Related Services include:

Occupational Therapy
Adapted P.E.
Counseling
Diagnostician

The following are explanations of the services offered at the Fern Bluff campus.

        Speech/Language services are offered for students with language, articulation, and processing difficulties.  These disabilities are recognized through a referral process. A parent permission is obtained for their child to be tested, classroom observation, health information, and teacher forms are completed.  When all information has been gathered, the speech therapist then begins testing to determine if there is an impairment in speech or language, which is then followed by an Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee to determine placement, and develop an Individual Education Plan (IEP) to meet the need of the child.  This program is available for students pre-school age through the 5^th grade.

       A referral process occurs when there is a parent/teacher request.  Once a request is made, it goes through a building committee meeting which consists of members such as the principal, counselor, special education staff and classroom teacher.  There the members discuss appropriate steps in determining a students academic needs.

       Dyslexic services are offered for students by an Itinerant Dyslexic teacher assigned to an individual campus.  It offers a multi-sensory approach to reading and spelling.

       Reading Recovery is an intensive, one-on-one instructional program for first graders identified with delays in the area of reading.  This early intervention program teaches techniques used naturally by good readers, and intervenes before children’s academics become overwhelming.  The length of the program is a maximum of 18 weeks.  Once students have completed the 18 weeks, they should be reading on grade level or higher.

     Student Assistance in Learning (S.A.I.L.) is provided for students who are at-risk of not meeting academic mastery.  S.A.I.L. focuses on grades 2-5 in the subject areas of reading, written language and math.  These services are also offered to kindergarten students who need additional assistance in phonemic awareness and decoding skills.  These students are identified by the Kindergarten Reading Assessment, and before the students are able to receive services, they have to go through a Building Committee and secure parent permission must be obtained.

       Content Mastery is a special education service offered to students who could benefit from in class assistance in certain subject areas.  Content Mastery consists of grade level reading, and math focus groups for students who are at risk of not meeting mastery.

       Resource is a pull out program that allows students to work on mastering the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. The skills are determined after students are administered a criterion referenced assessment.  An individualized education plan (IEP) is then developed for the student through the ARD process.  Students work at their own pace, and receive individualized instruction.  The IEP is reviewed through an ARD meeting, which is held annually.  Resource classrooms offer specialized curriculums to appropriately match students needs.  Examples include Basic Language Skills, Open Court, and Wilson reading programs.

       Basic Language Skills is a phonics based therapeutic curriculum for use by teachers, specialists, and educational therapists working with students identified with specific needs in learning to read and spell.  This curriculum is particularly effective with dyslexic or reading disabled students.

     Literacy Groups are a reading based program designed to provide early intervention in literacy for first graders.  Students meet for thirty minutes daily in a pull out program with a specialized instructor.

      The Structured Teach Modeling Classroom is a classroom which is visually organized for integrated learning of students with autism.  Students are given the opportunity to be involved in some regular classroom activities according to their individual needs.

      Occupational Therapy is designed to assist in improving students gross and fine motor skills through activities for coordination, organization, and feeding/dressing skills.  The student is identified special education through an ARD committee meeting, and assessment for motor skills may be requested, and obtained through this committee.  Once a disability in this area has been determined an ARD committee once again will meet, an IEP is completed, and services begin.  Providing these services improve developmental skills for academic learning.

      Adapted P.E. is designed for students who cannot successfully contribute to the general education physical education program.  An instructor is assigned to each campus as needed to implement goals for these students.

       Guidance and counseling is offered to all students designed to build a positive school climate, and to support students, teachers and parents.  This is implemented by providing small group discussions, mini lessons in the classrooms, character education, and school wide initiatives.

       The Fern Bluff campus is staffed with their own diagnostic specialist.  This person is in charge of assessing the school abilities and achievement levels of students when a referral is made to determine learning disabilities. They are also in charge of conducting all annual reviews and dismissal meetings (ARD) for special education children.  They handle all required paperwork needed for special education students on the campus, and is a resource to assist teachers in appropriate placement for students.