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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 75 Pleasant Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-4906 Telephone: (781) 338-3700

TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370

October 11, 2012 Greg Canfield, Executive Director Justice Resource Institute The Meadowridge Schools 160 Gould Street Suite 300 Needham, MA 02494 Re: Mid-cycle Review and Verification of previous Program Review Corrective Action Plan Dear Mr. Canfield: Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (“Department”) Mid-cycle Report based upon the Mid-cycle review conducted in your private school program in September 2012. This Mid-cycle Review Report contains the Department's findings regarding the implementation status and effectiveness of corrective steps taken in response to your previous Program Review Report issued on July 2, 2010. This report also includes a report on the status of implementation for new state or federal special education requirements enacted since your program’s last Program Review. While the Department found certain noncompliance issues to be resolved, others were partially corrected, not addressed at all and/or new issues were identified by the Department’s onsite team. Therefore, the Department is issuing a “Provisional Approval” status effective from the date of this letter and indicated on your approval certificate. Your “Provisional Approval” will expire on December 21, 2012. The reasons for the “Provisional Approval” are clearly indicated on the attached Mid-cycle Review Report. As the Department previously informed you, in cases where a program fails to fully and effectively implement a Corrective Action Plan which was proposed by your program and approved by the Department, the Department must then prepare a Corrective Action Plan for the program which must be implemented without further delay. You will find these requirements for corrective action and further progress reporting included in the attached report, together with any steps that must be taken by the program to fully implement new special education requirements. Please provide the Department with your written assurance that the Department's requirements for corrective action will be implemented by your program within the timelines specified. Your statement of assurance must be submitted to the Department's Onsite Chairperson by October 23, 2012. Please be advised that the attached Department Approval Certificate must be

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conspicuously posted in a public place within the program as required by 603 CMR 28.09. Your staff's cooperation throughout these follow-up monitoring activities is appreciated. Should you require additional clarification of information included in our report, please do not hesitate to contact the Onsite Team Chairperson at 781-338-3719. Sincerely, Amy B. Krukonis, Mid-cycle Review Chairperson Program Quality Assurance Services Darlene Lynch, Director Program Quality Assurance Services c: Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D., Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education

Andrew Pond, Chairperson, Board of Directors Sean Rose, Glenhaven Academy, Local Program Review Coordinator Andre Solomita, Pelham Academy, Local Program Review Coordinator Elizabeth Carrigan, Walden Street School, Local Program Review Coordinator Maribeth Balzano August, Swansea Woods School, Local Program Review Coordinator Heather Lee, Meadowridge Academy, Local Program Review Coordinator

Encl.: Mid-cycle Review Report Provisional Private School Approval Certificate, Expiration Date: December 21, 2012

Justice Resource Institute, Inc. Meadowridge Residential Programs Mid-cycle Review Report October 11, 2012

Page 1 of 8

MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF

ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION PRIVATE SCHOOL MID-CYCLE REVIEW

Justice Resource Institute

The Meadowridge Schools

Glenhaven Academy, 56 Framingham Road, Marlboro, MA 01752 Meadowridge Academy, 664 Stevens Road, Swansea, MA 02777

Pelham Academy, 13 Pelham Road, Lexington, MA 02421 Swansea Wood School, 789 Stevens Road, Swansea, MA 02777 Walden Street School, 148 Walden Street, Concord, MA 01742

MID-CYCLE REVIEW REPORT Mid-cycle Onsite Visit Conducted on September 24-25, 2012

Date of this Report: October 11, 2012


Page 2 of 8

Criterion Number

and Topic

Implementation Status of

Requirements or

Corrective Action Plan Determined

to be Substantially Implemented

√

Method(s) of Verification

Comments Regarding Corrective Action Plan

Implementation


to be Not Fully

Implemented or

Additional Issues

Identified √

Findings Regarding Incomplete

Implementation of Approved Corrective

Action Plan or Identification of

Additional Issues of Noncompliance

Further Corrective Action Ordered by the

Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

and Timelines for Implementation and

Further Progress Reporting

Selected Approved Private School Program Mid-cycle Review Criteria 2.2 Approvals, Licenses, Certificates of Inspection 18.04(1); 28.09(2)(b)(5); 28.09(5) (b); 28.09(6) (b, c)

√ Documentation

The Meadowridge Schools have current licenses, approvals and certificates of inspection by state and local agencies as required.

2.3 EEC Licensure 102 CMR 3.00 (Residential Programs only)

√ Documentation The Meadowridge Schools have current, full licenses from the Department of Early Education and Care as required.

6.1 Daily √ Documentation The Meadowridge Schools


Page 3 of 8

Criterion Number

and Topic


Requirements or



√



Implementation


to be Not Fully

Implemented or

Additional Issues

Identified √









Instructional Hours 603 CMR 27.04 & 6.4 School Days Per Year 603 CMR 27.05(2); 28.09(9)(a)

submitted documentation that ensures each student receives the minimum instructional hours for 12 month programs and operates the minimum number of days for 12 month programs as required.

8.5 Current IEP & Student Roster 28.09(5)(a)

√

Documentation Student Record Review Interviews

The Meadowridge Schools have current IEP’s for each enrolled Massachusetts student that have been issued by the responsible public school district and consented to and dated by the student’s parent(s). For each unsigned


Page 4 of 8

Criterion Number

and Topic


Requirements or



√



Implementation


to be Not Fully

Implemented or

Additional Issues

Identified √









IEP, The Meadowridge Schools have evidence/documentation of efforts and/or steps taken with the public school district to obtain signed IEP’s as required.

11.3 Educational Administrator Qualifications 28.09(5)(a); 28.09(7)(a); 603 CMR 44.00

√

Documentation Interviews

The Meadowridge Schools have designated an Education Administrator at each of the five program sites who possess the appropriate qualifications to serve in this position.


Page 5 of 8

Criterion Number

and Topic


Requirements or



√



Implementation


to be Not Fully

Implemented or

Additional Issues

Identified √









11.4 Teachers (Special Education Teachers and Regular Education Teachers) 18.05(11)(f); 28.09(5)(a); 28.09(7)(b, c); 34 CFR 300.321


√

While 4 of the 5 Meadowridge School sites have teachers who are appropriately licensed or on approved waivers in grade and subject areas as required which are appropriate to meet the needs of the student population, Glenhaven Academy has 3 out of 5 teachers who are not licensed or on approved waivers as required.

By November 20, 2012 Glenhaven Academy must submit the following: • Current teaching staff

roster that includes all UFR 115’s special education teachers and UFR 116’s regular education teachers in the program that contains the following information: o UFR#; o Name; o Position title within

the program; o Grade level(s) taught; o Subject(s) taught; o Massachusetts

teaching license title,


Page 6 of 8

Criterion Number

and Topic


Requirements or



√



Implementation


to be Not Fully

Implemented or

Additional Issues

Identified √









type, grade level, number and expiration date;

o Copy of license or most current ELAR activity sheet; and

• In instances where teachers do not hold Massachusetts licensure for the area in which they are employed, a copy of a current certification waiver is provided or ELAR activity sheet.


Page 7 of 8

Criterion Number

and Topic


Requirements or



√



Implementation


to be Not Fully

Implemented or

Additional Issues

Identified √









11.5 Related Services Staff 28.09(7)(d)

√


The Meadowridge Schools have appropriately certified, licensed or registered related services staff as required.

.

11.6 Master Staff Roster 28.09(7)

√


The Meadowridge School sites each maintain a Master Staff Roster which includes all staff positions within the program and that corresponds to the last approved Program Budget.

19 Anti-Hazing M.G.L. c. 269, §§ 17 through 19

√

Documentation Student Record Review Interviews

The Meadowridge Schools submitted copies of student handbooks distributed to students and documented students’ receipt of a copy of the school program’s anti-hazing disciplinary policy approved by the program’s Board of Director’s for every secondary age student enrolled


Page 8 of 8

Criterion Number

and Topic


Requirements or



√



Implementation


to be Not Fully

Implemented or

Additional Issues

Identified √









full-time, and every student group, and/or student team as required.

20 Bullying Prevention and Intervention M.G.L. c. 71, s. 37H, as amended by Chapter 92 of the Acts of 2010. M.G.L. c. 71, s. 37O(e)(1) & (2). M.G.L. c. 71, s. 370(d).

√ Documentation Interviews

The Meadowridge Schools submitted a description of how each program amended their student admissions materials/handbook to contain an age-appropriate summary of their Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan; a description of how it was distributed; and a description of the professional development plan developed by the program for all staff.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary

Education Justice Resource Institute The Meadowridge Schools

A PRIVATE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM OPERATED PURSUANT TO

603 CMR 18.00 AND 28.09

Glenhaven Academy, 56 Framingham Road, Marlboro, MA 01752

Meadowridge Academy, 664 Stevens Road, Swansea, MA 02777 Pelham Academy, 13 Pelham Road, Lexington, MA 02421

Swansea Wood School, 789 Stevens Road, Swansea, MA 02777 Walden Street School, 148 Walden Street, Concord, MA 01742

Program Rate Based on: 119 Students Approved Enrollment: 119 Students

Day Program Residential Program

Summer Program 10 month program 11 month program 12 month program APPROVED STUDENT:LICENSED EDUCATOR RATIO: 6:1 APPROVED STUDENT:LICENSED EDUCATOR:AIDE RATIO: 10:1:1

APPROVAL STATUS

PROVISIONAL APPROVAL Expires on: December 21, 2012

The current approval is a result of a Mid-cycle Review conducted in the 2012-2013 school year and the next review is scheduled for the 2015-2016 school year.

AMY B. KRUKONIS, EDUCATIONAL SPECIALIST, PROGRAM QUALITY ASSURANCE

SERVICES

NINA M. MARCHESE, SUPERVISOR, PROGRAM QUALITY ASSURANCE SERVICES

DARLENE A. LYNCH, DIRECTOR, PROGRAM QUALITY ASSURANCE SERVICES

DATE

ISSUED:

10/11/2012

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