Beacon expands co-teaching, in-class therapy and launches Astra clinic at Rombout

Heather Chadwell Dennis, assistant superintendent for pupil personnel services, presented the district's strategic planning for inclusion and related services at the Oct. 6 Beacon City School District Board meeting, describing expanded integrated co-teaching, new sensory and quiet spaces in classrooms and hallways, and a newly established Astra clinic at Rombout.

Chadwell Dennis said the district has been piloting an inclusive co-teaching model (integrated co-teaching) and expanding professional development, coaching and monthly office hours for teachers. She cited specific participation numbers from a district survey: 30 elementary survey returns, 15 from Rombout, and 30 from Beacon High School for the integrated co-teaching pairs. The district is moving toward pairing special education teachers who are dual-certified with subject areas where they hold certification so those teachers "are teaching in a content that they feel strong in," she said.

The presentation included several classroom examples of co-teaching models (station rotation, small-group instruction and push-in related services). Chadwell Dennis described successes—more inclusive classrooms, effective small-group instruction, professional growth for teachers—and challenges including scheduling, differing teaching styles among co-teachers and staff absences.

On related services, she showed examples of occupational therapy, speech-language services and sensory supports delivered inside general-education classrooms rather than in pull-out therapy rooms. The district reported that 50 teachers indicated alternative seating is present in their classrooms; buildings have sensory boards and quiet spaces and the district is expanding those resources so students can regulate without leaving the learning environment.

Mental health and school-based clinical services were a central piece of the presentation. The district has opened an Astra clinic at Rombout; Chadwell Dennis said the clinic literally just started and the district currently has one student accessing services there but is "expecting up to 30." The clinic provides school-based outpatient counseling, psychiatric referral pathways and family therapy; families do not pay for the services, but standard intake paperwork is required and referrals are coordinated through school guidance counselors. Funding is predominantly through Dutchess County Medicaid or insurance, with a small district contract covering management pieces not reimbursed by Medicaid.

Chadwell Dennis also described a short-term program for students with school anxiety (referred to in the presentation as the "Bridal program") designed to provide academic access while students gradually re-engage with the school day. The district highlighted partnerships for community engagement and parent support with the Westchester Institute for Human Development and Putnam Independent Living Services; Chadwell Dennis said presentations will include material prepared by the New York State Education Department for nuts-and-bolts special-education guidance.

Student representatives and board members asked implementation questions: how students are referred to school-based clinics (through guidance counselors), whether families are charged (they are not), how families will learn about the service (outreach and staff communication are planned) and whether families may participate in therapy (yes; the Astra clinician has flexible hours to accommodate family therapy). Chadwell Dennis said the district is still finalizing many logistics now that the clinic is established.

"Inclusion is not a strategy to help people fit into the systems and structures which exist in our societies," Chadwell Dennis said in concluding remarks. "It's about transforming those systems and structures to make it better for everyone."