SPECIAL
EDUCATION…A Continuum of Services
The Westlake City School District provides a comprehensive system for identifying and addressing the individual needs of students. We are committed to providing a quality education to all students, including those with special needs.
Our school district offers a legally mandated continuum of services for special needs students. Are students are serviced within the least restrictive environment in a cross categorical manner. This means that regardless of the student’s disability, students are educated in the environment that is best suited or adapted to meet the individual’s needs. The continuum of services could include any of the following in isolation or a combination approach:
|
Typical
Classroom |
In this scenario, the IEP team, of which the parent is a part, has determined that the student’s needs could best be met with his or her typically developing peers. The role of the regular education teacher and the special education personnel is primarily modifying curriculum or adapting lessons. Many times students included in the regular education environment are done so through an “inclusion” model where both a special educator and regular educator co-teach. |
|
Individual/Small
Group Instruction (ISGI) |
The student who receives this type of instruction qualifies for special education, but does not require as intense of service and typically takes part in all regular education class with some supplemental “tutoring.” |
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Special
Class/Learning Center (SC/LC) |
Special Class/Learning Centers have been designed to provide a small class size to the student whose needs require a very low student-to-teacher ratio and warrant a more restrictive placement in order to appropriately meet the needs of the student. |
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Separate
Facility Placement |
For students with the most significant and profound disabilities that the district is not able to service within the school system itself, students travel outside of the district. |
Related
Service Personnel
Throughout the school district, there are a number of related service providers that provide direct and consultative services to students. Related service providers include, but are not limited to, the school psychologist, speech and language pathologist, school nurse, counselor, prevention coordinator, physical therapist, occupational therapist, visual impairment specialist and work-study coordinator. The type of service that each person delivers is specific and is considered a vital part to the child’s educational experience. Please consult with your building principal to find out who these individuals are in your building. They are resources for teachers as well.
Differentiated Referral Process
Every teacher has had a student who has posed a challenge for him or her. This issue could be the result of something internal in the student, internal in the instructor, the environment or a combination. The Westlake City School District has an Intervention Assistance Team (IAT) process designed to help intervene with students when the teacher has tried many techniques that have not been as successful as hoped.
Typically the process works as such: 1) individual teacher intervention; 2) referral to grade level team to discuss case and intervene; 3) formal referral to building Intervention Assistance Team. For students who require more specialized intervention, a referral by the Intervention Assistance Team for a disability is an option to determine special education eligibility. Consult with your building administrator or guidance counselor for information on this process
Preschool Services
Along with the number of special educators in the school age programs, Westlake has two preschool special needs programs—the Early Childhood Program at Hilliard and Dover Elementary Schools. The purpose of these programs is to fulfill a mandate from the Ohio Department of Education to provide special programming beginning at age three and to provide early intervention to prevent school failure. Preschools taking part in this program must go through an evaluation process to determine if certain state criteria are met for eligibility.
The preschool program does have typically developing peers who enroll in the program and pay tuition to the district. The typically developing peers serve as peer role models to those students with demonstrated special education needs.
The
State Improvement Grant (SIG)
Our district was one of eight districts in the State of Ohio to be awarded a State Improvement Grant during the 1999-00 school year. This $155,000 grant will financially support an educational reform initiative through the continuous improvement process. The grant length is from 1999 to 2004.
The purpose of the SIG is to: 1) develop partnerships among members of the learning community to improve results for all children; 2) promote collaboration between regular and special education personnel to ensure successful transitions of students; 3) improve building level processes for assisting students with learning problems; increase the participation of parents, families and community members in decision making; and prepare graduates of institutions of higher learning and school personnel to effectively manage the behavior of all students.
The grant steering committee consists of Westlake parents, school staff, members from the Ohio Department of Education, the Cuyahoga County Special Education Service Center, the Cuyahoga County Educational Service Center, the Northeast Regional Professional Development Center, Cleveland State University faculty and the Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities.
Staff Development Though the SIG
All staff members are encouraged to take advantage of the funding available to the district through the grant. Staff members will be asked to take part in grant-sponsored activities throughout the school year
Technology
The district has a website at www.westlake.k12.oh.us
The Department of Pupil Services has a website at www.westlake.k12.oh.us/pupilservices
Sharon Humphrey
Director of Pupil Services
2260 Dover Center Rd.
Westlake, OH 44145
440-250-1264 OR 440-835-6309