2007-08 Opening of School Update

Pupil Services Department: Glenn McGrath

Staffing:

The department hired 26 new staff, and opened school Pre-K -12 fully staffed. We also opened with all of our paraprofessional positions filled. While the recruitment for teaching assistant positions continues to be difficult, the Board’s support for the conversion of five teaching assistants to paraprofessional positions was very helpful and will support both continuity and consistency in our special education programs. We are currently in the process of recruiting for approximately 7 TA positions. Current staff are helping to support programs until all positions are filled.

Summer Program/Extended School Year Services:

The district provided an extended school year program for 170 students Pre-K through 12^th grade. The program was very successful and provided students the opportunity to maintain and expand their skills and learning during the seven week program.

Professional Development:

Last school year, we provided training on the implementation of IEP Direct, a web-based special education program designed to improve IEP development and instructional practice. During the second year, we plan to use this educational technology for data-based planning and decision making.

Special Education Program Review:

The department’s performance plan and priorities are consistent with the State’s performance plan and our district’s goals and will focus on:

¨ Improving and supporting students’ involvement and inclusion in the general education curriculum and classroom.

¨ Improving students’ academic achievement and performance on State assessments and their IEP’s.

¨ Decreasing the overrepresentation of minorities in special education.

¨ Improving the alignment and integration of special education and general education instruction.

¨ The effective implementation of the new ABA Kindergarten program at Wolcott Elementary.

State Department Updates:

The State has developed a state performance plan (SPP) with twenty key performance indicators representing the requirements and initiatives of the IDEA and the NCLB. The state is required to develop an annual performance report (APR) identifying districts as either meeting requirements or needing assistance and intervention. The state is expected to release two annual performance reports this school year. The first will be based on district data from the 2005-06 school year and the second from the 2006-07 school year.

Guidance Update:

The School Counseling Department completed and presented their CPDC 5 year review. The department has outlined a plan to begin instituting the recommended changes.

The change in the delivery model of services at both high schools instituted during the 2006-2007 school, which was one of the changes recommended in the CPDC report this past school year, proved successful. This change allowed counselors to better manage their caseloads and in turn better meet the needs of their students,

¨ The following are among the projects the Guidance Department will focus on this year.

• Continue to adjust the delivery of services and programs based on new structure.
• Increase the utilization of developmental lessons in the classroom.
• Continue to align the curriculum and practices of the three middle schools.
• Focused study of 504 students.

¨ As we continue to expand the use of technology in the delivery of School Counseling services, we will expand the use and introduction of the network-based Naviance guidance program to students in grades 8-12 and their parents. In its fourth year, the Naviance program to date has demonstrated itself to be of considerable use to students, families and the counselors.

¨ The department will pursue professional development activities that improve and promote best practices in school counseling.

¨ At the high school level we will expand the curriculum component to include more classroom developmental lessons with a focus on the support of District Goals, in particular the counselors’ roles in closing the achievement gap.