Personnel arriving with an Exceptional Family Member (EFMP)
should contact the EFMP office upon arrival. The office is located in
Bldg 1520, Suite 300, telephone (301) 619-3385. At your initial
appointment you will learn the medical appointment system, the community
referral process and be offered supportive counseling.
Special
Education:
The Special Education Office telephone number is
301-644-5281.
Most students are taught entirely or partly in regular
classrooms or in special education classrooms within community
schools. A continuum of service is considered, based on the needs of
the student. A small percentage of students with disabilities are
educated in special day settings, and a very small number require residential
placement outside the public school system.
Heather Ridge School
Special Education Program
This school provides an alternative educational
program for students who require a highly structured setting. This
school emphasizes family involvement and utilizes individual and group
counseling to enable students to learn the educational and behavioral objectives
necessary to re-enter their home schools. Heather Ridge operates a
regular day program for students in grade 6 through the semester they reach age
16 and an afternoon (Twilight) program for students age 16 or
older. The superintendent or designee may refer students to the
Heather Ridge day program by their home school s IEP team, or to the Twilight
program. The Middle and High School-With-in-a-School, for students
with emotional disturbances who require more intensive special education and
therapeutic services, is offered in a large classroom with a separate
entrance. Students receive special transportation and are gradually
mainstreamed when the team determines they are ready.
Rock Creek School
Special Education Program
Rock Creek School provides individualized
special education programs for students with more severe intellectual, physical,
emotional, hearing, visual and learning disabilities, from age three through the
school year they reach 21. Students are admitted by the county IEP
team process. The school offers an appropriate curriculum in
self-contained classrooms and related services in such areas as adapted art,
music, and physical education, swimming, physical and occupational therapy,
speech and language therapy, social skills, supported employment, vocational
training and work-study programs. A transitional program prepares
graduating students for employment or for additional training through adult day
placement.
Challenge Programs
These programs, located at Carroll
Manor Elementary, are designed for children age 3 through 5 and grades 1 through
5 who have intensive needs in the areas of communication and social
interaction. Challenges provide integrated support in the areas of
communication, social interaction, academic skill development, executive
functioning and play/leisure skills. Parent and family support is an
essential component. Students are admitted through the county IEP
team process.
Child Find Project
Operating in each of our schools,
Child Find is designed to identify all children from birth through age 21 who
have special needs and connect them with appropriate educational and other
services. Parents suspecting their child may have a disability should
contact the nearest school.
Infants and Toddlers Program
This
interagency program provides early intervention services for children from birth
through age 2 who are experiencing developmental delays in areas such as motor
development, cognition, communication, social-emotional or self-help
skills. Audiology, nursing, nutrition, occupational and physical
therapy, speech and language therapy, and family counseling services are
available at no cost to families. For further information, call the
Frederick County Developmental Center at 301-694-1612.
Special Education and
Treatment (SET) Program
SET, housed at Lewistown Elementary, serves
elementary age students identified as emotionally disturbed. Students
are admitted into the program through the county IEP team
process.
SUCCESS Program
This program provides post-secondary
transition education for students age 18-21 who have completed at least 4 years
in a comprehensive high school. Students earn a Maryland Certificate
of Completion.
Learning/Language Disabilities and Dyslexia
FCPS
provides specialized training to enable teacher to identify students at risk for
learning/language disabilities and to implement strategies for
remediation. The Frederick County program is a co-teaching
model. Interventions focus on reading, spelling and writing
skills. The program is available in all elementary and middle
schools.
WCPS Special Education Programs
The program goal is to
provide comprehensive and coordinated Early Intervention Services to families
who have an eligible infant or toddler with, or at risk for, developmental
delays. If you have a concern about your infant s or toddler s
development, call Early Intervention Program at 301-766-8217. A
service coordinator will help you arrange a multidisciplinary evaluation and
assessment to determine program eligibility.
Your child, age birth to 3, may
be eligible if he/she:
1. Exhibits a developmental delay in one of the
following areas: Cognitive/Ability to learn, Physical development,
Communication, Social/Emotional Development, Adaptive/Self-Care skills; or
2.
Has a diagnosed condition placing him/her at risk of developmental delay,
or
3. Exhibits unusual developmental patterns of behavior.
Services
necessary to meet the unique needs of your child and family are recorded on the
Maryland Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). They may include,
but are not limited to : Assistive Technology, Audiology, Family
Counseling/Training, Health Services, Medical services, Nursing services,
Occupational Therapy, Psychological Services, Respite Care, Service Coordinator,
Social Work services, Special Instruction, Specialized Child Care,
Speech/Language Pathology, Transportation, Vision services and Other Early
Intervention Services (as specified). Services are available at no
cost except where federal or Maryland law provides for a system of
payment. For more information, call Washington County Early
Intervention Program at 301-766-8217.