SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
SCARSDALE HIGH SCHOOL
COMMITTEE ON SPECIAL EDUCATION (CSE)
SCARSDALE
SUPPORT PROGRAM/BOCES PROJECT ACHIEVE
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
Loryn
Solomon
Chairperson
SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
(914) 721-2457
Susan
LaSalle
Chairperson
HIGH SCHOOL COMMITTEE ON SPECIAL EDUCATION
(914) 721-2523
Michael
Mendelson
Director of Special Education
(914) 721-2403
High School Special Education Staff
Ms. Ronnie Braun
Ms. Karen Butler
Mr. Robert Caie
Mr
Joseph DeCrescenzo
Ms. Nancy Denion
Mr. Jonathan Feld
Mr. Thomas List
Ms. Anita Occhiuto
Mr. Eric Rauschenbach
Mr. Adam Singer
The Special Education Department adheres to the philosophy that each individual with a disability is entitled to the assistance necessary to maximize his/her potential given the resources of the District.
The Special Education staff, in conjunction with classroom teachers and other educational personnel, has a commitment to the following objectives:
To create an effective climate for learning by sharing all available information about a child’s handicap pertinent to the child’s performance in an educational setting.
To provide and enforce modifications appropriate to the unique characteristics of the
child’s handicapping condition.
To protect each child’s individuality and rights as defined by the IEP.
To facilitate each student’s academic progress and social development by establishing
appropriate goals and implementing remedial instruction.
To support and act as a resource for classroom teachers working with students with
handicapping conditions.
COMMITTEE ON SPECIAL EDUCATION
The District Committee on Special Education (CSE) identifies students’ handicapping conditions and special learning needs. Based on medical, educational, social and developmental data, and a battery of psychoeducational tests administered either by the school or a private psychologist, the CSE determines whether or not a student has a handicapping condition. Once it has been determined that a student is in need of Special Education Services, the Committee develops an Individualized Educational Plan that includes goals and objectives to address educational, social, emotional and behavioral needs. Thereafter, each year, at the Annual Review, the Committee, with input from the Special Education Teacher, the child’s dean, a general education teacher, and the child’s parents, assesses the student’s progress, makes recommendations for program changes, and reviews the goals and objectives stated in the IEP. If at a later date it is determined that Special Education Services are no longer required, students can be declassified. This occurs when the student’s performance, testing and overall level of functioning suggest that he/she no longer needs Special Education Services. For one year, the student will be “declassified with support” and he/she will continue to be monitored and eligible for instruction as needed. The student is then re-evaluated to determine whether modifications should be maintained under “504” Legislation. Once a student has been classified, the student is assigned to receive services in the Learning Resource Center, in the Scarsdale Support Program, or out of district.
LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER
In the High School, only students classified by the CSE receive services in the LRC. The majority of students receive services in the LRC for four years and are assigned to one of the Special Education teachers who is charged with the responsibility of implementing the IEP. To achieve this objective, the LRC staff provides support and remediation to all identified students according to their specific needs. While the majority of classified students have a learning disability, others may have emotional, attentional or medical difficulties that affect their learning. The cognitive abilities of our students vary from “low average” to “superior.” Their placement in school can include self-contained, skills level, regular, honors, or advanced placement classes. Regardless of their academic placement, they experience difficulty in learning that requires support, remediation, and accommodations.
The LRC provides remedial instruction designed to help students compensate for specific deficits which interfere with academic progress or personal development.
The Special Education Staff provides:
· Skills instruction in reading, writing, math, organization and study skills.
· Content reinforcement through assigned work.
· Test-taking strategies and review for Regents and Regents Competency Exams.
· Related services for students whose IEP’s specify:
-Reading
-Counseling with a psychologist, dean or outreach worker
-Speech and language
· Programs in Collaborative Teaching to support classroom teachers. The Special
Education teacher may consult with the general educator outside of the classroom, team-teach
classroom.
· Coordination with Deans for course selection, career guidance, job placement, and college
planning.
· Communication with parents and community through orientation and transition programs,
conferences, special information sessions, STI courses and workshops.
Students classified by the CSE are entitled to receive testing and program modifications to accommodate their special needs. Modifications are recorded on the IEP and are reviewed annually to be certain that they are appropriate. The LRC staff works in conjunction with classroom teachers to ensure that students’ modifications are upheld.
SCARSDALE SUPPORT PROGRAM/BOCES PROJECT ACHIEVE
A Collaborative Model
The Scarsdale Support and Project Achieve Programs (SSP/PA), working in collaboration, are dedicated to helping students whose emotional and/or learning disabilities have impeded their success in school. A team of professionals including supervisors, special education teachers, assistants and aides, a psychologist, a speech and language therapist, and other related service providers work to provide a structured, therapeutic environment within Scarsdale High School that facilitates the cognitive, emotional and social growth of our students. Students are high school diploma-bound in programs designed to meet their individual educational needs. Group and individual counseling are integral components of the programs and are based on the Responsibility Educational Model, which develops coping skills and strives to improve students’ interpersonal relationships. The goal is to integrate students into regular classes. Co-teaching models in some of the academic courses have been implemented in order to provide a mainstream environment whenever possible.
Official website with information on Learning Disabilities for professionals and parents.
Internet Resources for Special Children
IRSC is a World Wide Web (WWW) site dedicated to communicating information relating to the needs of special children on a global basis in order to:
- Provide an international network system between parent groups, foundations, educational
institutions and medical sites.
- Improve the environment for special children.
- Act as a central starting point for information.
- Unite the many global parent groups.
- Provide the information in an attempt to solve many problems related to special children
(educational, medical, social, personal, etc). and to help realize a happy, comfortable
society and environment.
http://www.nysed.gov/HighEd/Disabil.htm
LISTING OF NEW YORK STATE DIRECTORY OF HIGHER EDUCATION SERVICES FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES from the NYS Education Department
Listing of New York State College Contact Persons for Services for Students with Disabilities
(PDF files).
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY AFFILIATED PROGRAMS FOR PERSONS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES (AAUAP).
This site has a variety of links, including: Federal Agencies, National Associations and additional resources from across the Internet.
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/
OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES. U.S. Department of Education. The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) supports programs that assist in educating children with special needs, provides for the rehabilitation of youth and adults with disabilities, and supports research to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities.
CHADD, CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER—the national non-profit organization representing children and adults with attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder.