Departments
Special Education
Quick Links
Contacts
Terri Polly,
tpolly@wisek12.org
Brenda Collins
bcollins@wisek12.org
Pamela Riffe
prife@wisek12.org
Kristen Day
kpday@wisek12.org
Renee Bolling
jbolling@wisek12.org
Early Childhood Special Education Program
Licensed Early Childhood Special Education teachers provide developmental observations, screenings, evaluations, and special education services to children between 2 and 5 years of age in homes, child-care programs, Head Start centers and preschool programs.
Early Childhood Special Education teachers provide:
Free developmental screenings to all children ages 2-5 years who are enrolled in public and private preschool and daycare settings. These screenings include a brief assessment of motor, cognitive, and communication skills. Hearing and vision screenings are also provided.
Community awareness of Early Childhood Special Education services is provided through the placement of brochures in health departments, departments of social services, clinics, doctor’s offices, libraries, and other locations that parents of 2-5 year old children typically frequent. These brochures provide information on developmental milestones of typically developing children, making it easy to identify and refer children who may be developmentally delayed.
A Developmentally Delayed child is one who is approximately 35% behind other children of the same age in social, cognitive, motor or language skills.
Early Childhood Special Education services are currently being offered through two program models, free of charge.
Home-based program: children receive instruction at home with parents or caregivers participating in the instruction. This model is most often used in the incidence of children being very medically involved or who have immune deficiencies requiring isolation from other children.
Inclusion program: children are enrolled in a private daycare or preschool or in a Head Start Program. These children are totally included in all activities occurring within their placements. Early Childhood Special Education teachers collaborate with community staff to provide opportunities for children to engage in activities that will help them meet their goals and objectives.
Additional support is provided by speech therapists, physical therapists and/or occupational therapy services.
REFERRAL PROCEDURE
If you suspect that your child or any child you know may not be developing typically,
please call (276)328-4464.