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Special Education

Special education is delivered through a broad continuum of services. Students can receive instruction in a variety of environments including within regular classrooms, small group classes designed to target individual skills and support students in the core curriculum, small group classes designed for students with specific needs in core subjects, and in more self-contained programs for students with disabilities that require more intensive instruction and specific instructional methodologies.

Special education teachers work together with regular education teachers in planning for the needs of individual students. Additionally, related service providers, including counselors, psychologists, social workers, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists serve as important members of the child’s educational team when these services are deemed necessary for the student.

The eligibility for and nature of these services, as well as the goals of each student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP), is determined the Planning and Placement Team (PPT). This team, consisting of professional staff members and the child's parent(s), convenes when the school or the child’s parent(s) suspect the child may have a disability due to lack of progress in the core curriculum.

Parents and teachers who suspect a child has a disability should notify the principal, who will begin the process. All processes related to special education are governed by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

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Recent News

National Geographic Producer and Volcanologist Visit Sixth Graders

Mr. Bengt Anderson, a National Geographic producer and CMS parent, visited in person to speak with our sixth-grade students and connect them with his colleague, volcanologist Dr. Emma Nicholson, who joined via Zoom from New Zealand. Dr. Nicholson, featured in Lake of Fire, shared her experience exploring a remote, uncharted volcano. Students had previously viewed the documentary, which follows a team’s expedition to uncover when and why volcanoes erupt. During the visit, students asked thoughtful questions about lava lakes, how Dr. Nicholson travels to volcanoes, and how ideas for National Geographic films are developed, among other topics. This engaging experience brought the sixth-grade science curriculum to life in a truly memorable way.

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