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U-46 appoints new special ed director, aims to revamp services

The Elgin Area School District U-46 school board recently appointed Leatrice Satterwhite as the district's director of specialized student services.

Satterwhite has served as the assistant director of specialized student services since July 2012. She helped with the planning, implementation and evaluation of special education curricular programs.

The district also is looking to revamp services for students with special needs.

CEO Tony Sanders said officials want to make sure they are staffing appropriately for student needs.

"For a district our size with a significant (English Language Learner) population, there is one bilingual psychologist," he said. "The transition is more to making sure we are meeting the needs of all of our special education students."

Nearly 25 percent of U-46 students are English Language Learners and almost 12 percent are students with disabilities, according to Suzanne Johnson, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning.

"It's important to spend time evaluating the effectiveness of our programs to ensure we can provide a high-quality education to each and every student, including those with special needs," she said.

Satterwhite already has been working with Johnson to hire special education specialists, develop subcommittees to support therapists, and is working with the human resources department on hiring for all special education teaching and support staff positions.

At a recent school board meeting, Johnson presented a strategic plan aimed at improving services for students with special needs, which will be implemented over the next five to seven years. It includes 10 recommendations:

• Ensuring every child receives high quality social and emotional support.

• Improving consistency in determining eligibility of services for students with special needs.

• Examining and defining screening tools, student referral process, use of assessments, eligibility/service criteria, data reports, professional development, monitoring and accountability.

• Researching and developing options to expand preschool instruction for students with special needs.

• Improving instruction and supports for students with IEPs (Individualized Education Program) in general education classrooms.

• Improving instruction for students in specialized classes and schools with the goal of accelerating student achievement and social-emotional well-being so students become less reliant on restrictive classroom settings.

• Improving transition support and services for students with special needs as they leave U-46.

• Improving administrative support for teaching and learning of students with IEPs.

• Ensuring appropriate number/types of special education personnel are available at each school to support students with/without IEPs.

• Identifying an internal project manager who reports to the assistant superintendent of teaching and learning to support the review and execution of the recommendations.

"This strategic plan is only the beginning," Sanders said. "Our dedicated staff will devote years to crafting and fine-tuning strategies to streamline our programs in these 10 areas. These recommendations will drive us to be child-centered, ensuring all of our students are getting the academic, social and emotional supports they need."

The district's Citizens' Advisory Council and special education department will host a Special Education Parent University series focused on transition planning. Three sessions will be offered Nov. 12 at the U-46 Educational Services Center, 355 E. Chicago St., Elgin. The sessions: 6 to 6:45 p.m., services for the early learner; 7 to 7:45 p.m., initial transition planning; and 8 to 8:45 p.m., looking beyond high school.

Special accommodations and translation services will be available upon request. To register, visit u-46.org or call Donetta Ryan at (847) 888-5000, ext. 5065.

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