New school for runaway boy

By Shaun Inguanzo
A DISABLED boy at the centre of controversy with a Dandenong North specialist school has made a fresh start to his education at Beaconsfield Primary School.
Ben Ouwehand, 6, and mother Jo-Anne Sherwin appeared in the Star last year after a falling out with Emerson School in Dandenong North regarding safety fencing.
Despite assurances from the school, Ms Sherwin was not satisfied that Emerson’s fencing would stop Ben from running out of the school grounds and on to the traffic-laden Heatherton Road.
The two parties agreed to disagree and Ms Sherwin pulled Ben from Emerson School and began the quest to find a suitable school for her son’s needs.
The determined mother stumbled upon Beaconsfield Primary School – a mainstream state school – and after meeting with school staff was impressed with what mainstream education could offer Ben.
Ben started school at Beaconsfield Primary last week and has so far been on shortened days to help him cope with the enormous change.
“At the moment he’s doing an hour a day. He’s been there since Thursday (last week) and we are going to increase his hours quite quickly,” Ms Sherwin said.
She said the shortened days were the school’s idea, with the goal being to stimulate Ben’s interest in being at school and gradually increase the time he spent there.
Ms Sherwin said she applauded the school’s proactive approach to Ben’s tendency to run away.
She said it was ironic that Ben’s needs were better catered for at a mainstream school where he has access to one-on-one help from a teaching aide and a customised curriculum.
“She (the aide) is also ensuring his safety.”