Programs for Children with Disabilities
Programs for Children with Disabilities
The Weehawken Township School District offers comprehensive special education programs and services in cooperation with other school districts and private schools for children with special needs. It is the mission of the Weehawken Public Schools to provide services for students in the least restrictive environment and when possible, provide support in a general education setting.
Special education programs offered in the Weehawken Township School District include:
General education with supplementary aids and services - A student is in the general education setting with supports. Modifications and supports are implemented to assist the student.
In-Class Resource - A student is in the general education setting with the support of two teachers -- a general education and special education teacher. Modifications are implemented to support the student.
Inclusion - A student is in the general education setting with the support of two teachers. Modifications are implemented to support the student.
AIM: Achieve, Imagine, Motivate
AIM is a program in the Weehawken Township School District developed for students that have been found eligible for special education services. This tiered program provides services to students in grades PreK-12 across our three schools: Daniel Webster Elementary, Theodore Roosevelt School, and Weehawken High School.
Achieve
Our Achieve program is specific to our students in Weehawken High School. This program provides individualized education programs for students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, Down Syndrome, learning disabilities, and other related disorders. Our goal through the Achieve program is to provide programs that are socially significant to each of our students and promote independence as they transition into adulthood. Students in the Achieve program will also have access to professionals that provide mental health services.
ESS: ESS partners with school districts to help them implement culturally inclusive mental health and behavioral support programs that improve care, strengthen outcomes, address trauma, and maintain students in their home district.
Imagine
Our Imagine program, located in Theodore Roosevelt School, is specific to our students in grades 3-6. Our focus is to develop individualized programs to best fit the needs of our students transitioning from elementary school into middle school and middle school to high school. These areas include but are not limited to academic support, social skills, and social/emotional well-being. Our imagine program serves as a bridge to our achieve program where our students will continue to work on skills that lead to success in a secondary education environment.
Motivate
Our Motivate program is located in Daniel Webster School and provides services to our early childhood population. Students that are eligible for our Motivate program will receive individualized programming including but not limited to, appropriate play skills, toilet training, peer-modeling opportunities, and social/emotional support. Students in our Motivate program will also have access to our multi-sensory room equipped with sensory swings, rock climbing equipment, and more.
Related Services
Behavioral Programs
WTSD provides behavioral support to the general and special education populations throughout the district. Additionally, our staff receive training and consultation to enhance their classroom management strategies, understand principles of applied behavior analysis and the benefits to positive behavior support in the classroom, implement behavior plans, and manage challenging behaviors. Behavioral support services include:
Behavior consultation
Observation
Data Collection
Crisis Management provided by Crisis Prevention Institute; implementing nonviolent de-escalation strategies
OT/PT -- Sensory Room
Occupational therapy uses meaningful activities (occupations) to help students participate in what they need and/or want to do in order to promote physical and mental health and well being. Occupational therapy addresses the physical, cognitive, psychosocial and sensory components of performance. In schools occupational therapy practitioners focus on academics, play, social, self-care and transition/work skills. These practitioners also do activity and environmental analysis and modification with a goal of reducing the barriers to help students participate effectively in the school environment.
Speech
Speech/Language Services are provided to students in the general education and special education populations throughout the WTSD. This related service is offered in various settings and groupings catered to a student’s individual needs to enhance overall communication skills within the educational environment. Speech/Language Specialists are professionals who are trained to diagnose, treat and provide education regarding a variety of communication disorders that may be negatively impacting a student’s success throughout the academic day. Skilled interventions focus on improving abilities in the following areas: speech sounds, language, social communication, cognitive communication, fluency, feeding and swallowing, and voice. Speech/Language Specialists collaborate and work closely alongside members of the Child Study Team, other related service providers, classroom teachers and parents/guardians to select and implement the most effective interventions, strategies and techniques in order to best support a student’s overall needs.