High School Special Education
High School Special Education Office
9 Junction Street, Dover, MA 02030
Main Number: 508-785-1730
McCarthy, Kate | Director of Student Services |
Goodwin, Stephen | Secondary Special Education and OOD Coordinator |
Moran, Audrey | Special Education Team Chairperson |
Brodsky, Lisa | Special Education Liaison, Grade 11 |
Burruss, Meriwether | Special Education Liaison, Grade Multi |
Carlson, Elizabeth | Speech Language Pathologist |
Cento, Linda | Special Education Liaison, Grade Multi |
Chlebda, Kanee | Special Education Liaison, Grade 12 |
Doran, Amanda | Special Education Liaison, Grade 9 |
Hyman, Ellen | Special Education Liaison, Grade 10 |
Gooen, Judy | Occupational Therapist |
Loando, Heidi | Adjustment Counselor |
Lutz, Jessica | School Psychologist |
Ma, Julie | Board Certified Behavioral Analyst |
Owen, Kelly | Language Based Instructional Teacher |
Pierce, Joan | Special Education Liaison, Grade Multi |
Savery, Janice | Speech Language Pathologist |
Shea, Natalia | Occupational Therapist |
Social Emotional Learning
Student SEL Screening Parent Letter
HS Programs & Services
Academic Support
Open to Grades 9-12
Prerequisite: Specialist Recommendation
No Credit
The goal of Academic Support is to maximize a student's access to and success with the high school curriculum and to assist students in effectively planning for and transitioning to post-secondary opportunities. The Learning Center is available to students with a current Individual Educational Program (IEP), and who require academic support to compensate for learning differences that may otherwise preclude them from making effective progress at Dover-Sherborn High School.
This class focuses on empowering each student to become an independent learner who can successfully employ strengths and strategies that compensate for weaknesses. Academic support focuses on the goals and objectives identified in a student's Individual Education Program (IEP). Instructional time is devoted to developing effective time management and organizational skills and strategies with specific links to content area requirements. Students are encouraged to utilize technology and apply higher order critical thinking skills that relate to the high school curriculum. Students are provided with instruction to become more efficient learners who are able to independently manage their academic responsibilities.
Among other priorities, special educators and instructional support staff may focus on the following activities:
-
Assignment planning/recording
-
Efficient note taking
-
Reinforcement of lab preparation/Scientific Method
-
Development and use of outlines
-
Management of long-term projects
-
Specific reading and writing instruction
-
Content review
-
Test preparation
Inclusion/In Class Support
Special education staff work within the general education classroom to provide support to student’s with a wide variety of diagnosed disabilities. The staff works to provide strategies that accommodate and support all learners. Special education and general education teachers collaborate on techniques that assist in differentiation of instruction.
Related Services
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy is considered a related service in a school system. A student must be found eligible for special education or a 504 accommodation plan to receive occupational therapy interventions. The focus of occupational therapy is to assist a student in accessing the curriculum.
Once the team determines that a student is eligible for services, the occupational therapist identifies the skills that the student needs to develop and/or compensate for and the strategies necessary to function independently in the school environment. The intervention uses purposeful activities and can occur in a various service delivery models: one to one, small group, or consultation with the team, individual teachers, students and parents.
Speech and Language Therapy
The role of the Speech and Language Pathologist is to evaluate and remediate receptive and expressive language skills in young adults.
Overall goals are to improve language comprehension and expression utilizing curriculum based materials and instruction including assistive technology.
Goals focus on the development of the following skills:
Receptive Language
· short and long term memory, word finding and auditory processing skills
· auditory comprehension and reading comprehension
· following oral and written direction and instruction
· learning strategies
· meta-cognitive strategies
Expressive Language
· pragmatic skills or social skills
· fluency
· voice
· written language
a) form – grammar and punctuation
b) content – vocabulary , semantics, figurative language and organization
c) use- written expression, style
Indirect Services
· in-class language support (cueing, organizing, note-taking, clarifying, modeling, re-stating directions, coaching, team teaching)
· consulting with special ed. Staff
· consulting with general ed. Staff
· team in-services
· report writing
Counseling - School
Academic Services
Open to Grades 9-12 Prerequisite: Specialist Recommendation No Credit
-
The goal of Academic Support is to maximize a student's access to and success with the high school curriculum and to assist students in effectively planning for and transitioning to post-secondary opportunities.
-
The Learning Center is available to students with a current Individual Educational Program (IEP), and who require academic support to compensate for learning differences that may otherwise preclude them from making effective progress at Dover-Sherborn High School.
-
This class focuses on empowering each student to become an independent learner who can successfully employ strengths and strategies that compensate for weaknesses.
-
Academic support focuses on the goals and objectives identified in a student's Individual Education Program (IEP). Instructional time is devoted to developing effective time management and organizational skills and strategies with specific links to content area requirements.
-
Students are encouraged to utilize technology and apply higher order critical thinking skills that relate to the high school curriculum.
-
Students are provided with instruction to become more efficient learners who are able to independently manage their academic responsibilities.
-
Among other priorities, special educators and instructional support staff may focus on the following activities:
-
Assignment planning/recording
-
Efficient note taking
-
Reinforcement of lab preparation/Scientific Method
-
Development and use of outlines
-
Management of long-term projects
-
Specific reading and writing instruction
-
Content review
-
Test preparation
Inclusion/In Class Support
Special education staff work within the general education classroom to provide support to student’s with a wide variety of diagnosed disabilities. The staff works to provide strategies that accommodate and support all learners. Special education and general education teachers collaborate on techniques that assist in differentiation of instruction.
Related Services
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy is considered a related service in a school system. A student must be found eligible for special education or a 504 accommodation plan to receive occupational therapy interventions. The focus of occupational therapy is to assist a student in accessing the curriculum.
Once the team determines that a student is eligible for services, the occupational therapist identifies the skills that the student needs to develop and/or compensate for and the strategies necessary to function independently in the school environment. The intervention uses purposeful activities and can occur in a various service delivery models: one to one, small group, or consultation with the team, individual teachers, students and parents.
Speech and Language Therapy
The role of the Speech and Language Pathologist is to evaluate and remediate receptive and expressive language skills in young adults.
Overall goals are to improve language comprehension and expression utilizing curriculum based materials and instruction including assistive technology.
Goals focus on the development of the following skills:
Receptive Language
· short and long term memory, word finding and auditory processing skills
· auditory comprehension and reading comprehension
· following oral and written direction and instruction
· learning strategies
· meta-cognitive strategies
Expressive Language
· pragmatic skills or social skills
· fluency
· voice
· written language
a) form – grammar and punctuation
b) content – vocabulary , semantics, figurative language and organization
c) use- written expression, style
Indirect Services
· in-class language support (cueing, organizing, note-taking, clarifying, modeling, re-stating directions, coaching, team teaching)
· consulting with special ed. Staff
· consulting with general ed. Staff
· team in-services
· report writing
Early Childhood
Parents as Partners Preschool screenings are designed to evaluate a child's development and to assist in the early identification of a child who should be referred for a special education evaluation. Parents are also provided with important feedback about their child's development and with suggested activities for enhanced skill development. If an area of concern is identified by the Dover Early Childhood Special Education Staff, we will discuss with you, our concerns and any recommended next steps. Dates for screening are listed on the Events page. You may also contact us at any time.About Preschool Screening You will be a welcome and equal partner throughout the special education process because we understand that you have unique knowledge of your child's abilities and possible areas of need and because we believe we are better able to assist your child if we work collaboratively with you. Therefore, you should expect to be actively involved in all meetings that discuss the identification, evaluation, IEP development and/or educational placement of your child.
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Resources
Learning Disabilities Resources
Massachusetts Links:
Dover Public Schools Special Education Parent Advisory Group Website
Learning Disabilities Association of Massachusetts
Massachusetts Association of Special education Parent Advisory Councils (MASSPAC)
Massachusetts Department of Education
New England INDEX-Information on Disabilities
National Links:
All Kinds of Minds (Mel Levine's web site)
Asperger's Syndrome Coalition of the United States (ASC-US)
Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation
Council for Exceptional Children
Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education (ERIC-EECE)
Federation for Children With Special Needs
Learning Disabilities Association of America
National Center for Learning Disabilities
Nonverbal Learning Disorders Association
Books
Keeping A Head in School by Dr. Mel Levine, 1994, Educator's Publishing Service, Inc. 31 Smith Place, Cambridge, MA 02138-1000
Useful Links:
International Dyslexia Association
International Reading Associatio
National Institute for Literacy
Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic
Report of the National Reading Panel-National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Graphic Organizer Forms to download
Books:
Starting Out Right: A Guide to Promoting Reading Success by the National Research Council; M. Susan Burns, Peg Griffin and Catherine E. snow, Editors; National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1999
Straight Talk About Reading, (How Parents Can Make a Difference During the Early Years) by Susan l. Hall and Louisa C. Moats, Ed. D.; Contemporary Books, Chicago, IL; 1999.
Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz, M.D.; Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2003.
Put Reading First, Kindergarten Through Grade 3 (Drawn from the 2000 report of the National Reading Panel, Teaching Children to Read: An Evidence-Based Assessment of the Scientific Research Literature on Reading and Its Implications for Reading Instruction--Reports of the Subgroups). Free copies available at: The National Institute for Literacy at ED Pubs, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398; phone: 1-800-228-8813; FAX: 301-430-1244; EdPubOrders@aspensys.com; to download, go the the National Institute for Literacy website at www.nifl.gov.
Put Reading First, A Parent Guide (Drawn from the 2000 report of the National Reading Panel, Teaching Children to Read: An Evidence-Based Assessment of the Scientific Research Literature on Reading and Its Implications for Reading Instruction--Reports of the Subgroups). Free copies available at: The National Institute for Literacy at ED Pubs, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398; phone: 1-800-228-8813; FAX: 301-430-1244; EdPubOrders@aspensys.com; to download, go the the National Institute for Literacy website at www.nifl.gov.
Other Resources
"Lively Letters" (Telian Multisensory Mnemonic Letter Card Program ) by Nancy Telian, Telian Learning Concepts, P.O. Box 453 Stoughton, MA 02072.
Speech and Language Resources
Useful Links:
Stuttering Foundation of America
Books:
From Speech to Print, Language Essentials for Teachers by Louisa Cook Moats; Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company, Baltimore, MD; 2000.
SEPAC
DOVER SHERBORN SEPAC
Special Education Parent Advisory Council
The Dover Sherborn SEPAC is a volunteer, parent-run organization that serves in an advisory role to the school district on the programs and needs of all students. We meet regularly to discuss matters that pertain to the education and safety of children with special needs.
To learn more about us, please visit our website at: www.doversherbornsepac.org
Email: sepac@doversherborn.org