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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2004-07-14, Page 3TIAs HURON 'DEPOSITOR, July 14, 2004.3 News Susan Hundertmark photo A magical afternoon Magician Owen Anderson entertains children attending the Magical Dragon Quest Show at the Seaforth library last Tuesday. Board responds to autism influx By Jason Middleton Expositor Staff Concerned with the increasing numbers of students with autism, the Avon Maitland school board decided to study, educate staff and increase awareness of the complex developmental disability. During the past year, the school board undertook three autism—related initiates because they were, "concerned with the fact we're dealing with increasing numbers of autistic children in our schools," said superintendent of education Marie Parson. "Anything we can do to improve our programming, increase our services to help our teachers with strategies then that's what we want to do," said Parsons. The Autism Society of Ontario says that autism is a complex developmental disability that usually appears in the first three years of life. Kim Souch, president of the Huron -Perth chapter of the Autism Society of Ontario, said that people with autism are hypersensitive. "Just levels of sound, light and contact with fabrics and people, stuff that we're used to, to them is actually painful because they perceive a lot more than we do," said Souch. On June 30, the school board wrapped up a one-year research -based pilot project sponsored by the Ontario government. The pilot took a look at 19 different items that affect students with autism and if the school board was meeting those needs. The items investigated included such things as waiting times for assessing potential autistic students. Last June, the Avon - Maitland school board was chosen as one of 10 school boards across the province to take part, in the pilot project. Parsons had applied for the project a month before, "because we've got, what I would consider a significant number of identified autistic student within the board, 1 felt it would he a beneficial experience for us to participate in the pilot," said Parsons. Souch said it is great that the Avon Maitland school board took part in the project. "1 think it's terrific. It's very much needed. There's such an influx of children now, as the autism rates arc going up," said Souch, whose 14 -year old daughter, Sara, is autistic. "It's something that really needs to be looked at is how to accommodate people (with autism)," said Souch. According to Souch, in Huron and Perth counties there are over 75 families who have a member of the family who is autistic. This year Avon Maitland school board also worked with Toronto's Geneva Centre for Autism. Teachers, educational assistants and parents were educated on teaching strategies. communication skills and social aspects of the disability. The board held an evening in Mitchell for parents and students interested in learning more about autism. "A lot of the education really helps because people can troubleshoot what's causing the behaviour." said Souch. When her daughter. Sara. was in Kindergarten her teacher mixed up signs of autism and simply blamed bad behaviour as the cause. Souch said she brought in special liaison from the Childcare Research Institute to sit and observe what was happening in thc class. "A lot of the other language she was misinterpreting, not hearing or just not understanding and then would do thc wrong thing," and Sara would he punished for that. Locals singing anthem for Jays By Jason Middleton The words "perfect pitch" are familiar to a local girl with autism and on July 26, she will be using that skill while performing the national anthem at a baseball game at the SkyDome. Egmondville residents, Sara Souch, 14, and her mother, Kim, will be performing the Canadian national anthem at the Toronto Blue Jays game. "She loves it. No fear, no nervousness, but if you were to take her into another big group of people then she'd be more nervous," said Souch. The duo have been performing together for three years and have sung the national anthem at a London Knights playoff game, at Canada Day celebrations in Stratford and at last September's Blue Jays autism day. "She's just a natural performer and it's her comfort zone. She's confident and she just lets it fly. She just has no inhibitions when she's singing," said Souch. "As soon as she's singing it's just like she's in another place." Sough, who is president of the Huron -Perth chapter of the Autism Society of Ontario, explains that people with autism are hypersensitive. Things such as levels of sound, light and contact with people can be painful to a person with autism. Souch said that for some people Sara's singing ability is an eye-opener. "Sometimes you get prejudged by people, but it might be your talents or gifts that might give them another perspective," said Souch. Jason Middleton photo Fiddlin' around Jack Wiles, of Kirkton, plays the banjo at the Van Egmond House on Sunday afternoon. For the next two Sunday afternoons the Van Egmond House will host fiddlers and artists who will display their art. The Plano and Fiddles and Art in the Park event will be happening from 1 to13 p.m. said Souch. The school hoard will be launching a demonstration site for autism education in the fall at Stratford's Anne Hathaway Public School. "We've been working all year on the training for the staff and development of resources. Anne Hathaway features three classnxoms dedicated to teaching a broad range of exceptional students. 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