In order to most effectively meet the needs of students with specialized needs, APS has established a variety of countywide programs.? These programs allow APS to concentrate resources in order to provide intensified, high fidelity special education instruction in a continuous manner to students with similar needs. Each program follows the standards of learning or the aligned standards of learning curriculum while providing specially designed instruction to address specific disability needs.
Pre-K
Multi-Intervention Program for Students with Autism (MIPA)
The focus of the MIPA program is on increasing communication, independent life skills, social skills, and academic performance. Students who are receiving special education support due to autism may be candidates for the MIPA program. The program provides a highly structured environment and research-based academic and behavioral interventions for autism. The program uses a variety of strategies to prepare students to transition to less restrictive settings. Examples of curricula used in MIPA classes include the STAR Program (, Arick, Loos, Falco, Krug, 2004) and the .
Preschool Location | Student Support Coordinator |
---|---|
ÐÓ°ÉÊÓƵ Traditional | Karin Bloss |
Barrett | Alyssa Watkins |
Dr. Charles R. Drew | Carlette Bryan |
Hoffman-Boston | Samantha Dudding |
Integration Station | Sara Shaw |
Long Branch | Katie Hawkins |
Taylor | Amy Apgar |
Two Year Old Preschool Special Education Programs (Cross Categorical)
Location | Special Education Coordinator |
---|---|
Ashlawn | Alyssa D’Amore-Yarnall |
Carlin Springs | Deirdre Groh |
Dr. Charles R. Drew | Carlette Bryan |
Hoffman-Boston | Samantha Dudding |
Integration Station | Sara Shaw |
Jamestown | Karin Bloss |
Three- to Five-Year-Old Programs
School | Student Support Coordinator? |
Abingdon | Kimberly Morris |
Ashlawn | Alyssa D’Amore-Yarnall |
Barcroft | Kelsey Edinborough |
Barrett | Alyssa Watkins |
Carlin Springs | Deirdre Groh |
Discovery | Jennifer Crain |
Dr. Charles R. Drew | Carlette Bryan |
Glebe | Dr. Loribeth Bosserman |
Hoffman-Boston | Samantha Dudding |
Integration Station | Sara Shaw |
Jamestown | Karin Bloss |
Oakridge | Doreen Dougherty |
Randolph | Emily Gillespie |
Taylor | Amy Apgar |
Tuckahoe | Kathryn Hawkins |
Community Peer Pre-K (CPP) Program
The Community Peer Pre-K (CPP) Program, located in 11 elementary schools, provides children with and without disabilities the opportunity to participate in an engaging and comprehensive inclusive Preschool program. ELIGIBILITY: Placement in CPP for children?with disabilities is determined by the child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) team.
The Toddler Program is a 25-hour-a-week program designed for children ages 2 1/2 – 3 years (must be 2 1/2 by Sept. 30). It offers approximately 1/3 of the seats to students without disabilities.
The Pre-K Program is a full-day program designed for children ages 3 years 6 months – 5 years (must be 3 1/2 by Sept. 30). These classes have equal proportions of students with and without disabilities.
?of our?Pre-K Virtual Information Night to learn more about CPP
- Inclusive preschool programs have a positive and profound academic and social impact on children with and without disabilities.
- Children in the CPP Program receive differentiated instruction based on the?. Instructional areas of focus include literacy, mathematics, science, history, health and physical development, personal and social development, music, and visual arts.
- The toddler programs provide play-based instruction to target all developmental areas with a focus on communication, interactions with peers and adults as well as fostering growing independent skills.
Program Locations
- Toddlers: Carlin Springs, Jamestown
- PreK (3 1/2 – 5 years): Alice West Fleet, Barcroft, Carlin Springs, Dr. Charles R. Drew, Glebe, Hoffman Boston, Innovation, Nottingham, Taylor, Tuckahoe
CPP Program Locations (Spanish) (Amharic) (Arabic)?(Mongolian)
CPP PROGRESS REPORT
Integration Station
Integration Station (IS) has several Pre-Kindergarten special education programs that serve ÐÓ°ÉÊÓƵ Public School (APS) students ages 2-5 who have disabilities.
IS is co-located with The Children¡¯s School (TCS) in Ballston, and provides an integrated educational program for 2-5 year old children with disabilities.
4770 Langston Boulevard ÐÓ°ÉÊÓƵ, VA ?22207. For more information, please call 703-462-5180 or email Sara Shaw.
Grades K-12+
Placement of a student into a K-12 countywide program is a carefully considered IEP team decision, since such programs represent a more restrictive placement. Inclusion opportunities and experiences with non-disabled peers are expected for all students, regardless of placement. Program classrooms are considered self-contained settings, although opportunities for inclusion are sought for each student.? All program classrooms are supervised by the principal of the building in which they are located, with support from the Office of Special Education. Each program classroom has one teacher and one or two classroom assistants. Each program is supported by additional staff from the Office of Special Education, to include related service providers, specialists, and special education coordinators.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program
The Deaf and Hard of Hearing program is designed for students with deafness or significant hearing impairment who require a specialized language-rich program. It is taught by a Teacher of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (TDHH) with support from a speech-language pathologist and audiologist.? The goal of the program is to improve the language and communication skills of students and provide full access to the general education curriculum. Sign Language, spoken English, and/or visual aids are used to support students in general education classes.? The program serves students Pre-K ?through 8th grade. Preschool students attend Alice West Fleet Elementary, where the elementary program is located. ?The middle school location is at Thomas Jefferson Middle School. High school students are provided any necessary supports in the ÐÓ°ÉÊÓƵ school or program they choose to attend.
Contacts:
- Alice West Fleet: Jenna Weinberg,? jenna.weinberg@apsva.us
- Jefferson: Hannah McLinden
hannah.mclinden@apsva.us
Functional Life Skills Program (FLS)
Elementary:? The focus of?the FLS program, elementary level, is on establishing basic academic skills,?increasing daily living skills, communication, motor/mobility skills, and?sensory development. Students who receive special education support due?to cognitive or intellectual disabilities, sensory impairments, orthopedic?impairments, or other health impairments, may be candidates for the Functional?Life Skills program.? The program provides highly individualized?educational programming with intensified related services. FLS, elementary level,?utilizes a variety of research supported curricula and practices, such as the?Unique Learning curriculum for academic and pre-vocational skills.? As one?component of instruction, Unique Learning provides individualized assessment,?monitoring, and lessons in the critical skill areas of reading, writing, math,?science and social studies.? The team-oriented approach draws upon a?variety of strategies and interventions to develop educational plans to serve?the needs of the students.? Elementary FLS locations are Ashlawn, Barrett, and?Discovery.
Location | Student Support Coordinator Email |
---|---|
Ashlawn | Alyssa D’Amore Yarnall |
Barrett | Alyssa Watkins |
Discovery | Jennifer Crain |
Secondary:? The FLS program, secondary level, is designed to provide students with opportunities and experiences for developing and refining academic and adaptive skills as they move toward greater independence. FLS, secondary level, utilizes a variety of instructional resources, including the curriculum for academic and vocational skills. Unique Learning, for example, provides individualized assessment, monitoring, and lessons in the critical skill areas of reading, writing, math, science and social studies, as well as transition readiness preparation. In addition, FLS, secondary utilizes the , developed by the Council for Exceptional Children, and designed primarily for students with severe disabilities (i.e. cognitive disabilities, traumatic brain injury, multiple disabilities, severe and profound disabilities) who require specialized instruction in the following skill areas: self-help, personal/social, daily living, functional academics, and job/vocational. The curriculum is designed to be used in natural settings with connections made for concrete applications of skill development. Therefore, community-based experiences play a large role in the program as students practice skills in real life settings. Students in the FLS program usually participate in state-wide assessment via the (VAAP). However, each student¡¯s IEP team determines whether students participate in the Standards of Learning (SOL) curriculum or the Aligned Standards of Learning (ASOL) curriculum, as well as how the individual student will participate in state-wide assessments. Each APS comprehensive middle and high school, as well as the Shriver program, provides an FLS program.
Location? | Student Support Coordinator Email |
Gunston | Meggie Scogna |
Dorothy Hamm | Aimee Puschkin |
Jefferson | Hannah Mclinden |
Kenmore | Cynthia Evans |
Eunice Kennedy Shriver Program | Frida Krachenfels |
Swanson | Donna Lucchesi |
Wakefield | Krystal Hines |
Washington-Liberty | Darryl Buxton |
Yorktown | Sun Wilkoff |
Interlude
The focus of the Interlude program is on improving social and emotional functioning in students who have significant interfering behaviors due to psychological or behavioral disorders. Students who are receiving special education support due to an emotional disability or significant behavioral issues, but whose academic skills are at or near grade-level, may be candidates for Interlude. The program provides a therapeutic environment designed to foster increased self-regulation, improved self-concept, positive relationship skills, and academic success. Supplemental curriculum emphasizes resiliency, self-regulation, interpersonal and problem-solving skills. The team-oriented approach draws upon academic, therapeutic, family and interagency resources to develop educational plans to serve the needs of the students. The elementary Interlude program is a single countywide program conducted at Campbell Elementary School. For middle and high school, the Interlude Program is available individually at each school.
Elementary Contact:
Multi-Intervention?Program for Students with Autism (MIPA)
The focus of the MIPA?program is on increasing communication, independent life skills, social skills,?and academic performance.? Students who are receiving special education?support due to autism may be candidates for the MIPA program.? The program?provides a highly structured environment and research-based academic and?behavioral interventions for autism. The program uses a variety of strategies?to prepare students to transition to less restrictive settings. ?Examples?of curricula used in MIPA classes include the STAR Program (, Arick, Loos, Falco, Krug, 2004) and the?.
Elementary Programs | ||
ÐÓ°ÉÊÓƵ Traditional School | Karin Bloss | karin.bloss@apsva.us |
Barcroft | Kelsey Edinborough | kelsey.edinborough@apsva.us |
Barrett | Alyssa Watkins | alyssa.watkins@apsva.us |
Dr. Charles Drew | Carlette Bryan | carlette.bryan@apsva.us |
Hoffman-Boston | Samantha Dudding | samantha.dudding@apsva.us |
Long Branch | Katie Hawkins | kathryn.hawkins@apsva.us |
Oakridge | Doreen Dougherty | doreen.dougherty@apsva.us |
Randolph | Emily Gillespie | emily.gillespie@apsva.us |
Taylor | Amy Apgar | amy.apgar@apsva.us |
Secondary Programs | ||
Kenmore | Cynthia Evans | cynthia.evans@apsva.us |
Wakefield | Krystal Bujeiro-Hines | krystal.hines@apsva.us |
Program for Employment Preparedness (PEP)
, launched in school year 2014-15 and?located at the ÐÓ°ÉÊÓƵ Career Center, is a job training and transition?program.? This program is multi-tiered and creates a dynamic and targeted?approach to meeting the transitional needs of students. PEP is based on?specific competencies developed in consultation with Virginia Commonwealth?University (VCU) using resources such as Virginia¡¯s . PEP provides students with experiences and learning opportunities based on current business trends and needs so that students may gain relevant skills for obtaining employment in today¡¯s market, including the requisite social skills necessary to secure and maintain long-term, meaningful employment. The program is designed for students to receive internship and apprenticeship experiences, trade certifications, licenses, college credit and/or networking connections that may lead to employment directly upon graduation. Referrals should be made to PEP during the student¡¯s final year of high school participation, with specific transition preparation programming to be determined subsequent to acceptance.? Student participation is individualized, according to needs, and if appropriate for the student, courses may simultaneously be taken for academic credit. Secondary students with disabilities accessing special education support for 50% or more of the school day as they exit high school may be candidates for PEP.? The program is non-categorical and students with various disabilities may be referred.
Contact:
Secondary Program for Students with Autism (SPSA)
Students who are identified to receive special education services due to autism and who are working on grade-level (or higher) curriculum may access specially designed classes which address social skills and executive functioning.? This programming will focus on the development of interpersonal and organizational skills, while encouraging a challenging academic experience. Students will integrate into general education classes per services on their IEPs and are instructed on grade-level SOL curriculum.? Supplemental curricula may include Unstuck and On-Target!:? An Executive Function Curriculum to?Improve Flexibility for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, and the PEERS?Curriculum for School-Based Social Skills Training for Adolescents with Autism?Spectrum Disorder.
Secondary Location | Student Support Coordinator | Student Support Coordinator Email |
---|---|---|
Jefferson | Hannah McLinden | hannah.mclinden@apsva.us |
Dorothy Hamm | Aimee Puschkin | aimee.puschkin@apsva.us |
Washington-Liberty | Darryl Buxton | darryl.buxton@apsva.us |
Yorktown | Sun Wilkoff | sun.wilkoff@apsva.us |
Eunice Kennedy Shriver Program
The? provides a highly individualized, supportive environment for?students with significant disabilities within a smaller school setting with a?low student-to-staff ratio throughout the program.? Students in the?Shriver Program require intensive, explicit instruction in functional?academic and vocational skills, as well as community-based educational program.?Instruction is provided primarily in a self-contained special education setting?with opportunities for inclusion and interaction with non-disabled peers?on-site, at the H.B. Woodlawn Program. Specific classes within the Shriver Program follow the Functional Life Skills (FLS) or Multi-Intervention Program?for Autism (MIPA) curricula.? Students who require FLS or MIPA in a small?school setting with a low student-to-staff ratio, may receive those programs at?Shriver. In?addition to instruction in functional academics and adaptive skills, the?Shriver Program provides specific training to prepare students for?participation in post-secondary settings, such as sheltered workshops,?semi-sheltered enclaves, supported work, and competitive job placement.?Individual student programs are developed to achieve maximum social, emotional,?physical, and cognitive growth while acquiring the related skills necessary to?function in the community as independently as possible. Students may?participate in the Shriver Program up to age 22 (as of September 30).
Contact:
- Frida Krachenfels, Shriver Program, 703-228-6440, frida.krachenfels@apsva.us
45-Day Program
For students with disabilities who require an alternative program as a result of long-term suspension.