Special Services Program

Special Education Supervision
Bonnie Stock: 743-8602

• Coordinates district's special education programs for students age 3 - 22.
• Contact person for preschool children with suspected disabilities.

School Psychologists

Wendell Terrill (High School, Pennyroyal, Schenck and Warren County Career Center), Rebecca Hamilton (Hunter, Gerke, Anthony Wayne and Kindergarten), Denise Kovacs (Junior High), Heather Mooney (Pre-school): 743-8602

Consultation

The school psychologist may work with parents, teachers, and school personnel providing consultation on:

• ways to improve teaching methods or the learning environment of the classroom or home.
• ways to improve the working relationship between teacher, parents and administrators.
• information and outside referral sources.
• in-service and staff development.

• serves on the pupil personnel committee that determines early entrance decisions.
• provides second opinion assessments for students referred by the Gifted Coordinator.
• serves as a member of the Intervention Assistance Team (IAT) that meets regularly in each building. (The purpose of the IAT is to offer support to teachers and parents in developing interventions to meet the academic and behavioral needs of students.)

• The school psychologist is part of the multi-factored evaluation team that provides assessment for children suspected of, or identified as, handicapped.
• Evaluations are available to students who are suspected of having a handicap and are between the ages of 3 to 22 (pre-school through high school graduation).
• The school psychologist consults with teachers, parents and staff in developing appropriate educational programs for handicapped students. The school psychologist may also provide short-term counseling for handicapped students and/or their parents.
• The school psychologists serve as advocates for the needs of children.

School Nurses
Sheila Withrow, R.N., Joni Earach, R.N. and Leah Owens, R.N.:743-8602

Nurses serve all buildings and offer the following services.

• Vision screening
• Hearing screening
• Check student immunizations
• First aid, when at buildings
• Health Information for students and parents
• Medical referrals, as needed
• Attends 6th grade camp

Classroom Presentations

• Growth and Development - 5th graders

Elementary Counselors
Sue Kreuzer - Anthony Wayne, Hunter, Kindergarten

Candace Gibbs – Gerke, Schenck and Pennyroyal
743-8601 (or by calling each individual building)

Goals: To help each child help him or herself to change what they can, cope with what cannot be changed, and set themselves up for success academically and socially.
All elementary buildings are served. Approximately one day a week is spent in each elementary building.

Counseling Activities:
Individual Counseling, Group Counseling, Classroom Group Guidance, Referral to outside agencies, and Parenting Programs and Information.

Referral can be made by principal, parent, teacher or the student themselves.

Reason for Referrals:

• Concerns with making and keeping friends.
• Concerns over behavior.
• Adjustment to parental loss through divorce or death.
• Coping with changes at school or in the home.
• Assist student in developing a positive self-image.

Good communication between the school and home is essential to the Franklin Counseling Program.

Counseling is done on a confidential basis and is a service to all students.

Speech/Language Pathologists
Cindy Banks, Marilyn Hunter and Stephanie Schmidt: 743-8602

Speech and Language Services provided by the Speech/language pathologist are provided as a supplement to the child's basic educational program either in regular education or in special education.

Services Offered:

• Speech/Language screenings
• Speech/Language diagnostic evaluations of children with suspected disabilities
• Speech/Language therapy for eligible children 3 to 22 years of age
• Consultations with parents and educational staff
• Hearing Screenings including follow-up medical referrals where necessary

Community Resource Coordinator
Jim Vanderpool: 743-8643

Helps connect parents with community services such as housing, public assistance, medical, etc.