ADA
Build-it-Right
Activities of ADA Build it Right,
Inc
Portland French School Report
Wayne Yarnall spoke to the Portland French School - Fifth Grade Class about disability and accessibility issues - December 2, 2004.
PFS Slogan: "les enfants d'aujourd'hui pour le futur de demain"
-- "Todays children, tomorrow's future".
I had very rewarding morning talking to a 5th grade class at the Portland French
School. We talked for an hour or so. They were working on a robot competition
to build a Lego robot that would help a disabled person but they never met one.
I showed them the tricks I can do with my power wheel chair. I talked about
accessibility at the school - poor - very steep ramp in the boiler room. No
bathroom stall I can get into.
They asked lots of questions and took notes. They asked about Muscular Dystrophy
and wanted to know about genes, proteins, and muscle cells. I showed them how
I raise my arms up, had a girl test the muscle strength of my biceps. They asked
what I would like to do that I can't. I really enjoy dancing and sailing. I
showed them how to measure the slope of a ramp. Amazing smart kids. This school
is bilingual but mostly French - students range from 2 1/2 up to 10 years old.
We handed out the two page ADA Build it Right brochure. They looked at it with
great interest. They have to convince the parents to come up with the money
to make the school accessible. From time to time the teachers talked in French
which I barely got. I took French in High School 43 years ago.
They wanted to see my side-lift van work, so we went outside over a 4"
step down (with some 2 by 4s to help). Then I went back up the step showing
them how I could jump curbs -- quite a severe motion going full speed and bouncing
up.
I let the kids run the switches in the wheel chair lift of the
van.
Then we went back in and talked with the Business Manager about
the following accessibility improvements. 1. A door bell by the disabled parking
spot to ring in the lobby so the staff could unlock the gate and help through
the boiler room. 2. Options for a better ramp - an inside ramp at a side entrance
or an outside concrete ramp at the main entrance. 2. Bathroom modification options.
My associate John Allen took lots of photos. I hadn't thought of presentations
to elementary students as part of the ADA Build it Right mission - but it fits
well.
The slogan of the school is: " les enfants d'aujourd'hui
pour le futur de demain." -- "Todays children, tomorrow's future".
That slogan is right on for real permanent change in accessibility.
"Accredited by the French Ministry of Education, PFS is a
primary school (2¯ years old to 5th grade) offering a bilingual French
American education in a multicultural environment that is academically strong
and nurturing."
Postscript 1. About December 2005 or early 2006
This presentation inspired the students to examine the accessibility of the entire school. Their findings were presented to the school administration and parents, which resulted in plans for changes that will make the school more accessible to students, parents and employees. The school committed their 2005 fund raising efforts and the Sunday rental income to the access modifications. One of the students went to a new school for sixth grade and wrote a letter to the new principal requesting a power door be installed to help a fellow student.
Postscript 2. How soon adults forget!!!
On February, 22, 2007, I met with the school to find out why no progress was made in making the school accesible as the 5th grade students had requested and the Parent-Teacher meeting had endorsed. The Head of School stated that they lost all accounting of the fund raising for accessibility and that their top priority was a new First Grade classroom.
I can report in September 2007 that no progress has been made in making the school accessible to the disabled (students, parents,teachers, or visiting grandparents). This is very discouraging. The school and the leaser - Portland School District - are jointly responsable for meeting the ADA requirements.
Please consider donating money for these ADA Improvements at their web site - click link http://www.portlandfrenchschool.org/english/support_givingC.htm
[End]