Special Education
The Pupil Personnel Services Office oversees the delivery of Special Education services for students with special needs, ages 3 to 22, as required by Massachusetts General Law 71B, State regulation 603CMR 28.00 and Federal regulation 603 CFR 300.
Special Education includes the evaluation of students who are suspected of having a disability to determine their eligibility for services. While it is ideal for students to be considered for referral through the Student Support Team (SST) at each building, parents/guardians have the right to request an evaluation of their child at any time, either through the attending school or directly through the Pupil Personnel Services Office.
Evaluations are conducted in the suspected area of disability. An educational team, made up of school-based professionals and the parent or guardian of the student, must determine that a student meets all three criteria to qualify for Special Education:
the Team must establish that the child does in fact have a disability
the Team must establish a relationship between the student's disability and the his/her inability to progress effectively in regular education, and
the Team must determine that the student requires specially designed instruction in order to progress in the general education curriculum.
For students with disabilities who are found eligible under the law, services are implemented through an Individual Education Program (IEP). Special Education intervention is individually designed based on the child’s specific needs as identified by the educational team. The objective of Special Education is to provide the support services necessary for students with disabilities to participate and progress in the general education curriculum with their peers. The Northbridge Public Schools are committed to assisting students found eligible for Special Education by providing services in the least restrictive environment (LRE). The District accomplishes this by providing a continuum of services and programs for students from ages 3 to 22 in all schools and throughout the community.
For additional information, please contact your child’s building liaison or the Office of Pupil Personnel Services, located at:
87 Linwood Ave
Whitinsville, MA 01588
Telephone Number: (508)234-8156 ext. 5215
Director of Pupil Personnel Services: Kate Ryan Vokes (kryanvokes@nps.org)
Executive Assistant to the Director: Nikki Gangai (ngangai@nps.org)
Special Education Clerk: Jennifer Porcelli (jporcelli@nps.org)
Early Childhood Coordinator (preschool-kindergarten): Jill Redding (jredding@nps.org)
Elementary Team Chair (grades 1-4): Michelle Bastien (mbastien@nps.org)
Middle School Team Chair (grades 5-8): Lisa Ouillette (louillette@nps.org)
High School Team Chair (grades 9-12/post grad: Heather Godowski (hgodowaki@nps.org)