Woodside Elementary School

Is home to the District’s

Special Programs

• Located in Topsham, Maine

• Nestled in a residential neighborhood

• Opened in 1991

• Has 360 students enrolled in K – 5 grades

• Employs about 60 staff members

• Has a student to teacher ratio: 18:1, (including

students in special programs; 20:1)

• Houses RSU 75’s special programs

» The classrooms are in ‘pods’–

˃centered around a middle

area used for group or

individual activities.

» Each pod has a resource room used for

tier two interventions.

» Grades K – 2 are on the first floor.

» Grades 3 – 5 are on the second floor.

» Special programs use rooms on both

floors.

» The classrooms that each class/grade

use are in the front of the building.

˃The cafeteria and gym with stages in

between are located next to the entrance for

easy access to the public.

˃The main office is immediately to the right

with the nurse’s office and principal’s office

tucked behind.

˃The library, art and music are centered

around the entrance, too.

» The Special programs are located mainly in the center of the building.˃Occupational therapy room includes swings,

therapy balls and matts.

˃The guidance counselor, social worker, speech therapists have their offices located in the middle area both downstairs and upstairs.

˃Special programs use the whole building including the art, gym, and cafeteria, just like all the students.

This is roughly the first floor.

The second floor is similar, only 2/3’s of

the first, leaving off the front section.

The green

indicates

rooms for

special

programs.

» Prevention oriented

» Resource rich

» School within a school

» Changing with the demographics˃ ‘programs change, demographics change, resources

change’

» Positive about children

» Full of problem solvers who work as

» A team

» A three tier approach using Response to

Intervention (RTI)

» First tier is the largest, the general

learning student

» Second tier student needs some help

but gets back into the classroom

» About 15% are in tier two

» Third tier needs more concentrated help

– special needs

» 24 students in special programs

» 9 kindergarteners have special

needs

» Out of 24 students, 12 spend some

time in regular classroom

» First time two special ed teachers

» New behavior program (for past 3

years)

» Two RTI teachers; Chris Lajoie and Andrea Frenz

» Ed techs work with these two teachers

» Two Title One teachers with one ed tech

» Special ed teacher for K – 2

» Special ed teacher for 3 – 5

» Speech Therapist

» Occupational Therapist

» 17 special ed techs listed on website

» Guidance; Helene McGlaughlin serves

tier one students and mild tier two

» Social worker, Sara Eaton, serves tier

two students not in special education

» Psychological examiner serves the

whole district˃ Not located at WES

» Physical Therapist serves the whole

district

» Response to Intervention = RTI

» A systematic response

» 6 week cycles, then evaluate;

» A delayed referral, sometimes

» Psychological referral to psychologist

if still not progressing

» Individualized Education Program, IEP, is created

» Higher tier two and tier three

» Physical disabilities

» Autism spectrum

» Behavioral challenges

» Gift and Talented

» Healthy Learners

» Everyday Math

» Read 180

» Math 180

» Special programs funded through

special education budget

˃ Federally funded with special rules

» Percentage of each community has

special needs children

» Some children stay in their community

school

» Students learning math in small groups within the classroom and in resource rooms

» Children participating in ‘specials’ like art and music

» One on one tutoring

» Children with physical disabilities included in class

» Students mentoring other students in reading

» Lots of integration and adult interaction˃ Fair is giving what is needed, not giving the same to all

» The scope of the services at WES˃ Complexity of the school within the school

» The scope of the interventions available

for children

» Resiliency and the positive approach

» From a mental health perspective –

Interventions help the diagnosable

child as well as the child coming from or

going through a difficult family period