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Special Education Updates

Special Education Overview

  • Our special education teams and services work to keep you informed of and supported in the educational trends related to standards-based instruction, accommodations, and classroom assessment for students with a disability.

    Highly effective school environments prioritize the academic achievement and social skills of all students.

     
    We identify research-based strategies and practices that support positive behavioral outcomes for all students. Implementation of effective strategies and best practices within a variety of host settings, improves school climate and student outcomes.

    Accommodations play an important role in educational settings, particularly for students whose disabilities interfere with performing learning task (such as reading a book, taking notes in class, or writing an essay) or testing tasks (such as getting through the items within the time limit or filling in the circles on a multiple-choice test). A critical part of teaching and assessing students with disabilities, then, is providing them with accommodations that support learning and that support their ability to show what they know and can do.”

    It is our goal to provide educators and administrators current information and resources in the areas of instructional accommodations and assessment for students with a disability. Please contact your district or school special education teams to take advantage of state guidance documents, professional development training opportunities and other resources designed to support all students with a documented need, including students with a disability.

Preschool Special Education

  • Preschool special education is a state and federal mandated program for three- and four-year-old children who meet state eligibility criteria of developmental delay or disability and are experiencing challenges in their learning and development. A child is eligible if they have a significant delay in one or more areas of development, such as learning, speaking or playing. Eligible children are entitled to a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. This means that the required preschool services are to be provided in the least restrictive setting at no cost to parents.

Child Find

  • Child Find is the process of identifying and assessing children from birth to 21 years old who may have developmental delays, be at risk of having a developmental delay due to a diagnosed medical condition, or who have an educational disability. Our team may consist of an early childhood special educator, speech pathologist, school psychologist, and/or school nurse. We also provide audiological, motor and behavioral services as needed.

    For children birth up to age three, our Child Find process is done in collaboration with The Resource Exchange. For children ages three to five years old, parents can speak with their child's teacher. For middle school and high school students, parents can meet with the school psychologist or counselor.
     
  • Kathlynn Jackson
    Spec. Ed. Director
    Office: 719.495.1116
    Emily Leschisin
    Assistant Spec. Ed. Director
    Office: 719.494.8935
    Linda Koch
    Spec. Ed. Administrative Assistant
    Office: 719.494.8932
    Meghan McEvoy
    Child Find Coordinator
    Office: 719.494.8751
    Lisa Amthor
    Spec. Ed. Program Specialist
    Office: 719.495.1149, ext. 1050
    Cyndi Little
    Assistive Technology SWAAAC Coordinator
    Office: 719.210.2443
    Patricia Prettyman
    Spec. Ed. Chair, Nurse
    Office: 719.452.1354
    Jill Miller
    Spec. Ed. Chair, Motor
    Office: 719.641.1690
    Jennifer Hill
    Spec. Ed Chair, Mental Health
    Office:
    Jamie Mendell
    Spec. Ed. Co-Chair, Speech
    Office: 719.495.1149 x4228
    Heather Salas
    Spec. Ed. Co-Chair, Speech
    Office:
    Maggie McDonough
    Records Requests
    Office:
    Nancy Lemmond
    Individualized Education Executive Director
    Office: 719.494.8913
    Kari Frederick
    Individualized Education Administrative Assistant
    Office: 719.494.8933