2018 Hazel Park Schools Communicator : Special Education Programs Providing Effective Educational Opportunities
HAZEL PARK OFFERS SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AT ALL SCHOOLS. IN ADDITION TO SCHOOL-AGED SERVICES, THE DISTRICT ALSO OFFERS early childhood special education and early intervention options. According to Director of Student Services, Vita Lusk, “If a child is found eligible for special education services through the evaluation process, the team develops an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and determines the programs and/or services to be provided.” Some of these services include psycho-logical, speech and language, school social work, and occupational and physical therapy interventions.
Early intervention is “designed for children from birth to three years of age,” Lusk explained, while the early childhood program is a classroom-based option for children three to five years of age, and “addresses the developmental hierarchy of skills necessary for success in later formal education,” she said. There is also a resource room program, which provides assistance for eligible students who still spend a majority of time in a general education setting.
For students with cognitive impairment specifically, individualized instruction in classrooms taught by a special education teacher is offered so they can live independently later in life. For those with emotional impairment, classrooms with a small number of students are provided at the elementary and middle school levels, which focus on the development of appropriate behavior skills necessary to be successful in school and beyond. Students in both programs are provided with opportunities in a general setting, whenever appropriate. Students who qualify for Hazel Park’s autism spectrum disorder program are provided with individualized instruction focused on the development of communication, cognitive, social-emotional, self-help and vocational skills for older students.
THE HAZEL PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT ALSO OPERATES CENTER-BASED OPPORTUNITIES, which service students throughout Oakland County. Placement in these programs is determined by the Individualized Education Program Team (IEPT). Yet, because they are county-wide, residency in Hazel Park does not guarantee placement.
Edison is a center-based program for students with Emotional Impairment. The program focuses on the development of appropriate behavior skills necessary to be successful in school and beyond. Students are provided with opportunities in general education, when appropriate, to allow them to develop social skills in the environment in which they naturally occur.
Jardon has served special education students throughout Oakland County since 1966, who continue to qualify for adult transition services and programs after their senior year in high school that require specialized services to meet their adult transition needs. “Jardon’s program focuses on community integration, work experiences and adult living skills,” said Lusk. The program prepares students to successfully integrate into their communities of adult living, through an individualized program and curriculum. “Jardon has extensive partnerships with many local businesses and community agencies that support young adults with special needs,” she said, adding that the program “continues to look for partnerships to provide students with work experiences and community integration, and is also seeking partnerships to support restoration of programs that have previously provided students with additional skill development.”
For more information on Hazel Park’s special education opportunities and assistance, families are encouraged to call 248.658.5204.
