Harrison highlights K–12 co‑teaching model and inclusion after Tri‑State review

Harrison Central School District officials presented an overview of the district’s K–12 co‑teaching and inclusion work during the Jan. 22, 2025, Board of Education meeting, describing classroom models, professional development and student outcome data gathered during a recent Tri‑State Consortium visit.

The district’s interim director of English as a New Language (ENL) and world languages, Jen Rinaldo, told the board that “we have a systematic approach to co teaching that spans grades k through 12,” and that the district prepared for a multi‑day review that included classroom visits, teacher and family interviews, and artifact collection.

The Tri‑State visitors completed 25 classroom observations over two days, interviewed about 40 teachers and visited representatives across buildings, the presenters said. The district tied that review to a longer‑running strategy to expand access to International Baccalaureate (IB) coursework and to provide co‑teaching supports across elementary, middle and high school grades.

Presenters and data Melissa Libertino, a special education teacher who co‑teaches IB language and literature, described a teacher‑created “toolbox” of supports aligned with universal design for learning (UDL). “I consider…