Special Services

The Special Services Department educates students who are identified through a special education review process as eligible for special education (specialized instruction) and who have Individualized Education Plans. An Evaluation and Planning Team determines a student’s eligibility for an IEP according to Vermont State Department of Education Special Education rules. Special services are provided for students who qualify under one or more of the following categories of disabilities:
Learning impairment                     Emotional disturbance
Orthopedic impairment                 Specific learning disability
Visual impairment                         Autism
Deafness/hard of hearing              Other health impairments
Speech or Language Impairment    Multiple disabilities
Traumatic brain injury                   Deaf-blindness

The Special Services staff includes Vermont-certified learning specialists, a reading teacher, a speech and language pathologist, paraeducators, and related services providers. The staff helps students identify learning problems; they provide remediation in the areas of deficiency; they tutor in the content areas; they teach specific basic skills, exam-taking skills, and organizational skills, and they help students develop strategies to manage behavior.

Indirect services may take the form of consulting with classroom teachers, conferencing with parents, developing IEPs, managing a student’s educational program, revising curricula, and coordinating with other professionals involved in the process of special education.  

Special education personnel work with other agencies’ personnel to facilitate the transition of students to college or other post-high school or employment opportunities. This may include placing a student on a 504 plan which is designed to assist the student throughout life.

The Study Skills course is offered in our Learning Center for students who need additional academic support to function successfully in regular education classes. Also, through our Learning Center, identified special education students may take a core academic class at a modified level for credit.

The Life Skills Program and the ACCESS Program (Accessing Community, Careers, Education through Successful Self-Determination) are life-skills, functional academic, community-based, job-training courses of study for students who need a highly specialized and individualized
high school program. Some identified special education or 504 students may receive their specialized instruction at the Target Program.
ADDITIONAL COURSES AND PROGRAMS   55

 CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER COURSES
The Southwest Vermont Career Development Center in Bennington offers a wide variety of practical technical courses for interested students in southern and central Bennington County. Upon successful completion of a career-technical program, students have the skills needed to attain successful employment or to take advantage of the college credit earned at CDC to continue with higher education. High school academic credit may also be earned by a student who completes a two-year sequence.
   Sophomores and juniors who are interested in attending the Southwest Vermont Career Development Center must complete an application. Students must have satisfactory academic and attendance records to be considered for this program.
   Please note that any day the Career Development Center is open, Burr and Burton students MUST attend class there, even if it is during a Burr and Burton vacation period. The Career Development Center follows a 180-day school calendar. Transportation is provided to and from CDC for Burr and Burton students.

CDC COURSE OFFERINGS 2009-2010
Accounting and Finance
Agro-ecology
Architecture and Construction
Artificial Intelligence /Programming
Automotive Technology and Maintenance
Building Trades
Business Management
Communication Technologies
Computer Technology and Networking
Cosmetology
Design and Fabrication
Engineering and Design
Forensic Investigation
Forestry and Heavy Equipment
Introduction to Horticulture
Medical and Human Services
Law Enforcement
Marketing Education
Medical Professions
Pre-Law
Theater Arts
Video Production
3-D CAD Computer Aided Design and Fabrication