DESE Back to School Letter Fall 2020
A. What is Special Education?
Special education is specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of the student, and may include related services necessary to benefit from the specially designed instruction. (DESE, TEchnical resource guide, 2001).
B. What is the eligibility criteria for Special Education in Massachusetts? MA DESE
Eligibility Criteria:
- Does your child have one or more of the following disabilities?
- What is a disability?Massachusetts Disability Categories
- Is your child currently making effective progress in school?
- "If the student has one or more of the disabilities defined at 603 CMR 28.02(7) and if, as a result of the disability(ies), the student is unable to progress effectively in the general education program without the provision of specially designed instruction, or is unable to access the general curriculum without the provision of one or more related services, the Team shall determine that the student is eligible." (MA DESE)
- Is the child's lack of effective progress a result of the disability?
- "Consistent with state and federal special education law, the Team shall establish whether a student has a disability(ies) as defined in 603 CMR 28.02(7), determine the type(s) of disability(ies) and shall ensure that the student's inability to progress is a result of the disability(ies) and not a result of an inability to meet the school discipline code, limited English proficiency, social maladjustment, or lack of instruction in reading or math." (MA DESE)
- Does the student require specially designed instruction in order to make effective progress in school or does the student require related services in order to access the general curriculum?
- If the answers to all of the above questions is yes, your child is eligible for special education services in Massachusetts.
Forms:
Parent Notice of Procedural Safeguards
Parents Guide to Special Education
For more information about the special education services that are available in the Wilmington Public School district, please contact a member of the staff below:
Director of Student Support Services
Alice Brown-Le Grand, alice.brown-legrand@wpsk12.com
Coordinator of Behavioral Health and Social Emotional Support
Christine Murray, christine.murray@wpsk12.com
Coordinator of Special Education Services Pre K-12
Athanasia “Soula” Bousios, athanasia.bousios@wpsk12.com
IEP Team Chairpeople
Ann Haskell, ann.haskell@wpsk12.com Boutwell, Shawsheen and West Intermediate School
Whitney Jablonki, whitney.jablonki@wpsk12.com Wilmington Middle School
Maura Kilbride, maura.kilbride@wpsk12.com Wildwood, Woburn Street, North Intermediate School
Daniel Miller, daniel.miller@wpsk12.com Wilmington High School
Lori Spencer, lori.spencer@wpsk12.com Out of District
School Psychologists
Suzanne Garbarino, suzanne.garbarino@wpsk12.com Wilmington High School
Meghan St. Denis, meghan.stdenis@wpsk12.com West Intermediate School
Board Certified Behavior Analysts
Adam Harlow, adam.harlow@wpsk12.com
Allison Sowsy, allison.sowsy@wpsk12.com
Dr. Jill Spero, Ph.d., jill.spero@wpsk12.com