Special Services

CHILD FIND SERVICES

Federal regulations provide that child find requirements apply to highly mobile children (e.g., migrant and homeless children), and to children who are suspected of having a disability, even though they are advancing from grade to grade. Child Find is also charged with the responsibility of identifying preschool-aged children who are suspected of having a disability. The Child Find office in Widefield assists parents and others within the community by facilitating and coordinating the process of identifying suspected children and insuring that these children receive evaluations to determine if they are eligible for services under IDEA. The Widefield Child Find Coordinator may be reached by telephone, below, or through the email address provided above.

CHILD FIND COORDINATOR

(719) 391-3378

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Colorado Department of Education - Child Find
• Colorado Early Learning & Development Guidelines

NURSING SERVICES

Ten full-time Registered Nurses and two Certified Nurses Assistants make up the special services nursing staff. Registered nurses gather health and social histories as part of the evaluation process of all special needs children. They participate in district Child Find screenings and also perform health assessments and screenings as part of the special services evaluation process. Nurses administer the district's medication policy, monitor all medical procedures performed upon children within district schools and provide consultive assistance to district staff on the health-related concerns of individual children. Nurses are responsible for making medical referrals and vision referrals for children who require medical assistance. Registered Nurses are responsible for monitoring the district's immunization requirements. Widefield nurses may be reached individually through the email address provided below.

NURSES:

• LaToya Armstrong armstronglatoya@wsd3.or
• Patricia Blaser blaserpatricia@wsd3.org
• Lisa DeFouw defouwlisa@wsd3.org
• Stephanie Dodson dodsons@wsd3.org
• Jennifer Jiron jironjennifer@wsd3.org
• Janine Kappelmann kappelmannjanine@wsd3.org 
• Morgan Kempf kempfmorgan@wsd3.org
• Megan Nellis nellism@wsd3.org
• Kelsey Spangler spanglerkelsey@wsd3.org
• Katelyn Watson  watsonk@wsd3.org

CNA:

• Connie Cooper  cooperconnie@wsd3.org
• Kendra Waits waitsk@wsd3.org

PHYSICAL MOVEMENT

Physical Movement Services are provided by an Adapted Physical Education Teacher and assistant, Occupational Therapists and Physical Therapists. Services are available to children who have been evaluated as possessing physical disabilities or orthopedic problems which impair their ability to make progress in the general school environment. Improved access to the school environment and to the use of learning tools is the mission of Motor Services. Members of the Motor Services Department provide both evaluation of children's needs and direct service in adapted physical education and in physical therapy and occupational therapy. Widefield motor therapists and teachers may be reached individually through the email address provided below.
 

Physical Therapy

• Jeanne Johnson  johnsonj@wsd3.org
• Michele Sneath sneathmichele@wsd3.org

Occupational Therapy

• Kacey Bunger bungerkacey@wsd3.org
• Jaimie Hunsicker hunsickerj@wsd3.org
• Megan Paben pabenm@wsd3.org
   

PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES

Eight full-time and two part-time school psychologists currently make up the special services psychological staff. All psychologists serve as designees for the Executive Director of Special Education at staffings to determine eligibility and placement for children with suspected disabilities.

Psychologists use ability tests to determine how children process information, and they also provide formal and informal evaluations of how children's emotions and behaviors might affect their school performance. Psychologists evaluate child development and adaptive behavior. They conduct behavioral assessments and assist in the development of behavior plans for children with behavior problems. They provide consultative assistance to other professional staff, parents and school administration.

Widefield school psychologist's participate in group counseling with children who have been placed in many of the district's special programs, and they provide short-term individual counseling, crisis counseling and intervention when needed.

Psychologists may be reached individually through the email address provided below:

• Caitlin Bloyer bloyercaitlin@wsd3.org
• Branden DeMarco demarcobranded@wsd3.org
• Leilani Keefer keeferl@wsd3.org
• Emily Kenner kenneremily@wsd3.org
• Abby Kilgore kilgorea@wsd3.org
• Chase Kitterman kittermanchase@wsd3.org
• Tashi Miller millertashi@wsd3.org
• Corrina Neugebauer neugebauercorrina@wsd3.org
• Robert Preston prestonrobert@wsd3.org
• Jolene Tryon tryonj@wsd3.org
• Madison Walters waltersmadison@wsd3.org

SENSORY & AUGMENTATIVE SERVICES

The Sensory and Augmentative Services department is staffed by teachers of children with vision and hearing handicaps, and by a specialist in augmented and adapted communication systems. In order to receive assistance from vision and hearing handicapped teachers, children must possess vision or hearing sensory impairments which prevent them from making adequate progress in school. The augmentative communication specialist collaborates with members of a team of professionals in the development of augmented and adapted communication systems. These communication systems help children with sensory and motor handicaps to communicate with others within the school environment and within their homes. Members of the Sensory and Augmentative Services department may be by reaching out to your child's IEP Team.

SOCIAL WORK SERVICES

The Office of Special Education employs four full-time social workers. Through their facilitation of group counseling, community and outdoor experiences, and classroom activities, social work staff members provide direct service to children who have been placed in district self-contained programs for emotional problems. They also provide consultative assistance to other professional staff, parents and school administration. Social workers network with outside agencies on behalf of children with disabilities. They facilitate placement in day treatment and in hospitalization when required. They also provide short-term individual counseling, crisis counseling and intervention when needed. Social workers provide backup coverage to the special services teams in each building, assisting with parent contacts and family assistance when requested. Widefield social workers may be reached individually through the email address provided below.

Mental Health Awareness Video: Self Care is Essential

SOCIAL WORKERS

• Laura Chandler chandlerlaura@wsd3.org
• Kora Burrell burrellkora@wsd3.org
• Crystal Burns burnsc@wsd3.org
• Meagan Herbst herbstmeagan@wsd3.org
• Courtnee Divine divinecourtnee@wsd3.org
• Grace Enick enickgrace@wsd3.org
• Nicole Lohrer lohrernicole@wsd3.org
• Charity Neumann neumanncharity@wsd3.org
• Tia Perez pereztia@wsd3.org
• Eileen Pollack pollacke@wsd3.org
• Patricia Ramirez ramirezpatricia@wsd3.org
• Amber Rodriquez rodriguezamber@wsd3.org
• Lawton Stephens stephensl@wsd3.org
• Katie Tomlinson tomlinsonkatie@wsd3.org
• Becky Witt wittb@wsd3.org
• Emily Zarkovacki zarkovackiemily@wsd3.org
• Katie Wilander wilanderkaitlin@wsd3.org

HELPFUL WEBSITES

• ADD/ADHD
• Behavior Doctor
• CSEFEL - Center for the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning
• Kids Against Bullying
• National Autism Center
• One Place for Special Needs
• PBIS world
• Teaching Pyramid