Meet the Staff

A district behavior specialist works primarily with students receiving specialized educational services who have significant behavioral needs. Students are referred by their building special education team. The behavior specialist works with the student and their teachers to assess their needs and develop a behavior intervention plan.

Occupational Therapists provide service to students from birth to age 21. Students receiving OT services must have an educational need identified on their IEP requiring the specialized services of the OT in order to make progress. The OT gives general suggestions and support to teachers in the general education environment, and works with the IEP team and special education staff to promote student independence and success.

Physical/Health Impairment teachers work primarily with students who have a physical impairment from birth to age 21. They also work with students with health impairments and traumatic brain injuries. Some of the services they provide are: offering ideas and support for differential instruction; providing support for instruction in organizational and independent work skills; consulting on adaptations and modifications needed to access students’ environments and curriculum; and providing resources to parents, teachers, and staff. As an IEP team member, PI teachers assist with writing IEP goals, adaptations/modifications and complete evaluations.

Physical Therapists provide gross motor interventions to qualifying students in the district from birth to age 21. Services provided include: gross motor evaluation, assess environmental accessibility and equipment needs for classroom and education goals, develop and implement service plans to meet student’s IFSP/IEP goals, and provide informal resources and suggestions as requested to student’s team.

The role of an Eastern Carver County school psychologist is to promote success for all students and assist those who are facing academic, behavioral, or social-emotional challenges at school. Using their training in both education and psychology, school psychologists work with parents, educators, and other professionals to assess, problem-solve, and deliver effective supports to these students. They strive to integrate evidence-based, culturally responsive, and linguistically diverse practices into their daily work, which can include activities such as: academic assessment, program planning and evaluation, crisis intervention, parent and teacher collaboration, and analyzing school-wide data.

School Social Workers are an important part of our educational teams who are highly qualified and trained in children’s mental health and it’s impact it has on learning and everyday functioning.

School Social Workers:

• support positive social, emotional and behavioral development through individual and group skills training to enhance school success.

• collaborate with the school and family and utilize multi-tiered interventions, crisis prevention, problem solving, conflict mediation, evaluation and progress monitoring.

• link home, school and community to bridge the communication gap and serve the whole child, addressing environmental barriers to learning and connecting the family to community resources.

As a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TSVI), the primary responsibility is to provide specialized instruction and services required to meet the unique educational needs of students with visual impairments. Following are some of the responsibilities as a TSVI.

Assist the student, parents, special and regular education personnel, and the student’s sighted peers in understanding the unique educational needs and learning characteristics of visually impaired students. This is accomplished by maintaining connections to services and support available from local programs for visually impaired students, and acquiring information regarding local, state, and national resources for the education of visually impaired students.

Assure that large-type or braille texts, supplementary materials, educational, aids, and equipment needed by the visually impaired student, and the classroom teacher, are provided in a timely manner to ensure the student’s maximum participation in all classroom activities

Provide instruction in the development and maintenance of skills to meet the student’s unique educational needs in the following areas, as indicated in the IEP:

* Low vision & visual efficiency skills

* Concept development & academic skills

* Career & vocational education skills

* Communication skills (these skills include braille reading and writing as appropriate)

* Social/emotional skills and abilities, & sensory motor skills.

Prepare sequential and meaningful instruction geared to the student’s assessed needs, IEP goals and objectives, functioning, and motivational levels.

Provide assistance to the classroom teacher in academic subjects and activities of the classroom that, as a direct result of the student’s visual impairment, require adaptation for the student.

Provide initial and ongoing assessment: ?consults with assessment team to determine appropriate testing materials and modifications needed,

Conduct functional vision/learning media assessments and produces written reports.

Maintain ongoing contact with parents to assist them in the development of a realistic understanding of their child’s abilities, progress, and future goals.

Provides in-service training programs for school personnel and students and education for parents regarding the needs of visually impaired students and adaptations, programs, and services for these students.

Coordinate with other personnel, such as transcribers, readers, counselors, O&M specialists, career/vocational education staff, and rehabilitation counselors.

Maintain a current reference library of professional materials and resources.

Acquire information and training about current research, development, and technology.

Provide instruction in appropriate academic and non-academic content areas to the visually impaired student in the classroom.

Our work experience team provides employment support as outlined within a student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The goal of our work experience program is to support students in striving towards competitive employment through building independence. We do this through collaboration with the student and his/her IEP team. We provide students with formalized learning and instruction at school and, when possible, within a community-based setting. No matter the work-based setting (school or community), we teach students to treat the experience like real-world jobs, including committing time, providing challenge and supporting growth in both soft and technical employment skills. Our work experience coordinator team creates and maintains strong community relationships and partnerships, giving our students a plethora of work-based learning choices and opportunities.