Wheaton HS - Special Education Department

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Special Education Department

Resource Teacher: Bob Durbin
Deparment Phone: 301.929.2076

Department Overview

Welcome to the Special Education Department of Wheaton High School! The Special Education Department provides support to students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) across the curriculum. The Special Education Staff include Resource Teachers, Special Education Teachers, and Paraeducators. The department's goal is to meet the instructional needs of all students so that they have the ability to succeed and thrive in a rigorous learning environment. Special Education Programs and services at Wheaton High School include: LAD, Resource, LFI, SCB, Transition, and Speech.

Current Events

Learning and Academic Disabilities (LAD) and Resource Programs

This model serves students with learning and academic disabilities by utilizing a program that may include components of self-contained classes, co-taught general education classes, and supported classes. The goal of the resource program is to ensure access to the MCPS General Education Program of Studies and/or to the MCPS Fundamental Life Skills Program of Studies for students with disabilities to the greatest extent possible. Students may take a resource class that helps to develop and improve such education skills such as organization, study skills, test taking strategies, etc.

Teachers:

Name	Subject
Ms. Kaeleigh Barker	Mathematics, Science
Mr. Marco Basso-Luca	Social Studies
Ms. Lauren Bixby	Social Studies, English
Ms. Julia Brown	Social Studies, English
Ms. Bonnie Keys	English
Ms. Anne Mathews	English
Ms. Nikki Mehta	Resource, Mathematics
Ms. Kari Tracey	English
Ms. Demetra Washington	Mathematics

Paraeducators

The LAD and Resource paraeducators play a vital role in support of students and the Special Education teachers. Some paraeducators are permanently assigned to specific teachers while others are used in multiple capacities.

Paraeducators:

Ms. Cynthia Allsop
Ms. Julie Black
Ms. Shirlita Baker
Ms. Carol Guerra
Mr. Timothy White

Learning for Independence (LFI)

Learning for Independence (LFI) emphasizes individualized student learning in school and community sites. These classes serve students with mild to moderate mental retardation and/or multiple disabilities. These students learn functional life skills and basic academics in the context of general school environments and in community settings. The students are often included in general education learning environments with adapted curriculum.

Teachers	LFI Paraeducators:
Ms. Joan Locastro	Ms. Marie Harvey
Ms. Lauren Minor	Ms. Christianah Oladiran

The School/Community Based Program (SCB)

The SCB serves students with mild/moderate to severe and profound handicaps. The program emphasizes individualized instruction in regular schools and real community and work environments. The school/community-based program model includes the following components: (a) Age-Appropriate Classes; (b) Heterogeneous Groupings; (c) Planned Peer Interactions; (d) Individualized Instruction; (e) Transition.

Teachers	SCB Paraeducators
Mr. Jordan Casey	Ms. Shirlita Baker
Ms. Elizabeth Finner	Mr. Jim Bort
Ms. Kerri Mullins-Levine	Ms. Stephanie Gray
	Ms. Judith Northrup
	Ms. Shelda Phillip
	Ms. Michelle Phang
	Ms. Vikki Urubshurow
	Ms. Robert White

Speech-Language Department

The speech-language pathologists at Wheaton High school Provide service to students with communication disorders involving articulation, fluency, oral language, or voice. Services range from consultation to direct intervention and are provided across settings and in collaboration with teachers.