Parent's Advocacy in the School (PAS) was started several years ago by Dr. Norm Forman, a psychologist and educator, who currently runs it. It was organized to assist parents and families to get the best possible education for their children. This means helping parents by advocating with the schools for the rights, services and related matters of the exceptional student. The word "advocate" means to speak or argue in favor of someone. We have people, called associates, who assist us in helping your parents and you in such areas as class placement and tutoring.

Our purpose is to assist you and your family in any way we can to improve your situation in school.

One of the ways we do this is by sharing important information with you. For example, how the school might discover that you have special needs. When a student is considered to possibly have special needs this is explored through a formal meeting called an IPRC meeting. This stands for Identification, Placement and Review Committee. The school may already have had this meeting for you.

The committee is made up of school people including a principal, teachers, special needs personnel and your parents. If you are 16 years of age or older you may attend this meeting. This committee meets if the parent or principal of the school requests it and it gets important information together such as reports and special assessments  to help decide if the student is exceptional.

If the student is found to have special needs he or she will receive some changes to the class placement and other recommendations about how to help improve the student's education. You may or may not have gone through this process but if you have not had an IPRC your parents should ask the school or call us.

We could say that our purpose is to try to make life easier for you and your family by helping to work out school (and possibly home) related matters.

Dr. Norm Forman Ed. D.

Dr. Norm Forman is a Registered Psychologist in Toronto who has held a variety of positions in the field for over thirty years. He holds a Doctorate in Education from the Clinical School Psychology Program at Rutgers University. In addition to experience as a teacher and a psychologist in the schools, Dr. Forman was the Chief Psychologist for a community school system, head of a community college counselling service, consultant to Children's Services, Ministry of Health and co-director of a Family Life Centre outside of Toronto. He has conducted workshops with the Tourette Syndrome Foundation of Canada, The Epilepsy Society, and the Toronto Learning Challenges Association. Dr. Forman was chosen as the special needs representative to the Safe and Compassionate Schools Task Force for the Toronto District School Board.

Dr. Forman's advocacy book, Exceptional Children-Ordinary Schools: Getting the Education You Want for Your Special Needs Child, is scheduled to be published in Fall, 2004.

Dr Forman is a member of the Canadian Psychological Association and is listed in the Canadian Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology.