MSD-Special Ed

The Morris School District provides a continuum of services to students with identified disabilities through programs offered both in and out of the District. A committee, entitled the Individualized Education Program Team (IEP Team), selects the particular program for a student based on assessment results (Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance) which define individual needs. This IEP Team includes:

Meets to review information about the particular student.
Identifies needs.
Sets goals and objectives.
Selects the appropriate program for attaining these goals and objectives.

The program for a student with disabilities must be in the "least restrictive environment," which means that a student should receive as many services as possible within the general education setting and be removed from the company of nondisabled students only when necessary. Districts are required to offer students access a continuum of services, and the IEP Team discusses these program options from the "least restrictive" to the "most restrictive" before selecting a placement for implementing the IEP.

Pre-School Programs for Children with Special Needs

The Lafayette Learning Center Preschool is a district school which was developed to address the educational and developmental needs of children ages 3-5. It is comprised of three types of classes: inclusive classes that educate both typically and specially developing four-year old students, preschool disability classes for students with Individualized Educational Programs and the need for smaller groups sizes and more individualized programming, as well as classes with highly specialized instruction for students with autism and students with hearing impairments. We also have an Early Childhood Outreach program that supports the needs of resident students in private preschool programs throughout the district.

Children participate in either a morning, afternoon, or full-day session five days per seek. Our full-time staff, all of whom have met highly qualified state standards, includes certified teachers, speech therapists, behavior specialists, occupational therapists, teacher assistants, assistant behavior specialists, and a school nurse. A school social worker is also available on a daily basis, serving as the case manager for most children with identified disabilities.

Our classrooms have a variety of centers that invite diverse activities, are supplied with materials that promote creative and thoughtful play, allow students access to both social and independent activities, use both indoor and outdoor space, display resources for easy access, and are ample in physical space. Daily routines are employed to promote self-regulation, curiosity, problem solving, and language development, as well as increased capacity for using multiple intelligences to develop reading literacy and technological literacy.

We are fortunate that our LLC Preschool program has use of excellent classroom and special area facilities. Our classrooms are a minimum size of 22’ by 36’ with center areas typical of quality preschool programs. We also have a large, fenced-in outdoor play area, full-size gymnasium, and an auditorium for large motor and performance activities.

Curriculum

Our preschool classes employ the Tools of the Mind (TOM) curriculum, a research-based program endorsed by the NJ Department of Education. The TOM curriculum was designed to enhance student growth in all areas of development, with a special emphasis on fostering self-regulation through the development of students’ attending, remembering, and thinking skills. Students follow a daily schedule which includes many purposeful activities and structured environment designed to foster creativity, imagination, problem-solving, communication, meta-cognition, and the expansion of core understandings and skills. The teachers utilize the Tools of the Mind curriculum and work towards achievement of the NJ Preschool Learning & Expectations: Standards of Quality.

If you would like to know more about our Tools of the Mind curriculum – its history, philosophy, activities, staff training, related resources, or samples of play plans, please access the TOM website at www.toolsofthemind.org.

Districts are required to establish "Child Find" procedures to identify children who may have disabilities. Parents, physicians, agency representatives, school staff or administrators and others may refer a child for an evaluation.

The District provides direct services to students with disabilities between the ages of three and twenty-one. Children with disabilities below the age of three may be eligible for an Early Intervention Program (EIP) and services coordinated through the State Department of Health, Special Child Health Services. Information about these services within Morris County is available through:

Special Child Health Services/ Morristown
Morris County Case Management Unit
Morristown Memorial Hospital
Box 99
Morristown, NJ 07962-1956
Phone: 973-971-4155
Fax: 973-290-7358

Students ages 5-21 who are placed by their parents in nonpublic schools may be referred for Child Study Team evaluations through their schools. The district in which a private school is located, not the district in which the parent resides, is responsible for the Child Study Team evaluation.
The Morris School District contracts with a private agency for all evaluation services to students attending the nonpublic schools located within its boundaries. In order to initiate a referral:

The non-public school submits a state form (407-1) to the Pupil Services Department at 31 Hazel Street, Morristown, NJ 07960

After approval by the Superintendent, the form is sent to the agency, which:

Contacts the parent to obtain parental permission.
Conducts the evaluations.
Determines eligibility for services.
Develops an Individualized Education Program (IEP).

The District contracts with a public agency for speech and supplemental education services for classified students placed by parents in nonpublic schools.

When a student has experienced serious, persistent difficulties with some aspect of school, staff members or parents may seek assistance from the school's Child Study Team.
A basic Child Study Team is comprised of three members:

A Speech and Language Specialist is a member of the Team for evaluations of preschoolers and those school age students whose presenting problems appear to be in the area of language development. Other specialists are included for some types of evaluations (e.g. an audiologist for a student with a hearing impairment or a physician when there are medical issues).

Each building in the Morris School District has a Child Study Team assigned on a regular basis. The District contracts with a variety of agencies and professionals in private practice for some types of specialized evaluations.

The purpose of a Child Study Team evaluation is to determine if a student has a disability and is eligible for special education and related services. The criteria for making these judgments are outlined in the New Jersey Administrative Code, Title 6A, Chapter 14(N.J.A.C. 6A:14)

Program options for students include the following, which begin with the "least restrictive" and move in the direction of more restrictive options.
Preference is given to general education classes with supplementary aids and services in the school which the student would attend if not disabled. Such additional aids and services support successful integration and may include the following as examples:

Resource Center Programs in all buildings provide support and/or replacement instruction from a special education teacher. Students are usually in general education classes for significant portions of the day, depending upon their needs. They may go to the Resource Center for specific types of assistance, or the Resource Center teacher may go into the regular education class to provide instruction. The specific type of service for each student is determined through the IEP.
Self contained classes are located in most buildings. The preschool handicapped program offers special education and related services for children beginning at age three and continuing until they are eligible for Kindergarten. Learning and Language Classes are in place throughout the district and some schools have Multiple Disability classes that serve the needs of students with Autism and other significant disabilities, who cannot make appropriate progress in a general education class.
Out of District placements are made when a student's needs can not be accommodated within the District. There are a range of programs available in other public school districts that accept tuition students, and in programs administered through agencies such as a Jointure Commission or Educational Services Commission. Private schools approved for services to children with disabilities also provide specialized programs. Occasionally, the IEP Team places a student in a school that is an accredited facility, but not approved by the New Jersey Department of Education for special education services.

Each elementary building within the Morris School District has an elementary counselor (either a School Social Worker or a School Psychologist) who focuses on specific social and personal issues that may affect student performance in the school setting. Counseling services are usually short term with clearly defined purposes, related to:

Counseling sessions are provided to small groups or individuals. Parental permission is required for participation on a regularly scheduled basis. Teachers, administrators, and parents may ask the counselors to assist a student. Students may also seek this help themselves.
In addition to these counseling sessions, the elementary counselors have a variety of other responsibilities with staff and students. They collaborate with teachers for projects or special activities involving whole classes (e.g. transitioning to a new school), and they assist with the substance abuse prevention program and after school homework tutorial for grades 3-5. The elementary counselors are available for crisis intervention when students and families are experiencing serious distress and may need immediate assistance and possible referral to community based agencies. They are familiar with a full range of resources and can facilitate the often complex process of gaining access to community social, medical and support services.

Elementary counselors may be reached by phone or mail through the main office at each elementary school.

Middle School and High School Counselors
Frelinghuysen and Morristown High School provide counseling and crisis intervention services through the Guidance Departments, the Student Assistance Counselors, and Child Study Team members. The Guidance Department at Morristown High School is also responsible for college and career counseling. The handbooks for both schools describe the specific services, personnel, and procedures for contacting counselors in more detail.

Crisis Counseling
In cases of serious mental health emergencies or when there has been a tragic episode related to students or staff in the District, mental health personnel from outside agencies provide interim counseling and consultation. Counselors from Morristown Memorial Hospital and other agencies have provided assistance when sudden, violent death has occurred. Follow-up assistance from other agencies also has been made available when loss or a tragic event has affected students and families.

P.A.C.E

P.A.C.E. (Parent Advocacy Council for Education in the Morris School District)
P.A.C.E is a parent-to-parent support and advocacy group whose goal is to work towards the understanding of, respect for, and support of optimum education for all children with special learning needs.

P.A.C.E. plans 2-4 district-wide presentations per school year on topics of interest to parents with children with special learning needs. P.A.C.E. also holds parent discussion groups several times a year. Please see the website to learn more about our calendar of events and meetings.

For more information visit the P.A.C.E. website at www.MorrisPACE.org. To join P.A.C.E. and be included in the email list, send your name, the name of your child's school, and your phone number to PACE.msd@gmail.com.

Our office is located on the second floor at
Lafayette Learning Center
31 Hazel Street
Morristown, NJ 07960
Phone: (973) 292-2300, ext. 2040
Fax: (973) 292-2033

Mrs. Nancy Helterman, Director of Pupil Services
M.A. Montclair State University
M. Ed. Teachers College, Columbia University
Dr. Karen Andre, Supervisor of Special Education
M.A. Montclair State University
Ed.D. Rutgers University
Dr. Joan Graham, Compliance Coordinator
M.A. Manhattanville College
Ed.D. Nova Southeastern University

Support Staff:
Mrs. Angela Fusco 973-292-2300, ext. 2040
Mrs. Alexis Ko 973-292-2300, ext. 2051
Ms. Sandra Baird 973-292-2300 ext. 2051
Mrs. Patty Cohen 973-292-2222, ext. 1123
Ms. Janet Fiore (LLC) 973-292-2222, ext. 1100
Mrs. Mary Doody (FMS) 973-292-2200, ext. 8069
Mrs. Rose Piccolo (MHS) 973-292-2000, ext. 2259