Special Services

Welcome

Our goal is for every student within our district to be successful and to reach their highest potential; a disability shouldn't stand in the way of them reaching their goals! If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child's special education services or if you suspect that your child has a disability and would like to inquire additional information as to where to go from here, please feel free to stop by our office or contact us via phone or email.

The special education programs of Sweetwater County School District #2 serves almost 500 students throughout our district. Instructional and support services are delivered by an outstanding team of special education teachers, school psychologists, speech and language pathologists, behaviors strategists, counselors, social workers, an adaptive physical education teacher, physical therapists, occupational therapists, interpreters, school health providers, and paraprofessionals. As is specified in federal and state law, students with disabilities are served in the least restrictive environment to the maximum extent possible. All of our schools thrive to provide appropriate services to students in the general environment with exposure to the general curriculum; however, when necessary, services are adjusted to best meet the student’s individual needs.

Special education services include individualized and specially designed instruction in academic, self-help, behavioral, communication, motor, vocational, and social skills areas. Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are developed at least annually. Goals and objectives are written for each student based on the results of formal and informal evaluations, parental input, and various observations. Carefully sequenced instruction is provided and each student’s progress is monitored.

Sweetwater County School District #2 uses a wide variety of service delivery methods to meet the needs of students as identified in their IEPs. The following descriptions are examples of program designs used throughout the district to provide the continuum of service options needed by special education students. Program designs vary to some extent from building to building, and from year to year, as administration and special education staff makes adjustments to meet the needs of their current student populations. It is also important to note that at times, aspects of the different program designs may be blended in a unique way. The district encourages building staff to be creative in designing programs to meet the needs of their students and to best utilize the strengths of staff members.

Special Education Services

Resource Classroom Services

Most students who qualify for special education services will be assigned to a general education classroom and spend a majority of their day in that setting. They will receive specially designed instruction in areas identified on their IEPs and as directed by a special services staff member. A special education teacher, a general education teacher, a related service provider, and/or a paraprofessional may provide the instruction and/or services necessary. Instruction may occur in the general education classroom through cooperative teaching or in a small group-resource room setting. Related services such as occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, adaptive physical education, physical therapy, and/or counseling can be provided if the need is identified on the student’s IEP.

District-Wide Services

Some students may be enrolled in a special education district-wide classroom. Students receiving these services have disabilities and/or behaviors that make it difficult for them to succeed in a typical classroom setting. Special education teachers and paraprofessionals staff these classrooms and extensive support services are provided. The staff to student ratio is kept to a minimum, and the curriculum is determined by the student’s IEP. The emphasis of several of our district-wide classrooms revolves around functional academics and life-long skills that are necessary for maximum independence. Even though the student is assigned to a special education classroom, he/she has frequent opportunities to participate with students without disabilities in both general education classrooms and extracurricular settings.

The goal for district-wide classrooms at the high school level is to help students with disabilities achieve the maximum independence possible. These classes emphasize the acquisition of functional academics and skills necessary for independent living. There are classes designed to teach necessary job skills, and when appropriate, students are mainstreamed into the general education and resource classes.

Related Services

Related Services are developmental, corrective, and other support services that may be required to assist a student with a disability to benefit from his/her individual education plan (IEP). A related service is recommended only when necessary for a student to benefit from special education. If a student does not need special education, related services cannot be provided through the IEP process. The student's related services needs are part of the IEP, which will specify the amount and type of services the student is to receive. Related services may be delivered in a regular classroom setting or in a separate setting as determined by the IEP team. Related services staff in Sweetwater County School District #2 includes speech/language pathologists, occupational therapists, an adaptive physical education teacher, physical therapists, a deaf/hard of hearing teacher, as well as counselors and school social workers. Related services can also include special transportation services if found necessary by the IEP team.

Behavior support Services

Sweetwater County School District #2 provides additional services to special education students who are not experiencing school success because of behavioral problems. Interdisciplinary teams including special education teachers, regular education teachers, occupational therapists, speech/language pathologists, administrators, school psychologists, school social workers and counselors, educational diagnosticians, student, and parents are invited to develop and monitor behavior intervention plans and strategies to address the student’s specific behavioral needs. Members of this team meet periodically to progress monitor the student’s behaviors and ensure that the plan and strategies in place are effective towards meeting the student’s behavioral goals.

Early Intervention Services

Sweetwater County School District #2 works with the Sweetwater Child Development Center (CDC) to provide Child Find activities and screenings for children three to five years of age to determine if a child is developmentally on target in the areas of motor, concept development and communication. Information on developmentally appropriate activities to enhance the child’s continual growth is shared at the time of the screening. Referrals for children who may need a more comprehensive evaluation to determine the need for services will be made by the CDC staff. An evaluation may include educational, psychological, gross motor, fine motor, speech/language, and/or health.

If services are warranted, an interdisciplinary team including occupational therapists, speech/language pathologists, physical therapists, special education teachers, and/or paraprofessionals work together to provide on-going instruction, therapy, and/or language services. Sweetwater County School District #2 works closely with the CDC to ensure a smooth transition is made for students entering kindergarten and that the appropriate special education and related services are continued.

Additional Information

I am very proud of the special education and related services that our district offers to the students of Sweetwater County School District #2. If your child is struggling in school, having social or behavioral problems, or if you suspect they have a disability, please visit with your child’s teacher and his/her principal to determine if an evaluation for special education services is necessary. Our goal is for every student within our district to be successful and to reach their highest potential; a disability shouldn’t stand in the way of them reaching their goals.

If you have any further questions, comments, and/or concerns; please feel free to stop by our office or contact us via phone or email.