• The Instructional Support Team (IST) plays an important role within the school community. The purpose of the IST is to provide support to and make recommendations for classroom teachers to try in the classroom when a student is not succeeding.


    • The IST Team:

      • Mrs. Samantha Buchholz, Principal

      • Mrs. Elisa Dugatkin, School Psychologist

      • Ms. Kimberly Zawacki, School Social Worker

      • Mrs. Natalia Jennings, Speech Therapist

      • Mrs. Paula Fern, AIS Teacher

      • Mrs. Maureen Eltzholtz, AIS Teacher

      • Mrs. Christine Ottiano, Special Education Teacher

     

    • The IST process:

      • The teacher completes a form with all of the necessary information and documentation of the strategies that have already been tried in the classroom.

      • The teacher lets the parent know that an IST meeting is being scheduled.

      • The form is then reviewed by the building principal who schedules the meeting.

      • The team meets with the referring teacher to listen to his/her concerns, brainstorm strategies to try in the classroom, to create a plan for the student and to assign a case manager.

      • After the meeting, data is then collected on how the strategies are working or not working in the classroom.

      • The team meets again as needed to share the data, brainstorm additional things to try in the classroom and/or refer to the Committee on Special Education (CSE) if necessary.

      • Throughout the process, the classroom teacher communicates with the parents to keep them informed of the plan that is in place for their child.