Kindergarten through grade 4 students demonstrating a need for additional support in learning to read will receive services from a Literacy Assistant. Intervention is an extension of the regular education curriculum and is monitored through the RtI system. Literacy intervention assistants are supervised by the Reading Specialist and work with individual or small groups of students during the regular school day. Students who receive literacy intervention generally make great gains and often move out of the program once they learn fundamental reading strategies. Regular education assessment data and teacher referral is used to determine which students would benefit most from literacy intervention. Intervention programs are research-based and are part of Chatham Elementary School’s commitment to best teaching practices and as such are considered part of the regular education curriculum. Caregivers will receive communication that this intervention is occuring. Caregiver permission is not required.

Math support is designed to provide students in grades K-4 with additional support in learning mathematical concepts. Math intervention is an extension of the regular education curriculum and monitored through the RtI system. Students demonstrating a need for additional support  may work with a Math intervention assistant in small groups. Math interventions are research-based and are part of Chatham Elementary School’s commitment to best practices and as such are considered part of the regular education curriculum. Caregivers will receive communication that this intervention is occuring. Caregiver permission is not required.

CES guidance counselor works with teachers, caregivers and students to teach respect, responsibility, compassion, integrity, and conflict resolution. The counselor also works with individual or small groups of children to facilitate friendships and to assist with school adjustment issues. At various times throughout the year, students may meet with counselors to discuss school-related issues.  Caregiver notification is not required for these occasions as this support service is one aspect of the regular education program.  

Students may also receive interventions from the guidance counselor on a regular basis. These services are available to an individual or groups of students for social skills education and/or school adjustment issues and are a part of the RtI system. Caregivers will be notified but permission is not required. Consultation services for parents and guardians are also available. The guidance counselor often serves as a liaison to agencies outside the school and can provide a list of resources to facilitate caregiver’s access to child and family welfare services.

Our School Counselors and Psychologists provide support for students with social, behavioral and emotional needs that adversely impact their educational experience at school. The Principal and Assistant Principal serve as the school’s disciplinarians as needed and collaborate regularly with the school counselors and psychologists. Students may be referred to Guidance by the Principal/Assistant Principal or staff to resolve behavioral and socialization problems. Additionally, school counselors and psychologists are a resource to classroom teachers to help with the implementation of strategies to support students’ whose behavior or social difficulties are adversely affecting the classroom, playground, cafeteria and/or the school as a whole. 

The Monomoy Regional School District recognizes that from time to time circumstances may occur within the school community which constitute a crisis and require prompt and immediate action. A crisis is defined as a tragedy, disaster, or a dangerous situation occurring during or after school hours, which could profoundly impact students, staff and/or parents/ guardians. Monomoy Regional High School has trained personnel available to attempt to prevent a crisis or to intervene when a crisis occurs. Support services are available from Guidance Counselors, School Psychologists, the School Nurse, and other trained faculty for dealing with any situation that could profoundly impact students, staff, and parents/ guardians. Anyone may make a referral through the Guidance Office. In order to assist school staff in identifying and helping students who may be in crisis, all students are encouraged to report to a teacher, school nurse, guidance counselors, or the Principal/Assistant Principals any student behavior which may be troubling such as talk of depression, suicide, or any other strange behavior. All student reports will be held in strict confidence.

The faculty and staff of the Monomoy Regional School District are mandated by law to promptly report any suspected case of child abuse or neglect. Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 119, Section 51A, a mandated reporter who has reasonable cause to believe that a child under the age of eighteen years is suffering physical or emotional injury resulting from abuse including sexual abuse, or from neglect, shall immediately report such condition to the Department of Children and Families (DCF). Mandated school reporters include teachers, educational administrators, psychologists, attendance officers, social workers, day care providers and healthcare professionals. Parents/ guardians or other individuals may also report suspected abuse/neglect to the DCF through the At-Risk Hotline: 800-792-5200.

Special education, under federal and state mandates, provides services to children from the ages of 3 to 22 who have been diagnosed with certain disabilities that impact their learning. Monomoy Regional School District strives to provide high quality programs to meet the unique learning needs of all students. Special Education staff, along with highly trained teaching assistants, provide services primarily in the classroom setting. Some services are provided to students in a specialist’s classroom (speech and language room, the occupational therapy room, the special needs teacher’s classroom) if the Team deems it more conducive to meeting the student’s needs. Our primarily inclusive program is designed to allow special needs students to maximize their academic potential by providing access to the general education curriculum as mandated by the State Frameworks. Individual modifications, accommodations and specialized instruction within the classroom afford children with special learning needs the opportunity to demonstrate success and understanding of the general curriculum in the least restrictive environment. A coordinated team approach is carefully designed to deliver this service model in a manner that promotes self-esteem and peer acceptance of diverse learning styles. A team approach is used to coordinate services for students with individualized education plans.  Consultations with the guidance counselor, physical therapist, occupational therapist, special education teacher, principal, classroom teacher and caregivers occur on a regular basis to develop and modify the program that best meets the needs of each student. 

Caregivers, teachers or other concerned parties may make a referral for a special education evaluation if they suspect the child has a disability that impacts learning. A comprehensive evaluation will be conducted to determine if the student meets the eligibility criteria. Eligible students must have a diagnosed disability, and they must be failing to make effective progress in the classroom setting as a result of the disability and require specially designed instruction or special education. If you have concerns about your child’s development or believe that your child may be entitled to special education services, please contact your child’s teacher.

The Multi Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) is a framework that helps educators identify students’ academic, behavioral, and social-emotional strengths and challenges and provide differentiated support for students based on their needs. MTSS grew out of the integration of two other intervention-based frameworks: Response to Intervention (RTI) and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). It is a general education resource that provides an immediate response to a classroom teacher’s concerns about a student. When a teacher observes that a child is experiencing academic or social difficulties, the team convenes to provide suggestions and an objective perspective on methods and approaches to assist and support the child. The team may consist of the principal, classroom teachers, the school psychologist, and often the reading specialist or special educators. MTSS is an internal process that does not generate reports to caregivers, although your child’s teacher may tell you that s/he is seeking assistance from the MTSS team. Meeting notes are recorded, but are not entered into a child’s record. 

Section 504 is a federal statute that prohibits discrimination based upon a disability, among other provisions. A student may be considered disabled if  s/he has a diagnosed emotional or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more of his or her major life activities. An Accommodation Plan may be designed for students who meet the criteria of a disabling impairment under section 504. The Coordination Officer for 504 Accommodation Plans at Chatham Elementary School is the principal or designee. The District-wide Section 504 Coordinator is the Director of Student Services.