• Special Programs

    The Special Programs Department of Thornton Township High Schools District 205 serves young adults between the ages of 14-21 whose identified deficits and educational needs meet the eligibility criteria regulated by state and federal mandates.
     
    The Special Programs Department offers a continuum of services ranging from least restrictive to most restrictive placement, with the following programs: Emotionally Disturbed, Communication Development, Hearing Impaired, Learning Disabled, Physically Handicapped, Speech and Language Impaired, Visually Impaired, and Mentally Impaired.
     
    Students in the Special Programs Department will have opportunities to prepare themselves academically, socially, and vocationally in order to become responsible adults in our society.
     
    The Emotionally Disturbed Program serves students whose behaviors have affected their ability to benefit from regular educational opportunities.
     
    The program provides a continuum of services including having resource teachers and placement in a co-taught or self-contained classroom.  It offers students the structure and support they need in order to benefit from academic instruction.  This support is evidenced by smaller class sizes, limited student movement, crisis management, and individual intervention plans designed and implemented in conjunction with the Support Services Personnel Team.  Having exposure to the program's Personal Growth and Development courses allows students to be mainstreamed, which increases their access to the curriculum and co-curricular offerings of other departments and programs.
     
    The Emotionally Disturbed Program follows both the state and federal rules and regulations and the state approved ECHO Joint Agreement Special Education policies and procedures.  The Emotionally Disturbed program also considers recommendations and data set forth by the Council for Children with Emotional Disturbances, local assessment reports, and School District 205.
    Program Goals:
    1.    Evaluate assumptions about themselves, other people, school, and life
           outside of school.
    2.    Understand the importance of setting goals and the role of education in
           the achievement of these goals.
    3.    Learn intra and inter personal skills (social skills, commmunication skills).
    4.    Learn non-violent conflict resolution techniques and the importance of
           these techniques in the school environment.
    5.    Develop an understanding of the basic human needs that drive behavior
           and cultivate socially accetpable ways to meet these needs.
    6.    Learn to predict and control outcomes.
    7.    Understand how to initiate, build, and maintain meaningful relationships.
    8.    Develop academic skills and competencies.
    9.    Develop employability skills and competencies.
    10.  Develop the skills necessary to be successfully mainstreamed or declassified.
Last Modified on April 21, 2009