ESE

ESE Instructional Staff

Name		Email	Position
Lisa	Bollinger-Head	Lisa.Bollinger@stlucieschools.org	Classroom Teacher
Lori	Calandra	Lori.Calandra@stlucieschools.org	Classroom Teacher
Paula	Edwards	Paula.Edwards@stlucieschools.org	Classroom Teacher
Leigh	Garcia	Leigh.Garcia@stlucieschools.org	Classroom Teacher
Rebecca	Nicks	Rebecca.Nicks@stlucieschools.org	Classroom Teacher
Rhonda	Hill	Rhonda.Hill@stlucieschools.org	Classroom Teacher
Tauna	LaBare	Tauna.LaBare@stlucieschools.org	Classroom Teacher
Kelly	Lynch	Kelly.Lynch@stlucieschools.org	Support Teacher
Monica	Smith	Monica.Smith@stlucieschools.org	Support Teacher
Candice	Yankoon	Candice.Yankoon@stlucieschools.org	Support Teacher
Kelly	Gersh	Kelly.Gersh@stlucieschools.org	Support Teacher
Yurelis	Gonzalez	Yurelis.GonzalezAvila@stlucieschools.org	Support Teacher
Teresita	Carrasquillo	Teresita.Carrasquillo@stlucieschools.org	Support Teacher
Michelle	Gething	Michelle.Gething@stlucieschools.org	Speech
Vivian	Hill	Vivian.Hill@stlucieschools.org	Vision
Rebecca	Nelson	Rebecca.Nelson@stlucieschools.org	ESE Specialist
Danielle	Morningstar	Danielle.Morningstar@stlucieschools.org	ESE Specialist

The focus of educating students with disabilities at Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies is INCLUSION!

Inclusion is when ALL students – disabled and non-disabled are together for instruction. It promotes an atmosphere of acceptance and belonging with the use of supports and adaptations to make the general education classroom is accessible to ALL!

Inclusion additionally brings general education teachers and ESE teachers together to plan for the best educational opportunities for every student.

We currently service close to 170 students with a variety of disabilities from K through the 8th Grade. The following is a description for the ESE classroom and staff at SGA.

· There are five different classes for students with Autism. There are two Kindergarten through 2nd grade classrooms, two 3rd grades through 5th grade classroom, and there is a 6th through 8th grade classroom. All classrooms are staffed with the teacher, a behavior tech and a self-care aide. Some of the students with autism are a part of the inclusion program, and they go to the general end classroom with support from ESE staff in the general end classrooms.

· There is a Kindergarten through 5th grade classroom and a 6th through 8th grade classroom that services students with intellectual disabilities. All classrooms are staffed with a teacher and a paraprofessional. Some of the students with intellectual disabilities are a part of the inclusion program, and they go to the general end classroom with support from ESE staff in the general end classrooms.

· The remaining students with disabilities at SGA are inclusion students from K- 8th grade. The students out in inclusion have learning disabilities, Visual Impairments, intellectual, speech and or language impairments as well as a disability called “other health impaired”. Students are other health impaired has medical or mental health diagnosis that affects their ability to access the curriculum in the general end classroom. We have ESE staff that works with these students in inclusion from kindergarten through the 8th grade.

· SGA staffs a full-time speech/language pathologist and a part time speech/language pathologist assistance that work with the self-contained ESE classrooms as well as the students in the general education setting.

· An ESE clerk works to keep all the ESE students records in order, IEP meetings scheduled and keeping the staff informed of all current beneficial information.

· The ESE department is overseen by two department chairs that share the responsibility to oversee and to assure that all students’ educational needs are addressed and supported. In addition, the departments chairs are responsible to ensure that each student with disabilities’ rights are protected as defined in the IDEA – Individual with Disabilities education act of 2004