District 70 to Expand Special Education Program

The success of a special education classroom created this year is making room for a similar classroom at Butterfield School as the program expands in the fall. 

Libertyville Elementary District 70 will create a second instructional classroom next year to house up to ten students requiring special education, said Marilynn Menuey, the district’s director of special education. The Board of Education approved the new program last month.

The program is completing its first year on the elementary level at Rockland School and has been “highly successful,” Menuey said. 

By running its own program, the district is allowed to monitor teachers, control curriculum and see first-hand the progress students are making, said Supt.Guy Schumacher. It also allows students to stay in the district instead of being transported outside the district to other private schools.

“This is what parents want,” School Board President Maryann Ovassapian said. “They want to stay in their home district.”

Three years ago, a similar program was created at to allow 10 students in special education to remain in their home school and be integrated with their peers in selected academics, physical education and fine arts classes. This fall, the program will support two elementary classrooms at Rockland and Butterfield schools. The question of which grades are housed in each building is still being determined as families register for the new school year.

“The middle school program has been extremely successful and is working beautifully,” Menuey said. “We are providing an expanded continuum of service by adding the elementary school levels now. The class at Rockland has been highly successful for first, second and third graders.”

As these students advance to new grade levels, the program needs to be expanded.

“Creating a similar classroom for kindergarten and first grades is a natural step in the program, allowing students to easily transition between grade levels from early childhood through eighth grade. Currently, Special Education teams have identified several students who could move from the district’s Early Childhood program into the new kindergarten/first grade classroom.

Students in the classrooms vary in special education needs and the program provides an interrelated environment.  

“All of the students' needs can be met by District 70 staff in an integrated model, rather than having to attend a special school outside of District 70 or receive piece-meal help within the district,” she added.

Menuey expects to hire an additional teacher and to reassign two paraeducators for the new classroom.  

By educating the children locally, Menuey said it allows student to stay with their peers and neighbors, provides more focused instruction and allows the district to provide the District 70 Board approved curriculum.  It also saves the district money by not having to pay tuition and transportation when students are placed in classrooms outside of the district.  However, the district fully expects to continue to keep a child’s needs as a top priority and when a child’s needs are beyond the scope of the district, they will continue to be placed in specialized schools that meet their needs.

“This could allow more of our students who need more focused instruction to stay at their home school and that’s always a plus,” Schumacher said. “Rather than pulling them out of class for sessions, they would remain in class and learn together, but be with the rest of the students for selected academics, art, music and physical education classes.”

Information provided by Libertyville Elementary School District 70.