Special Education

What is the fundamental purpose of our department?
The mission of the Special Education Department is to advocate for and assist students in becoming effective communicators, critical thinkers, and productive, responsible citizens. We create a liaison with teachers and parents to achieve this.

How do we achieve our desired end results?
We see our department as an instrument for:
• Teaching our students to reach for their highest levels of achievement.
• Communicating with teachers and parents about student progress and goals.
• Developing awareness of the needs and abilities of students in our program to allow proactive engagement in their education.

How must we behave to support our mission and vision?
As teachers we value:
• Respect for all
• Trust and confidentiality
• Cooperation and flexibility
• Professional outcomes
• Positive and caring attitudes

What are our fundamental beliefs?
• We believe that all Special Education students should have equal access to the curriculum offered at AFHS.
• We believe that resource students should graduate from high school.
• We believe that Special Education students should leave AFHS with appropriate workplace and transition skills.
• We believe that working with parents, faculty and community resources is an integral part of our students’ success.
• We believe that all students should be received with a positive and flexible attitude in our school environment.

Focusing our MVVB on the Four Essential Questions
Question #1–What do we expect students to learn?
• Our students are engaged with the Core in content area courses. With specific accommodations designed at the student’s IEP, they are expected to understand the concepts in the Core and be able to apply them.
• We ensure that each student has specific learning targets and monitor and report progress to parents on a quarterly basis.
• We also expect our students to learn about their specific disability and understand how to advocate for themselves.

Question #2–How will we know what students have learned?
• Testing
Pre/post
Three-year Evaluations
IEP Goals and Objectives
UAA
• Progress Assessed on Cognos quarterly
DRP and CRT tests

Question #3–How will we respond to students who aren’t learning?
• Develop individual goals for each students and report progress quarterly.
• Discuss collective assessments (Woodcock-Johnson III, Brigance, DRP, and CRT) to inform ourselves and the students of their learning.
• Monitor students individually to determine their class setting.
• Incorporate necessary accommodations and modifications.

Question #4–How do we respond to students who have already learned the material?
• Our students no longer require the services of the department when they have shown continued mastery.
• Students become mainstreamed into the regular classes.