Office of Special Services
The Office of Special Services offers support to individuals and groups outside of the regular classroom in the areas of guidance, psychology, nursing, speech, special education and Section 504/ Americans with Disabilities Act accommodations. Some of these services, such as guidance and nursing, are provided to all students in our schools; others are provided to meet specific needs. Some of the services are provided only upon recommendation by the Committee on Special Education.
| Programs and Workshops
Total Teen Experience
1-11-12
Info for Parents of Teens
| Parent Members Sought
The Committees on Special Education and PreSchool Special Education seek parent members for 2011-12. Parent members must be parents of classified students. They attend CSE and CPSE meetings typically held during the school day. Contact Donna Baker in the Special Services Department for additional information:
bakerd@pearlriver.org
or 845-620-3940.
VESID Parent Survey Results
PRSD participated in the NYS VESID Parent Survey in 2008-09. Results were released in May 2010. Click HERE to view a summary |
School Psychology | School psychologists provide a broad range of services to all students, including the assessment of individual needs and problems, consultation with teachers, administrators and parents, direct intervention with students, and program development for students, parents and staff. There is one psychologist for each of Pearl River's schools, with the exception of the High School, which has two. The psychologists serve on the Instructional Support Team, coordinate the screening of new entrants, act as the case managers for students receiving special education services, and are mandated members of the Committee on Special Education. Using classroom observations, interviews and formal testing, the psychologists identify the issues affecting academic performance and behavior, and develop strategies in cooperation with the school, family and student to address the situation. School psychologists work with teachers, parents, and outside resources to promote academic success, reduce behavior problems, and enhance the personal well being of all students. Click HERE for more information. | Speech/Language Services | Speech/language specialists provide diagnostic testing to help determine the extent and origin of communication problems that may be interfering with academic achievement. There is one Speech/Language specialist at each of Pearl River's five schools. They provide services to students with moderate to severe communication disorders including voice, fluency, hearing and language deficits. These student services are specified in an Individualized Education Program designed by the Committee in Special Education. | Special Education | Special Education services are provided by certified special education teachers to those students determined by the Committee on Special Education to have special needs that interfere with educational progress. Students who need special education support in order to succeed may receive this help through collaborative/integrated assistance within their regular classroom or they may be assigned to a resource room. Students who need more intense service are assigned to special class instruction with a special education teacher who is responsible for the educational program in specific subjects.
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Committees on Special Education and Preschool Special Education
The Committee on Special Education (CSE) is a multi-disciplinary team that identifies children in grades K-12 with special education needs such as learning disabilities, speech and language impairments, physical disabilities, emotional disturbance, mental retardation, etc. The CSE recommends programs and services to support the academic program. The Committee is composed of personnel from the Pearl River schools including a chairperson, school psychologist, special education teachers, general education teachers and a parent of the student receiving special education services. (School physician, related service providers, and a parent member are involved when applicable.) Although it is natural for parents and staff members to be concerned about designating a child as having special education needs, such designation provides assurance that a specially designed program will be provided to the child by the district. At the preschool level, the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) identifies children ages three to five that need special education and recommends appropriate state and county approved pre-k programs/services.
Individualized Education Program (IEP)
An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a formal document enumerating the special services planned for a student who has been designated by the Committee on Special Education or Committee on Preschool Special Education. The IEP contains a summary of the student's strengths and weaknesses, present levels of performance and specific educational goals. It also indicates the nature of the disabling condition and the recommended program and placement. The IEP is the teacher's guide for instruction and states the criteria used to determine the effectiveness of the instructional plan.
For Additional Information:
Log on to NYS Vocational and Education Services for Individuals with Disabilities
Download A Parent Guide published by VESID
Download NYS Education Department Procedural Safeguards Notice
Office of Special Services Staff
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