Student Services
Counselors/Social Worker/Behavior Specialist
Contact: Melinda Labbe (5th-8th)
Contact: Jennifer Humphreys (K-4th)
Contact: Natalie Sweeting (K-8 Behavior Specialist)
Contact: Katelyn Silvoy (K-8 Social Worker)
Sigsbee’s Guidance Counselors are available to all learners and stakeholders, including families and teachers. They assist learners with behaviors that impede their academic and social progress. In addition to working closely with Sigsbee’s Exceptional Student Education (ESE) and Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) teams, the Behavior Specialist spearheads the school-wide Anti-Bullying Program, mediates peer concerns, assigns appropriate consequences to rule violations, and is available for solutions-focused problem-solving conferences. Our Social Worker is available to help families navigate life stressors and find resources to assist families.
Exceptional Student Education (ESE)
Contact: Laura Hulec
Sigsbee Charter School believes that all children can learn at high levels regardless of previous school experience or varying disabilities. A differentiated curriculum tailored to each child’s individual performance levels, along with high expectations supported by highly trained, committed staff members, will serve the needs of all students, especially those considered exceptional.
Our staff is committed to meeting each child at his/her current level of ability. We understand that there are some learning challenges that require special attention for students who either struggle with grade-level expectations or need a higher level of challenge than their peer group.
Sigsbee Charter School complies with state and federal requirements for serving students with disabilities and supports children with special needs by providing all students an appropriate education in the least restrictive environment possible. Our school follows each child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) and regularly monitors students’ progress toward individual learning goals. No child shall be discriminated against in admission or enrollment practices for any reason, including the suspicion that a child may have a learning disability.
The charter school has employed full-time ESE teachers, a reading coach, a math coach, a support services coach, a behavior therapist, an occupational therapist, a speech/language pathologist and several classroom teachers with ESE endorsements. This staff is responsible for supporting the learning needs of all students with identified disabilities. In situations where our school does not have the appropriate staff for particular services needed (as identified by a student’s IEP), individual providers will be recruited.
Identification of students with disabilities
During enrollment, families will be asked to identify students who have existing IEPs or have been receiving special services in a previous school. The referral and placement data from outside sources will be considered by the IEP team and they will determine the appropriate placement. We will access the children’s previous school records and continue to provide appropriate services. The procedures for assisting students who are not meeting minimum levels of academic progress clearly outline the process of federal and state required sensory screenings and evaluations, parent conferences, teacher observations, data driven educational or behavioral intervention. Interventions will be research based and implemented with fidelity. These students will be discussed during team meetings, in which qualified special educators, interventionists, principal and the classroom teacher(s) will collaborate in selecting appropriate interventions to implement. Once appropriate levels of needed interventions have been attempted and warrant a request for future evaluation, a meeting will be held with the child’s parent or guardian and a request for a formal evaluation Initial evaluations, re-evaluations and revisions of IEPs will be conducted in accordance with state and federal law. All referrals will be supported with test results, anecdotal records and ongoing observations. The “Special Programs and Procedures Manuals” and “A Manual for the Admissions and Placement of Exceptional Students” will be used to determine procedures.
Implementation of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs)
The school’s special education teacher will collaborate with classroom teachers and be directly involved in the implementation of required services for each identified student, and will work with the district-assigned LEA to schedule and review all active IEPs. Services provided by the charter may include, but may not be limited to: speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and counseling. All of the student’s teachers will be involved in determining the student’s IEP and related goals. The special education teacher(s) will ensure that all staff members involved with the child understand his/her goals and any relevant training will be available to staff members so as to ensure that the academic success of the student is fully supported. Students with IEPs will take all internal, state and national assessments unless the student’s IEP specifically states that such students cannot participate in these measures. In such a case, alternative assessments will be administered as required by law.
Gifted Education
Contact: Seana Cameron
Every child has a unique learning profile and is entitled to an educational experience that supports the development of his or her potential. Sigsbee Charter School is committed to developing each child’s strengths and capacities for high levels of achievement. Like students with disabilities, students who have been identified as Gifted must be recognized and nurtured as early as possible. In order to do so, gifted students, along with all other students, benefit from the implementation of rigorous standards and differentiated curriculum in the classroom.
It is expected that all teachers provide enriching activities that develop critical thinking skills and creative problem solving on a regular basis. Flexible grouping according to demonstrated mastery begins in the primary grades. Staff development on higher level instructional strategies are a focus. The identification of Gifted students relies upon a holistic review of many sources of information including: achievement record, ability testing, work samples, teacher appraisals, and parent input based upon the state approved MCSD policies and procedures manual.
Students identified for gifted services are offered an Educational Plan (EP) by the District which outlines strengths and expanded educational opportunities. This is updated every three years in accordance with state and federal guidelines. Furthermore, teachers are supported in pursuing professional development in the area of differentiated curriculum, problem-based learning and gifted and talented education. Students who are identified as gifted should participate in clearly defined projects or programs that target their strengths. Participation is communicated to parents and tracked in the student’s portfolio using EP Data Sheets.
English Language Learners
Contact: Ashley McCauley
In accordance with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the U.S. Department of Education, parents who enroll their children at Sigsbee Charter School will fill out a language questionnaire (translated into languages most often spoken in the homes of the school population). This survey will determine whether a child speaks a language other than English, whether the child’s primary language is other than English and whether a language other than English is spoken at home. An English Language Learners (ELL) teacher will determine whether additional language screening is necessary. An oral language assessment will be administered to any student identified as non-English language on the survey.
Sigsbee Charter School serves ELL students in accordance with all applicable Federal Laws and regulations. All ELL students will be taught English from the beginning of their experience at Sigsbee Charter School. These students will follow the structured immersion model in which all students will be submerged in the English speaking classroom so that English fluency can be mastered as quickly as possible. ELL students will be in the regular classroom for instructional time using a collaborative teaching model in which the ELL teacher works along side of the classroom teacher to assist second language learners with tasks and understanding. As an additional support, small skill groups may be pulled across classrooms to work on focused, specific language skills. ELL students will be assessed annually to determine improvement in English proficiency. Students who are not demonstrating adequate progress will be tested on the state CELLA test. Parents of ELL students will be welcomed to the school with every effort made to translate important documents into majority languages.
Multi-tiered Student Support Services
Contact: Kirsten Speicker
Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) is a framework for ensuring that ALL students’ academic, social-emotional, and behavioral needs are met. Rigorous implementation of MTSS through Response to Intervention (RtI) includes a combination of high quality instruction, assessment, and evidence-based intervention. Comprehensive implementation contributes to more meaningful identification of learning and behavioral problems, improves instructional quality, and provides all students with the best opportunities to succeed in school.
Sigsbee Charter employs several interventionists to provide services to identified students.
Speech & Language
Contact: Crystal Koppal
Sigsbee Charter School, in conjunction with Monroe County School District, offers speech and language services for students with communication disorders that adversely affect student success in classroom activities, social interaction, literacy and learning.
Communication Disorders include impairments in language, voice, speech fluency/stuttering, and/or articulation.
Speech and language services may include identification, assessment and evaluation of communication concerns and, when warranted, development and implementation of IEPs.
Parents with concerns may request help by meeting with their classroom teacher(s).