Editor’s note: (How about that, an editor’s note at the beginning, instead of the end of a post.)

Ellen Chambers came to speak at Newburyport, MA.

This an excerpt from an article in the Boston Globe June 4, 2006 By Matt Gunderson explaining who Ellen Chambers is:

“Chambers considers herself lucky, but hasn’t stopped combating a statewide system that, she claims, pulled her daughter into a downward spiral. In January (2006,) Chambers formed SpEdWatch, Inc., which she says is the state’s first watchdog group on special education across the state.

Advocacy for individual special education students is not new, but a proactive organization tackling systemic issues within special education is, said Chambers.”

Apparently SpEdWatch, Inc. now has representation in over 70 communities consisting of parents, educators and other special education professionals from across the state.

This is a response from Beth Hall to Ellen Chambers’ visit.

Hi Mary,

Thrilled does not begin to describe how I felt when I discovered Ellen Chambers’ SpEdWatch. I was one of roughly 30 people that attended the SpEdWatch meeting lead by Ellen Chambers in Newburyport a couple of weeks ago.

362 or 15% of Newburyport students have some type of learning disability. Raising awareness of what it is like for the children and families that face different types of learning issues is important for many reasons.

The fact is that 98% of children that have been diagnosed with a learning disability have as much potential to succeed and be productive as kids without disabilities.

Thank you to Ellen Chambers for coming to Newburyport to present informative facts. And thank you to everyone who came to that meeting as well as those who show their continued support for children with learning disabilities.

Beth Tremblay Hall
Newburyport