Lennox Special Education


Director- Kristi Wallin

Special Education

 

                Special Education provides specially and individually designed instruction to enable student s with disabilities to benefit from their education.  Special education services are provided for eligible children birth through twenty-one years of age in accordance with the child’s individual education plan (IEP).  An IEP is developed for each student qualifying for special education.  Children are identified through a referral and evaluation process and are educated in the general education curriculum and classrooms to the maximum extent possible.  The following eligibility classifications are used to qualify students for special education:

  • Deaf ,Blind, Emotional Disturbance, Cognitive Disability, Hearing Loss, Specific Learning Disability, Multiple Disability, Orthopedic Impairment, Vision Loss, Deafness, Speech/ Language Impairment, Autism ,Other Health Impairment, Traumatic Brain Injury, Developmental Delayed 

Each school in the district has a resource classroom which is staffed with certified special education teachers and educational assistants.  Support services, such as speech/ language therapy, occupational and physical therapy and adapted physical education are also provided at each school in accordance with the child’s IEP. 

 

Early Childhood Services

The early childhood special education program provides an individual approach to instruction for children birth to school age. 

 

Birth to Three Program

                Infants and toddlers who are experiencing developmental delays or are at risk for delays may be eligible for early intervention services.  Free developmental screenings are conducted throughout the year, followed by in depth evaluations, if needed.  If eligible, an Individual family services plan (IFSP) is developed which outlines the services to be provided to the child and family.  Services are provided in the child’s natural environment which usually includes the home or daycare setting.  Depending on the severity of the child’s developmental delay, service providers may be employees of the school district or contracted personnel.  For more information about early intervening services for children birth-to-three in our area, call the Southeast Area Cooperative in Beresford.  

 

Early Childhood Special Education and Head Start Preschool Program (3-5 year olds)

                A center-based preschool program is provided for children who have been evaluated and identified as having developmental delays and for those eligible for Head Start.  Children attend two, three or four half day sessions per week, Monday through Thursday, depending on the child’s individual needs.  A district sponsored developmental screening is held each fall and/ or by calling the school’s special education staff.  For information on eligibility for Head Start, call the USD Head Start office on the campus of USD in Vermillion. 

Related Services

 

                Related Services are support services required to assist a student with a disability to benefit from special education.  The services are provided as outlined on the Individual Education Program (IEP) and delivered by qualified staff. 

 Speech and Language Services

                Services are provided based on information obtained through evaluation and as documented on the Individual Education Plan (IEP) for each student.  These services may include articulation, language development, augmentative communication, direct one-on-one tutoring or small group instruction within the classroom setting.  Some children are served in an indirect manner through the consulting model. 

                If you have questions or concerns about your child’s speech or language skills, please contact your child’s school and ask for the speech/ language therapist.  For more information on speech/ language disorders, click on the following link:  http://www.asha.org. 

 Occupational and Physical Therapy

                Services are provided base on information obtained through the evaluation and as documented on the IEP for each student.  These services may include gross or fine motor development, training in activities of daily living, positioning or mobility training.  Services may be delivered individually or in small groups, in pullout or classroom settings.  Some children are served in an indirect manner through the consulting model. 

                Referrals for evaluation to determine eligibility for services may be made by parents, teachers, or other interested parties. 

School Psychology Services

                The district employs a full-time school psychologist.  School psychologists are actively involved in conducting evaluation to determine eligibility for special education , Section 504, as well as pre-referral interventions, counseling, and crisis intervention.  These services are designed to meet the mandates for initial and three-year evaluation of special education students.  School psychologist linked to this area. 

 

Referrals for Special Education

 

                A referral for a student who may be in need of special education can be made in writing to the building principal, a special education administrator, and/ or the superintendent.   Parents/ guardians, teachers, students (self-initiated), other district personnel, may make the referral to school administration.  If the referral is verbally made by the parent, it must be documented by the administrator. 

                The special education department will respond to the referral by providing written notice of the action intended.  Comprehensive, multi-disciplinary evaluations are provided by the district with qualified evaluators at no cost to the parent/ guardian to determine in=f the student is eligible for special education and related services as outlined by the Individuals with disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and South Dakota Administrative Rules. 

 

Section 504

 

                A student may be considered disabled under the definition of Section 504/ ADA if the student meets the following requirements:

1)      Has a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more of a person’s major life activities, “major life activities” include functions such as :

·         Caring for one’s self

·         Performing manual tasks

·         Walking

·         Seeing

·         Speaking

·         Learning

·         Hearing

·         Breathing

·         Working

2)      Has a record of such an impairment

3)      Is regarded as having an impairment

If a student is not eligible for special services through an IEP, but needs special accommodations in the general education environment, the student may be eligible for a 504 accommodation plan.  For more information, contact the school principal, counselor, or student services director.