HAFTR Lower School’s student support programs are targeted towards students’ specific areas of need. A cornerstone of these programs is the collaboration that occurs between special education teachers, general education teachers, and parents. We develop student academic skills, as well as their ability to advocate for themselves. We regularly measure and monitor student growth, and intervene as needed.
Response to Intervention
Response-to-intervention (RTI) is a support system for supporting students who are experiencing a need for support in the realms of behavior and/or academics. If you find that your child is struggling academically and/or behaviorally, your first call or email should be to your child’s teacher. However, if you find that your child is continuing to struggle, please contact Mrs. Schmutter. HAFTR Lower School’s Pupil Personnel Team will discuss your concerns and connect with you to make an action plan to provide more targeted support for your child. Depending on the area of concern, these interventions may include observations, assessments, short-term counseling, or targeting support in reading comprehension. Your child’s progress will be measured, and the Pupil Personnel Team will contact you regarding progress. Most of the time, students do make good progress following the initial intervention. Students who require more intensive interventions following the Tier 1 intervention receive that support, where progress continues to be monitored. A referral to the Committee on Special Education (CSE) is made when students struggle after receiving Tier 1 and Tier 2 support.
With regard to Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions, HAFTR Lower School provides at-risk, in-house support for students who have lagging skills in either Limudei Kodesh or General studies across all grade levels. These supports come in various forms, including Double Dose Fundations in Kindergarten, small group reading, math, and kriah pull-out groups, and short-term push-in support. This said, special education is not only for students who have lagging skills but also students who benefit from enrichment or advancement. We are proud to offer a variety of enrichment opportunities across all grade levels. These may include, Book Club, Math Club, both weekly enrichment opportunities for students who show a proficiency in reading or math skills. Additionally students in third – fifth grade who demonstrate high IQ scores participate in our weekly TOTS (Thinkers of Tomorrow) program, where they further develop critical thinking skills and have an opportunity to participate in a school wide performance. Students in fifth grade who demonstrate a strong foundation in math skills and concepts can participate in our Math League, a nationwide math competition.
On a macro level, Special education is about differentiating in service of providing appropriate support and challenges to students who are in need of them.
Learning Center
Learning Center is a HAFTR provided support for students who struggle academically.
The primary focus of Learning Center is to provide students with additional support in their General Studies content area classes. Learning Center teachers pre-teach, re-teach, scaffold, and modify material to ensure that each child can effectively access the material they are taught in the classroom. Study skills and test taking strategies are also incorporated through the content that is taught.
Learning Center classes provide students with small group instruction where they learn how to develop their skills and review the General Education curriculum with the support of dedicated special education teachers.
Resource Room
Resource Room is a pull-out support provided through the Lawrence School District for eligible students based on their IEPs. The primary focus of Resource Room is to remediate students’ lagging skills by addressing their IEP goals. Often, this is accomplished through utilizing the curriculum that our students are accessing in the general education classroom. The resource room teacher is placed at HAFTR Lower School through the Lawrence School District and is an integral member of HAFTR’s special education team, working alongside other professionals to ensure that each student is appropriately supported
IEP
An IEP is an Individualized Educational Plan developed for a special education student. The Lawrence School District serves as the District of Location for HAFTR and provides related services providers (e.g., resource room teachers, speech and language pathologists, and school psychologists) who are placed at HAFTR Lower School. The IEP is updated annually with delineated achievable goals by a team that includes a learning specialist, a general education teacher, and a student’s family member. It addresses a student’s strengths, challenges, and a time frame for achieving certain benchmarks.
All teachers who serve students with an IEP will be informed of the contents of that student’s IEP and a student’s strengths, weaknesses, accommodations, and modifications.
If you have any questions about either your child’s IEP or related services (e.g., resource room, speech therapy, occupational therapy, or counseling) or
about your child’s classroom or testing accommodations (e.g., extended time, copy of class notes), please contact Shelley Schmutter, Director of Special Education.
