Special Education
Special Education
Special Education services in the Bellbrook-Sugarcreek School District are committed to addressing the unique needs of all students who meet the requirements under IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) by providing students with a free and appropriate public education.
For a brief intro on the nature of special education services provided by the district, please read THIS GUIDE and the SPECIAL EDUCATION TRI-FOLD PAMPHLET
Special education is governed by federal and state requirements. The federal requirements are referred to as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The state requirements are referred to as the Ohio Operating Standards for the Education of Children with Disabilities (Ohio Operating Standards).
Please see A Guide to Parent Rights in Special Education for additional information on procedural safeguards and parents’ rights under IDEA and Ohio Operating Standards. Additional translations are available
Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools' Procedural Safeguards document can be found here
Child Find
Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools is working to identify and locate all individuals from ages 3 to 21 who may have disabilities. For more information, please contact our special education department.
Disability Specific Information
Students qualify for special education services through a multi-factored evaluation team report (ETR)
Ohio Disability Category Definitions
Disability Specific Resources from ODE's website
Scholarships
Children with special needs may be eligible for a scholarship under the Autism Scholarship Program or the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program to attend a special education program that implements the child's individualized education program and is operated by an alternative public provider or by a registered private provider. For additional information, see the links above.
Vocational Planning and Post-Secondary Transition Resources
In Ohio, students with disabilities ages 14 or younger, if appropriate, formally enter into the secondary transition planning process. A truly successful transition process is the result of comprehensive planning that is driven by the student’s preferences, interests, needs, and strengths. This comprehensive planning moves students toward successful future outcomes in competitive, integrated employment, education and independent living.
The following links include resources to support transitions and employment goals:
Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities
Greene County Board of Developmental Disabilities
Community Involvement – Are you looking for a way to give back to your community? Have you considered serving as a surrogate parent for a school district?
What is a surrogate parent?
A surrogate parent represents a student with disabilities in all special education matters relating to the identification, evaluation, educational placement, and provision of a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) to the child.
For more information on surrogate parenting, check out this short presentation on InspirED: Surrogate Parent OCALI | Surrogate Parent for a Child with a Disability.
If you decide to serve, please complete the training here.
For more information please contact Karen Johnson or Chrissy Cline with questions.
Ohio’s Alternate Assessment for Students with the most Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD), or alternate assessment, is the federally required state assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. The alternate assessment is based on Ohio’s Learning Standards–Extended (OLS-E). It allows a very small population of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities to demonstrate their knowledge and skills on an appropriate assessment.
For more information on the AASCD, download this document.
The mission of the Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Special Education Parent Volunteer Advisory Committee is to facilitate collaboration among students, parents, staff, the Board of Education, and the community in order to promote inclusion, understanding of, respect for, and support of all children with special needs in our community.
Special Education Parent Volunteer Advisory Committee Members
Ann Maguire - Parent Mentor, Serving the Bellbrook and Beavercreek School Districts
A Parent Mentor is a parent who has a child with a disability. Mentors can act as a liaison between parents and school and help guide families through the special education process. Ohio Parent Mentors provide free services to families who have a child with a disability.
Audra Dorn - Bell Creek Intermediate
Jennifer Lake - Stephen Bell Elementary
Megan Frigo - Stephen Bell Elementary
If you have any information relating to special education or students with disabilities that you would like to share such as upcoming events/activities, please feel free to reach out to one of our Special Education Parent Volunteer Advisory Committee members.
Please check back periodically for updates.
New webpage helps families understand the special education process
The Ohio Department of Education has a webpage for Families of Students with Disabilities. The page features information to help families better understand the special education process. It includes the Evaluation Roadmap to show families what to expect if they feel their children may need additional support or Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). The Evaluation Roadmap shares key timelines, links to documents that schools must use and supporting information at each step for a better understanding of what parents can expect. The Evaluation Roadmap is downloadable and available in multiple languages.
Also featured on the Families of Students with Disabilities page are direct links to agencies in Ohio, which offer one-on-one assistance to families of students with disabilities. Resources for families related to getting involved with their children’s learning, early childhood and preschool, and literacy also are on the page.
The Department will regularly update the Families of Students with Disabilities webpage with new materials, links and resources as they become available.
For questions related to the Ohio Department of Education’s Families of Students with Disabilities page, email Lyndsay Havey.
This is a list of related service providers, with contact form emails linked to each name:
Speech and Language Pathologists
Registered Occupational Therapist
Occupational Therapist Assistant
Physical Therapist
Adaptive Physical Education
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Ohio’s Alternate Assessment for Students with the most Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD), or alternate assessment, is the federally required state assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. The alternate assessment is based on Ohio’s Learning Standards–Extended (OLS-E). It allows a very small population of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities to demonstrate their knowledge and skills on an appropriate assessment.
For more information on the AASCD, download this document.
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The mission of the Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Special Education Parent Volunteer Advisory Committee is to facilitate collaboration among students, parents, staff, the Board of Education, and the community in order to promote inclusion, understanding of, respect for, and support of all children with special needs in our community.
Special Education Parent Volunteer Advisory Committee Members
Ann Maguire - Parent Mentor, Serving the Bellbrook and Beavercreek School Districts
A Parent Mentor is a parent who has a child with a disability. Mentors can act as a liaison between parents and school and help guide families through the special education process. Ohio Parent Mentors provide free services to families who have a child with a disability.
Audra Dorn - Bell Creek Intermediate
Jennifer Lake - Stephen Bell Elementary
Megan Frigo - Stephen Bell Elementary
If you have any information relating to special education or students with disabilities that you would like to share such as upcoming events/activities, please feel free to reach out to one of our Special Education Parent Volunteer Advisory Committee members.
Please check back periodically for updates.
-
New webpage helps families understand the special education process
The Ohio Department of Education has a webpage for Families of Students with Disabilities. The page features information to help families better understand the special education process. It includes the Evaluation Roadmap to show families what to expect if they feel their children may need additional support or Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). The Evaluation Roadmap shares key timelines, links to documents that schools must use and supporting information at each step for a better understanding of what parents can expect. The Evaluation Roadmap is downloadable and available in multiple languages.
Also featured on the Families of Students with Disabilities page are direct links to agencies in Ohio, which offer one-on-one assistance to families of students with disabilities. Resources for families related to getting involved with their children’s learning, early childhood and preschool, and literacy also are on the page.
The Department will regularly update the Families of Students with Disabilities webpage with new materials, links and resources as they become available.
For questions related to the Ohio Department of Education’s Families of Students with Disabilities page, email Lyndsay Havey. -
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This is a list of related service providers, with contact form emails linked to each name:
Speech and Language Pathologists
Registered Occupational TherapistOccupational Therapist Assistant
Physical Therapist
Adaptive Physical Education
Related Services Provider Assignments
| Related Service Provider | Position | Building |
| Ann Maguire | Parent Mentor | N/A |
| Julie Carlton | SLP | St. Pierre Education Center |
| Michaela Novotny | OTA | |
| Grace Gustwiller | SLP | Stephen Bell Elementary |
| Kristina Carey | SLP | Stephen Bell Elementary |
| Dawn Koesters | PT | All Schools |
| Ellie McHugh | OTR | St. Pierre Edu. Ctr./Bell Creek |
| Kristen Hopkins | OTA | Middle School |
| Chas Thompson | APE | St. Pierre Edu. Ctr. |
| Shawna Reed | OTA | St. Pierre Edu. Ctr./Bell Creek |
| Erika Srbinovski | SLP | Bell Creek Intermediate |
| Melissa Wallace | SLP | St. Pierre Education Center |