To: Michael GreenRe: November Monthly Special Services ReportFrom: Deb KernenDate: November 2, 2012
This last month I have spent most of my time out in the buildings taking part in some very important work analyzing student data. Woodland Primary spent 4 days staffing all students in their building in a process called Collaborative Academic Support Team (C.A.S.T.). This is a prevention/intervention service delivery model which incorporates all educational resources available to serve at risk students. C.A.S.T. team member include" classroom teachers, data/literacy facilitators, reading specialists, principal, special education teacher, school psychologist, speech/language therapist, counselor, and special services director. The purpose of the C.A.S.T. meetings is to use data to determine students' skill deficits and/or strengths and matching areas of instructional need. Teachers use the information with help from support staff to develop flexible instructional groupings in their classes to match students' skill need areas. The C.A.S.T. process helps to ensure that all students' academic needs are being met and helps to prevent students from being placed into special education due to lack of instruction. Woodland Intermediate spent 3 days, Yale spent a morning and WMS spent 2 days in this process as well. From a systems stand point this is very powerful and so student centered!! This process happens 3 times per year.