Old Town schools prepare to accommodate students with special needs
OLD TOWN — For those who haven’t started, it’s going to be a strange transition back to school. Especially for students with special needs.
“We’ve focused, really, since late spring preparing for fall anticipating this would be the spot that we’re in,” said Kimm Kenniston, director of special education services in Old Town.
For students with individualized education plans or other special needs, hybrid learning isn’t always an option.
In Old Town, students above third grade are slated to have an element of remote learning.
“Beyond that, for fourth to 12th, we have self contained students with more complex needs coming in five days a week, even though their peers are on the hybrid schedule,” Kenniston said.
Teachers will either live-stream classes to students choosing to stay remote or make time to hold sessions online.
Other accommodations ensuring student safety include purchasing them their own materials.
“Our students would often have sensory items like hand fidgets, mouth fidgets and other items they might get from a sensory toolbox or basket, even putties,” Kenniston explained. “Now we’re doing individual packets and bags for those students.”
Social distancing is also part of the plan.
Kenniston said it might even help students learn better.
“It really provided accommodations for our students who struggle with personal boundaries because all our students will be working on what it will be like to maintain that personal distance,” Kenniston said. “It will really help our students because they’ll have good visual cues as well as prompts.”
Outdoor mask breaks and an emphasis on routine are also part of the plan.
School in Old Town starts on Sept. 8.
The post Old Town schools prepare to accommodate students with special needs appeared first on WVII / Fox Bangor.