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Group helps parents of hyperactive children by lirkn Just knowing It is not your fault a big burden off your shoulders says Acton Joanne Avery when discussing a formed organization for of hyperactive children Circle has provided relief for more than one parent when It comes to the many prob lems handling hem and coming to grips with one self Basically a group organizers are reaching out to parents from all over who are in need of their support Joanne is a public relations officer who herself has been through the prob lems of having her eldest son diagnosed as hyperactive The group also has members from Cambridge Kitchener and Fergus as it is the only of its kind In the area Most people perceive a hyperactive child as being constantly on the go and fidgety However Joanne points out hyperactivity can appear difrerent in each person They are labelled as behavioral problems and when older as delinquents Joanne explains some have a low frustration level and some appear clumsy with a of co ordination and a short attention span Most are unpredictable and act before they think This in itself can cause parental nightmares because of the dangers of being hit by a car Very often the hyperactive child has no friends They cannot interact with other children or adults as they get older Their marks at school are poor even though most hyperactive children are above average in in Some per cent Joanne says are boys Guilt is the most common bond between parents of these types of children You just feel you are beating your head against a brick wall when dealing your child she says Doctor after doctor unable to diagnose the problem and many make the mother or atber feel as if it is their fault the child is different While the symptoms vary the actual is much the same in various families Joanne tike others was accused of being over protective yet she lived in fear of her son being hit by a car She could not leave him alone with other children even his younger brother incase a fight ensued After going to several doctors over six years Joanne son was finally diagnosed as being hyperactive In the few short months since this breakthrough the eight has been put on medication tuts calmed down and is behaving like any other boy his age Unfortunately the reputation be built up before finding the right doctor still with him He was by the other children Joanne recalls He would beat them up and they would make fun of him he 15 just starting to make friends now but it is slow process with children Hyperactivity is a sickness Joanne states with no known cause There is no cure but there a control Somecaser can be handled alone some with drugs There no com promising between the two Joanne says it is an eitheror situation What concerns Joanne is that for every child who is detected as being hyperactive there arc two that go unnoticed Some one in five children is hyperactive The stress an undiagnosed child can create in the home is Joanne says Parents blame each other or Marriages have broken up over It and even the happiest mamed couples find tension in the home The have another problem right now Their youngest son at twoyearsold showing signs of hyperactivity However they do not know if it is because of that or if it is learned behavior He sees his older brother doing it so he does it Or he could just be seeking attention because things arc chaotic at home Joanne admits the chances of the younger one being hyperactive are small The oldest boy is adopted and she cannot sec an adopted and a natural one both being inflicted with the same sickness Acton van Bent is aware of Circle according to Joanne and has recommended some parents call her about the group There is also literature around town at Toddlers to Teens and Lane Health Food Store Joanne wants to reach out to the parents who are going through what she did for many years She wants to ease the guilt burden and share her experiences and maybe recommend doctors who can help The difference in her life is incomparable she points out The house is now tranquil for the most part whereas before it was not known when her son would lash out at someone She no longer needs to worry about cars and bridges and all the other things In life most parents take for granted M Bennett school principal Howard Allan has been very supportive Joanne says The child teacher Dave Mashinles fills out a weekly report describing the boy s behaviour Mm arks etc His through this that Joanne can follow bis patterns and make sure if his needs adjusting or not Ttus close contact with the school can show the parents and the doctors v here and when the problems started One teenage girl In the Circle newsletter pointed out she had no friends her marks were poor and she was ready to quit school and get a job However after seeing a newspaper article on Circle and hyperactivity she looked into it and found she herself was afflicted She is now on medication is developing friends and has set her sights on college Her life has turned about thanks to Circle H Some of the questions parents or teachers may ask to help determine if a child Is hyperactive arc Does the child work slowly or in spurts often not f the assigned work Is his handwriting illegible and messy Does the child get involved in most of the class room incidents such as throwing paper wads fighting Do the little noises and movements of others disturb and distract him Does he seem to have a poor or fluctuating memory remembering things one day and not the next but maybetheday after Does he have a loud voice that seems to speak out at inappropriate times Is he impulsive in his work not seeming think things through or plan ahead in answering writing or asking Most hyperactive children have a low self esteem Joanncsaid CircleHhelpsbuildlluttcs and also the parents Parents blamed tor their child a behavior nor are they alone says Joanne Avery who is to bring the Guelph based group Circle to the people of Hill Joanne life has changed dramatically for the belter discovering the group family relationship are Improving and her hyperactive son beginning to feel normal The biggest pro blem was getting his illness diagnosed newsmakers GeorgetownActon Wednesday Nov 17 1982 Graham Rider of year a proud moment for Hugh Graham of an he Is presented with a large trophy signifying he has earned the greatest number of paints In Gran Prix events this year to be named Equestrian the Vear Representatives of who sponsor many horse shows and directors of the Itoyal Winter Fair were on hand to honor him at a reception last week at the Royal York Hotel Dick Howitt is sworn in The village of Limehouse is proud of a native son Hugh Graham 32 is the Rothmans Irian of the Year a title he has earned by winning the most points in six Grand Prix events through out the year With 13 points earned at qualifying shows in Hamilton Edmonton Montreal Quebec City Cheltenham and Vancouver Hugh Graham took first spot with Millar of Kettleby On tatio second points Graham earned the coveted award which ings with it for the owner of the horse a handsome trophy containing a magnum of cham pagne and a cooler for the horse despite a year filled with serious injuries A cracked pelvis and separated back left him on crutches until on the advice of veteran rider Jim Elder he visited an orthopaedic surgeon well known to professional athletes Told to come back in 12 weeks Graham said he wanted to ride in a Grand Prix event In three weeks Then come back In two weeks said the still in pain Be did ride within three weeks Graham told this talc at the reception at the Royal York where he was awarded the trophy and the title Wednesday He thanked Rothmans on behalf of all the com for their part In developing horses and riders in Canada and termed the Grand Prix the best in Norlh America He said he was deeply sorry he cannot be part of the Canadian Equestnan Team at the Royal Winter Fair since his horse Abraxas is out of lion with an injury Abraxas on whom he won the of the Year title is a big hand chest nut gelding owned by Laura Tobias of Toronto and is in his first season of open jumper com pet has just been chosen Equestrian of the Year Here he carries the large trophy and bottle of Cham pagne back to his table at a reception In the Royal York tion On his second mount Athenian Prince owned by Samson Farms of Hornby a well known local horse farm Graham took second place in the September Grand Prix in California Graham a member of a large ly attended Georgetown high school and became interested in horses at an early age Before enter ing the world of hunter he was a champion calf roper and while still in his teens staged a rodeo sponsored by Georgetown Lions Club here in Fairgrounds Park Pay restraints affect teachers The new Provincial edict on public sector raises means that as many as Hal ton teachers and principals will not get normal step increases These ore the people making 35 a year or more Although the Provincial plan has not been fully understood Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation local president Joe Norwood and Elementary Teachers Association pros dent Robert believe this group will get only the basic per cent allowed by the Province Both men are concerned that this capping at will disrupt the pay grid system which has been established Principals and viceprincipals all over will have no opportunity to get the Increase which normally goes along with additional experience Board of Education superintendent of in struct ion Ray estimated that about Halton secondary school teachers nearly half already earn about J5 On the current grid the maximum is There is one below that but above OOO and another below which would not be ble for a normal full ment These equivalent to merit pay in the private sector are worth to 3 per cent a year and ore given out automatically with each ad year i experience Part of land sold for A corner of the side School properly hub been sold to the Ministry of Tronsporta ion and Communion for 375 Wednesday evening Board of approved the sale of I square feet of the south west corner of the land in order that improvements may be made to Highway Work expected commence in the spring of 1913 The ministry lias greed to recon struct the existing entrance to tilt school otter the work is completed Georgetown lawyer and resident Dick was sworn In as a trustee of Board of Education Wednesday evening less than hours after he was voted into the position and newly elected trustee Pot were officially placed on the board almost one month before the other new members because they are both filling vacant positions op the board was replacing the late Betty Walker who died this summer and was replacing Bill Herd who was transferred to a new job in the United States in September Milton Trustee Bill welcomed to the board and noted his experience on municipal council would be beneficial to the board Assoc for bright children being organized in Halton Special learning centre is proposed for Halton By Teachers are very effective at identifying gifted children If the arc teacher the ones who thrive on an adult approval But they don t catch all the gifted children especially those who bow to peer pressure by giving the occasional wrong answer This was one observation offered by enrichment consultant George at last weeks meeting chapter of the Association for Bright Children Mr Robb who works for the Board of Education called for identification of very bright children to begin at Kindergarten At present it lakes place in Grade A in he explained be cause Ibis is believed to be the earliest age that children have the small motor development need to fill in the small boxes in a test The time of identification is likely to be under Mr hinted Funds to provide programs for gifted children arc lumped in with special education dollars allot ted to school boards the speaker said an amount that is generally considered grossly inade quate Looking at the needs of children who are at the extreme upper end of the ability scale Mr stressed the for the good teaching of basic skills keeping in mind that the intellectually team lime than the nongifted It is Indefensible he char to give them another few sums if they finish early Teachers must be alerted to methods for stimulating minority in their spare time Mr explained listing productive thinking critical thinking creativity logic and problem solving as suitable areas of endeavor crucial for this group be said Mr Robb also believes it is less to seek fresh data for the gifted children to ate than to have tbem use what they have the scholar as detective theory Mr sees the multidisciplinary approach to a theme as the best approach for the gifted while acknowledging that it is extremely difficult for the classroom teacher to teach across a wide range of ability Prejudice against gifted children is fairly com within the teaching profession Mr indicated and is not easy to eradicate Special high school enrichment Is a very emotional issue People feel it is not In the long term best interest of the student name is Liz Wallace and I exceptionally bright Ms Wallace the moving force behind the meeting at Oakville Central Library wanted to open her remarks to the gathering this way she said but fear of the audience reaction prevented her She compared her feelings to the bright child who is subject to peer accepted by hiding the unusual intelligence It myth that these children are always win ners Ms Wallace declared Their problems are different from those of the learning disabled and they are not appreciated by many The same as the learning disabled they need to be accepted for what they are The Association for Bright Children ABC ex tsts to identity and meet the needs of the exceptionally bright child she said The group fltsosupporUporentsandworksuiUieducators it is a myth Ms Wallace pointed out thatparentsof bright children have an easy time For one thing they rarely feel comfortable discussing their special problems with neighbors or friends Once formed the Halton branch of ABC could work to develop appropriate programs in the school system from the nursery level up Ms Wall ace hopes an approach that could eliminate the current vast differences among schools Good programs the maintained do not necessarily Graham and Irene Farnell hold a painting by Eunice Melton of Graham s house In Nerval It was one of the gifts presented to Graham a large retirement party marking the end of years with Georgetown and Hills Hydro Commission He served years on the com ml si on and another as general manager Change board bylaws delegations speak later revised bylaw into the operation of the Board of will see delegations having their time designation changed If the bylaw is copied anyone having matters before the board have to wait until the in formation section of the agenda rather than at the beginning of the meeting as it now stands Newly elected trustee Dick voiced concern over delegations wanting to speak to an issue the board may have dealt with earlier in the evening under the action portion of the agenda Florence Meares of the bylaw revision committee told the trustee it is hoped delegations will speak to the board before it Is time for action Hems come to the board as information items before they arc termed action items Rev Garry Morton also on the committee explained that with major issues people usually come to the board at the mation stage anyway He emphasized however thai tion items one week do not necessarily have to come to the board for action the very next meeting questioned whether the bylaw could thai he order of delegations be moved if requested He was told that was possible noted the board was not trying to limit delegations by the change One of the concerns of the com including Acton trustee Bruce was that sometimes the delegations speak for lengthy periods of lime spite a time limit After trustees have already met for almost an hour in a committee of the whole meeting then listen to delega go on for a couple of hours by the lime they are at the action items they are so tired they can hardly discuss the matters they arc voting on she noted Board Education is consider the establishment or a Centre for Self Reliant Learning for next September Trustees learned at their meeting last Wednesday that the program would be located at Lord Elgin High School in Burling ton a id would be con on registration A minimum of ninety students is necessary with no more than being accepted The program would be or to students across the region and applicants would be screened by the area superintendents The purpose of the program would be to provide a small quality school so the board can meet the needs of special students In the region according to R T Dixon superintendent of programs In a report to the board Dixon explained the Centre would be ideal for students who have medical problems or other such as a job or which require ihem to miss a lot of school students who work at a very rapid pace either at to in telligence or Industry dropouts who would benefit from an in dividual program adult students who need a flexible school time to accommodate their jobs students who have a persona situation which prevents Ihem from attending regular school such as the sell supporting individual or parents students who learn better with individual attention and students who have a large- school phobia The only added ex pense administration foresees is the cost of a half lime secretary which in the first four months of operation would be about and a year after that Staffing ad ministration furniture and other equipment would come front Ihe existing board in ventory Staff would have tn meet certain character report said flexibility with time tabling and teaching styles specialization plus general academic ability an interest and ability in guidance and counselling creativity and commitment to use of community resources and a high to adapt Ministry guidelines to ind vidua student profiles Elgin High School was chosen noted because declining enrolment has made j separate wing of the school in order to house the It would be self sufficient from the rest the school trustee Ivan Armstrong suggested restricting the program to five year period to Ik evaluated after that I just do not like starting I com Georgetown trustee Betty expressed concern the pupil ratio and wl ether it would be the same as the other high schools ttiy Stones superintendent instruction said is hoped the would be 17 LcnCrozicr wondered if any of the program could he tied in with nearby Slier idan College He was old vast marjority of the students would not qualify for community college programs Overcoming grief at Hospice forum Bereaved families widow and widowers have the opportunity to learn how in overcome the grief they live with at an evening forum sponsored by North Hospice Working through grief is the theme to be dealt with by guest Janet Hum pt ries of Bereaved amines of Ontario and Nancy Brown execu tive director of Halton Family Services There Is no charge to forum participants I mi page