Somers special services director outlines program needs and transition as she retires

Stacy O'Connor, the district’s special services director who announced she will retire at the end of the school year, delivered the Somers Central School District’s annual special education update on Jan. 6, outlining enrollment, performance indicators and transition plans.

O'Connor said the district currently serves 451 classified students K–12, plus 32 students placed out of district, 20 parentally placed students with IEPs and 14 students at Kennedy with IEPs — 517 students for whom Somers develops IEPs and provides services. "We have the district currently serves 451 classified students in District K 12," she said.

The presentation reviewed state indicators and noted Somers meets many benchmarks but also faces specific challenges. O'Connor flagged the state’s published dropout figure of 5.8 percent (which she said equals 14 students) as misleading for Somers because it does not reflect students who remain in the district longer to obtain diplomas or who complete alternative credentials. "That 5.8 is 14 students," she said, adding that local tracking shows a much higher graduation rate when students who graduate after the cohort year or who earn GEDs or skills‑and‑achievement credentials are counted.

On assessments, O'Connor told the board that participation rates for grades 3–8 among special education students vary widely (as low as about 20 percent to as high as about 80 percent) and that while participation falls short of state participation thresholds, students who do take the tests generally meet mastery measures. She described the state’s seven‑year preschool outcomes review process, which asks districts to submit packets for 20 randomly selected preschoolers to document growth in speech/language, behavior and academic skills.

O'Connor identified one clear area of noncompliance: preschool students in the least restrictive environment (LRE). Somers records about 40 percent of preschool children in LRE placements, below the state threshold of 45 percent. She explained the district is placing more preschoolers in therapeutic, more restrictive settings because children are entering with more significant needs and early intervention may require a more intensive environment.

The report also described increasing intensity of related services, particularly speech, and greater one‑to‑one service hours for students with complex needs. O'Connor explained how service hours and caseloads are determined: professional recommendations from speech, occupational and physical therapists and school psychologists guide IEP service frequency. "The least amount needed to see gain," she said, is the guiding principle for recommendations.

O'Connor outlined program planning and staffing steps as the district prepares for her departure: an "office at a glance" calendar, consolidated process documents and manuals, and continued shadowing and support for the incoming director to ensure continuity. She said screenings for a successor are underway and the board is scheduled to appoint the new director at the Feb. 10 meeting.

Board members thanked O'Connor for her years of service. One member praised both the data she presented and the "soft skills" that helped families feel heard. The workshop adjourned after routine closing business.