MERRICK MERRICK EDUCATIONAL EDUCATIONAL

CENTERCENTER

Merrick Educational Center

• Miami-Dade County Public School

• Providing Three Distinct Programs

• Serving Students Throughout Miami-Dade County

Three Programs:

• Hospital/Homebound Instructional Program

• School-Based Program for Students with Disabilities

• Alternative Telecommunications

School Based Program

• Five Classrooms– Teacher and two paraprofessionals– No more than 10 students

• Students with Intellectual Disabilities• Physical Impairments• Nursing Services• Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy

Three Departments within the Homebound Program:

• Community Based• Itinerant• Teleclass

Community Based Program

• Students with Intellectual Disabilities– Who are also homebound for medical reasons

• Teacher visits student twice each week in their home

• Modified Curriculum (no FCAT)

Hospital/Homebound Instructional Program

• Itinerant Teachers– All Grades K – 5– Some Secondary

• Teleclass– Most Secondary (grades 6 – 12)

Why Homebound?LeukemiaBrain TumorOsteosarcomaOrgan Transplants

Heart, Liver, Multiple visceralScoliosis SurgeryTraumatic Brain InjurySickle Cell AnemiaSystemic LupusEncephalitisMajor Depressive DisorderBipolar DisorderAnxiety DisordersDigestive Disorders

Irrititable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s DiseaseMultiple Bone FracturesMuscular DystrophyUncontrolled Seizures

Itinerant Teachers • Teacher visits student twice

each week– In the home– In the hospital

• Teaches all subjects• Students earn grades• Students take FCAT at home

or hospital• General Curriculum or• Modified Curriculum

Teleclass

• Grades 6 – 12• General Curriculum Only• Classes conducted via telephone

with other homebound students• Transitioning into Computer

Webcasts• Classes meet 3x/wk in– Language Arts– Math– Science– Social Studies

• Classes meet 2x/wk in Electives

Teleclass TeachersTeaching Homebound Students Over The Phone

How to Access Hospital/Homebound

• Parent completes Section I of the Request for Consideration of Enrollment in the Homebound/Hospitalized Instructional Program has the student’s physician complete Section II. (FM-5539)

• Parent completes the Mutual Exchange of Information (FM-2128) so we can talk to the physician if needed

• Parent faxes completed forms to Merrick at 305-447-3761

• Forms will be reviewed to ensure eligibility

• Intake teacher at Merrick will contact parent to schedule intake IEP meeting at Merrick

• Intake meeting will be held; service delivery method will be determined

• Merrick registrar will contact home school registrar to withdraw student

• Merrick will enroll student

• Teleclass or Itinerant services will begin

A word about grades. . . .• Student needs to bring transfer grades when they leave home school and enroll at Merrick.

• Merrick cannot give grades for the time BEFORE a student was enrolled in Merrick.

• Students are often absent from the home school for a significant time before enrolling in Merrick.

• In the best case, the student is provided make-up work to complete and submit to the home school while absent, so the teacher(s) can provide transfer grades when they leave the home school.

What happens when it’s time to return to home school?

• Medical must be expired, or

• Physician must provide release (FM-6886); clearing student to return to traditional school

• Interim IEP Meeting is held at Merrick to release student from placement as Homebound.

If the student and family show up at the home school, without having a dismissal IEP meeting first, they will not be able to enroll in the home school.

IMPORTANT

• When the dismissal IEP meeting is held, Merrick notifies the home school of dismissal

• Merrick enters dismissal date on PF17; eliminates matrix domain rating on PF17

• Merrick withdraws student W02

• Student returns to home school and registers

• IF student has another exceptionality, home school conducts new IEP meeting within 10 days of return

Alternative Telecommunications• Students are assigned to study

from home• ONLY THE DIVISION OF

ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION CAN PLACE STUDENTS IN THIS PROGRAM

• Access is highly restricted• Students are in class via telephone

5 days per week, 7:30 – 2:30• Grades 6 – 12• General Curriculum• Turn-around opportunity

Alternative Telecommunication (ATC) Teachers

Merrick Educational Center(305) 445-5188

merrick.vpweb.comdwehking@dadeschools.net