Special education coordinator outlines district programs, assistive tech and transition services

Jen Weber, the district’s special education coordinator, walked the board through special education programming across buildings, stressing inclusive practices, co-teaching models, and investments in evidence-based curricula.

Weber described preschool blended classes with small-group instruction and named staff (Leah Whittaker, Ashley Robinson) and highlighted speech-language supports and social-emotional services. She praised collaborative planning (PLC/benchmark meetings) and noted the district’s curriculum purchases—OG reading programs, UNIQUE functional curricula, PEAK ABA—are intended to give teachers better, targeted materials.

Weber also described classroom-level successes: eye-gaze assistive technology that enabled a nonverbal student to communicate, the life-skills classrooms’ role in teaching independence, and the high-school PEC program that supports job skills and operates a student-run Porter Cafe. She said the district currently has nearly 20 students placed outside the district for more intensive services and listed local transition supports, including the 18–22 program and community partnerships that provide work skills and weekend food-packing programs.

"Our special education program is successful because of our special education teachers and our regular education teachers because we have so many people that see themselves as part of that team," Weber said. Board members thanked Weber and building staff for the presentation.

Weber asked for questions and said she would return with further details if the board requested them.