Every day brings me a new set of challenges as the Director of Special Education in the Andover School District. When I was asked to describe “a day in the life…,” I found it difficult to provide a specific agenda or to detail a “typical” day.
Although appointments and meetings are listed on the calendar, unpredictable events can occur at any given time at Andover Elementary/Middle School and throughout the school district when it comes to Special Education. Whether it involves a student in crisis, a concerned parent, or a staff member in need of support for a student, I often need to readjust the day’s plans.
As the Director of Special Education, I have the responsibility of ensuring that the Andover School District remains in compliance with the federal and state guidelines as documented in the New Hampshire Rules for Children with Disabilities. Each Andover student is to receive a “Free Appropriate Public Education.” There are mandated timelines that need to be met and are recorded in the New Hampshire Special Education Information System and in the Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs) that are designed for students in our district who are identified with educational disabilities.
Most of the data that is reported to the state is presented to the federal government so that funding provisions will continue through IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) allocations. If it were found that Andover was out of compliance, funding resources could be compromised.
The submission of an annual application for the receipt of IDEA funds is also a requirement for the Andover School District, which depends on those funds. The allocation for the 2013-14 school year is approximately $55,000.
Itemized documentation of services provided to our students and expenses are also utilized for Medicaid, Catastrophic Aid, and Chapter 402 reimbursement purposes, again bringing in revenue to the school district. Coordinating this information in collaboration with the SAU 46 office in Penacook is a major component of my position.
I am also responsible for preparing a budget with the assistance of Principal Jane Slayton and SAU 46 staff and for monitoring monthly billing invoices for vendors, out-of-district placements, transportation, and supplies that have been designated for our Special Education students. Currently we contract with Merrimack Valley School District to provide specialized transportation for some of our students to the high school, and with First Student, which assists us with a wheelchair accessible bus for one of our students.
Andover has Special Education teachers who also serve as case managers. Mrs. Holly Gagne works with grades kindergarten through five, and Mrs. Lynn Tiede works with students at the middle school level in grades six through eight. I am the Case Manager for any preschool students, and oversee the high school students who are receiving Special Education services at Merrimack Valley High School. I also manage Andover students who are attending alternative programs in out-of-district placements.
Mrs. Gagne and Mrs. Tiede are in charge of providing direct Special Education academic support, scheduling the meetings for their students, responding to referrals, coordinating services for students, and facilitating the team meetings where Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs) are proposed. I work closely with Mrs. Slayton to supervise these case managers along with specialists and service providers such as paraprofessionals, our speech language pathologist, our physical and occupational therapists, school psychologist, behavioral consultant, and specialized transportation providers. I participate in hiring these various individuals when vacancies occur.
There are occasions when I need to be present for meetings when it is anticipated that there could be a challenge or questions that require an administrative response. There are times when Andover parents may disagree with components of the Special Education process relating to their child. They are presented with the state’s procedural safeguards on an annual basis. They can potentially file a complaint with the New Hampshire Department of Education that requires legal consultation.
One of my responsibilities is to act as the communicator and facilitate whatever proceedings may need to be addressed with the assistance of a legal policy consultant or attorney. I serve as the liaison, representing the student and the Andover School District in court proceedings that involve abuse or neglect, juvenile delinquency, or CHINS (Children in Need of Services) petitions. In Andover, we are fortunate that these situations are rare and minimal.
Special Education begins at the age of three and continues for those students who do not receive a high school diploma until the age of 21. Early Intervention Services (Community Bridges) or parents contact me to transition a developmentally delayed child to a preschool setting and to ensure an established IEP upon their child’s third birthday. I am responsible for coordinating an evaluation and for locating an appropriate placement and means of service delivery for any Andover preschool student who is identified as being in need of Special Education.
The Andover School District does not offer a preschool program. Therefore, arrangements need to be made with either the Merrimack Valley School District, when space is available, or with another provider such as Andover’s Imagination Inn or the East Andover Village Preschool, either of which may accept services to be brought into their settings. Some preschoolers come to Andover Elementary/Middle School to receive minimal services such as Speech Language Therapy.
The same situation occurs for those students who require vocational and job skill training and are receiving alternative high school programming. I am responsible for ensuring post-high school educational services for the student up to the age of 21 through coordination with various agencies such as CORE Vocational Services, Easter Seals, or Project SEARCH.
On occasion it is necessary to arrange specialized evaluations for students with exceptional challenges. I contact outside psychologists and consultants to assist with these situations.
In the Andover School District, I conduct the academic testing as one part of the evaluation process for preschool, elementary, middle, and high school students, since I possess the certifications required. It would be an extra expense for our district to ask the psychologist to perform the academic along with intellectual and, at times, social emotional testing. In the past, the case managers have done the academic piece, but they no longer have time in their schedules due to their other responsibilities.
Monitoring and providing professional development opportunities for our Special Education staff helps to enhance the skills of our teachers, paraprofessionals, and specialists. During this upcoming school year at AE/MS, we will focus on collaboration, differentiated instruction, and providing support for our classroom teachers in aligning the Common Core Standards/Curriculum with modifications for our students with learning challenges.
This past summer, I participated in the annual education conference sponsored by the Special Education Administrators Association. New Hampshire Department of Education requirements and legal updates were presented. I will continue to attend monthly state meetings along with Lakes Region meetings to stay in tune with any developments that will benefit our district.
In my role as the Director of Special Education, I oversee the operation of service delivery within the Andover School District. I rely on the support of our very qualified, hard-working staff. These professionals and support personnel are not only dedicated to assisting students with developmental and educational disabilities but are also willing to assume responsibilities for meeting rigid timelines, inputting data, creating draft IEPs, and facilitating meetings, to name a few of their other contributions. Our specialists and program assistants also fall under this umbrella.
This Special Education “team approach” is what makes our system work in the Andover School District.