Assessment team: a team of people from different areas of expertise that observe and test a child to determine his or her strengths and weaknesses.

Assistive technology: any item, piece of equipment, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities that allows them to participate fully in the educational setting.

Cognitive: a term that describes the process people use for remembering, reasoning, understanding, and using judgment.

Developmental history: the developmental progress of a child (age’s birth to 18 years) in such skills as sitting, walking, or talking.

Developmental tests: tests that measure a child's development as it compares to the development of all other children at that age.

Child with a Disability: child with a disability means a child evaluated in accordance with federal law as having mental retardation, a hearing impairment (including deafness), a speech or language impairment, a visual impairment (including blindness), a serious emotional disturbance (referred to in this part as “emotional disturbance”), an orthopedic impairment, autism, traumatic brain injury, an other health impairment, a specific learning disability, deaf-blindness, or multiple disabilities, and who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services. Child with a disability for children aged three through six, include a child -- (1) Who is experiencing developmental delays, as measured by appropriate diagnostic instruments and procedures, in one or more of the following areas: Physical development, cognitive development, communication development, social or emotional development, or adaptive development; and (2) Who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.

Due process (procedure): action that protects a person’s rights; in special education, this applies to action taken to protect the educational rights of students with disabilities.

Eligible: able to qualify.

Evaluation: (applies to school-age children); a way of collecting information about a student’s learning needs, strengths, and interests; the evaluation is part of the process of determining whether a student qualifies for special education programs and services.

Free, appropriate public education (often referred to as FAPE): one of the key requirements of Public Law 101-476, which requires personalized instruction to students with disabilities with sufficient support services to permit the child to benefit from that instruction .

Individualized Educational Program (IEP): a written education plan for a school-aged child with disabilities developed by a team of professional (teachers, therapists, etc.) and the child’s parents; it is reviewed and updated yearly and describes how the child is presently doing, what the child’s learning needs are, and what services the child will need and who will provide them. (For children ages birth through 2 years, the IFSP is used.)

Individualized Family Services Plan (IFSP): a written statement for an infant or toddler (ages birth through 2 years old) developed by a team of people who have worked with the child and the family; the IFSP must contain the child’s level of development, strengths, and needs, major goals or outcome expected, services needed, date of the next evaluation, and the starting date o of the present IFSP. The IFSP should identify the needs of the child’s family.

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE): an educational setting or program that provides a student with disabilities the chance to work and learn to the best of his or her ability; it also provides the student with as much contact as possible with children without disabilities, while meeting all of the child’s learning needs and physical requirements.

Occupational therapy: a therapy or treatment provided by an occupational therapist that helps individual developmental or physical skills that will aid in daily living; it focuses on sensory integration; on coordination of movement; and on fine motor and self-help skills, such as dressing, eating with a fork and spoon, etc.

Physical therapy: treatment of (physical) disabilities given by a trained physical therapist (under doctor’s orders) that includes the use of massage, exercise, etc. to help the person improve the use of bones, muscles, joints, and nerves utilized in gross motor activities.

Planning and Placement team (PPT): a group of certified and/or licensed professionals who represent each of the teaching, administrative and pupil personnel staffs and who, with the parents, are equal participants in the decision making process to determine the specific educational needs of a child and to develop, review and revise a child’s Individual Educational Plan (IEP).

Policy/Policies: rules and regulations; as related to early intervention and special education programs, the rules that a state or local school system as for providing services for and educating its students with special needs.

Related Services: transportation and developmental, corrective, and other support services that a child with disabilities requires in order to benefit from education; examples of related services include: speech pathology and audiology, psychological services, physical and occupational therapy, recreation, counseling services, interpreters for the hearing impaired, and medical services for diagnostic and evaluation purposes.

Special education program services: programs, services or specially designed instruction (offered at no cost to families) for children over three years old with special needs who are found eligible for such services; these include special learning methods or materials in the regular classroom, and special classes and programs if the learning or physical problems are serious.

Speech/Language therapy: a planned program to improve and correct speech and/or language or communication problems in students deemed eligible for services because they could not access the general education system.

Linda B. Chipkin Early Years Center

School Hours

The Early Years Center Staff

Message from the Principal

Philosophy Statement

Early Years Center's Goals

Behavior Management Techniques

Program Description

Arrival

Dismissal

Special Transportation Arrangements

Parking Areas and Restrictions

Proper and Safe Bus Behavior

Email

Building Security and Safety

Informal Consultation Services

Dress Code Guidelines

Recess

Toys and Personal Devices

Snack Time

Classroom Celebrations, Birthdays, and other Parties

Health Services

Health Requirements

Medications

Hygiene and Health

Health Screenings

Students with Disabilities

Visitations

Contacting Teachers in School

Residency

Lost and Found

Emergency Contact Information

Equal Education Opportunity -- Non-Discrimination

Branford Public School Safe School Climate Plan

Discipline: Suspension/Expulsion

Notification of Rights Under Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Notification of Rights Under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA)

Right to Request Information Concerning Teacher and Paraprofessional Qualifications

Pesticide Applications

Green Cleaning Policy

Asbestos Management Program Letter

Parental Involvement

Parent's Dictionary

Acronyms and Abbreviations

Helpful Parent Information

Whose Child is This? -- Author Unknown