Special Education

Welcome!  Thank you for visiting the Pupil Personnel Services Department Homepage. If you are reading this, you are most likely the parent, relative or friend of a child with special needs. Supporting and contributing to the growth of a child with special needs and to the community that provides support to such a child is not only an invaluable contribution but is also an incredible opportunity. Through this site we expect to provide guidance and support to EUSD Special Education families and personnel in the following areas:

Monthly Meetings:  Informal monthly meetings are held from 6:30 - 8:30 pm at 255 Pico Avenue, San Marcos, CA  92069 (Pico is off of San Marcos Blvd. a few streets east of the 78).  The topics for the 2006-07 school year will include: IDEIA updates, developing resources for your family, self-advocacy skills for students, transitioning from high school, an introduction to the NCCSE technology lab, and planning for your child's future. (For more details and directions, please go to:  http://nccse.org/cacmeet.htm).  Meetings provide helpful networking opportunities to not only learn of other resources but also to connect with supportive parents and educators.

Annual Parent Symposium:  This half-day event offers attendees direct access to nonprofit agencies, free workshops addressing current issues in the special education community, and the opportunity to attend special presentations from noted speakers.  This free event is currently scheduled for Saturday, February 10, 2007 and is open to all parents and caregivers of children with special needs who attend schools within the NCCSE region .  For more information on this event, please contact the CAC directly at:  lhough@sdcoe.k12.ca.us or call 760-761-5120.

Mailing List:  If you would like to receive updates on CAC meetings and other special education related events, please consider joining the CAC mailing list by going to: http://nccse.org/maillist.htm.

Early Intervention Pre-School Program

The Encinitas Union School District Early Intervention Program offers assessments and Special Education services to preschool-age children with special needs.  Three- and four-year old students are evaluated to determine eligibility for Special Education. Referrals for evaluations can be made by parents, pediatricians, private preschools, or outside agencies.  The Early Intervention Team typically uses a multidisciplinary approach to assessments, which include standardized testing, play-based assessments, observations, interviews, and rating scales. 

The Early Intervention Program consists of 2 classrooms serving students with moderate to severe needs and 1 classroom serving students with mild to moderate needs.  An on-site Head Start preschool program works in collaboration with special needs classrooms to provide mainstreaming opportunities and age appropriate peers.  This model allows for maximum opportunities for integration of special needs children with typically developing children while receiving specially designed instruction. 

Classrooms follow daily schedules similar to typical preschool programs with modifications and specialized programs as needed.  Classroom teachers and instructional assistants are trained in a variety of teaching and behavioral strategies. 

The Early Intervention Program offers Designated Instruction Services (DIS) including Speech and Language Specialist, Occupational Therapist, Adapted Physical Education Specialist, Physical Therapist, Behavior Specialist, School Psychologist, and District Nurse.  NCCSE itinerant services are available for deaf and hard of hearing, vision impaired, and non-ambulatory students.  DIS services are provided to address each child’s specific needs.  The students receive these services in small group and/or individual instruction during the school day, both inside and outside of their classroom.

Collaborative teaching is a critical element of the Early Intervention Program.  Collaboration is ongoing between classroom teachers and specialists.  Monthly themes are planned with many enriching activities such as music, community outings, and a motor language lab.  These activities offer students varied opportunities for success in reaching their goals in a fun, engaging, active environment.

The Early Intervention Program is the proud recipient of the Golden Bell Award, sponsored by the California School Boards Association (CSBA), which promotes excellence in Education by recognizing outstanding programs in school districts and county offices of education throughout California. 

Special Invitations

The ABCs of IEPs for Parents

PARTNERSHIPS THAT WORK FOR YOUR CHILD
COLABORACIÓN EN EL PROCESO PARA EDUCACIÓN ESPECIAL QUE FUNCIONE PARA SU HIJO(A)
APPLYING BEHAVIOR PRINCIPLES AT HOME
BUILDING SOCIAL SKILLS
Helping Children with Autism Learn
SPECIAL EDUCATION PROCESSPARTNERSHIPS THAT WORK FOR YOUR CHILD
COLABORACIÓN EN EL PROCESO PARA EDUCACIÓN ESPECIAL QUE FUNCIONE PARA SU HIJO(A)

 

Community Advisory Committee (CAC)

The Community Advisory Committee (or CAC) is one of the many resources that will help you support and contribute to the special needs community.  As a collaborative volunteer committee of parents and school staff from 14 school districts who are members of the North Coastal Consortium for Special Education (NCCSE), the CAC performs a number of functions including the supervision of the superintendents of the 14 member districts on issues affecting the special education programs, the holding of monthly educational meetings for the public, the hosting of an annual parent symposium and the formal recognition of parents, teachers, students and others for their positive impact on the life of a child or lives of children with special needs.

Announcements from February 2008 NCCSE Community Advisory Committee meeting

CAC Newsletter, June 2007

Irene Elliott
Director of Pupil Personnel Services