Program Descriptions and Professional Staff

Bright Beginnings at West Hill School & Myrtle H. Stevens School

Serving children 3 to 5 years old

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

Bright Beginnings is a joint venture between the Rocky Hill Board of Education and the Rocky Hill Parks and Recreation Department and is offered at both West Hill School and Myrtle H. Stevens School. Each class is taught by an early childhood special education teacher and supported by a speech-language pathologist. Paraprofessionals also assist within the classroom setting. In addition, an occupational therapist and a physical therapist provide consultation as well as direct service as needed. Children from three to five years old are eligible to attend Bright Beginnings. Each class is composed of typically developing peers and children with special needs. Peer models apply through the Parks and Recreation Department and are chosen by a screening process. Special needs children must meet eligibility criteria after going through a federally mandated evaluation process. Bright Beginnings follows the Rocky Hill Public Schools calendar and runs four days per week (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday). There are two sessions daily: a morning session and an afternoon session.

Below is the link to the Bright Beginnings Webpage:

https://www.rockyhillps.com/bb

Kids in Progress (KIP)

Serving children in grades K-3 (located at West Hill and Stevens)

Monday – Friday, full day session

KIP is a program for children in grades K-3 whose developmental deficits form a cluster on the autistic spectrum or who exhibit autistic-like characteristics or other significant disabilities. The program is run by a team that includes a special education teacher, a speech language pathologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, and paraprofessionals. The district employs a behavioral analyst to assist in developing and monitoring individual student programs and in parent training.

The program’s curriculum and instruction and related services components include an Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) model of instruction, discrete trial strategies, generalization of skills, speech-language therapy and occupational therapy to address sensory, fine motor and eating skills. Data is kept on each student’s progress in major areas of instruction, including learning skills, pre-academic skills, functional play skills and social and play skills. The students are included in an age appropriate general education class for portions of the school day.

Compass

Serving children in grades K-5 (located at West Hill and Moser).

Compass is a program for students in grades K-5 who require intensive behavioral support in order to access the general education setting. Working closely with a special education teacher, social worker, and paraprofessional staff, students are instructed on how to accurately identify and regulate their own emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, as well as being provided instruction in academics. They are taught therapeutic strategies to take on the perspective of others, establish and maintain healthy relationships, and make positive and appropriate choices involving their social interactions and personal behavior. Additionally, the district BCBA provides consultation and support in developing and monitoring student’s programs. Students are included in appropriate general education classes during portions of the school day.

Moser School, Myrtle H. Stevens and West Hill Schools

Learning Support (Specialized Instruction, Co-Teaching)

Provided at each of the elementary schools and the intermediate school

Each school setting has several special education teachers who provide services for students with special education needs ranging from mild to severe levels of learning disability, attention deficit disorder, language disability, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, social, emotional or behavioral difficulties and autism. The service may take the form of: consultation between special education and general education teachers; instruction in specialized learning strategies; special and general education co-teaching; total subject instruction within the special education setting; academic support instruction; instruction in life, social and communication skills, and behavior management. The special education staff and general education staff collaborate to provide a spectrum of learning options within both general and special education settings to meet the wide-ranging needs of their students. Direct services and consultation by the speech-language pathologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, school psychologist, and social workers are available as necessary.

Serving children in grades K-12, (located at Stevens, West Hill, Moser, GMS, and RHHS)

Life Skills Programs are designed for those students whose primary disability is intellectual impairment, autism, or multiple disabilities, and typically have significant challenges with spontaneous use of their thinking and communication skills, social/interpersonal skills, adaptive behavior skills, community skills and academic skills that impact their ability to learn and make effective progress in the regular education classroom. Students appropriate for this level of support require intensive, individualized instruction in small class settings in the areas of functional skills routines, self-help skills, communication skills and skills to prepare them for success within the community. Additionally, the program is supported by related services staff and paraprofessionals.

Learning Support (Specialized Instruction, Co-Teaching, Resource)

The special education staff provides services to students who have identified special education needs. The majority of the special education students take all of their academic classes in the general education classroom. Students receive special education assistance through: support to the student in applying learning strategies to subjects taught to him/her in the regular class; instruction in compensatory skills and self-advocacy; co-teaching by regular and special education teachers in the regular education classroom; targeted subject specific special education classes. Collaborative consultation between special educators and mainstream teachers in the areas of curriculum modification, strategy application and behavior management is an ongoing process. Speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy and social skills instruction are also provided as needed.

Learning Support (Academic Assistance, Co-Teaching, Academic Skill Development Classes)

Students receiving academic assistance take their classes in the mainstream of Rocky Hill High School, and receive direct instruction in learning strategies, compensatory skills, and self-advocacy skills during their free or study hall periods. The emphasis of the services is developing independent learners who will be prepared for post-secondary academic or employment demands. Collaborative consultation between special educators and general education teachers in the areas of curriculum modification, strategy application, and behavior management is an ongoing process. Special educators also co-teach in core academic areas with general education teachers. A small number of students receive some of their specially designed instruction in small academic skill development classes.

Serving students in grades 7-12.

Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Pathways is a clinical day program, designed to meet the needs of students whose primary difficulties are in the social and emotional area. Pathways is located off campus, to provide a smaller learning environment for students unable to benefit from the larger middle or high school setting. Students can transition back to the middle or high school on a full or part time basis once they achieve individual goals set through the PPT process.

A school psychologist leads peer groups, provides individual counseling, and consults with outside agencies/professionals to develop a systems approach to meeting the needs of students.

Ongoing collaboration occurs between the special and general education staff in order to provide the appropriate support for the students attending classes at Griswold Middle School and Rocky Hill High School. A transition consultant collaborates with staff on post school planning and vocational skills on an as-needed basis.

Speech, Language and Hearing Services are provided on an individual and small group basis in the areas of articulation, language, voice and fluency, and augmentative communication.

School Psychological and Social Work are provided in the following areas: psychological testing, individual and small group counseling service, crisis interventions, home-school collaboration meetings, teacher consultations and liaison with outside mental health services, school-based psychiatric consultations and evaluations.

Deaf/Hearing Impaired Services are provided to students through a contract with the Capital Region Education Council (CREC). CREC staff collaborates with general and special educators regarding students' audiological equipment and specialized learning needs.

Visually Impaired Services are provided to students through itinerant staff from the State Board of Education and Services for the Blind.

Physical Therapy and/or Occupational Therapy Services are provided to students with disabilities when fine motor/ sensory motor/ gross motor difficulties impact their learning in a school setting.

Program Descriptions

Elementary/Intermediate Levels

Life Skills Programs

Griswold Middle School

Rocky Hill High School

Pathways

Transition Services

DREAM Transition Academy

Other Services - Districtwide