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Lutherwoodâ€"leai Whene Â¥ This is â€"the third in a series about Ministry of ‘Educetion funded Wateribo County Board of Education operated schoots. + is By Terry James John Spinak‘s 32 students have average or above average potential, It‘s just that when they needed it sistency. Today they are "totally at sea‘‘ and Mr. Spinak and his teaching staff are giving them time to explore life for themselves as they carry out their day to day activities at Lutherwood School in Waterâ€" loo. . Lutherwood is a children‘s mental health cen tre licensed under the Mental Health Act. Built in ~1967â€"68, it is the result of a Centennial project sponâ€" Regional police force undermanned sored by the Lutheran Church. Church officials toured the province in search of ways they could be of some benefit to children. In Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo they initially suggested establishing a group home but residents felt there were already a number of these facilities and children would benefit more from an institution for disturbed adolescents. Lutherwood is a private organization operated by a board of governors whose appointments are apâ€" proved by the Ontario District of the Lutheran funded the educational programs. In February 1977 the Ministry of Education took over and the proâ€" grams are funded through the Waterloo County Board of Education. Dieter Kays, Director at Lutherwood, said this arrangement makes for an interesting situation. ‘Here you have a Lutheran board, with an inâ€" stitution funded by the Ministry of Health and a school program funded by the Waterloo county board which in turn is all under the Ministry of Comâ€" munity and Social Services,"‘ he said. The pupils served by Lutherwood are referred there by the Children‘s Aid Society, courts, schools, doctors and families. Before accepting a child into the treatment program the Lutherwood staff conâ€" cults Mr. Spinak the head teacher, to determine if a suitable school program can be offered. If attendâ€" ance in the school seems desirable, application is made through the Educational Services of the Waâ€" terloo County Board. â€" "A number of the students suffer from a low selfâ€" image," said Mr. Spinak. ‘"Some have problems which cause them to act out. Others have difficulty expressing themselves in a psychological way and still others have unfounded fears and are depressed."‘ The placement and success of the arrangements depends on coâ€"operation. A contract, outlining beâ€" havioral goals, is worked out between the parents, student and institution and everyone is expected to work together to bring about the necessary changes. Social workers also make a point of working with the parents. _ ‘‘*We run a milieu treatment program where most of the change goals are met through the day to day interactions he (the student) encounters in his enâ€" vironment,"‘ said Mr. Kays. "It is critical how the staff handles day to day interaction with the kids. This can change their whole perception."‘ . The young men and women range in age from 12 to 19 and generally fall into two groups. There are those who will be oriented towards the community and those who will be reâ€"integrated into the regular school system. There is one unique quality of the Waterloo Reâ€" â€" gional police force that Chief Syd Brown can do without: it is the only major force in North Ameriâ€" ca which has had a reduction in officers since 1975. At the end of 1978, the force will boast 426 officers, a decrease of two over the past four years, Brown told Regional council last Thursday. o â€" "It can be said without fear of contradiction that this is the only major police force in Canada, and no doubt North America, which has had a decline in its police officer strength,"" he said. Brown also pointed out that the force is considerâ€" ably undermanned according to officerâ€"citizen ratios established by the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Under an optimum ratio of three officers for every 1,000 people, the Regional force should have 888 officers. Under an average ratio of one officer for every 500 people, the force should have 592 officers. Currently, it has 429 officers plus 94 civilian emâ€" ployees. o O S _ Brown was defending the police‘s 1978 budget which will require 12.7 per cent more Regional tax dollars this year. â€" o o After a lengthy discussion which revealed a communications problem between Regional counâ€" cil and the police, council approved the $14.1 million Until 1976, the Ministry of Health operated and By Jim MacDonald Wiree M Sn Through an integrated treatment program students at Lutherwood learn to survive in the community o e Moat im n e e se Teoice ie e e . *fim%&.‘;. includinig: Karen Passmore, Wilfl~ %uynfirm! yn-mm-an'.’ ‘"The success of the program depends on the relationship between the treatment team and the team delinesates the direction they want the kids to go. They set the goals and objectives. The impleâ€" mentation is done in conjunction with the educaâ€" This integrated educational treatment program is the major difference between Lutherwood and other behavioural classes or institutions. Both the child care workers and teachers are in charge of the four classrooms. The teachers will not ignore an etnotional problem and. at the same time child care workers wil} often take over the lessons. ‘"‘This is the whole idea,"" said Mr. Kays. ‘‘We don‘t want it run like a classroom where misbehaving students are sent out of the room. The emotional problems are dealt with at the time.‘"‘ The strongest emphasis of the program is on flexibility. =â€"~ ‘"‘The students have found it difficult to adjust to school and home surroundings,"" said Mr. Spinak. ‘"‘They have experienced difficulties with the teachâ€" ers, the authority found in the school and in the home. We attempt to deal with despression and chanâ€" nel the anger they exhibit into more socially acâ€" cepted kinds of behaviour. We teach them how to survive in the community without getting into trouble." Mr. Spinak believes community schools do the job they are designed to do and is not in agreement with the theory that his students are at Lutherwood beâ€" cause schools are not operating properiy.â€"He said budget which is about $1.5 million higher than last year. â€" oo e oo â€" Though the vast majority of its costs aré paid for by the Region, the police is administered by a sepâ€" arate commission. Brown indicated police budgets have been underâ€" spent by $748,000 over the past five years. Conseâ€" quently, ‘"services, goods and manpower needs were overlooked or ignored resulting in a need to catch up in 1977 and subsequent years."" Brown noted police last year were also confronted with a number of unexpected additional costs such as surveillance on a suspected sexual psychopath who returned to this area upon release from prison. That has cost 2.000 manâ€"hours and $85,000. But control over police spending was criticized by Walterloo Ald. Brian Turnbull: ‘"The financial control of the police force leaves much to be desired . Turnbull, chairman of the Region‘s finance advisâ€" ory committee, noted last year the police commisâ€" sion reluctantly trimmed $156,000 off its budget. But throughout the year. $138.000 "of the soâ€"called cut was spent." When the money was cut, he continued, it was indicated that a special tactical unit could not be established. Nonetheless, Turnbull pointed out that the unit was indeed setâ€"up last year. ‘"Regional council has no assurance that the budâ€" Syd Brown: »» 3 Weasp »4° + 4 > sc o. "we j w e * *k & * 3 their relationship with community schools is good and Lutherwood régeives a gfl reception wheff they reâ€"integrate students into the community . From an educational point of view Mr. Spinak said activities at Lutherwood 1& bigarre. The staff tolérate behaviour from the students which wo‘h'thne*@bhth_m.uthe it sertim the aropangi Thke rewr 4 hack ,.al expectations rise accordingly, viour a teachâ€" er would accept in the first week would not be tolerâ€" ated in the sixth of seventh week. This tolerance of behaviour helps to build a trustâ€"relationship between ‘‘They have a tremendous amount of patience in accepting the bizarre behaviour and abuse," he said. ‘"Generally they are so sympathetic and in tune with where these kids ave at,""*~ _ . + Academically speaking there is very little difâ€" ference between behavioral classes at Lutherwood and anywhere else. We have no educational secret," said Mr. Spinak. ‘‘You‘ll find the_same resource material here as anywhere else."‘ A work study program prepares some of the stuâ€" dents for reâ€"entry into the community. The obâ€" jectives of this new service are to find jobs coinâ€" ciding with the students‘ aptitudes and interests and prepare them and the employer for the future. â€" ‘"‘Through this program kids gét a sense of resâ€" ponsibility, learn what its like in the work world and gain quite a lot out of the whole social process," said Mr. Spinak. ‘‘We‘ve grown with the program. The direction it‘s taking is very valuable."‘ projects and goals. The teacher hopes that through this experience the students will work better and harder at future get as approved will be followed," charged Turnâ€" bull. Unless financial control is improved, budget disâ€" cussions between council and the police ‘"will conâ€" tinue to be a meaningless exercise."‘ Turnbull said the 1977 budget allowed a compleâ€" ment of 500 employees for the force though the curâ€" rent number is 523. He said the annualization of the 23 salaries above the limit played a significant role in the large police increase this year. But Brown countered by saying there has never been an authorized complement for 500 employees. There is an authorized complement for 428 police officers but no limit has been set for civilian emploâ€" ees, he said. Turnbull suggested that the total police compleâ€" ment of 523 be trimmed to 510 by the end of this year. Police commission chairman Steve Harper indicated it is hoped that number will be achieved by the end of 1978. Harper also said police officials would report to council every few months in an effort to clearâ€"up any communication gap or misunderstandings. â€" Though the police officer complement has deâ€" creased, the workload hasn‘t. Major crimes totalled 15,800 last year, 2,000 more than in 1974. Calls for assistance in 1977 <totalled 69,000, a jump of 7,000 since 1975, Brown reported. > Photo by John Spinak