Wheatland J1 School District

The Wheatland Special Education team believes that all students can overcome the challenges they face due to their disability or circumstance when we believe in them and hold them to high expectations. We believe that students thrive when strong relationships are forged between them, their parents, and their teachers. We believe that students need to feel safe to take risks in learning and that an emphasis on student strengths and abilities will foster the confidence needed to grow in their learning. We believe all children deserve access to the same learning opportunities to prepare them for success in life. Most of all, we believe special education is a service and a support rather than a place. Students of all ability levels need to be included in a meaningful way in order to participate in the instruction and progress in the general curriculum.

We achieve these goals through the following practices:  

• Open communication and an emphasis on collaboration with teachers and families

• A focus on developing trust and positive relationships with students and families

• High standards and expectations for our students, incorporating individual learner profiles and a system of co-planning and co-teaching among educators

• Inclusive programming options that include a continuum of placement options tailored to the individual student’s needs

• Data-based decision making - collecting and utilizing data to inform our decisions and adjust programming as needed

• Creative, flexible and solution-focused programming

• Program evaluation - holding ourselves accountable for meaningful results with students

• Collaborative transition practices between community agencies and high school organizations