms in their home schools.
The program is a model for the state, Waterloo Principal Karen Moore-Robey said, adding that teachers in regular classrooms aren't spending time with the special education children.
Last year, parents of Waterloo students in regular classrooms complained of disruptive behavior by emotionally troubled students, saying that it interferred with their children's academic time.
Worried about the effect the program would have on its school, the Stevens Forest PTA plans to recommend against moving the program to the school, said PTA President Beth Bohac. If the school board goes ahead with the plan, it should be delayed for a year so teachers can be trained and school renovations completed, she said.
"One of our chief concerns is that they are bringing the program in too quickly," said Trish Trahan, the PTA's first vice president.
At last week's meeting, parents complained that Stevens Forest has endured turnover of principals and faculty in recent years. They also expressed concern that test scores -- which have dropped over the years -- would slide even further.
"There's a feeling of disregard for this community," said Susan LoPresto. "There is that inequity of the older schools vs. the newer schools."
Said parent Cassie Rademacher: "I've heard a lot of rhetoric, I've heard a lot of fluff talk and I don't buy any of it. I'm opposed to bringing the . . . program here."
Among the few Stevens Forest parents supporting the program was Stuart Berlin, a former special education teacher at Meade High School. "I'm here to say the program works," he said. "What I'm hearing is a lot of fear."
But other parents wanted to know if special education students are held accountable for violent acts, and questioned how often they would interact with regular education students.
Eleonore Krebs, supervisor of psychological services for county public schools, said the disabled students are not necessarily a safety risk to other children. "I think it's real important that we're not talking about juvenile delinquents here."
Stevens Forest Principal Wilbur M. Payne Jr. noted that the 352-student school already has a special education program that serves about 55 Stevens Forest and non-Stevens Forest students. If the new program is approved, his school will get three more special education teachers, three more instructional assistants and additional psychological services.
The school system's budget will determine whether the school gets a full-time psychologist and guidance counselor.
The school board will hold a work session on the proposal on Thursday, and a public hearing March 7. The board is scheduled to make a final decision on the plan and other redistricting proposals March 23.