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Special Education Services Update November 2020
This webpage summarizes the Special Education service delivery models as the district moves from our current Hybrid schedule back to a Remote schedule.
Special Education Meetings
In order to continue to limit the number of visitors to our school buildings, special education meetings (ETRs, IEPs, etc.) will continue to be conducted virtually with parents/guardians. Virtual meetings will continue to remain in place until we are back to an All In model. They will remain an option at that time, as we have found that they are very productive and provide a greater level of participation for traveling team members and parents.
Related Services (Speech, OT, PT, APE)
Students with related services in their IEP will receive the agreed upon services as described in section 7 of their IEP. The Related Service staff are trained on Teletherapy and will work with IEP teams to create schedules. Teletherapy can be used as an option when looking at providing services to students including the Hybrid schedule. Your child’s service provider will communicate to you when those services will be provided (during the student’s in-person school days and/or during their at home days).
Worthington’s Ohio Online Learning Program (OOLP)
FAPE will still be provided to students with IEPs who choose to opt-in to the OOLP. Services will be delivered virtually. IEP teams will reconvene to review the IEP documents and make adjustments as necessary to reflect an online learning environment and how the services will be met after August 17th, but prior to the start of school. The Student Learning Advocates (SLA) and Student Services department from the OOLP will work with your Intervention Specialist to upload accommodations and modifications according to the student’s IEP and the Lincoln Learning / Edgenuity programs. The SLAs and Student Services departments will also provide support to families. If your child receives a related service, your service provider will be in touch with you to determine when and how those services will be delivered.
Remote Schedule
All students will work from home using our common learning management systems. At grades Pre-K to 5, that system is Seesaw; at grades 6-12, the system is Schoology. Students will be expected to “attend” class virtually daily according to their grade level schedule and to complete/turn in assigned work. Some students that receive support and services through our district programs (DLSLC, SLC, SCLC) will maintain a current Hybrid schedule. Related Services (OT, PT, SLP, APE) providers will work with each family to determine the best way to provide these services. Your child’s IS/Related Service Provider(s) will work with you to plan a schedule for those services. This is pending that we do not have additional guidance from the Governor impacting these learning models.
Ongoing Support
We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with you in scheduling the support and services for your child, and appreciate your patience as we continue to work through the many levels of planning . As always, a parent or team member can request an IEP meeting with your assigned Intervention Specialist to discuss your child’s identified services and supports. In addition, if you have any questions or concerns in reference to your child’s special education programming, please reach out to your building administrator.
Sutter Park Preschool
When the Worthington City School district is in the remote learning model, Sutter Park Preschool will offer in-person services to students on IEPs once or twice a week during their scheduled time, transportation will be offered. For peer role models, videos and activities will be provided through Seesaw.
District Tips and Resource Documents:
- Returning To School link provides access to resources of printable social story and video social story youtube links. These are to assist students that may have difficulty with the transition back to school, adjusting to new rules and changes, and/or have difficulty adjusting to wearing masks.
- Speech and Language Therapy Resources to assist in the maintenance of skills learned during Speech & Language Therapy sessions at school.
Helping Your Student at Home (Open Underlined Links)
General Resources
- How Parents Can Support Children With Special Needs During Distance Learning
- Creating a New Normal for Kids During the Uncertainties of COVID-19: Includes information and resources for parents to maintain a sense of normalcy for their children during this time.
- Just for Kids: A Comic Exploring the New Coronavirus
- Understood.org- Coronavirus: Latest Updates and Tips: Resources for parents of children with disabilities.
Learning at Home
- A Parent’s Guide to Virtual Learning: 4 Actions to Improve Your Child’s Experience With Online Learning from the National Council for Learning Disabilities –Here are four things that you should know, and actions you can take, to guide your child’s journey through these unusual and unprecedented times.
- Family Guide to at-home Learning: This guide has practical strategies that work for helping children of all ages who may be struggling with an at-home learning task. National Education association- STEM Lessons in the Kitchen: Includes simple activities in the kitchen that relate to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for young children of all abilities.
- Tips for Helping Your Child Learn at Home During the Coronavirus Outbreak: Created by a parent for parents and includes ideas for creating a learning space for your child with appropriate learning supplies and materials and an effective daily schedule.
Behavior
- Managing Problem Behavior at Home from Child Mind Institute
- Ten Positive Behavior Support Strategies to Support Families at Home provides parents with effective strategies and ideas for establishing routines, looking beyond the behavior, emphasizing your child’s strengths, and many more.
Mental Health
- Anxiety and Coping with the Coronavirus from Child Mind Institute
- Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress- Helping Homebound Children During the COVID-19 Outbreak
- How Mindfulness Can Help During COVID-19 from Child Mind Institute
Local Resources