Special Education Newsletter
Spring Edition
Vision: Chimacum School District recognizes that every student has unique individual needs. We will provide a flexible and equitable program that meets the needs of the whole child so that each student has the desire and confidence to flourish and become an engaged member of a global society.
Mission: In order to create a supportive and inclusive learning environment for our students with wrap around services, we will set aside time to collaborate and seek out meaningful professional development with the purpose of developing a wide array of vocational and strength-based options that meet the specific needs of every child.
CHIMACUM HIGH SCHOOL FLEXIBLE LEARNING TRANSITION PROGRAM
NEW JOB FOR FLEXIBLE LEARNING STUDENT
Here at Chimacum High School, Cole Henley of the Flexible Learning classroom recently started working in the cafeteria. Some of his duties include tearing down boxes from items such as trays, forks, spoons, rubber gloves, napkins, and much more every weekday. Cole also stocks up the boxes of condiments, cans of cut fruits and vegetables, bags of rice, beans, and noodles, and containers of sauces. When Cole is finished stocking the shelves of foods (i.e. bags of beans, noodles, and rice, canned fruits, vegetables and sauces) and/or tearing down the boxes of said items (i.e. trays, napkins, etc.), the cafeteria works on making lunch items for the middle school kids and the high school kids.
THE TRANSITION TEAM KEEPS BUSY
The Flexible Learning team (Cole, Curtiss, Dyllan, Cindy, and Raelynn) also does ASL (American Sign Language) and cooks at the Gathering Place every Monday, works at the Food Bank every Tuesday, does art at the Gathering Place, and makes Dog Biscuits every Friday.
- ASL (American Sign Language) and cooking at the Gathering Place every Monday.
- Food Bank at the Food Bank every Tuesday.
- Grocery shopping at QFC every Wednesday
- Art at the Gathering Place every Thursday.
- Make dog biscuits at Skookum every Friday.
Every Thursday, we cook in the Home EC classroom. Every Tuesday through Friday, Cole and Curtiss pick up the mail from the District Office; Cole Henley does the Junior/Senior high school mail, while Curtiss does the Elementary school mail.
Written By Cole Henley
Art at the Gathering Place
Cooking at the Gathering Place
Activities at the Gathering Place
FRIENDS OF CHIMACUM SCHOOLS SUPPORTS REGULATION STATIONS AT CHIMACUM PRIMARY SCHOOL
Thanks to a grant from Friends of Chimacum Schools (FOCS), school-based occupational therapist, Sarah McNulty, was able to design and outfit each primary school classroom with a “regulation station.”
These stations were designed to teach and support self-regulation skills in the educational setting. Due to the additional stresses our students have faced in the last few years, an increasing number of our students are benefitting from explicit instruction in self-regulation. While our teachers do an amazing job supporting our students to learn appropriate school behavior, an established "regulation station" in each classroom for students to practice these techniques will be a powerful positive behavior support.
Each classroom will have a "self-regulation starter kit" that will be outfitted with the same tools across classrooms. Items in the kits support students to try using fidgets, calming breaths, art, grounding tools, music, and other techniques. Students will learn which tools are the right fit for them and can expect access to those same items in their next classroom. Teachers can encourage children to "reset" with compassion and students will learn life-long skills of self-regulation, focus improvement and calming strategies.
Each kit includes:
-a beanbag chair
-2 noise reducing headphones
-a weighted lap pad
-a zen board
-various fidgets
-a sensory board
-an MP3 player with calming music choices
-sand timer of 5,10, and 15 minute increments
-bubble tubes
-a pinwheel
-a notebook with visual supports and activities
Special Education Department Works Diligently to Fulfill District's Purpose and Promise Statements
PROMISE: Every student is known by name, strength, and need, and aspires to learn, dream, and become
In Special Education, every staff member knows the names of the students they provide services for and many other students' names in the classrooms we go into. We know their strengths and try to build on those strengths through IEP goals. We know their needs and address those through specially designed instruction. We focus on positive reinforcement and leveling the playing field to help students become courageous learners. We promote inclusionary practices to ensure our students feel like valued members of the school community. We focus on forming positive relationships with our students because we know this is the entry point for progress and for future success.
At the secondary level, we inspire students to dream and think of all the possibilities of what they could become in life after high school. We work with the student to develop a course of study and goals in transition to make those dreams a reality. We partner with community agencies to ensure that students have the supports they need when they graduate.
Our Speech Language Pathologists and our Occupational Therapist routinely collaborate with school staff to address sensory, technological, and behavioral needs as well as therapy needs. They provide services in multiple locations which allows them to offer insight and feedback to improve programs district-wide. All staff go above and beyond to create a caring community with courageous learners.