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Watertown district highlights Starbuck Elementary, expands in-district special education classrooms
Summary
District leaders and Starbuck staff showcased student work and described three newly added specialized classrooms — 12:1:3:1 at Starbuck, 8:1:1 at Knickerbocker, and a 12:1:1 life-skills program at Watertown High School — intended to keep students in-district and reduce out-of-district placements.
Watertown City School District leaders and Starbuck Elementary staff used the Board of Education meeting at Starbuck on Monday to spotlight student work and explain three new in-district special education classrooms added for the 2025–26 school year.
District officials and Starbuck staff said the additions — an extra 12:1:3:1 classroom at Starbuck, an 8:1:1 classroom at Knickerbocker, and a 12:1:1 life-skills program at Watertown High School — expand capacity for students with significant cognitive, behavioral and life-skills needs and aim to reduce the number of students sent to out-of-district placements.
The district presentation described the 12:1:3:1 classroom as a self-contained setting for students with “significant cognitive, adaptive, physical, and medical needs” focused on functional life skills, communication and socialization. Brian Gabak, assistant coordinator of special education, said the program’s curriculum is…
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