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Administration |
HOME
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Student Assistance Program |
Mr. Thomas Beese, Jr.
Director of Special Services
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Mr. Thomas Beese, Jr.
Director of Special Services
(908) 889-8600
x-138
Supervisors
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Suzanne Flannery |
908 889-8600 x-141 |
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Janet Ramos |
908 889-8600 x-139 |
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Counseling,
PreK-4 |
Timothy Donahue |
908 889-8600 x-403 |
Special Services Programs
Counseling Department: Department services are available to all students in the middle and high schools. Counselors interact with students, teachers, parents, and school administrators for program advising, college and career counseling, and personal development purposes.
The independent local Resolve Community Counseling Center Inc. provides prevention, intervention, and crisis counseling services for individual students, small groups, and families.
Health Services: School nurses in each building are involved with all aspects of health services including dental education, pre-Kindergarten screening, first aid instruction, vision and hearing testing, maturation instruction, scoliosis screening, chemical dependency education, and maintenance of health records.
Special Education: A comprehensive program of special education services is provided by the district to meet the needs of all identified children with disabilities, PreK through Grade 12. Child Study Teams are regularly available to consult with teachers and parents concerning the needs of identified students.
Speech: Speech and language services are provided in all schools for students who require these services, as stated in their Individual Education Plans (IEPs).
English as a Second Language: Supplemental instruction by teachers certified in ESL is provided to identified students whose native language is other than English.
Substance Awareness / Student Assistance Program
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Liz Knodel-Gordon, Coordinator |
908 889-8600 x-371 |
Drug and Alcohol Curriculum: The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Public Schools offer an educational curriculum grades K-12. The emphasis is on primary prevention of alcohol, drug, and substance abuse and provides students with information and developmental exercises regarding chemical substances. In Grades 7-12, a minimum of ten clock hours per school year of alcohol and other drug education, including the topics of tobacco and anabolic steroids, is provided in accordance with the Department of Education Chemical Health guidelines pursuant to NJSA 18A 40A-1. Elementary schools incorporate alcohol and other drug education, including tobacco and anabolic steroids, into their curriculum at each grade level appropriate for students' age, maturity, and grade level, in accordance with the Department of Educational Chemical Health guidelines to NJSA18A: 40A-1.Staff Development: The Substance Awareness/Student Assistance Program provides school employees with opportunities to attend workshops or receive the necessary foundation information relating to attitudes and skills that reduce risks, increase protective factors, and foster resilience in children.
Parent/Community Awareness: Parents and community members are provided with educational opportunities regarding school policy on alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, at-risk behaviors, violence, as well as information about the Substance Awareness/Student Assistance Program and its services that promote resilience and student success.
Core Team: The function of the SPFHS Core Team is to identify and refer students with behavioral, academic, and social concerns to the proper resource(s) through a multi-disciplinary problem-solving approach. The Substance Awareness Coordinator is the case manager. The Core Team assists in the evaluation of how the school can best serve students with behavioral, academic, and social problems through solution-focused strategies.
Intervention Program: The Substance Awareness Coordinator, in collaboration with other school staff, puts intervention components into place. Early intervention, crisis intervention, and aftercare information and opportunities are provided by the Substance Awareness Coordinator for students and families on an individual basis. Short-term in-school counseling is provided to ensure a continuous quality of services for students and families when necessary.
Educational Student Support Groups: Student support and problem-solving, informational skills-based groups are provided for students who are at-risk or experiencing academic or social problems. The groups are co-facilitated by the Substance Awareness Coordinator, school counselors, and/or other school staff. The groups are created as individual school needs are identified.
Integration with Other School-Based Programs: The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Substance Awareness/Student Assistance Program works to integrate student assistance services with other school-based programs designed to increase resilience, improve academic performance, and reduce student risk for alcohol, tobacco, other drugs and violence.
Cooperation and Collaboration with Community Agency Resources: A goal of the Substance Awareness/Student Assistance Program is to build bridges between schools, parents, and community resources through referral and cooperation with shared services.
Substance Awareness/Student Assistance Program Evaluation: The Substance Awareness Coordinator, the Core Team, and members of the Municipal Alliance Committee periodically evaluate the components of the Substance Awareness/Student Assistance Program to ensure continuous quality improvement of student assistance services and outcomes.
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