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 Rosewood Elementary International School IB PYP Special Education Needs Policy Rosewood Elementary International School is a globally minded school that provides students with both a worldwide perspective and a strong connection to the local communities in which we live. Statement of Philosophy: At Rosewood Elementary International School, we believe that all learners have unique needs to consider when assisting students to meet or exceed their full academic and social potential. Our staff utilizes multiple approaches and support systems that address the individual needs and learning styles of our students. Instruction is provided through a variety of models including consultative, collaborative and inclusive, as well as pull-­‐out resource services and specialized services and programs. In addition to our instructional staff, there are a variety of related services provided to students at our school. These include gifted and talented services, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-­‐language therapy, applied behavior analysis therapy, and psycho-­‐educational evaluations and consultations. Parents are viewed as partners in education at Rosewood. They are actively involved in progress monitoring and developing goals for their child’s learning. As a team, we readily conference with parents to provide opportunities to brainstorm ideas, discuss and plan interventions, and provide information and support for the family, as needed. Beliefs -­‐Students have the right to an appropriate education, one grounded in the recognition of their individual differences and unique learning needs -­‐Students must be taught using a curriculum that is responsive to their individual strengths and learning styles. -­‐Curriculum for learning must be founded on Common Core State Standards and the IB philosophy and must allow for acceleration, enrichment and remediation. -­‐The instructional environment for learners must encourage and nurture inquiry, flexibility, and critical and creative thinking. Practices: Differentiation At Rosewood Elementary International School, all students receive instruction that enables them to succeed within the range of their approaches to learning, abilities and interests. Differentiation is utilized as the process of identifying, with each learner, the most effective strategies for achieving agreed goals. Flexible grouping within and among classrooms, tiered lessons, use of pre-­‐assessments and formative assessments to discover students' strengths and areas of focus for targeted instruction, open-­‐ended learning engagements, and provision of materials (such as leveled reading materials, enrichment packets, choice menus, and online reading/math programs) designed to address students' level of readiness are some examples. Response to Intervention Services Rosewood Elementary International School employs the Rock Hill School District’s Response to Intervention (RTI) model as the starting point to identify and serve students who need additional academic or behavioral support to make satisfactory progress towards meeting grade level expectations. The RTI process includes support for students, parents and teachers. Teachers or parents can refer a child who is not making adequate progress. Our RTI team is comprised of classroom teachers, guidance counselor, and assistant principal to provide and brainstorm ideas for teachers to implement in the classroom. Classroom interventions based on recommendations provided by Rosewood’s RTI team are implemented and data is collected weekly to progress monitor students. If the student shows adequate progress with the provided interventions then these interventions will continue. If not, new interventions are developed and utilized. If a student does not show growth after several interventions have been attempted, he/she is referred for evaluation. Evaluations include cognitive and academic testing. Testing for speech, behavior and physical/motor skills are also conducted, if determined to be appropriate. Special Education Services Students who qualify for special education services receive daily or weekly support from the school special education resource staff. Students’ academic deficits are addressed with research-­‐based curriculum in reading, math and writing using a pull-­‐out and/or push-­‐in model. The majority of Rosewood’s students receiving special education support have a specific learning disability. Our special education staff collaborates closely with classroom teachers to assist in providing modifications in the classroom so students can participate in the general/PYP curriculum. Gifted and Talented Services Rosewood follows the Rock Hill School District’s guidelines for the Gifted and Talented Program. The purpose of the program is to provide identified students with educational opportunities designed to address their academic talents and abilities. This state funded elementary program serves students in grades 3-­‐5. Students are identified in other areas of qualification: Verbal and/or Non-­‐verbal. Identified students typically learn faster, desire greater depth of content, and concentrate on tasks for longer lengths of time. South Carolina State regulations provide the framework for implementing services. Rock Hill Schools Gifted and Talented instruction emphasizes the development of critical thinking and communication skills through a variety of instructional materials and learning experiences. Critical thinking strategies of seeking ideas, gathering information, and investigating concepts are integrated into activities and accurately aligns with the IB PYP. Project-­‐based learning, shared inquiry, strengthening interpersonal group skills, and expanding depth of skills are examples of instructional components that also correlate with the IB philosophy. Our district’s mission for GT students is to maximize the potential of our students by providing academic and artistic programs and services that match the unique characteristics and needs of these learners. Policy Review: As a staff, we will review our SEN policy annually. References: James Bonham Elementary: http://bonham.mcallenisd.org/pages/BonhamES/Links/I_B__World_School/Policies/Special_Needs_
Policy McGraw Elementary: https://mcg.psdschools.org/international-­‐baccalaureate/mcgraw-­‐special-­‐
education-­‐needs-­‐policy Rock Hill School District: http://www.rock-­‐hill.k12.sc.us Special educational needs within the International Baccalaureate programmes: http://www.greshams.com/resource.aspx?id=27062 (2009). PYP -­‐ Making it happen: A curriculum framework for international primary education. www.ibo.org