Wildwood Schools Mission is to educate students with autism spectrum - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Wildwood School’s Mission is to educate students with autism spectrum disorders, neurological impairments and complex learning disabilities by developing skills to live, work and recreate at their highest level of independence.

The vision of Wildwood School is to be recognized as a school of distinction rooted in best practice and innovation.

Wildwood School’s Vision

Director of Education Cheryl Marcella Associate Director of Operations Cindy Riggi Associate Director for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessments Heather Quinn Assistant to the Assoc. Director for Operations and Medicaid Coordinator Gabi Hastings Assistant to the Assoc. Director for C.I.A. and Student Information Systems Specialist Kim Witkowski Assistant to the Director and Intake Coordinator Nancy Robochik

Wildwood School’s Administrative Structure

Associate Director

• f Operations

Cindy Riggi

Occupational Therapy Department Supervisor: Heather Isabelle Physical Therapy Department Supervisor: Cheryl Nelson Social Work Department Supervisors: Maureen Behuniak (Elem. & Inter.) Sue Frost (HS & YAP) Speech & Language Department Supervisor: Beth Turner Nursing Department Supervisor: Kim Perrine

Admissions Teaching Assistants Sarah Collins

Associate Director for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessments Heather Quinn Behavior Support Department Supervisor: Meghan Whelan Technology Department Supervisor: Heather Quinn Physical Education Department Supervisor: Heather Quinn Music Therapy Department Supervisor: Beth McLaughlin Work Based Learning Department Supervisor: Ron Gordon Transition Department Supervisor: Diane Woodward Program Coordinator for Instruction Elementary Program Heather Quinn Program Coordinator for Instruction Intermediate Program Laura Schaefer Program Coordinator for Instruction High School Program Stacey Jantzen Program Coordinator for Instruction Young Adult Program Matthew Wright Art Department Supervisor: Heather Quinn

FOUR PROGRAM LEVELS

• Elementary (Students Grades K-5)

Program Coordinator for Instruction: Heather Quinn

• Intermediate (Students Grades 6-8)

Program Coordinator for Instruction: Laura Schaefer

• High School (Students Grades 9-12)

Program Coordinator for Instruction: Stacey Jantzen

• Young Adult (Students 18-21 yrs)

Program Coordinator for Instruction: Matthew Wright

ELEMENTARY PROGRAM

• Classroom teams are working collaboratively within their

program level to develop common languages across the 4 classrooms

• Class sizes are small and staff intensive to place an

emphasis on student learning and skills

• Program expectations are in place so that all staff have

common knowledge of what is important for our students

ELEMENTARY PROGRAM CONTINUED

• Focuses on the early developmental pre-requisite skills

that students need

• Strong emphasis on communication development, skill

acquisition, and decreasing socially significant behaviors

INTERMEDIATE PROGRAM

• Developing an outstanding curriculum that supports

grade level expectations set forth by the State of New York without losing sight of the fundamental life skills necessary to achieve our mission.

• Together, we have developed 10 Essential

Outcomes that reflect necessary skill in the areas of:

• Safety
• Self-awareness
• Relationship building
• Health
• Hygiene
• Curriculum mapping initiative supports the

collaborative efforts of our PLC and clearly defines the instructional methods that will ensure student achievement.

INTERMEDIATE PROGRAM CONTINUED

HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM

• Five cross-classrooms based on student’s cognitive

abilities and academic needs

• All five groups are learning the same content
• Collaboration between classrooms through the use of

cross-classrooming for our science and social studies curriculum

• Overall outcomes are:
• Advance communication skills
• Develop peer relationships
• Develop leisure skills
• Students participate in the Work Training

Center, practicing skills that will transfer to the workforce

• Students participate in a Foundations of Work class
• Students participate in weekly health class, in which the

Physical Education Teacher is the instructor

HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM CONTINUED

YOUNG ADULT PROGRAM LATHAM

• Composed of six classrooms and seventy-two students
• Students are focused on the following skill areas:
• Functional Academics
• Communication (workplace and social)
• ADL’s
• Self-advocacy
• Safety (Home, School, Community)
• Prevocational and work skills
• Transition to the community

• Students have the opportunity to practice skills/tasks in

the classroom, Work Training Center, Training Apartment, and Community Worksites.

• Focus is on post-graduation preparation

YOUNG ADULT PROGRAM CONTINUED

NEW INITIATIVE: PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES (PLC’S)

Overall goal for staff members to work together in collaborative teams to:

• Clarify what students must learn
• Gather evidence of student learning
• Analyze that evidence
• Identify powerful teaching strategies

PLC Format is driven by our Professional Development Plan

• Trainings on Staff Days for all staff
• Structured Process
• Clarify what each student must learn by the end of each

level

• Developed Essential Outcomes for program levels and

departments

• Establish benchmarks that will lead to success

• Analyze the results
• Identify and implement improvement strategies
• Continuous process of collaboration within designated

staff time and throughout each day

• Clarify what staff outcomes are needed to be successful

for students to meet their essential outcomes

• Program levels and department teams present to the PDP
• n progress with PLC’s and to get support when needed

WWS Action Planning Groups

Curriculum Framework Action Group Behavior Support Systems Action Group Technology Action Group Hiring, Appraisals, & Orientation Action Group Professional Development Action Group Data Action Group Assessment Action Group

All Working Together…

CURRICULUM INITATIVES ELEMENTARY LEVEL:

The Autism Curriculum Encyclopedia (ACE) at the Elementary Level:

• The ACE is the culmination of over 35 years of research

and practice conducted at The New England Center for Children (NECC), a leader in the fields of ABA and Autism

• The ACE provides an interactive database containing

assessment tools, lesson plans, teaching materials, and student performance reports for over 1,300 skills drawn from the curriculum used at NECC (www.acenecc.org)

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL:

The Intermediate Level has begun curriculum mapping with the use of Rubicon Atlas Our Goals:

• To streamline instruction and provide continuity in

skills taught across all classrooms and prevent the “re- teaching” of learned skills

• To define a common method in which materials are

stored and shared

• To establish a clear connection between our

Essential Outcomes and the Common Core Learning Standards

• To band grades so each teacher can access

instructional materials based on student age and grade level

• To enable administrative leaders, school districts,

and parents to see we are planning for students' educational careers and what supports are needed to ensure success

• Each class at the Intermediate Level educates students

ranging from grades 6 to 8.

• Grade banding was established in an effort to reach the

individual needs of each student through the collaborative effort of all 6 teachers.

• Banding is as follows:
• 6th grade: Classes 5 & 6
• 7th grade: Classes 7 & 8
• 8th grade: Classes 9 and 10

NEW POSITION: Instructional Technology Specialist

• Collaborate with teachers and instructional staff to develop

curriculum materials and lesson plans that integrate technology

• Provide training in the use of technology as it relates to the

development of instruction

• Facilitate school participation in technology programs through

curriculum methodologies

• Implement best practice related to technology use in school,

based on research, pilot programs, and state/national standards

• Ensure the integration of technology in all curriculum areas

and across all ages.

• Serve as the school contact for selecting instructional

programs (apps, software, etc).

DATA TO DRIVE INSTRUCTION

• By developing these opportunities for our students and

staff at Wildwood School we will better be able to use data to drive our instruction

• Through systematic processes data will be examined

daily and decisions made so that students are always learning

NEW POSITION: Student Information Systems Specialist

• Manage IEP Direct Student Information System and Train New

Users

• Oversee all active student information for Wildwood School
• Respond to inquiries and request for data information from IEP

Direct and FileMaker Pro databases

• Organize and prepare system software documentation,

procedural documentation and operation instructions for promoting efficient utilization of system software

• Manage User Accounts, security setup, and custom screens
• Manage the compliance of student paperwork cycle
• Creates and maintains Behavior Database and create reports

from this database

The Behavior Support Team:

• Consists of one Lead, three Behavior Specialist (BS), and
• ne

Behavior Specialist Assistant (BSA)

• The BSA position is new this year to assist across all

levels, work alongside the Lead Behavior Specialist, and help support teams that may need longer term individualized programs

• Each program level has a BS
• Three BCBA’s on site; two more to be certified in January,

and three other staff in process

The Behavior Support Team will be utilizing Behavior Analytic Principles to:

• Assess challenging behavior with Functional Behavior Assessment and

Functional Analysis

• Teach and model specific protocol and proactive strategies
• Assist teams with documentation and using data to make decisions
• Assist with the implementation of individual programs
• Write Behavior Plans collaboratively with teams
• Consult with families regarding behavior challenges
• Provide support to teams during behavior crisis
• Researching proactive models for possible implementation (PBIS)

MASTER PLAN FOR OUR ALTAMONT LOCATION

THANK YOU!!!