“I&RS” stands for “Intervention & Referral Services”. The I&RS team is a committee of school personnel dedicated to supporting the academic, behavioral, and/or medical needs of students. Upon request, the team reviews how a student is functioning at school (the student's strengths and areas for improvement) and brainstorms ideas about how to foster the student's success. Teams like this are common. All public schools in New Jersey have an I&RS team. Additionally, public schools in most other states also have teams of this nature, but the name of the committee tends to be different from one state to the next.
At Village School, the I&RS team is led by the school counselor and the following typically attend an I&RS meeting:
The school counselors
The principal or assistant principal
A member of the child study team (school psychologist, learning consultant, social worker, or speech/language pathologist)
A teacher resource specialist
The student’s teacher
Any other school personnel who support the student (for example, if the student has medical needs, the school nurse may attend)
Parents are invited and encouraged to attend as well, but they are not required to. The varied background of meeting participants is intentional – it provides a wider range of perspectives, which can help create a better understanding of how to support the student.
Teachers request help from the I&RS team to gain more ideas about how to support a student. They may want ideas about how to support academic growth, classroom behaviors, or medical needs. For example, a teacher may request help if a student is behind in reading or having trouble focusing in class.
The school counselor will email you regarding the date/time of the meeting. You may participate in person or by telephone, or you may decline to attend.
Before the meeting: All of the student’s teachers (i.e., homeroom teacher, art teacher, music teacher) will provide feedback on your child’s performance in their respective classes. This helps examine your child’s progress across a variety of settings. You will also have an opportunity to share information about your child through a parent survey. All of this feedback will be collated and sent to you the day before the meeting so you can review it in advance. There is no need to review this packet with your child.
During the meeting: The meeting is 30 minutes long. The meeting typically starts by asking you, as the parent, for your perspective on your child’s progress so far. The team will also share their observations with you. We will take a closer look at your child’s strengths and areas for growth regarding academics and behaviors. We will examine what is going well for the student, what areas could benefit from more support, and strategies that can help provide that support.
After the meeting: The school counselor will email you a summary of the main points discussed at the meeting, as well as any strategies that were recommended. Sometimes, follow-up meetings are held to monitor progress, and at other times that is not necessary.
Review the packet of feedback sent home to you before the meeting. Make note of any questions or anything you notice that you want to discuss.
Think about what you view as your child’s strengths and areas for growth, especially regarding academics or behaviors at school.
Identify anything you wish to discuss with the team, including any questions, concerns, or anything you want to ensure the school to knows about your child.
Please see the district’s I&RS brochure at this link: WW-P I&RS Brochure
Please sign-in at the main entrance of Village School, then proceed to the main office. The school counselor will be notified that you have arrived and meet you there.
The only way your child will know about I&RS is if you, as the parent, tell him/her, which is not necessary. School personnel do not inform students about I&RS when they are referred to the team. In the upper grades, older students may be aware of and attend an I&RS meeting, but that is not developmentally appropriate for elementary students.
Yes. Complete the I&RS Parent Referral Form and submit to the school counselor: WW-P I&RS Parent Referral Form
Please see the district’s I&RS brochure at this link: WW-P I&RS Brochure
The school counselor or your child’s teacher