Good Morning and thank you for coming.
This month Intellectual Developmental Disabilities Awareness is being observed, and today we are joining in the global recognition.
Developmental Disabilities covers a broad range of physical, cognitive and/or behaviour conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, hearing loss, vision impairment, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, downs syndrome, intellectual disabilities, attention deficit and learning disabilities.
Therefore, I am pleased to have here with me two professionals who are knowledgeable and versed in developmental disabilities - Mrs. Tina Duke, the Acting Assistant Director of Student Services in the Department of Education, and Ms. Tina Nash, Executive Director of WindReach. They will share information about Developmental Disabilities.
However, first I will speak a bit more about Intellectual Developmental Disabilities Awareness and the Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy – our school that services children with special needs; and then reference the ' 'Ministry's financial support provided to WindReach.
The Ministry of Education is partnering with the Principal, teachers and staff at the Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy to observe Intellectual Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. We are on a campaign to raise public awareness about the inclusion of people with intellectual developmental disabilities and bring awareness to the barriers that people with disabilities still sometimes face in connecting to the communities in which they live.
Developmental disabilities (IDDs) are usually present at birth and negatively affect the individual's physical, intellectual, or emotional development.
Many of these conditions affect multiple body parts or systems which includes difficulties with intellectual functioning, including learning, adaptive behaviour, and everyday social and life skills.
The term "developmental disabilities" is a broader category of often lifelong disability that can be intellectual, physical, or both. "IDD" is often used to describe situations in which intellectual disability and other disabilities are present.
Events and activities that will be held during the month will shine a spotlight on individuals with disabilities in our community and shares how persons with intellectual developmental disabilities live every day. In return, the public can learn how they can lend support to persons with developmental disabilities and help them achieve their dreams.
The Ministry of Education is proud of the excellent work and support services that the Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy provides our children who have developmental disabilities. This school offers dedicated services for students with severe to profound special needs and with multiple challenges. The school programmes focus on enriching students' lives through education and development support and increasing student independence to help them achieve their ultimate potential.
The dedicated Principal and staff at Hope Academy achieve these programme outcomes by implementing a comprehensive curriculum concentrating on developing receptive and expressive communication skills; functional literacy and mathematics skills; activities of daily living; social skills development; behaviour interventions; pre-vocational and vocational skills; community-based instruction and art, recreation and leisure skills. In essence, the programmes at DAME, like all other schools, focuses on the whole child.
During this current budget year and the current school year, amid the COVID -19 pandemic, the Principal and staff focused on the following priorities:
- Increasing student communication with the use of communication devices;
- Training the entire staff to become Registered Behaviour Technicians (RBTs) so that they can appropriately manage challenging behaviours; and
- Focused instruction to develop language.
The Department's technical officers have already seen firsthand the gains that students have made in developing their communication skills.
Also, let me share that students who attend the Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy are provided daily transportation by the Department of Education to and from school. There are two Bus Drivers and one Bus Attendant who provide them with transportation as well as students in ASD programmes at different schools, who also receive services at the WindReach Facility in Warwick.
I am incredibly proud of the leadership team and the staff at the Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy. Their commitment, dedication, attention to, care, and love for our children with special needs are extraordinary.
Dame Marjorie Bean is the beneficiary of a registered Bermuda charity, Friends of Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy. Therefore, I extend my thanks to them for all they do in raising funds and awareness on behalf of the school family.
This month the Principal and staff will host a virtual open house for key stakeholders, promote awareness on a radio show, and share videos and information via social media.
As we observe Intellectual Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, the Ministry of Education is pleased to share that we provide an annual grant to the WindReach Facility to support their programmes and services.
Most Bermudians are aware of the phenomenal recreational and fully-accessible facility located in Warwick Parish. WindReach has a multi-purpose Activity Centre, Animal Zone, Therapeutic Riding Centre, and a fully-accessible playground. Their programmes have a variety of therapeutic and educational experiences for people with varying physical and intellectual abilities. On average more than 200 participants are benefitting from their programmes every week. Many of the participants are Bermuda Public School Students. We are pleased to support the tremendous contribution that WindReach makes by affording supplemental programmes and services that our children need.
I will now ask Mrs. Tina Duke to provide a bit more information about the programmes and services provided in our public schools to support children with special needs, and then Ms. Tina Nash, Executive Director of WindReach, will share a few remarks about the various activities at the WindReach facility.
Thank you, Mrs. Duke and Ms. Nash, and now we will take questions.