Hudson School District Special Education Services and Programs
The members of the Special Services Department take pride in working collaboratively with all members of the Hudson School District. We are proud of the team spirit we share with all those working collectively to educate our students. To the credit of many individuals, we have built a continuum of services to support our struggling students.
The continuum of services continues to be modified, and is a fluid system suited to the changing needs of students. Our goal is to work cooperatively with all those involved in the education of the students of Hudson to insure every student has the opportunity to learn and succeed.
The Hudson School District staff is continually in the process of developing, refining and implementing programs that assure all children with disabilities have an education available to them that emphasizes special education that meets their unique needs. The District has developed the following continuum of programs and services:
Continuum of Programs and Services
- Pre-school Programs for students aged three to six years old.
- Integrated, modified regular education instruction for all students in grades one through grade twelve.
- Resource Room instruction all grades from one to twelve.
- Instruction using Applied Behavior Analysis for students in preschool through grade eight.
- Programming for students with social and behavior difficulties grades preschool through grade twelve.
- Daily living skills instruction from preschool through grade twelve.
- Remedial reading instruction for students in grade one through grade twelve.
- Transition planning is done for all students in preschool through grade twelve.
Contact Individuals
| Irene Sousa | Director of Special Services | 886-1253 |
| Scott Riddell |
Assistant Principal - Alvirne High School | 886-1260 x2520 |
| Karina Mascia | Assistant Principal - Hudson Memorial School | 886-1240 |
| Karen Cassidy | Department Head - Nottingham West School | 595-1570 |
| Nancy Rothe |
Department Head - Hills Garrison, Library Street, Dr. H.O. Smith Schools | 881-3930 |
| Lisa Gifford | Department Head - Dr. H.O. Smith, Library Street Schools | 886-1248 |
Special Education Referral
Child Find
Link to Hudson School District Child Find Policy
The state must identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities in the state in need of special education and related services. To do so, states conduct “Childfind†activities. A child may be identified by “Childfind,†and parents may ask that their child be evaluated. Or –
Referral or Request for Evaluation
A school professional may ask that a child be evaluated to see if he or she has a disability. Parents may also contact the child’s teacher or other school professional to ask that their child be evaluated. This request may be verbal or in writing. However, parents will be asked to place their request in writing and submit it to the Special Education Department Head.
The department head will send a letter to the parent(s) acknowledging that a referral has been received. Along with this letter, the parent(s) should receive a copy of the referral and a Procedural Safeguards booklet. Parents should be requested to complete a Basic Parent Information Form prior to the team meeting.
Upon receipt of a new referral, the special education department head or his/her designee should organize a special education folder for the student and the original referral and all subsequent special education documentation regarding the student should be placed in it. (Appropriate measures should be taken to safeguard the information to insure that only personnel with a right to know have access to it.)
Team Composition
The composition for the team to decide the disposition of the referral consists of the following: The special education department head, parent(s), classroom teacher, evaluators and the special education teacher. Also, as necessary, guidance counselor, principal or assistant principal, nurse, or other persons as determined by the special education department head. One of the team members must be knowledgeable about the student as a result of having contact with the student in the school, or if the student is below school age, at another appropriate setting.
Timeline
Within 15 days of the receipt of the referral, the special education team shall review the referral. We are required to give parent(s) 10 day written prior notice of any meeting they are invited to attend unless they sign a waiver agreeing to meet sooner.
Team Meeting Process
Whenever possible the referring school person will present the referral. The team should review attendance, discipline, and academic records as well as the Health Report completed by the school nurse. At the meeting, the team should have available to review the most current information possible. The team may decide on of the following:
- To proceed with the special needs evaluation, or
- To seek additional information, or
- To identify modifications and strategies that need to be tried in the current placement before proceeding with a full evaluation.
The special education department head or his/her designee should take team-meeting minutes and complete a Written Prior Notice documenting all pertinent information. If the team requires information from sources outside the school (i.e. physician, psychologist, therapist, etc.), parent(s) should be requested to sign a release of information to obtain this information.
The special education department head shall give the parent(s) a copy of the team minutes and Written Prior Notice explaining the team’s decision. If the teams’ decision is to test the student, parent(s) shall be requested to sign the Permission to Test. After receiving the signed Permission to Test, the special education department head shall provide parent(s) with a copy. If the parent(s) does not agree with the written decision of the team, the Director of Special Services should be notified and the due process procedures may be assessed.
Special Education Referral Form
The members of the Special Services Department take pride in working collaboratively with all members of the Hudson School District. We are proud of the team spirit we share with all those working collectively to educate our students. To the credit of many individuals, we have built a continuum of services to support our struggling students.
The continuum of services continues to be modified, and is a fluid system suited to the changing needs of students. Our goal is to work cooperatively with all those involved in the education of the students of Hudson to insure every student has the opportunity to learn and succeed.
The Hudson School District staff is continually in the process of developing, refining and implementing programs that assure all children with disabilities have an education available to them that emphasizes special education that meets their unique needs. The District has developed the following continuum of programs and services:
Continuum of Programs and Services
- Pre-school Programs for students aged three to six years old.
- Integrated, modified regular education instruction for all students in grades one through grade twelve.
- Resource Room instruction all grades from one to twelve.
- Instruction using Applied Behavior Analysis for students in preschool through grade eight.
- Programming for students with social and behavior difficulties grades preschool through grade twelve.
- Daily living skills instruction from preschool through grade twelve.
- Remedial reading instruction for students in grade one through grade twelve.
- Transition planning is done for all students in preschool through grade twelve.
Contact Individuals
| Irene Sousa | Director of Special Services | 886-1253 |
| Scott Riddell |
Assistant Principal - Alvirne High School | 886-1260 x2520 |
| Donna Straight |
Assistant Principal - Hudson Memorial School | 886-1240 |
| Karen Cassidy | Department Head - Nottingham West School | 595-1570 |
| Nancy Rothe |
Department Head - Hills Garrison, Library Street, Dr. H.O. Smith Schools | 881-3930 |
Special Education Referral
Child Find
Link to Hudson School District Child Find Policy
The state must identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities in the state in need of special education and related services. To do so, states conduct “Childfind” activities. A child may be identified by “Childfind,” and parents may ask that their child be evaluated. Or –
Referral or Request for Evaluation
A school professional may ask that a child be evaluated to see if he or she has a disability. Parents may also contact the child’s teacher or other school professional to ask that their child be evaluated. This request may be verbal or in writing. However, parents will be asked to place their request in writing and submit it to the Special Education Department Head.
The department head will send a letter to the parent(s) acknowledging that a referral has been received. Along with this letter, the parent(s) should receive a copy of the referral and a Procedural Safeguards booklet. Parents should be requested to complete a Basic Parent Information Form prior to the team meeting.
Upon receipt of a new referral, the special education department head or his/her designee should organize a special education folder for the student and the original referral and all subsequent special education documentation regarding the student should be placed in it. (Appropriate measures should be taken to safeguard the information to insure that only personnel with a right to know have access to it.)
Team Composition
The composition for the team to decide the disposition of the referral consists of the following: The special education department head, parent(s), classroom teacher, evaluators and the special education teacher. Also, as necessary, guidance counselor, principal or assistant principal, nurse, or other persons as determined by the special education department head. One of the team members must be knowledgeable about the student as a result of having contact with the student in the school, or if the student is below school age, at another appropriate setting.
Timeline
Within 15 days of the receipt of the referral, the special education team shall review the referral. We are required to give parent(s) 10 day written prior notice of any meeting they are invited to attend unless they sign a waiver agreeing to meet sooner.
Team Meeting Process
Whenever possible the referring school person will present the referral. The team should review attendance, discipline, and academic records as well as the Health Report completed by the school nurse. At the meeting, the team should have available to review the most current information possible. The team may decide on of the following:
- To proceed with the special needs evaluation, or
- To seek additional information, or
- To identify modifications and strategies that need to be tried in the current placement before proceeding with a full evaluation.
The special education department head or his/her designee should take team-meeting minutes and complete a Written Prior Notice documenting all pertinent information. If the team requires information from sources outside the school (i.e. physician, psychologist, therapist, etc.), parent(s) should be requested to sign a release of information to obtain this information.
The special education department head shall give the parent(s) a copy of the team minutes and Written Prior Notice explaining the team’s decision. If the teams’ decision is to test the student, parent(s) shall be requested to sign the Permission to Test. After receiving the signed Permission to Test, the special education department head shall provide parent(s) with a copy. If the parent(s) does not agree with the written decision of the team, the Director of Special Services should be notified and the due process procedures may be assessed.
Special Education Referral Form