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Southview High School

Special Education

Department Chair: Chris Awls

(419) 824-8580 ext. 6141

[email protected]

The special education department provides support services for exceptional students with particular educational needs. The fourteen teachers in the department teach small, specialized classes, co-teach in general education classes, individually counsel and tutor students, and work with parents, students, and counselors to promote the success of each student. Students working in the department experience an individualized and differentiated menu of opportunities to access all of the diverse offerings of Southview. Click on the presentation below for more information.

Department Presentation

Parents frequently ask these questions:

What kind of classes does the Special Education department offer?

Co-taught Classes: Southview offers a variety of co-taught classes. Co-taught classes allow students with special needs to participate in the general education curriculum by providing a comprehensive range of services and a consistent, structured, and nurturing environment. In a co-taught classroom, students with and without disabilities can access specially designed instruction and benefit from constant collaboration and expertise of general education and special education teachers.

Essentials Classes: Southview offers various levels of Essentials classes. In an Essentials class, special education instruction and support are provided in a separate learning environment or as an additional support class. Content may match general education curriculum or the content may be modified, depending on the level of class and needs of the student.

Academic Strategies: The Academic Strategies course provides specially designed reading and writing instruction using the Strategic Instruction Model, or SIM curriculum. SIM is a student-centered, research-based instructional approach designed to transform struggling learners into students who know how to learn and apply their knowledge and skills actively across various learning environments. The overarching goal of this course is to is to enable students to learn skills and content and to perform tasks in a variety of settings. Students receive an elective credit for Academic Strategies.

Fundamentals of Math: Fundamentals of Math provides specially designed instruction in math calculations and math reasoning. This course builds and reinforces basic concepts needed to be successful mastering high school level mathematics. This class is designed to help students build and reinforce foundational math skills. Pre Assessments help identify areas of weakness and prescribe lessons to improve performance in those areas. Students receive an elective credit for Fundamentals of Math.

Small Group Instruction: Small group instruction is a time for students to work towards achieving their IEP goals and improving academic skills. IEP goals are addressed through the completion of class work, homework, and other activities. Other activities that might occur in Small Group Instruction include transition assessment and planning, assistance with organization, development of time management strategies, development of study skills.

What Job Training is available for students on an IEP?

Work Study-Supported: This option is available for students Freshmen through Senior year. Work Study 1 provides students with a very supportive work experience in their home school and/or at another Sylvania Schools location. The purpose of work study is to allow students the opportunity to practice repetitive tasks in a supportive environment so that they can expand their job skills before entering the Job Training program. Our students have various roles including working in elementary school cafeterias, being office aides, delivering mail, and much more. Work-study is customized to meet the students’ needs and interests.

Work Study-Independent: This option is available for students 16 or older. Students receive credit for their after-school jobs. Pay stubs are collected for students to receive credit.

Job Training: This option is available for juniors, seniors, and returning seniors. Job Training provides students with various work experiences throughout the community to learn job skills they can carry over to a future job. The program is individualized to the student's’ strengths, preferences, interests, and needs. Students are supported by job coaches and the Transition Specialist. Job Training allow students to be exposed to community-based instruction so students can generalize pre-taught skills across various settings in the community.

When will I know who my child’s case manager will be?

High school case managers will be assigned once schedules are finalized.

What kind of opportunities will my child have to transition to High School?

We want your child’s transition to high school to be as smooth as possible. In the spring, junior high and high school intervention specialists meet to plan for student’s transition to high school. Furthermore, Southview offers Freshman Orientation on the Freshman's first day of high school. For Freshman Orientation, students participate in a variety of team-building activities to get to know other students. They also have a chance to tour the building, travel through their schedule, and meet their teachers.