Our pedagogy, philosophy, and program includes implicit methodologies that support students’ individual needs. This includes strong teacher-student relationships, interdisciplinary programming that emphasizes movement, art and visual supports and partnerships between families and teachers. In addition, aspects of our curriculum are designed to implicitly work with students’ social-emotional needs. For example, pedagogical stories are told to subtly work with dynamics in the classroom, school wide assemblies promote positive culture and climate, and class meetings are held on a weekly basis where there is opportunity provided for authentic and respectful sharing between classmates. Additionally, the classroom guidelines and boundaries are gently but firmly integrated into each class continuously as a way to support students' sense of safety and comfort through the daily rhythm. LCWS is actively working to increase class-wide accommodations that are available to all students, including alternate seating, headphones, quiet spaces for resets, visual aids, and scaffolded instructions (e.g., offering both oral and written instructions, opportunities to take notes, and have notes provided when needed). The Educational Support Specialist and School Counselor collaborate with class teachers and co-teach lessons in the classroom weekly to model inclusive instructional and social-emotional skills and strategies.

When individual students need more explicit support, the student support team works closely with the teachers to develop student specific and differentiated strategies to implement in and out of the classroom. For Tier 2 supports, this can include specific seating changes, regular check-ins with the teacher or a student support member, planned access to quiet spaces to reset, previewing content with teachers, and providing extra support during known times of challenge. The school documents incidents through their “incident reports” and utilizes these reports to collect data and inform differentiated supports for students. Incidents of conflict are addressed through restorative conversations, supported by the teacher and/or student support team member. 

When a student needs more intensive intervention, a student support plan will be created for the student and a student support meeting will be held. The student support meeting will include the class teacher, caregivers, and at least one member of the student support team and will discuss observed behaviors and plans for additional interventions. This may include small group targeted interventions with the Educational Support Specialist or support staff, small group or individual meetings with the school counselor, the development of a safety plan, and/or additional interventions. When Tier 3 interventions are offered, the student support plan will be reviewed and updated on a regular basis to ensure it is meeting the evolving needs of the students.