Brainstormers
District 67 offers a wide variety of academic, fine arts, and other unique classes throughout the school year and through its summer program. Annual musicals are offered for students at all grade levels. Classes are held at each school throughout the year and summer classes are held at Deer Path Middle School. Current class offerings are available through the Brainstormers website as well as advertised through each school’s listserve.

 

For more information, please call the Brainstormers Secretary, Mary Beth Sauser, at
847-604-7408 or e-mail Brainstormers.

 

Brainstormers

 

Department of Student Services
The Department of Special Services offers a comprehensive continuum of services for students eligible for special education services due to academic, social, or language difficulties. These students are supported in general education classrooms with a variety of resource supports and related service providers. Care is taken to use research based instructional materials and skill development is frequently monitored. The department endorses a partnership philosophy with parents and encourages them to be active members of their child’s educational team.


The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) details the guidelines for the identification, evaluation, and eligibility determination for students who may be eligible for special education services. In the most recent re-authorization of IDEA (2004), the process for identifying students eligible under the Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) category changed significantly from the past 29 years of practice. The most noticeable changes includes the removal of the requirement to consider a severe discrepancy between achievement and intellectual ability, and the inclusion of the requirement that a local education agency may use a process which determines if a child responds to scientific, research based intervention as part of the evaluation process. This process is most commonly referred to as Response to Intervention (RtI).


The Illinois State RtI Plan, issued on January 1, 2008, outlines a framework for statewide implementation of RtI. Included in this Plan is the requirement that school districts are required to use a process that determines how a student responds to scientific, research-based interventions (RtI) when determining whether that student is or continues to be eligible for and entitled to special education services under the category of SLD. (ISBE Guidance Doc ref.)


Key components of an RtI process include (a) a school-wide, multi-tier instructional and behavioral system for preventing school failure, (b) universal screening, (c) progress monitoring, and (d) a data-based decision making process for determining the severity of student needs and movement within the multi-tier system. In short, an RtI process eliminates the wait-to-fail model. All students are screened on an ongoing basis, services are provided based on need rather than waiting for students to fail before high-quality interventions can be used, and an accountability system ensures frequent progress monitoring that informs changes in both the type and intensity of programming.

 

Early Learning Program
District 67 operates the Early Learning Program for students 3-5 years of age with special education needs. The program is designed to support children’s social, language, cognitive/preacademic, and motor development. This half-day program is staffed by District 67 and includes a Special Education Teacher, Speech and Language Pathologist, School Psychologist and Teacher Assistant(s). Occupational and Physical Therapy services are provided by NSSED. The Early Learning Program is located at Sheridan Elementary School and includes integration opportunities. For more information, contact the Director of Student Services, Anne Dunn, 847-235-9661 or Early Learning Program teacher Ann Berardi, 847-235-9667.

 

Emotional Wellness Committee
District 67 is committed to the Emotional Wellness Initiative which began in the 2006-2007 school year. The goal of the initiative is to improve the overall culture and climate and learning environment for all stakeholders through the direct teaching of character education and social/emotional learning skills. We strive to implement a sustainable and intentional approach and embed character education and social/emotional learning into all that we do.

Click on the Illinois State Board of Education link below to view the Illinois Social/Emotional Learning Standards, or the link at the top right side of this page for more information on the District's Emotional Wellness Committee.


ISBE Social/Emotional Learning Standards

 

Extended-day Kindergarten
District 67 offers an Extended-day Kindergarten program that begins and ends daily at the same times as grades 1-4. Optional bus transportation fees are the same as for all District 67 students. The program is self-funded and tuition for the 2011-2012 school year is $4,800 per student. (Please note: this fee is in addition to the regular kindergarten material fees.)


The key components of the Extended-day program are curriculum objectives identical to the half-day program, with multiple opportunities for extended learning; interactive experiences related to subject areas; reinforcement of objectives through fine arts and social development; opportunities for enrichment such as art, music, drama; and additional time for problem solving projects. For more information, please contact Dr. Michelle Shinn, 847-615-4454. For more information, click here.

 

Explore/Quest Gifted Services Programs
The Explore (grades K-4) and Quest (grades 5-8) programs have a number of roles in the District. First, they support regular classroom instruction with enrichment strategies that foster critical and creative thinking for all students. These strategies are provided through staff development and through having resource teachers serve as partners with the regular classroom staff. This type of support is most prevalent at grades kindergarten through grade 4 when students are not formally identified for Explore services. The second major role, and the one for which these programs are best known, is to provide accelerated/enriched curriculum in language arts and/or math to students identified as highly abstract thinkers in grades 3-8.


Parents who believe their child requires services from the Explore/Quest programs should contact their child’s classroom teacher. The building principal and Explore/Quest teachers should also be contacted. If parents have questions regarding the screening process and procedures, they should contact Colleen Brueggeman, Director of Gifted Services, at 847-235-9665.

 

Reading Specialist Program
District 67 has provided support services in reading for children who are ineligible for special education services since 1991. K-4 Reading Specialists implement a resource program that provides pullout services for eligible students, in class services for all children and consultative and support services for teachers and parents. Working within these parameters the teachers and Reading Specialists introduce techniques that enhance patterns and strategies to build skills in the context of literature and classroom curriculum content. In addition, working in collaboration with teachers and parents, this program enhances the literacy development of all K-4 students in our district.