Excelling Teaching & Learning : Special Education
	.Statement of Philosophy Life Skills Specialist Special Education Services Assistive Technology Specialists Learning Resource Center Programs EXCENT Specialist Self-Contained Programs Autism Specialists/STM Trainers Life Skills Center Programs EVIT Transition Specialist Special Education Coordinators Preschool Coordinator Emotional Disabilities Specialist Adapted Physical Education

Thank you, Dr. Nicosia Dr. Daniela Nicosia, an optometrist in low vision rehabilitation from ViewFinder Low Vision Resource Center (located in Mesa and Sun City) gave a presentation to the District's five Itinerant Teachers for the Visually Impaired on October 11th, 2005. The presentation was both informative and interesting, and it pertained to topics in low vision, driving with bioptic telescopes, and considerations in utilizing low vision aids. Her professional time and efforts were greatly appreciated! SUSD #48 Teachers for the visually impaired

Preschool Special Needs Screening Parents concerned about developmental delays they observe in their children who live in the Scottsdale Unified School District are welcome to participate in preschool screenings starting at the age of 30 months until the age of 5 years. The screenings will be conducted at Mohave District Annex at 8505 E. Valley View Road in Scottsdale. This is about 2 blocks south of McDonald, between Granite Reef and 86th St.. The screenings will be in the "Kachina" room on the Mohave Middle School campus beginning at 8:30AM. It will be on a first come, first serve basis. There are no appointments. The dates of these screenings are:       2005: Sept. 7, Sept. 14, Oct. 12, Nov. 2, Nov. 16, Dec. 7       2006: Jan. 4, Jan. 18, Feb. 1, Feb. 15, Mar. 1, Mar. 15, Apr. 5, Apr. 19, and May 3. Please refer to the Arizona Department of Education, http://www.ade.az.gov/ess/ChildFind/Cf3To5.asp, to see developmental milestones for children from 0 to 3 and 3 to 5. Please note: the last screening will take place at 11:30 a.m.

Statement of Philosophy

Special Education Services in Scottsdale Unified School District will offer the following to disabled students and their parents:

• A free appropriate public education to all disabled students residing in the district
• Special education in the Least Restrictive Environment (L.R.E.). Disabled students will be educated with non-disabled students to an extent that will appropriately meet each student’s unique needs
• A continuum of special education services will be available, including participation in physical education, art, and music
• An individualized education program will be developed for each student determined to have special needs. The Individual Education Program will be reviewed at least annually
• The student’s parents will be consulted on a regular basis regarding student’s needs
• Student education records will be maintained in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Family Education Rights and Privacy Act
• Staff development will include regular inservice training for staff providing educational services to disabled students

Special Education Services

Scottsdale’s well trained professional special educators effectively serve a broad range of disabled students through individualized planning and instruction.

Specialists serving our students with disabilities include special education certified teachers, psychologists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, music therapists, teacher specialists, sign language interpreters, and paraeducators trained to serve students, who are at least three but less than twenty two years of age who have at least one of the following conditions: autism/autism spectrum disorder, emotional disability, hearing impairment, other health impairments, specific learning disability, mild, moderate or severe mental retardation, multiple disabilities, multiple disabilities with severe sensory impairment, orthopedic impairment, speech/language impairment, traumatic brain injury, and visual impairment, (preschool moderate delay, preschool severe delay, preschool speech/language delay).

The Special Education department includes professionals who specialize in working with students who have various disabilities and may need related services. Related services may include speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, adapted physical education and assistive technology. Students must meet eligibility requirements to enroll in a Special Education program.

The goal of Special Education is to help students become independent learners, to teach learning strategies to prepare them to be successful in their regular classes, and to prepare them for high school and post-secondary experiences. This goal will be achieved through a partnership between student, home and school.

Transition services provide purposeful, organized goals designed to help students move from middle school to high school and from high school to post-secondary education and/or employment and quality adult living. Regulations require consideration of transition services for students receiving Special Education by age 14, and each year thereafter.

Learning Resource Center Programs

The Learning Resource Center (LRC) offers various models of small group instruction, support, remediation, monitoring, and consultation of regular education classes.

Team Teaching may occur in regular education classes that serve Special Education students. It involves an agreement between regular education teachers and Special Education staff to develop lessons and share the instructional responsibilities.

Consultation is a component of all classes in which Special Education students participate. This involves the consistent communication between the Special Education teacher and the regular education teacher. This consultation may lead to modifications in a regular class, even though team teaching may not occur there.

Self-Contained Programs

Special classes are provided for students who, because of the severity of their disability, need a more intensive full-time Special Education program. The classes are limited in size to permit flexibility in meeting individual needs. These students are included in the regular classroom setting whenever appropriate.

Life Skills Center Programs

The Life Skills Center (LSC) is a cross-categorical program for students with substantial disabilities. It is designed to meet the individualized educational needs of students functioning substantially below grade level.

The LSC curriculum focuses on functional academics, vocational training and independent living skills, including recreational/leisure skills. The school and local communities are used as the classroom to teach students the skills needed to become productive, contributing members within the total community.
 

Special Education Coordinators

• Behavior interventions
• SUCCESS/ED program support
• Functional behavior analysis

• ESY coordinator
• Life skills programs coordinator
• LSC transition
• LSC prevocational/vocational training
• Mental retardation specialist

• Assistive technology training
• Assistive technology evaluation assistance
• Assistive technology screening
• Assistive technology staff development
• Device procurement
• Device training
• Device programming
• Specialized software installation

• EXCENT applications
• EXCENT installations
• EXCENT maintenance
• EXCENT staff training

• Autism evaluations
• Autism programming/consultation
• Autism staff training
• STM materials development

• Special education liaison to EVIT
• Special Education EVIT placements
• Monitors EVIT special education students
• EVIT accommodations and modifications

• Early childhood programs - Aztec, Cherokee, Laguna, Navajo, Tavan, and Yavapai
• DHS compliance
• DHS licensing
• Preschool certified staff training
• Preschool classified staff training
• NAEYC accreditation

• A physical education program designed for special needs students in the Scottsdale Unified School District.
• Web site: http://ex.susd.org/pevans/
• Jan Blocher 480-484-1025
• KC Farley 480-484-4000
• Jim Cottrell 480-595-6200