Special Education and Intervention
We are dedicated to providing the best education for all of our scholars. The special education department is thoughtful and urgent in providing the highest level of instruction and support for our students with special needs.
Students with needs that extend beyond the standard curriculum will receive intervention that is tailored to their needs. Small group instruction, pull out or push-in services, and ongoing assessment of needs will be conducted. Students who do not demonstrate improvement with intervention systems will be referred for evaluation for special education services. However, our focus is on early intervention to increase student achievement and regular assessment to determine student needs so to limit the number of student referrals.
In the event that students are referred for special education services, the Director of Special Education oversees the process of evaluation of students for special services as well as case management of students with IEPs, and coordination of related special education services. The Director also manages special education teachers through frequent classroom observation, feedback, and goal-setting meetings.
We have a variety of special education environments to make sure we serve all students. Our Interventionists push-in to general education classrooms for our students whose Least Restrictive Environment dictate a more inclusive setting. Students at times, based on students’ functional/instructional level, are also pulled-out for more intensive supports. Here, they monitor IEP goals and objectives, while providing direct or small-group instruction. They also work closely with the general education instructor (teacher of record) to differentiate and modify curricula and assessments as needed.
We have resource classrooms for students who need partial or full-day specialized instruction, and we have Special Education certified instructors who anchor into classes to provide individual and/or group instruction as needed. Our teachers, along with the majority of the Special Education department (with the exception of our paraprofessionals), are in charge of case managing students with IEPs, facilitating IEP meetings, and ensuring fluidity in communication between all members of the IEP team.
Our two Tier IV (self-contained) instructors provide direct instruction, modifications, and accommodations, for students with moderate to severe disabilities. They closely monitor students’ goals and service minutes on respective IEPs and, in turn, create tailored curricula to meet the needs of the individual student and disability. They are assisted by a team of four paraprofessionals (two in each Tier IV classroom), who work closely with student and instructor on behavioral management, life-skills, and curricular design. For more about these programs, click here.