Parkway School District Special Services
NON-DISCRIMINATION/ACCOMMODATION NOTICE
The Parkway School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, or disability in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs or activities. If an otherwise qualified person with a disability needs accommodations to attend or participate in a school or District activity, please contact a staff member responsible for that event at least four (4) business days in advance. Questions, concerns, or requests for information/assistance can also be directed to the designated District coordinator for each applicable federal law.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES/SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Students with disabilities are protected by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and, when eligible, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA-2004). Students with disabilities are entitled to a “free appropriate public education” (FAPE), which is defined by the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Individualized Accommodation Plan (IAP). Parents/guardians who believe their child may have a disability can initiate the special education and/or Section 504 “identification” process by making a request to school staff. When staff have significant concerns about a student, they are to initiate the “problem solving” process and, when appropriate, refer the student to the school’s Care Team.
Students between the ages of three (3) and twenty-one (21) residing in St. Louis County, as well as St. Louis City residents attending Parkway schools, are eligible for special education and related services offered by the Special School District (SSD) of St. Louis County if they are diagnosed with educational disabilities. The SSD also provides special education and audiological evaluations, hearing and speech/language screening services, Special Non-Public Access Program (SNAP) special education services for students with educational disabilities attending private/parochial schools, and a variety of adult education and “transitional” programs. Homebound instruction for home or hospital-bound students (both with and without disabilities) and applied technology/vocational programming are also available. Parkway provides accommodations and services for students with Section 504 disabilities who are not eligible for services from the SSD.
Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), parents have the right to review, request amendment of, and file complaints concerning the content or maintenance of personally identifiable information about their children. The rights of individuals with disabilities are available upon request from school staff or the Parkway Special Services Department. Appeals of disability related decisions should be submitted in writing to the Parkway and/or SSD Superintendents of Schools.
Questions or requests for assistance/information should be directed to the student’s guidance counselor, the school’s special education Administrative Team Rob Gaugh and Sue Campbell, or to Parkway’s Special Services Department at the Administrative Center (@ 314-415-8071).
Parent Advisory Council for Children with Disabilities (PACCD)
If your child receives special education services, has been diagnosed with a Section 504 disability, or is suspected of having a disability (i.e., being referred/evaluated), Parkway welcomes your involvement in a volunteer parent organization committed to securing quality education for students with special needs. Parents have opportunities to become involved with the PACCD at both the school and district levels.
Each school has one or more parent representatives who select and advise a district-level steering committee. The steering committee meets with Parkway and Special School District (SSD) administrators and acts in an advisory capacity regarding programs and services for students with disabilities. The organization also provides support and information to parents and sponsors general meetings for anyone interested in attending.
If you have questions, want assistance or information, and/or would like to be a PACCD representative for your child’s school, please contact the school’s PACCD representative(s) Rob Gaugh, special education Administrative Team Rob Gaugh and Sue Campbell, or Parkway’s Special Services Department at the Administrative Center (@ 415-8071). The PACCD website is www.paccd.org. The email for the organization is info@paccd.org.
Care Team/”Problem Solving
All Parkway schools utilize a Care Team and “problem solving” model for addressing concerns of any type that arise at school about a student. A Care Team is a group of professional staff representing a variety of disciplines. These may include general education, guidance and counseling, administration, school health/nursing, special education, speech/language pathology, school social work, and school psychology.
To the extent warranted, the “problem solving” process involves problem identification (i.e., definition and analysis), the development and implementation of supports/interventions, evaluation of their effectiveness, and, as needed, referral (e.g., for assistance, additional assessment, or services). This process is based on systematic data collection and analysis, documentation, consideration of all relevant and available information, and hypotheses development/testing. Care Teams rely on existing educational information and staff input, but also collect additional data through the intervention process and, when necessary, individual student assessment. Informed parent consent generally will be obtained before any student is individually assessed by a member of the school staff UNLESS the assessment is part of the District’s screening activities (i.e., something done with a particular group of students) or the normal instructional process (i.e., reading assessments).
Care Teams also encourage parents to provide any and all relevant information, including from outside professionals or agencies, about their children. Questions about Care Teams and the “problem solving” process should be directed to guidance counselors or school administrators.