Our Philosophy
Oakmont High School curriculum, programs, activities, and culture meet the educational requirements of all students, including those with unique learning needs (i.e students with special educational needs, 504 plans, English Language Learners, GATE identified).
We believe that all students:
Can achieve at a high level in the least restrictive environment
Have different educational and behavioral needs and aspirations
Require different strategies for learning
Acquire, assimilate and communicate information at different rates
Need a range of different teaching approaches and experiences
Are unique and capable individuals
Inclusion
Inclusion is an ongoing process that aims to increase access and engagement in learning for all students by identifying and removing barriers. Oakmont will achieve this by continuing to foster a culture of collaboration, mutual respect, support and problem solving. We believe that student involvement is a key ingredient to academic, social and personal success.
Oakmont High School supports the following principles of an inclusive education.
Inclusion is a process by which Oakmont High School staff develops their culture, policies and practices to include all students.
An inclusive education service offers excellence and choice, incorporating the views of all stakeholders.
The interests of all students must be safeguarded.
The Oakmont High School community should actively seek to remove barriers to learning and participation.
At Oakmont High School all students should have access to an appropriate education that affords them the opportunity to achieve their personal potential.
With the right skills training, strategies and support, the majority of students with special educational needs can be successfully included in mainstream education.
Mainstream education will not always be appropriate for every student all of the time. However, it does not prevent the student from being included successfully at any other stage
Under the IEP process, a full continuum of services is considered to determine the least restrictive learning environment including:
General education
General education with accommodations
General education with designated instructional services (DIS) and specialized academic instructional support
Differentiation
Differentiation is the process of identifying, with each learner, the most effective strategies for achieving agreed goals. Differentiation is the continued review and adaptation of goals and learning methods within a classroom.
Oakmont High School has a variety of activities and resources that match the goals and learning styles of the students and are relevant to their skills and knowledge.
Students are encouraged to actively engage in a variety of programs to help them achieve their personal academic potential (including but not limited to IB, Health Academy, AP, Performing Arts, and Career Tech Education).
Oakmont High School continues to work towards providing curriculum that is coherent, relevant, stimulating and challenging with tasks that are respectful of students as diverse learners.
All students and teachers are encouraged to collaborate to determine the most effective personal learning style(s) for the students’ academic success.
Differentiation Examples:
Oakmont High School provides in class differentiation of instruction through (but not limited to):
Use of word walls
Direct instruction of academic vocabulary
Identification of Tier 2 words (Isabel Beck “Bringing Words to Life”)
Direct instruction of Tier 3 words
Perform complex literacy tasks (i.e. classifying, grouping, close reading, and annotating)
Exposure to text at or above students’ grade level
Reading and comprehending complex text
Multiple modalities: gesturing, modified speed of speech, and use of visuals
Although these strategies are effective with English Learners (EL) and Special Education students, Oakmont High School teachers have agreed to use the above as best teaching practices in each classroom regardless of the student population.
Accommodations
Individual student accommodations are provided to teachers of record through the Aeries system (student record system). Teachers are able to identify students who are designated as having special education and/or EL and/or 504 plans within the Aeries system.
Some of the more frequently used accommodations are:
Textbooks for at‐home use
Preferential seating or alteration of the classroom arrangement
Reduction of distractions
Quiet corner or room to calm down and relax when anxious
Additional time for assignments
Hands‐on activities or use of manipulatives
Verbal and visual cues regarding directions and staying on task
Support auditory presentations with visuals
Support Teams
Intervention Response Team (IRT)
Multi‐disciplinary team that meets weekly to address concerns related to individual student academic, emotional, or behavioral success
Students are referred by teachers, parents, counselor, or self
Team reviews all relevant background information and performance indicators to determine appropriate interventions to increase student success
Student Study Team (SST)
IRT expanded to include student and parents to determine more in depth interventions (Tier 2 and 3 interventions)
Possible results of the meeting are, but not limited to:
Referral for assessment for special education
Referral for development of a 504 plan
Increased counseling on campus
Develop a behavior plan of action
Special Education Assessment and potential placement
Special education considers a continuum of programs and interventions based upon the assessed student need(s).
Oakmont HS Wellness Framework: A guaranteed and viable support model
Teacher/Parent Conferences
Viking Expectations (PBIS)
Link Crew (Freshman Orientation)
Teacher/Parent Conferences
Teacher Tutoring & Office Hours/5th Period
Homelink emails
9th, 10th, 11th, 12th grade counselor advising
Counseling Registration Meetings
Imbedded Intervention Period
Automatic Grade Report Email
Universal Access to Electives
Universal Access to Core and Interventions
Exploration Opportunities (CTE, IB, AP, HA)
Teacher PLCs
SST/IRT
Summer Bridge
GAP
Top 10
Interns
Behavior Contract
SAM
SST/IRT
Academic Counselor Conferences
Parent Contact/Progress Reports
GAP
Math Lab
AVID
AP/IB/Honors classes
Health Academy
Schedule Modification
Follow‐up Student Study Team/IRT
Alternative Placement
English 10 Lab
ELD 1‐3
SDAIE
IEP/ 504 Plans
Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Intervention
Follow‐up SST/IRT
Intense counseling
504 Accommodation Plan
Academic Intervention
Parent involvement and community resources are integrated into each tier.
Draft: March 14, 2014
Draft: March 14, 2014
Staff Professional Development
ASSIST
Mental Health First Aid
Solution Focused Counseling
Teaching Pro‐Social Skills
Drug/Alcohol
Eliminating Barriers to Learning
Google Training
SBAC Training
Illuminate and Rubrics
Language Objectives
EL Strategies (Email)
Strategies for Intervention
Backwards Mapping
United Streaming
Effective Groups and Pairs
Assessment 101
Student Engagement
Faculty Meeting Breakouts
Abbreviations:
AP: Advanced Placement
CTE: Career Technical Education
EL: English Learner
ELD: English Language Development
GAP: Guided Assistance Program
HA: Health Academy
IB: International Baccalaureate
IEP: Individual Educational Plan
IRT: Intervention Response Team
PBIS: Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports
PLCs: Professional Learning Communities
SAM: Student Attendance Mediation
SDAIE: Specifically Designed Academic Instruction in English Lab
SBAC: Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium
SST: Student Study Team