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Programs for all special education students are determined through collaborative efforts by a team of individuals known as the Individualized Education Program Team. Members include parents, teachers, Child Study Team members, and the student if age 14 or older. All placement decisions are determined individually and are chosen to address the unique needs of the student.
Our district offers a full array of program options at all grade levels. Beginning with the least restrictive option our programs include:
- General education with supports and services.
- General education with Resource Center support.
- A special education class in one of our district schools with or without mainstreaming.
- Placement in a special education class in another school district.
- Placement in a private school.
- Home instruction.
More than 90% of our special education students receive services in our own schools. The remaining students participate in highly specialized programs designed to meet their very unique needs.
Currently the district offers special class programs for students classified with a specific learning disability. At both the elementary and secondary levels the district operates self-contained programs for students with mild to moderate learning disabilities. These classes can serve up to 15 students with the addition of a classroom aide.
The district offers several innovative programs specifically designed to address the needs of classified students. Teachers and support staff continue to participate in ongoing professional development opportunities in order to keep them abreast of the latest instructional strategies. As a result, our district is currently implementing the following programs.
Throughout the district, special education classrooms are continuing to utilize cutting edge instructional techniques that incorporate technology into instruction. My Reading Coach: Platinum Edition is the districts latest instrument to achieve this goal. This program supports a variety of students depending upon their needs.
A speech pathologist and master reading teacher, Jim Larrabee, developed this reading method at the request of his principal who noticed that students in his class consistently scored at the highest reading levels. Jim, the virtual reading teacher, interactively diagnoses and teaches each student. The program is based on cognitive learning theory, providing students the opportunity to build a learning model and continually refine it through practice activities and individualized feedback. The powerful learning lessons and sequences augment and reinforce each other while increasing in complexity.
My Reading Coach: Platinum Edition Empowers The Student.
My Reading Coach is unique and effective because it motivates students to be active participants by providing:
- An excellent command of phonics
- A thorough understanding of word structure
- An easy to master and apply syllabication method
- Consistent rules and strategies that make application of word attack skills automatic
- Skill practice and targeted remediation as needed
- Comprehension strategies that work
- A positive understanding of personal accountability
- A basic understanding of Grammar to aid comprehension and writing
- Encouragement to be engaged in the learning process, as the reading Coach positively interacts with each student at least every 30 seconds
- The positive self-esteem that comes with success
SRA’s Direct Instruction programs are created with the belief that all children can learn, but sometimes need extra support. Direct Instruction programs help teachers give their students the special guidance they need. Pioneered by Siegfried Engelman in the 1960’s, Direct Instruction (DI) is a teacher-directed model which maximizes learning through explicit curriculum. Lessons are sequenced and scripted. The DI method breaks skills into teachable subskills, and then shows students how to bring these together in a larger strategy. As students master increasingly complex approaches, they build confidence along with ability. SRA programs currently in use include:
- Corrective Reading - Grades 4-6
Corrective Reading is designed for students who haven’t learned in other programs and don’t learn on their own – students who misidentify, reverse, or omit words; who have little recall and limited attention span; who fail to remember and follow instruction; and who read without understanding.
This flexible program allows students to work in a decoding program, a comprehension program, or both. Each program has four levels, and placement tests are provided so students may enter at the appropriate instructional level.
- Reading Mastery - Grades K-6
Reading Mastery gives every student the opportunity for reading success. During its 30 years in the classroom, Reading Mastery has helped thousands of students develop into fluent, independent readers. Reading Mastery approaches reading instruction in six levels, plus a Fast Cycle. This program helps children develop strong reading strategies that make the difference between lifelong reading success and failure.
- Connecting Math - Grades 1-6
Rather than teaching topics in isolation and overwhelming students with too many concepts, this basal program introduces ideas gradually, teaching students the connections between concepts as they go. The lessons in this program emphasize thinking and understanding before memorization.
Accelerated Math is a 5-Step individualized program designed to help students meet standards.
- Step 1 – Individualized Daily Assignments – Computer-generated practice sheets, always at each student’s current achievement level, let the student show his or her work.
- Step 2 – Automatic Assignment Scoring – Student transfers practice sheet answers to “bubble cards” and scans them, instantly scoring all work.
- Step 3 – Individual Diagnosis and Instructional Guide – TOPS (The Opportunity to Praise a Student) report is printed, showing the student’s score, problems missed, and specific objectives on which the student needs practice.
- Step 4 – Personal Guided Conference – Using the TOPS report and work shown on student’s practice sheet, you quickly zero in on specific problem areas and solve them.
- Step 5 – Automatic Printing of Next Assignment – The program prints a student’s next practice sheet adjusted to previous results – with additional practice on objectives that need work, and new objectives to replace those mastered!
Several Senior High School students are participating in our School-To-Work program. This co-op opportunity is coordinated through our Option II program which allows students to earn credit through alternative experiences. For information regarding this program contact your child’s case manager.
- WalnutStreet School: 856-853-0126
Ms. Caroline Polsenberg: Pull Out resource Center and ICS
- Evergreen Avenue School: 856-853-0125
Ms. Lauren Stankiewicz: Self Contained 3
Mr. Jacob Lessman: Self Contained 4
Ms. Jill Platt: Self Contained 5
Mrs. Fran Wieczerzynski: Resource Center 1-5
Ms. Susan Kudless: 3 year Old Self Contained Pre-School
- West End School: 856-853-0124
Ms. Tracy Weist: Self Contained Grades 1-2
Mrs. Betty McKenna: Self Contained - Grade 2-3
Ms. Sherryl Sprock: Resource Center and ICS
Ms. Jennifer Koengetter: Pull Out resource Center
Ms. Maria Gassner - PEP class Self Contained K-1
- Woodbury Jr/Sr High School: 856-853-0123
Mr. Marc Cannuli: Department Chairperson, High School Resource Center History
Ms. Sheri Davis: High School Resource Center English
Mrs. Jane O’Donnell: 9th and 10th grade In-class Support Program
Ms. Colleen DiRienzo: High School Resource Center Science
Mr. Anthony Matranga: High School Replacement Math
Ms. Caroline Polsenberg: Resource Center and ICS
Mrs. Terri Stebich: 7th & 8th grade Resource Center Math and Literacy
Mrs. Kristen Corley: 7th Resource Center English
Ms. Thilana Chandler: 9th – 12th Multiple Disability Self Contained
Ms. Jackie Rosario – 8th grade Self Contained
Ms. Georgia Stanfill - 7th grade Self Contained
Mr. Dan O’Leary: 6th grade Self Contained
Mrs. Anne Evans: 6th grade Resource Center
Walnut Street School
60 Walnut Street
Woodbury, NJ 08096
856-856-853-0123
Director: Jeffrey W. Adams, Psy.D.
Phone Number: 856-853-0123 ext. 447
Phone Number: 856-853-0123 ext. 440
Learning Consultants:
* Stacey Henry
Ms. Henry is the Case Manager for the Evergreen Avenue and Walnut Street School. She can be reached at 856-853-0123 ext. 423
Psychologists:
* Tonya Ripley
Ms. Ripley is the Case Manager for the High school - grades 9-11. She can be reached at 856-853-0123 ext. 330
* Denise Evans
Ms. Evans is the Case manager for grades 7 and 8 in the Junior High School. She can be reached at 856-853-0123 ext. 233.
Social Workers:
* Gloria Goode
Ms. Goode is the Case Manager for students in grade 12. She can be reached at 856-853-0123, ext. 259.
*Sharon Cardwell -
Ms. Cardwell is the Case Manager for all our Out of District Students, Alternative Students and 6th grade students. She can be reached at 856-853-0127 ext.223 or at 856-853-0127 ext. 441.
*Erin Wang
Mrs. Erin Wang is the case manager for West End Elementary School. She can be reached at 856-853-0123, ext. 442.
Speech Therapists:
* Shelia Lenoff
Ms. Lenoff is the Case Manager for students at Evergreen Avenue School and the Walnut Street School. She can be reached at 856-853-0125 ext. 153.
* Karen Capozzi
Ms. Capozzi is the Case Manager for students at West End and the Junior/Senior High School. She can be reached at 856-853-0124 ext.562.
Occupational Therapist:
* Michele Hernandez
Ms. Hernandez provides Occupational Therapy services for elementary and preschool students. She can be reached at 856-853-0127 ext.445.
Homeless Liaison:
* Edward Murphy
Mr. Murphy is our District Homeless Liaison. He can be reached at 856-853-0123, ext. 225.
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