Types of Services Provided

This half-day, blended Early Learning program provides services to preschoolers with disabilities in a public school classroom with their typical peers. Sessions run from 8:30 am-11:30 am and 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm.

The program provides child-centered, enriched learning activities that are age appropriate and aligned with the Ohio Department of Education Early Learning Content Standards. Classrooms are divided into interest centers such as art, dramatic play, block building, manipulatives, sensory and language. Students with disabilities benefit from small group instruction in a supportive environment that includes interacting with typically-developing preschool peers. Classrooms are supported by a highly qualified team of professionals, which may include a teacher, paraprofessional, occupational therapist, speech and language pathologist, and physical therapist as deemed appropriate by an IEP team.

At the high school and middle school, Perry Local Schools provides inclusive settings for students who are identified as having special needs but who are capable of working in the general education curriculum. Our inclusive classrooms are a co-taught environment where two teachers are assigned to a grade-level classroom, one General Education Teacher and one Special Education Teacher. These classes are a heterogeneous group of students with various needs and abilities. The co-taught model provides more flexibility for differentiation, small group instruction, re-teaching, accommodations to the curriculum as needed and also one-on-one instruction.

Our Resource Rooms provide a small-group setting for our students who participate in general education classes the rest of the school day. Intervention Specialists utilize various methods and strategies during this time that assists students in accessing the general education curriculum more successfully at their own pace. Resource time also provides students with the opportunity to work on mastering their IEP goals with interventions for completing coursework. Throughout the year, Intervention Specialists also help students begin developing the skills necessary to transition out of high school into higher education or the work force. Class sizes are kept small so that individualized, differentiated instruction is possible.

Perry Local Schools provides three Cross-Categorical Units - one in each school building. These classrooms include students with a wide range of disability categories and learning needs and provides a place where they can receive services together. Structured systems like the TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and other related Communication-Handicapped Children) model are utilized in setting up and organizing these units. These models provide students with various visual aids reminding them of their daily schedule, classroom expectations, and also provide them with a systematic strategy to approach their coursework.

Students participate in hands-on learning activities that promote the importance of independence and flexibility. Our Cross-Categorical classrooms also focus on teaching students independent living skills and transition skills that will allow them to be successful as they transition from elementary to middle school, from middle school to high school, and from high school to the work force.

Perry Local Schools provides a highly qualified team of specialists which includes Speech/Language Pathologists, School Psychologist, Occupational Therapists, and Physical Therapist to help meet the needs of our students, should the ETR determine a need for such services. Our therapists provide services to our students across all age levels and regularly assess the unique needs of students who have been identified as having special needs.