Special Education
The
Western Buckeye ESC provides a variety of special education and
related services for students and their parents in the local school
districts of Antwerp, Crestview, Lincolnview, Paulding, Van Wert and Wayne Trace,
through the School Psychologist and the Director of Student
Services. Among these are:
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MULTIFACTORED
EVALUATIONS
An
evaluation for any child suspected of being handicapped is conducted
by a multidisciplinary group of qualified professionals, free of
charge to the parents
/ guardian. All areas
related to the appropriate hearing, vision, health, social /
emotional status, vocational / occupational needs, adaptive
behaviors, general intelligence, academic performance, communication
status and motor development are assessed.
The School Psychologist is the lead professional on this team. The Director assures that due process rights are being followed and coordinates the appropriate special education options and related services for the students identified through the multidisciplinary assessment.
SERVICE COORDINATION
For identified children, the Director of Student Services coordinates the development of the Individual Education Plan (IEP) to assure that an appropriate continuum of service is provided, and attend all IEP meetings held though the year to assure that the IEP is developed according to identified needs. Other service coordination activities also include providing transition from preschool to school age programs and from high school to vocational / occupational placements. All forms and procedures needed to comply with IDEA are developed and provided by the Western Buckeye ESC.
SPECIAL
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
The Western Buckeye ESC is the fiscal agent for the special
education and related services for the local school districts of
Antwerp and Wayne Trace. Services provided include programs for:
developmentally delayed, learning disabled, multi-handicapped,
visually and hearing impaired, severe behavior handicaps, speech/
language programs, autism, and traumatic brain injury.
Related services may include: adaptive physical education,
attendant, guide, audio logical, interpreter, occupational therapy,
physical therapy, orientation and mobility, psychological,
vocational, extended school year, work study and transition.
The Director of Student Services provides supervision of the staff and programs. Material and supplies are provided to staff through the Western Buckeye ESC.
DEVELOPMENTAL
PRESCHOOL
Developmental Preschool programs are located in the local
school districts and at Thomas Edison in Van Wert. Children
ages three through five with identified delays are provided full day
programs and related services free of charge to parents through the
Western Buckeye ESC.
The Director and Psychologist provide a multidisciplinary assessment, plan program options and related services with the parents, assure that the IEP is developed in accordance with evaluation results and coordinate transition from the preschool program in to school age classes.
INTERVENTION
ASSISTANCE
The School Psychologist and Director of Student Services serve as members of the local school districts’ intervention assistance teams. At various times they provide information, assistance and follow-up related to the interpretation of test scores, evaluation of academic progress, observation and / or evaluation of behavior problems with suggestions for plans of intervention for each case reviewed.
COUNSELING
As a related service to
assessment, the School Psychologist provides short-term counseling
to identify special needs students suspected of disabling conditions
and to parents when the problem is severe enough that it interferes
with the child’s performance in school. The Psychologist and
Director continually provide and / or seek counsel with physicians,
parents, mental health services, teachers, state agencies, social
service agencies, administrators, and others as needed to provide
appropriate services for referred and identified students and their
families.
EARLY CHILDHOOD SCREENING
The Western Buckeye ESC, through the Director of Student
Services and the Preschool Coordinator, provide several screenings yearly for children ages three
through five, free of charge to parents and held in various
locations throughout the county.
The “developmental domains” that are screened by
professionals, include: hearing, vision, communication, adaptive
behaviors, sensorimotor, social / emotional, pre-academic, cognitive
and health or medical problems, as well as family needs. Materials,
supplies, informative pamphlets, and brochures are provided by the
Western Buckeye ESC.
As a result of the screening activities, the child and family are linked with appropriate service agencies or referred for further assessment to determine needs.
KINDERGARTEN SCREENING
The Director of Student Services and other professionals provide the local school districts with the required kindergarten screen each year, for all kindergarten students enrolled. These screening activities are completed in the areas of hearing, vision, speech, and communications, health and medical problems, developmental readiness, and motor skills. Upon completion of the screenings, the Director of Student Services makes recommendations to the parent of any additional evaluation. Screening materials are provided through the Western Buckeye ESC.
IN-SERVICE
Several in-service meetings are held for special education staff with a focus on one general topic in an effort to more thoroughly investigate new legislation, curriculum and other changes that are taking place in special education. The Director and Psychologist also provide in-service to local schools and area agencies on various special education topics.
EARLY
CHILDHOOD COLLABORATION
The Western Buckeye ESC and Director host and chair respectively, the County Early Childhood Collaborative meetings held quarterly. The mission of the collaborative is to insure family’s needs for children, birth through age five, as a result of interagency planning among health, education, and special service agencies.
WEBSITES OF INTEREST