2014-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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During the 2013-2014 school year, 124 children The Mashpee Public Schools are members of the were screened for Kindergarten (an increase of 34 Cape Cod Collaborative. Collaboratives are formed to students from the prior year),resulting in 3 referrals for provide special education services for public school further evaluation to determine eligibility for special districts. The Special Education Administrator and education (an increase of 2 students from the prior Assistant Administrator attended monthly advisory year). Mashpee's preschool program screened 45 meetings to provide guidance and input into program children with three referrals for a special education planning. The Cape Cod Collaborative has two sites evaluation(an increase of 6 and 3 students respectively for its educational programs: one program for students from the prior school year). The community screenings with emotional issues currently housed at the Otis Air yielded 18 children for screening with 5 initial referrals Force Base,and another program located in Osterville to determine eligibility for special education. This was which provided education primarily for students with an increase as well. medical issues,intellectual impairments and autism.In addition, the Collaborative provides related services The preschool program provided educational such as transportation,assistive technology,behavioral programming for approximately 65 children ages 3-5 consultation and speech and language therapy. (an increase of 5 students compared to 2012-2013 school year), which included at least 30 children The Assistant Administrator of Special Education identified as special needs at some point during the was responsible for monitoring the placements of all school year(increase of 3 children),as well as"typical" out of district students. This included chairing preschool children. In addition,KCC School provided meetings, writing and monitoring IEPs, and space to house the Mashpee Head Start Program. conducting site visits at the programs which are located as far away as Pittsfield, MA. Students attended: The Administrator of Special Education private residential and day schools such as Hillcrest continued to be involved in the development of Center in Pittsfield, Cardinal Cushing School in programs for young children through collaboration Hanover and the Southeast Alternative School in with the CFCE coordinator and the Child Development Sandwich; Collaboratives such as Cape Cod, South Council. The Coordinated Family and Community Shore Collaborative and the Pilgrim Area Engagement (CFCE) Grant of $29,299 provided Collaborative;surrounding public school districts such enrichment activities,support and training for families, as Barnstable Public Schools; and the DPH-funded young children, day care providers and educators. Massachusetts Hospital School. Supervision and Currently,the Department of Early Education and Care collaboration was focused on ensuring that our students (EEC) funds this program available to all young receive adequate services to prepare them for high children in the community regardless of disability school graduation and/or transition to independent status. The Administrator of Special Education met living. regularly with other early childhood coordinators and the Cape Cod Child Development agency which Monthly staff meetings were held at each school, provides early intervention to young students and refers focusing on special education programming and DESE them to the Mashpee Public Schools Special Education compliance, with the continuing goal of improving Department. timelines of completed evaluations and meetings, improving instructional strategies and the use of During the summer of 2014, Mashpee Public technology. The Special Education Department School District's Special Education Department provided training and professional development to provided extended school year services (ESY) to teachers,counselors,therapists,and paraprofessionals approximately 90 students (an increase of 15 students including "Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (CPI)," from the prior school year). ESY is designed to meet "Improving Student Motivation," "Writing IEP's," the needs of eligible students in order to prevent "Helping Traumatized Students Learn," and substantial regression of skills over the summer break. "Instructional Strategies for the Inclusive Classroom." Services varied according to the students' needs, with In addition, the department facilitated training on most students attending three days per week in either a Medicaid reimbursement, Kurzweil (text to speech four or five-week program, running from July 8th to computer program)and ESPED(online IEP program). August 7th. Teachers met frequently in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to collaborate and focus on 138