Student Services

District 31 provides a continuum of supportive services to students requiring additional assistance at school. Our programs consist of varying levels of academic and behavioral support for all students. Our programs support students whose educational performance is so discrepant from their peers due to academic or behavioral reasons that various levels of support and interventions are provided. Students are identified through a school-wide screening and individual record review. We also support students who qualify as an English Language Learner (ELL) student, and students identified as having a disability. Services for students are taught by any and/or all staff including academic support and special education teachers, reading specialists, a school psychologist, a social worker, a speech-language pathologist and English Language Learner (ELL) teachers.

Central to the operation of the Support Services program are the building teams. On a regular basis, the team members, classroom teachers, and principal meet to problem-solve concerns related to the performance of specific children referred to the team by the classroom teacher. The staff works together to identify the areas in need of assistance and to recommend to parents and teachers appropriate accommodations or interventions that would best suit the needs of these students.

Response to Intervention

District 31 has begun implementation of Response to Intervention (RtI), which is a state and federally mandated educational reform.

Also viewed as school improvement, RtI consists of three essential components: providing high quality, research-based instruction/intervention matched to student needs, using data regarding learning rate over time and level of performance, and making educational decisions based upon student’s response to instruction/intervention. School-wide monitoring; problem-solving, and early intervention services have begun at Winkelman. Staff training and support will continue this year in addition to other components of the District’s RtI Plan in order for the District to reach full implementation in the coming years.

Students with Disabilities

District 31 complies with the provisions of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and provides a Free Appropriate Public Education, (FAPE). Special education and related services are provided to address the adverse effect(s) of the disability on a student’s education. Students already identified as having a disability and receiving special education services are provided with an Individual Education Program (IEP) created by student’s educational team and parents. Careful consideration and planning occurs during the student’s IEP meeting to ensure the student’s needs are being met in the Least Restrictive Environment.

Parent Rights

Discipline of Special Education Students

District 31 complies with the provisions of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) when disciplining special education students. No special education student shall be expelled if the student’s particular act of gross disobedience or misconduct is a manifestation of his or her disability.

If a student is suspended for less than 10 days, the district shall follow the same due process procedures as are applicable to non-handicapped students. In addition, the district will conduct an IEP meeting to review the IEP, behavior management plan if one is in place, or create one if one is not in place, prior discipline record to determine whether there is any reason that the student should not be suspended on the same basis as non-special education students. A special education student may be suspended for a period of no more than ten (10) school days during any school year in response to separate incident of misconduct, regardless of whether the student’s gross disobedience or misconduct is a manifestation of his or her disabling condition.

Homeless Students

Each child of a homeless individual and each homeless youth has equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, as provided to other children and youths. A homeless child may attend the District school that the child attended when permanently housed or in which the child was last enrolled. A homeless child living in any District school’s attendance area may attend that school. For more information, contact Joanne Panopoulos, District 31's Director of Student Services and Homeless Liaison, at 847-313-4411.

Student Services

Academic and Behavioral Support ( Special Education)

The special education staff works collaboratively with the general education team to identify learning styles and deficits of students through observation, assessment data, and consultation. Students having one or more significant deficits in essential learning processes may be served by the special education teacher and/or related service staff.

Counseling Services
The school social worker and psychologist identify and assist students in resolving social and emotional difficulties which interfere with their attendance, adjustment, and achievement in school. These staff also coordinate school-wide programs on special topics such as bullying and drug prevention. The emotional health and social development of all students is an integral part of student learning. Educational programming is aligned with the Illinois Social/Emotional Learning Standards and includes topics such as self-awareness, social awareness, interpersonal skills and responsible behaviors.

Speech and Language
The speech and language pathologists identify children who are in need of help in improving their speech, language, and communication skills. Students having difficulty in oral language development, articulation and sound production, use of voice and fluency may receive services through this program.

Speech and language screenings are administered to grade two students without receiving prior written permission from the parent/guardian. Others may be screened for speech and language per parent or per teacher request with parent consent. If the results of any screenings indicate further evaluation is necessary, parents are notified.

English Language Learner (ELL)
Language instruction in English is available to students who lack the necessary communication skills to be successful in school due to limited English proficiency. Students work on reading, writing, listening and speaking skills while learning the English language. Bilingual services are offered for students who meet the criteria recommended by the district and state guidelines.

Psychological Services
The school psychologist provides individual diagnostic evaluations of a student’s intellectual, academic, perceptual, and emotional functioning. The psychologist works in collaboration with the school’s team of teachers to recommend preventative, supportive, and/or therapeutic interventions.

Developmental Screenings
Developmental screenings are available to children from birth to 4 years old. Screenings can help identify children who may have a developmental delay or disability. District 31 has combined its efforts with local School Districts 28 and 30 to offer six opportunities for formal developmental screenings over the course of the 2009-10 school year. The dates are listed on the District calendar. Appointment information will be publicized during the school year.

Developmental Screening Flyer (including dates for screenings during the 2009-2010 school year) click here

Literacy Support Program
Literacy specialists at Winkelman and Field Schools provide direct services to students for assessment, intervention and assistance to classroom teachers. Students are identified through a school-wide problem solving process and are monitored on a regular basis to determine how the student is responding to the intensive literacy interventions used.

Homebound/ Hospital Instruction
Students who miss school for ten consecutive school days may qualify to receive home and/or hospital instruction. Once eligibility is confirmed, the pupil is entitled to five hours per week of qualified instructional services. Parents should contact the principal to determine if their child is eligible for this service.

Updated September 2009