Middle School

15:1 Replacement Classes/Resource Room/Consultant Teacher

• The direct consultant classes offer students with disabilities the opportunity to receive instruction in regular education classes with non-disabled peers. The special education inclusion teacher team teaches with the regular classroom teacher to provide direction instruction and support within the regular classroom. Curriculum is adapted and modified, when appropriate, to meet the individual needs of each student.

• The 15:1 Replacement classes provide primary academic instruction to students for specific classes such as English and Math as opposed to receiving them in the regular education classroom. This program provides a gap for the higher level functioning students who are struggling with one or two particular subjects in the regular education classroom and require small group instruction but who are not appropriate for a full-day, self-contained special class.

• Resource Room and Indirect Consultant Teacher services provide direct and indirect supplementary academic instruction in and out of the general curriculum to disabled students in Grades 6-8. The purpose is to reteach/reinforce concepts that are taught initially in the regular education classrooms and provide necessary remediation of skill deficits. This program also teaches study skills and focuses on the goals and objectives identified in each student’s IEP. This program provides the opportunity for students to receive the majority of their instruction in the regular education classes with non-disabled peers and learn in the least restrictive environment.

• Grade 6: Tricia Atty-Javarone
  Tracie Grant
  Grade 7: Theresa Droszd
  Christine Armstrong
  Grade 8: Meredith Fancher (Department Chairperson)
  Jillian LaVada

12:1:1 Self-Contained Special Classes

The Gloversville Middle School has seven self-contained classrooms available for students needing a smaller, more structured learning environment than the regular education classroom can provide. These classes are designed to meet the needs of significantly lower functioning students, students with mild to severe learning disabilities, and students with emotional and behavioral difficulties.

1. Severely Learning Disabled Classes

Grade 6: Matt Richardson
Grade 7: Deanine Kowalski
Grade 8: Cheryl Wagner
These 12:1:1 self-contained special classes are designed for the mixed level functioning disabled students with mild to moderate learning deficits stemming from medical, speech/language, hearing, and/or cognitive processing deficits. These classes provide specialized instruction of the general curriculum of each grade level to students in Grades 6,7,and 8 who require a smaller, more structured learning environment than the regular education classroom can provide. These students are on track for earning a local diploma.

2. Lower Level 12:1:1 Special Classes (Lynn Semprivivo and William Decker)

These 12:1:1 self-contained special classes provide academic instruction to children in Grades 6-8 who require a small, structured learning environment. Typically, students in these programs have below average cognitive skills with IQs that range from 60 – 80. The program is designed for students with developmental disabilities that require an intensive instructional approach. The goal is to provide functional academic skills and independent living skills. A modified curriculum and lifeskills are addressed and strategies implemented for all academic areas. This class consists primarily of lower level functioning students with moderate to severe learning deficits, primarily due to mental retardation or multiple disabilities. These students are on track for earning a Local and/or IEP diploma.

3. Emotional/Behavioral Classes
ZODIAC (Christine Purcell)

This 8:1:1 self-contained class provides specialized instruction of the general curriculum to children in Grades 6-8 who require a small, highly structured learning environment with a behavior management component. This class consists primarily of students with emotional and behavioral disorders. A counselor from Family Counseling Center is in the classroom to counsel and work with the students and their families.

STARSS DAY TREATMENT PROGRAM (Kate Kukan)

The STARSS program (Students Accepting Responsibility for Self and School) is a school-based Day Treatment Program that is a collaborative program between St. Mary’s Hospital CMHAC and the Gloversville Enlarged School District. The program serves up to eight (8) children ages 11-14 in the Middle School (Grades 6-8). St. Mary’s CMHAC provides the intensive mental health services and staffing for the program (MSW level Social Worker and Case Manager) and the district provides the educational staff, space, and equipment/supplies. The program conforms with OMH requirements for outpatient day treatment services as specified in OMH regulations. The children targeted by the program are seriously emotionally disturbed and at risk of out of school or out of community placements. The program is a structured, intensive, nonresidential program, which provides integrated mental health and special educational services designed to maintain pupils in school and their community and to improve social, emotional, behavioral, and educational adjustment.

GMS Building Psychologist: Penny Lockwood (3 ½ days) 

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