SEAC Association Connections

Under Ontario's Education Act, every student is entitled to a program which meets their needs.  In Durham, our Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) helps the Board protect the rights of students with special learning needs.  SEAC provides information, advice and assistance to parents/guardians whose children may require additional support.

SEAC advises and makes recommendations to the Board concerning the establishment and development of special education programs and services.

Association membership opportunity 

What Happens at a SEAC Meeting?

SEAC meetings are a forum for SEAC members to provide advice and discussion of Board programs and support services for exceptional pupils.

Meetings follow a formal format including:

  • Review of minutes
  • presentations
  • current issues and initiatives in Special Education
  • Committee Reports by members
  • Board Reports:  a) Trustees  b)  Staff
  • Correspondence and Questions

The committee is composed of member representatives from:

Association for Bright Children (ABC)

Association for Bright Children logoThe Association for Bright Children of Ontario Société pour enfants doués et surdoués de l'Ontario is an all volunteer, provincially incorporated registered charity, with many chapters across Ontario It is dedicated to providing information, advocacy and support to parents of bright and gifted children and adolescents through networking, an annual conference and local workshops It offers the parents' voice to local school boards, educators, professional groups and the Ontario Ministry of Education.

Website: https://www.abcontario.ca/

SEAC Representative: Eva Kyriakides

Email: bill.eva.k@rogers.com

Autism Ontario Durham Region

Autism Ontario logoAutism Ontario Durham Region is dedicated to increasing public awareness about autism and the day to day issues faced by individuals with autism, their families, and the professionals with whom they interact. The association and its chapters share common goals of providing information and education, supporting research, and advocating for programs and services for the autism community. The Durham Chapter of Autism Ontario has focus on providing social learning opportunities for children, youth and their families.

Website: https://www.autismontario.com/region/central-east

SEAC Representative: sensaRAneb Burrell

Email: Durham@autismontario.com

Durham Down Syndrome Association (DDSA)

Durham Down Syndrome Association logoFounded in 1986, the Durham Down Syndrome Association (DDSA) has acted as a resource for health, education and support, to improve the lives of Durham residents who live with Down syndrome. Our mission is to continue building a supportive, inclusive community by providing social and active events for people with Down syndrome and their families.

Hosts a variety of activities, including yearly events like the summer picnic (virtual this year), pumpkin patch visit and swim party.

Also hosts a support group for parents of children with down syndrome.

Website: www.ddsa.ca

FB Group: https://m.facebook.com/DurhamDownSyndromeAssociation

SEAC Representative: Tara Culley

E-mail: SEAC@ddsa.ca

Learning Disabilities Association of Durham Region (LDADR)

text Learning Disabilities Association of Durham RegionThe Learning Disabilities Association Durham Region’s mission is to advocate, support and educate the Durham community about learning disabilities and to enable persons with learning disabilities to reach their full potential.

To achieve this we provide:

  • Monthly Speaker Series
  • Resource Facilitation for all
  • Advocacy Support for members
  • Public Awareness Activities

Website: http://www.ldadr.on.ca/

Follow Us on Twitter: @LDA_Durham

SEAC Representative: Rowin Jarvis

E-mail: info@ldadr.on.ca

Telephone: 905-430-9230

 
Ontario Parents for Visually Impaired Children
Ontario Parents of Visually Impaired Children (OPVIC)Ontario Parents for Visually Impaired Children (OPVIC) is a provincially recognized non-profit, non-partisan advocacy voice of parents and guardians of children with vision loss in Ontario. This includes children and youth who are blind, or who have low vision, deaf blindness, or vision loss combined with one or more disabilities.

Website: https://opvic.ca/
Email: opvicfeedback@gmail.com
Facebook: OPVIC Facebook page
Twitter: @_OPVIC.ca
Sawubona Africentric Circle of Support

Website: https://www.sawubonaacs.org/

SEAC Representative: Jenny McLaughlin

Email: info@sawubonaacs.org

Members at Large

SEAC Representative: Morgann Cameron

E-mail: morganncameron@hotmail.com

 

SEAC Representative: Elizabeth Daniel

Email: jason_liz@sympatico.ca

DDSB Trustees

DDSB Ignite Learning logoTrustees on SEAC

  • Ensure that the board complies with Ministry legislation, regulations and policies pertinent to special education
  • Ensure that monies provided by the province for special education are spent within that envelope
  • Champion SEAC's submissions to the Board
  • Inform SEAC of issues coming before the Board that may have impact on special education
  • Participate in annual review

Trustee Donna Edwards

Trustee Kelly Miller

Trustee Deb Oldfield

Special Education Advisory Committee SEAC

SEAC Members as Advocates

  • SEAC members are advocates for students with special needs around the table and within the community
  • SEAC brochure contains contact information for SEAC members giving parents/caregivers access to connect as resource to them
  • SEAC members are resources for schools and the community
  • SEAC members can liaise with School Community Councils
  • SEAC members are committed to building awareness and deepening connections

Durham DSB SEAC Resources:

https://www.ddsb.ca/en/about-ddsb/committees.aspx?_mid_=353#Special-Education-Advisory-Committee-SEAC