Journey Towards Inclusion
Presenters:
Mike Jamison, Principal
Sara Durtschi, School Psychologist
Cassie Perkins, General Education Teacher
Amy Losacker, Learning Strategy Teacher
What is SWIFT?
SWIFT is a national K-8 center that
provides academic and behavioral
support to promote the learning and
academic achievement of all
students, including students with
disabilities and those with the most
extensive needs
* University of Kansas $26,000,000
five year federal grant to study and
disseminate best practices
* www.swiftschools.org
Five Domains and Features
* Administrative Leadership
* Multi-Tiered System of Support
* Integrated Educational Framework
* Family & Community Engagement
* Inclusive Policy Structure & Practice
SWIFT Selection Process
* Sought Exemplar
Elem. & Middle Schools
as models of best
practice
* Nationwide nomination
process
* Identified ~ 60-70 sites
* Phone Screening with
Building Principal ~ 11
sites
* Two Day Site Visits final selection of six
buildings to research
* Willard Middle School (6-8), Berkeley, Ca.
* WISH Charter School (K-5), Los Angeles, Ca.
* Hawthorn Elementary (3-4), Camdenton. Mo.
* Newberry Elementary (K-4), Newberry, Fl.
* William Henderson Inclusion School (K-5),
Boston Ma.
* Fox Prairie Elementary (K-5), Stoughton, Wi.
Demographics
Our School and Community
Stoughton pop. 12,500 & SASD serves ~ 17,000
Fox Prairie K–5, 415 students
85% White, 15% of color
26% qualify for free or reduced lunch
8.7% identified with a disability
4.8% ESL
Staffing
Nineteen Classrooms
Average Size: K-2 ~ 19 per room
3- 5 ~ 24 per room
* 3 Learning Strategists
* 1 S&L Clinician
* 2 Reading Specialists
* 1 ESL Teacher
* 1 School Psychologist
* .3 Guidance Counselor
* .2 Social Worker
Where We Started
15 Years Ago ….
* 18.7% incidence rate - 3rd highest in Wisconsin
* Terrible outcomes for all Kids, esp. SwD
* Students not part of their neighborhood school
* All SwD defaulted to pull-out service K-12
* High School SwD Graduation Rate
monitored by state
* Best thing that could have happened to us
* Ugly data led to change
History
★ 2003-2004 Pupil Nondiscrimination
Report
★ 2006 Fox Prairie BSDT Survey given to all
staff
★ 2004 Pupil Services Delivery Committee
formed (DSDT)
○ Analyzed:
★ 2007 Focused Monitoring
○ Improvement Plan
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Philosophical perceptions
Strengths of student services
Areas of Need
Data
Staff development needed
Staffing needs
★ 2005 Building Service Delivery Team
formed (BSDT)
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Engagement of parents
Analyze policies & practices (IEPs)
Professional development for staff
around dropout prevention
Additional learning opportunities for
students
★ By 2009:
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9% incident rate @ Fox Prairie
10% incident rate for District
Renamed DSDT/BSDT as Integrated
Comprehensive Services (ICS)
Helpful Resources
Learning:
Meeting the Needs of Students of ALL Abilities
Training:
★ Paula Kluth
★ Patrick Schwarz
★ Elise Frattura
From Disability to Possibility
Reflective Results
★ BSDT/ICS formed
★ Cross Categorical model
★ Special education staff trained in
all disability areas
★ Renamed to Learning Strategists
(spec ed, ELL, etc.)
★ Created IEP-at-a-Glance
★ Facilitated IEPs
★ Aligned with grade levels not
disability area
★ Common planning time created
★ Co-teaching
★ Pull-out to Push-in
★ Social justice for ALL
★ Purposeful scheduling
★ Natural proportions
Student Placement
★ Grade level teams and learning
strategists come together to
create class lists
★ Purposeful student class
placement
★ Emphasis on natural proportions
Co-teaching/Differentiation
★ Collaboration with the experts in
our building
★ Teachers and learning strategists
started co-teaching in many
different ways
★ Teachers started differentiating
instruction based on individual
student needs
★ Common time is needed for
planning
Academic Intervention
★ Master schedule is based
around an intervention
time for each grade level
★ Grade-level team
members, learning
strategists, and EAs are
available at this time for
interventions
★ Students receive “what
they need”
Data Team Meetings
★ Teams collaborate and discuss
strategies around behavior,
academic, and social needs
★ Data teams reflect on practices
and to see if correct interventions
are being implemented
Data Team Meetings
★ Meetings are led by the
grade- level Strategic
Leaders
★ Teams meet on a weekly
basis
★ Based on data, decisions are
made in the best interest of
the students
Building Consultation Team
BIP’s and FBA’s
★ Behavior needs to be in check to see
academic gains
★ Take the time up front to gather the
information to make an appropriate plan
★ Give your intervention time to work
Meetings & Paperwork
Summer Planning
Summer Planning
* Set Intervention Blocks
Interventions Assigned
* Common “Encore” Time p/grade
Support
* Summer: 15 staff set * Class Lists Set
EA’s assigned to Interven. Blks.
* Tier 3
* Specific Student IEP
* ESL Support
*
EA Licensure/Scheduling
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All EA’s Required to become EEN Certified
EA Job Descriptions and Rate of Pay
Every EA potentially supports SwD
Schedule Interventions and Student Support First, Production Last
Success!!!
Questions and Answers
School Website:
http://www.stoughton.k12.wi.us/
Mike Jamison:
mjamo@charter.net
Sara Durtschi:
sara.durtschi@stoughton.k12.wi.us
Cassie Perkins:
cassie.perkins@stoughton.k12.wi.us
Amy Losacker:
amy.losacker@stoughton.k12.wi.us