Inclusion/Academic Resource Classes

Those students who have been identified within their IEP as needing additional academic support will meet with a special education teacher and possibly additional support staff such as a speech/language therapist. There they will receive specialized instruction to support the regular education instruction given to them in inclusion classes. The programming within these classes is regulated and prescribed by the IEP team to meet the individual needs of the student.

Learning Support Classroom

The Learning Support classroom is designated for those students who have been identified through the IEP process as needing a small, highly structured and individualized learning environment. With a special education teacher and instructional assistants, students will receive specialized instruction prescribed by the IEP team to meet the educational needs of the student. The curriculum content and pace is individualized so that the student will have access to the curriculum in the most appropriate setting. Instruction in content areas such as Math, History, English, etc. will be modified to meet the student's needs. Other services such as physical, occupational and speech therapy may be delivered within these classes as determined by the IEP team.

Integrated Support Program (ISP)

As students and families navigate through middle school life and adolescent development, emotional challenges may arise preventing students from meeting academic expectations. In addition, our Watertown families may also be going through turbulence on occasion, affecting the stability of their child's academic success. We recognize the need to provide a range of supportive services to help struggling students recapture academic engagement and motivation for learning. In response, we have developed the Watertown Middle School Integrated Emotional Support Services. Here students can receive a spectrum of services depending on need. Services may include:

• Short-term respite programming
• Counseling services
• Evaluation services
• Case management for families
• Classroom integration consultation
• Behavior modification
• Small therapeutic class instruction

Connections Program

The Connections Program is a structured, behavior-based, self-contained/sub-separate program. Using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and sensory integration strategies, students are taught independent life skills, social pragmatic skills and academic skills. Students may also receive related services through counseling, speech and language, occupational therapy and/or physical therapy.

Student's programs are individually designed around each student's needs. As students develop skills, opportunities for inclusion in the general education classes are available. Typically, students in the Connections Program participate in the MCAS Alternative Assessment or participate in the MCAS assessment with accommodations.

The Connections Leadership Council is made up of Watertown faculty and administrators who meet on a monthly basis to ensure that services for students with autism and related disorders are consistent, using an evidence-based teaching approach, throughout grades K-12.

Connections Newsletter: November 2014