VASHON ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT

Vashon Early Childhood Program (Birth to Six years old)
K-2 blended services (Resource Room, Title I)
Learning Resource Centers (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12)
Transition Classes (K-5, 6-8, 9-12)
School to Work (10-12)

Vashon Early Childhood Program (Birth-to-Six Program)

The Vashon Island School district offers pre-school children ages Birth-to-Six years old an environment and classroom experience based on current early childhood research. Activities and expectations are developmentally appropriate and challenge the children to learn, explore and play. The student to teacher ratio is small to insure that every child receives individual attention. The ratio of typical peers and children with special needs is 50/50. Two full-time certificated teachers and para-educators support a successful program that for 10 years has prepared children, normally developing and those with special needs, to experience academic and social success in school.

Many children identified as needing special education services may also receive one-to-one or small group services from the Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Pathologists and/or Physical Therapist. These related services help to support the development of learning skills by focusing on specific deficit areas identified during the evaluation process.

K-2 Blended Services

Students identified as having learning disabilities or as needing remedial assistance in reading are placed in small groups where they receive instruction via the Read Well program. The Read Well program is designed to maximize those research-based strategies found to lead to success in reading. There is a strong focus on providing an intensive phonics based foundation for reading. This program is offered to children in first grade classes. Small groups are formed in conjunction with the reading times in the regular classrooms effectively reducing the class size during reading instruction and insuring that students don’t miss other important classroom instruction when pulled out.

Learning Resource Centers (LRC)

K-2 and 3-5 Learning Resource Centers

This program is for students identified as requiring special education services.
Students receive individual and/or small group instruction in reading, math and/or written language depending on the identified learning disability. Specially designed instruction (small groups, slower pace, modified content) is provided as per the Individual Education Plan (IEP). Services are provided either within the regular classroom or by pull-out depending on the individual needs of the student.

6-9 & 9-12 Learning Resource Centers (LRC)

Like students in the K-2 and 3-5 resource rooms, students in the middle school and high school LRC programs receive individualized support either one-to-one or in small groups to help them to be successful in their regular classrooms. Students may be served within the regular classroom or be assigned to the LRC for 1-3 periods a day to receive their instruction. Beginning at age 14 transition services are a required addition to the IEP. Students are assessed to determine areas of interests and potential post-school outcomes. They are provided with opportunities to explore career options and to develop the necessary self advocacy skills they will require to be successful students or workers upon leaving high school.
(Note: We are required to serve students on IEP’s through age 21)

Transition Program (K-5, 6-8 & 9-12 Transition Programs)

Students with more severe learning and/or physical disabilities may be served within the transition programs at the elementary, middle and high schools. Students in these programs receive more intensive academic support and are provided with the necessary assistive technology, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Vocational Educational services. These students are integrated into regular classrooms to the greatest degree possible with Para-educators attending classes with them.

School To Work

In partnership with Rotary, opportunities are being provided for special education students at the high school to have exposure to job training at the Sheffield building. Students who are in their senior year and identified as either having Developmental Disabilities or Learning Disabilities are identified as candidates for the program. Support and supervision is provided by an on site Para-educator and by a Sheffield staff member who helps to identify building tasks and schedules. In addition, high school special education teachers consult with the Para-educator to ensure that individual student programs are consistent with identified IEP goals and objectives. By the end of the 05-06 school year representatives of both Rotary and the school district will meet with local business representatives to identify those willing to hire students in their businesses. Thanks to Rotary and staff at Sheffield for this opportunity.

Support programs within the Vashon Island School District include:

Accelerated Learning Program
Early Intervention Program (K-2)
English as a Second Language (ESL)
Learning Assistance Program (LAP)
Readiness to Learn (RTL)
Section 504
Title I

Accelerated Learning Program

Proposed Program: Gifted_TalentedMatrixMarch_06-rev042106[2].doc

Resources:
Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted
National Association for Gifted Children
John Hopkins University: Center for Talented Youth
Stanford University: Education Program for Gifted Youth

Early Intervention Services

The Early Intervention Program is the result of a research based 3-tier model of identifying and serving children who are at risk or delayed progress in the areas of reading and writing. Starting September 2005 students are will be assessed in the fall utilizing the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills. Research has shown that students with deficits in early literacy skills may be at significant risk for falling behind their peers in reading and writing. After initial screening children are provided with instruction, either individually or in small groups, focusing on the development of these essential skills. Students will be screened during the Fall, Winter and Spring. If, after receiving additional support and program modifications over the course of the kindergarten year, students are still struggling, then they may be referred for special education assessment to identify the presence of learning disability, or, they are referred to the Title I program (see below) for small group instructional support.

English as a Second Language (ESL)

Request for Translation Services.pdf
Request for Translation Services.doc

At the beginning of each school year, new and continuing students are identified, and their speaking and listening comprehension skills assessed using the Language Assessment Scales-Oral (LAS-O) or Pre-Language Assessment Scale (Pre-LAS). When appropriate, students 4th grade and up, are also asked to produce a writing sample (usually about their family or when they came to the U.S.) and to read aloud to get an idea of their reading ability. For Spanish speakers with little or no English, a writing and oral reading sample in Spanish is obtained to determine first language skills. Both new and continuing students are then grouped and scheduled for pull out ESL services. Typically, students are grouped 3-4 at a time, and often one or two at a time, based on abilities, ages, schools, and individual schedules.

With so few students served at a time, goals and classroom activities can be individualized. Students work throughout the year on their goals. On-going informal assessments (observations, daily work in class, reading and writing assignments) as well as formal assessments such as the LAS-O, Pre-LAS, and Washington Language Proficiency Test (WLPT) are utilized to monitor progress. In winter and spring all students are assessed using the LAS-O or Pre-LAS and the WLPT (during OSPI testing windows). Ongoing writing and reading comprehension assignments, and quizzes are reviewed to modify/revise goals for students.

The ESL teacher communicates frequently with classroom teachers and school counselors to let them know how students are doing, what they are working on, and to get input from them about what students might be struggling with in their classes so that these areas can be worked on during pullout services. Communication with teachers is through informal conversations, phone calls, and emails. The ESL teacher also communicates with parents in November, and at the end of the year, through written narratives. Narratives go home with student report cards, and through phone conversations or meetings on an as needed basis. The ESL teacher also participates in Success and Evaluation Team meetings with other building professionals when there are concerns about a student’s progress or performance.

Learning Assistance Program (LAP)

The LAP program provides for remedial assistance in reading and math at the 4th, and 5th grade levels. Continuing Title students are considered and assessed for eligibility and other students identified by teacher and parent input, and scores on the DIBELS for incoming third grade students. Thereafter scores on the DIBELS, WASL, and ITBS are used. Upon being referred, students are assessed and parent and teacher input requested. Assessment tools include the DIBELS (fall, winter, spring), Individual Reading Inventory (IRI), reports from the Title teacher, if the student was in the program, WASL, and the ITBS.

Student learning programs are developed based on the individually identified deficit areas determined during the assessment process. Student programs are also coordinated with classroom curriculum and individual student skill development interwoven with ongoing curriculum. There is daily coordination with classroom teachers, monthly reports to parents, progress reports at least three times a year, and ongoing assessment. The DIBELS, administered 3-5 times per year will help to drive the adjustments to the individual student program. The DIBELS will also help the team determine whether students are meeting benchmarks on skill development

In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the program, the LAP teacher and grade level teams review assessment data and individual and group intervention plans that have been coordinated with classroom and grade level curriculum. In addition, state assessments are also used to evaluate the success of the overall program. Individual student plans and group performance is guided by evaluating student performance against grade level expectations and against benchmarks on the DIBELS.

Readiness to Learn (RTL)

The Readiness to Learn Program (RTL) provides Family Support services to families of students preschool through 12th grade. Family advocates staff offices in each of the three schools. Advocates provide families with referrals to local and regional social services and connect them with other human services, education and local resources to support the healthy development of the student and their family. Families are referred for Readiness to Learn services through multi-disciplinary student support teams at each school.

The program recognizes that for every child to become successful, partnerships between parents, schools and the community must be emphasized. To this end, Readiness to Learn builds safety nets for vulnerable students and their families by developing partnerships with teachers, school staff, volunteers, and community resources

Section 504

Section 504 of the American with Disabilities Act provides for assistance to those individuals with disabilities that affect their ability to participate fully in the educational program and who do not qualify for special education services. Examples of students served are those with physical disabilities, Attention Deficit Disorder or Sensory issues. Students in this category are provided with the necessary accommodations to help them be successful. Students may receive more time on tests and homework assignments, the use of technology to complete work and/or the use of scribes to dictate test responses. Other students served include those with health issues that require special monitoring (i.e. peanut allergies), chronic health problems (i.e. asthma), or temporary illnesses of injuries (i.e. head injuries, broken bones).

Title I

Title I is a federally funded program aimed at providing remedial support to students scoring below the 25th percentile on standardized testing in reading. Students are provided with small group instruction on a pullout basis utilizing primarily the Read Well program. In Vashon School District Title I services are provided Kindergarten through 3rd grade. Students are currently identified through the use of a variety of assessment instruments including the Dynamic Indicators of Beginning Literacy Skills (DIBELS), and an individual reading inventory. Previous participation in Title 1 and both teacher and parent input are also used in determining eligibility. This is a transition year for using the DIBELS to identify students for eligibility. One classroom at each grade level 1-3 and all previous Title students have been assessed. Implementation of the DIBELS assessment tool continues as we set up system users at CES who will input data into the University of Oregon database. Once entered, detailed reports will be available for download that help identify children in need of more intervention in reading. During the 06-07 school year, the DIBELS will be the primary assessment used and data from the University database will be used to evaluate program effectiveness.

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