Special Education Roles and Responsibilities:
The school district employs special education teachers and related service personnel to deliver specially designed instruction and services for students with disabilities based on the unique needs of a child with a disability in accordance with the accepted IEP. Each school in the district has access to special educators, speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and other related service personnel as may be required based on the unique needs of children with disabilities.
The district-wide administrators and administrative assistants are listed below:
Director of Student Services: Ronnie Kessler ronnie_kessler@waylandps.org 508-358-3756
Administrative Assistants:
Marchella Lee, marchella_lee@waylandps.org 508-358-3756
Lisa Rafferty, lisa_rafferty@waylandps.org 508-358-3756
Each school in the district has a person who is the primary contact for special education, the Special Education Education Administrator. This person works with principals, teachers, specialists and families to build a learning climate that allows all students to achieve within the most inclusive and Least Restrictive Environment. The names and contact information for each of these individuals is listed below.
Claypit Hill School: Naomi O'Brien, naomi_obrien@waylandps.org,
Happy Hollow/Loker: Debbie Dixson debbie_dixson@waylandps.org
Wayland Middle School: Rebecca Speicher, rebecca_speicher@waylandps.org
Wayland High School: Mykayla Cohen, mykayla_cohen@waylandps.org
The Children's Way Preschool: Patty Toohig Nardone patricia_toohignardone@waylandps.org
The Wayland Public Schools values communication with parent(s), guardian(s), and families. We view parents as partners in the special education process. Teachers and service providers are encouraged to communicate with parent(s)/guardian(s) via phone calls, meetings (in-person and virtual), letters, and email on a frequent and routine basis. It should be noted that email communication may be considered part of the “Public Record”. Texting by staff from a personal device should not be used as a means of communication.
For parent(s)/guardian(s) whose primary language is not English, the Wayland Public Schools is required to provide translation services. The services may include interpreters at Team Meetings as well as providing translated documents to parent(s)/guardian(s). If parent(s)/guardian(s)’ primary language is not English, special education documentation sent to the home must be translated. This should include:
N1s, Evaluation Consent Forms
Meeting Invitations and Attendance Sheets
Assessment and Evaluation Reports
Individualized Education Programs
When families register their child/children, they are asked to complete a Home Language Survey which notes which languages are spoken at home and whether a parent/guardian requires translation.
Student records should be checked for changes regarding language preferences on a yearly basis.