Lillian Michaels

SPED 849-99
Professor Tomassi
Parent Handbook
July 23, 2014

CENTER-BASED RESOURCE
Lillian Michaels, Case Manager
(913)780-7105 School
(913)522-1297 Cell
lmichaelswdsc@olatheschools.org
WELCOME to the Center-Based Resource Program! Here at Olathe Northwest High School, the
CBR Program (formerly known as Life Skills) serves students with functional, severe and/or
multiple disabilities. We are committed to helping each student:

Achieve his/her maximum academic success

Participate fully in every activity or opportunity s/he chooses to pursue
Prepare for his/her life beyond high school

We make that happen through PARTNERSHIPS:

With Families: We recognize that you know your child and his/her needs better than
anyone, and that your commitment to helping your child fulfill his/her dreams is a
tremendous asset to your student and to our program. We want to work with you to

prepare your student for a bright future.

With Other Professionals: In addition to the services and support we provide in our
classroom and throughout the school, we will work with other professionals in and out of
the school to ensure that our programs are addressing the whole, unique individual that is

your student.
With Students: By involving your student in planning his/her educational program, we
encourage their investment in the outcome and increase their motivation to achieve. By

including students from outside the program in our classes and activities, we help expand

opportunities for learning and sharing between all students.

With the Community: Your students will soon be members of the adult community, so
preparing them for that transition is one of our principal goals. We do this through work
programs and community outings designed to help students explore their interests and
sharpen their social skills.

ABOUT OUR PROGRAM

The special education programs of the Olathe School District are designed to achieve 4
basic outcomes for our students. These are: Equal Opportunity having the same opportunities
in life as people without disabilities; Full participation having opportunities to be included in
all aspects of the community and being free of segregation based on their disability; Independent
living having opportunities to participate fully in decisions about them and to make choices
about how to live their lives; Economic self-sufficiency having opportunities to work or
otherwise contribute to their communities or households. (Turnbull and Turnbull, Families,
Professionals and Exceptionality: Positive Outcomes Through Partnerships and Trust, 6th Ed.,
2011.)
In order to maximize these 4 outcomes, your students individualized educational
program will include some or all of the following:

Instruction in our classroom in core curriculum areas

Participation in an interpersonal skills class including general education students
Placement in general education classes as appropriate
Placement in appropriate elective classes
Speech and language therapy
Physical and/or occupational therapy
Other, more specialized therapies
Participation in extra-curricular activities / clubs of the students choice
Full integration and involvement in the life of this school

TEAM MEMBERS
Whether or not they work directly with your student, all of our team members are
available to answer any questions or concerns you may have about your childs educational
experience at any time. Our team includes:
o Your students resource teacher / case manager (Thats Me!) I will be your
primary point of contact and a liaison for you and your student with the other
professionals involved. I teach in the CBR room and I will be responsible for
administering your students IEP.
o General education teachers are responsible for overseeing any IEP goals which
pertain to their particular course and will work with the team to modify or adapt
class work, homework, and assessments for your student as necessary.
o Speech and language pathologists will work with your student as necessary to
help improve his/her verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
o Physical therapists will work with your child as necessary to improve mobility
and gross motor functions and to help manage the use of any assistive devices
used for those purposes (walkers, wheelchairs, etc.)
o Occupational therapists will assist your student when necessary with fine motor
skills and self-help activities as well as helping the student manage use of
assistive devices (adapted writing instruments, etc.)
o School psychologists are here to consult with other team members and with
students and families about psychological issues related to the students
education. They will also provide referrals, if necessary, for the student or parents
to connect with outside providers.
o School social workers job is to ensure, to the greatest extent possible, that each
students basic needs are being met at school and at home. They are available any

time to provide referrals to community and other organizations which can assist
families in need.
o School nurse is available to assist with students medical needs during the school
day, including administering medications when necessary. Our nurse is also
available to provide referrals to other health professionals as needed.
o Principal / Assistant Principal / School Resource Officers are responsible for
looking after the well-being of each student. They respond to emergencies and
protect students and staff by maintaining order and discipline in the school.
o Para-educators are individuals who provide support for our students in every
aspect of the educational experience on an as-needed basis. They assist students
with physical needs such as supervision, mobility, and self-care as well as
providing academic support as indicated in the students IEP / IFSP.

WAYS YOU CAN HELP YOUR STUDENT SUCCEED

HOMEWORK: The amount, type and frequency of homework assigned to your student
will depend on his/her IEP goals. Studies have shown that students perform better overall
in school when parents or caregivers support the homework process by providing an
appropriate space and environment to complete work and encouraging the student to do
his/her best work. HOWEVER, if homework causes considerable difficulty at home,
there are other options available to complete assignments, so please being any concerns
about homework to my attention as early as possible.
SCHOOL FUNCTIONS: There are many opportunities throughout the year to
participate in school functions.

You can keep up with the school calendar at

www.ravendaily.net, or you can find a link to the calendar on my class website. Studies
have shown that students perform better in school when families are involved in school
activities

 SHARE INFORMATION as often as possible about what is going on in your students

life. If you think it would enhance our understanding of your student, please tell us about
it. If theres something you think your student would like to share at school, let us know
and we will do all we can to help. The more we know about your student, the more we
can create meaningful experiences for them at school.
ASK QUESTIONS! If you have a comment or concern about any aspect of your childs
school program, please bring it to my attention and I will make every effort to clarify or
resolve it. My contact information is on the front page of this handbook. Issues requiring
an immediate response should be sent by text message or discussed by phone. Otherwise,
email is a good way to communicate with me.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
Our classroom is a very diverse mix of students representing a wide variety of talents,
abilities and challenges. As such, no two days are ever the same, and we are required to adapt to
any number of situations in a given day.
If a situation arises which presents a risk of harm to students in one of our rooms, the
student involved will be removed to our adjoining classroom, if possible. If not, all other
students will be removed from the room. Your students safety is our primary concern and we
have sufficient adults on staff to handle these situations.

DISCIPLINE
Students in our program are expected to comply with the Code of Conduct set forth by
the Olathe Public Schools. Violations of the Code of Conduct will be evaluated by the Assistant

Principal and, if it is determined that the behavior involved was not due to the students
exceptionality, discipline will be administered according to the Code.
In our classroom, we use a system of positive behavior support and we find that this
results in few serious behavior problems. Behavior issues will be discussed with the student and
parent/guardian whenever a behavior plan is necessary.

YOUR RIGHTS AS A PARENT / GUARDIAN

The State of Kansas has published a detailed handbook for parents and teachers of
students with exceptionalities. The Kansas Special Education Process Handbook can be
accessed or downloaded at http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=598. In it you will find a list
of rights that you have with respect to your childs education. To summarize these, you have the
right:

To see your childs educational records

To request that your child be evaluated for special education services
To be notified whenever another party requests to evaluate your child for special

education services
To be present at meetings whenever there is a proposed change in services to or

placement of your student in the educational setting

To decide whether or not to accept services which may be offered to your child
To challenge the results of any evaluation and to present independent evaluations

for consideration by the educational team

To participate in all decision-making with respect to your childs education and to

involve other people from within or outside of the school system in this process
To request mediation of any disputes which arise regarding your childs placement
To appeal any decision made by the educational team

THE IEP PROCESS

Your students Individualized Education Program, or IEP, is the plan designed by the
educational team, including you and your student, to provide the services needed to help your
student succeed in the least restrictive environment possible. Others team members will include
general and special education teachers, school representatives and other professionals as needed
to address your students or familys particular needs.
Your students IEP will include the following:
1. Your students strengths
2. Your concerns for enhancing your childs education
3. Results of evaluations
4. Your childs academic, developmental and functional needs
5. Behavioral concerns
6. Language issues
7. Braille (for students with visual impairment)
8. Your childs communication needs
9. Assistive technology
10. Extended school year services
11. Notices to Kansas Rehabilitation Services
12. Your childs physical education needs
13. Potential harmful effects of any placement
As a parent, you will play a major role in the development of your students IEP. Other
team members will look to you for information about your childs medical and educational
history, strengths and challenges as well as about resources or interventions which have been
used in the past and how well they worked. The more information you bring to the table, the
better prepared your team will be to assess your students needs and abilities.

PARENT SUPPORT GROUPS

There are many organizations whose mission is to provide support for parents and
families of children with disabilities. I have included a list below of agencies in the area, but
please feel free to call me anytime if you need help finding information or assistance with a
particular issue.
KC Area Agencies:
United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Kansas City
ucpck.org
Challenger/Special Needs Parent Resources (YMCA)
kansascityymca.ca.org/youth-development/challengers
Moms and Dads Groups
kckidsFun.com
Support for ADHD-related issues
ADHDKC.org
Support for Hispanic Families (El Centro)
elcentroinc.com
Support for Autism Spectrum-related issues
Autismspeaks.org
Education Advocacy
kansasspecialeducationadvocate.wordpress.com
Childrens Advocacy Project of KC
cap4kids.org/kansascity
Respite care / babysitting
care.com/specialneeds-care

OTHER RESOURCES FOR PARENTS

The Olathe School District employs a wide variety of professionals who are available to
answer questions or address concerns you may have about your students educational and other
needs. In addition, Johnson County offers a number of programs for students and families

through the public libraries. Go to http://www.jocogov.org/residents/education-and-libraries?

page=1 or call the Johnson County Government offices at (913 )715-5000 for more information.