Sampson County School leaders are researching plans for therapy services for the Exceptional Children’s program.

Dr. La’Chandra Parker, director of Exceptional Children services, presented the cost of services for visual impaired, nursing, bilingual psychology, audiology and speech language services, to the Board of Education. According to school leaders, the purpose of the department is to “assure students with disabilities develop mentally, physically, emotionally, and vocationally.”

EDU Healthcare, based out of Charlotte, was suggested by board vice-chair Kim Schmidlin, for certain services. It provides services to educational systems in all 50 U.S. states. One of the concerns raised was traveling. With the contracts, Schmidlin believes the district should not pay travel from home and office and only between locations.

Board chairman Tim Register felt the same way about the traveling matter and said it’s something that needs to be clarified.

“If someone lives in Fayetteville, we don’t pay them to drive from Fayetteville to Union Elementary School,” he said as an example. “Once they get to Union Elementary School, we’ll be glad to pay them to go from there to Salemburg or wherever they’re going.”

The board will review individual recommendations and contracts during a board work session in May. Some of the other listed providers are Gibson Psychological Services, Inc., Therapia Staffing out of Coral Springs, and Cobb Pediatric Speech Services.

A contract with Carolina Rehabilitation for the current school year was amended through June 30 for Carolina Rehabilitation, Inc. Schmidlin was concerned about time spent with children for physical therapy speech services carrying a $88 per hour cost, and voted against placing the amended contract for Carolina Rehabilitation Inc. on the consent agenda for the next meeting.

The public board meeting is scheduled for scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, April 29, inside the board auditorium, 437 Rowan Road, Clinton.

Board members and leaders from Sampson County Schools discuss district matters.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/web1_SCS_1-1-1-1.jpgBoard members and leaders from Sampson County Schools discuss district matters.
Cost, out-of-county travel expenses among issues

By Chase Jordan

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Reach Chase Jordan at 910-249-4617. Follow us on Twitter at @SampsonInd and like us on Facebook.