1. School District # 158 Vision For Special Education Services….

2. Communication Improved communication between general education and special education staff.Improved communication between general education and special education staff. TLC (Teaching and Learning Communities)- Allows for collaborative planning time for general and special education staff.TLC (Teaching and Learning Communities)- Allows for collaborative planning time for general and special education staff. Already in place and successful in one elementary building.Already in place and successful in one elementary building.

3. Communication… cont’d Improved communication with parents and public.Improved communication with parents and public. District 158 Special Needs website.District 158 Special Needs website. Additional newsletter articles highlighting special education activities and achievements.Additional newsletter articles highlighting special education activities and achievements. Additional advertising to improve Child Find Programming.Additional advertising to improve Child Find Programming. Presentation at PTA meetings to inform parents of referral process.Presentation at PTA meetings to inform parents of referral process.

4. Effective Use of Resources… District 158 Special Education personnel (including special education teachers, psychologists, social workers and speech pathologists) are available for collaboration on student concerns.District 158 Special Education personnel (including special education teachers, psychologists, social workers and speech pathologists) are available for collaboration on student concerns. SEDOM (Special Education District of McHenry County) programs at each district school.SEDOM (Special Education District of McHenry County) programs at each district school.

5. Effective Use Of Resources… SEDOM Consultants with specific areas of expertise right at our fingertips.SEDOM Consultants with specific areas of expertise right at our fingertips. Autism, Pervasive Developmental Delay, Severe Learning Disabilities and Behavioral Concerns.Autism, Pervasive Developmental Delay, Severe Learning Disabilities and Behavioral Concerns.

6. Effective Use of Resources…cont’d Assistant Principals to received specific training to handle special education related concerns.Assistant Principals to received specific training to handle special education related concerns.

7. Effective Use of Resources…cont’d School Psychologists to provide informational presentations at the building level on Special Education Staffings, at staff meetings.School Psychologists to provide informational presentations at the building level on Special Education Staffings, at staff meetings. Build awareness of the nature of specific staffings and the what is needed from general education staff to make student centered programming successful.Build awareness of the nature of specific staffings and the what is needed from general education staff to make student centered programming successful.

8. It Takes a Village… We are all responsible for the educating of the special needs population.We are all responsible for the educating of the special needs population. General education teachers are most often those reporting concerns about students.General education teachers are most often those reporting concerns about students. If you have a concern about a student, please refer the student to the school’s student assistance team.If you have a concern about a student, please refer the student to the school’s student assistance team.

9. Together We Can… Collaborate to share information about special need and keep parents informed.Collaborate to share information about special need and keep parents informed. Identify students who learn differently and provide for those differences.Identify students who learn differently and provide for those differences. Highlight the accomplishments of these students and increase their self esteem.Highlight the accomplishments of these students and increase their self esteem.