DESE Back to School Letter Fall 2020

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:

Coordinator of Special Education Services Pre K-12

Athanasia “Soula” Bousios

IEP Team Chairs

Whitney Jablonki, Middle School Grades 6 & 7

Maura Kilbride,  Woburn Street and North Intermediate Schools

Lauren Lebrun, Shawsheen Elementary and West Intermediate Schools

Daniel Miller, Middle School Grade 8 and High School

Diane Sica, Early Intervention, Boutwell and Wildwood Schools

Lori Spencer, Out of District Placements


School Psychologists

Kathryn Connell, West Intermediate School and Wildwood ECC

Anne Ferrara, Woburn Street Elementary and North Intermediate Schools

Suzanne Garbarino, Wilmington High School and Out of District

Patricia (Petra) Roos, Boutwell ECC and Shawsheen Elementary School

Keith Wasserboehr, Middle School

Board Certified Behavior Analysts

Adam Harlow

Allison Sowsy

Dr. Jill Spero, Psy.D.

Location

Special Education is located at:

219 Middlesex Avenue
Wilmington, MA 01887

Phone: 978 694-6032
Fax: 978 657-9764