Child Study Team

Child Study Team

Franklin Township School provides the services of its Child Study Team to assist in the identification, evaluation. determination of eligibility and development and monitoring of special education programs and placements.

What is the Child Study Team?
Child Study Team (CST) is a term used to describe a multidisciplinary group of professionals.
The identification process can be initiated by a parent or physician, but usually it is the pupil’s teacher who will initially show concern over the pupil’s lack of progress and make this fact known to the parent and school principal. The school may then, with the collaboration of the parent, seek to remedy the pupil’s difficulties through strategic intervention provided the Pupil Assistance Committee (PAC). If such techniques do not prove helpful, the child may be brought to the attention of the Child Study Team.

What does the Child Study Team Do?
The Child Study Team helps our entire school population. It is the glue that holds our school-wide philosophy of inclusion together. Members of our Child Study Team direct our Families Assistance Network (FAN) program, Character Education program, Lunch Buddy counseling, and provides preventative and support services to non-disabled students.The CST functions as a network of interpersonal relationships among team members. Team members act as consultants to the general education regarding techniques, materials and programs for students experiencing difficulties in learning or relationships. These team members include the school psychologist, learning disabilities teacher-consultant, school social worker, and in some cases a speech and language pathologist. Depending on the needs of the individual child, other team members may also include school nurse, general education teacher, special education teacher, occupational therapist, physical therapist, and other community resources.

What do the members of the Child Study Team do?
The school psychologist determines a child's intellectual and emotional functioning. The learning disabilities teacher-consultant evaluates a child's academic levels, learning strengths and needs, and helps develop instructional strategies. The school social worker assesses a child's developmental history and home environment, and acts as a bridge between school, home and community. The speech and language specialist evaluates the child's communication abilities and provides services in the appropriate areas.

Contact Information for the Child Study Team:

Mary Sullivan, LDTC & Supervisor of Special Services	ext. 404
Mary Robinson, Child Study Team Secretary	ext. 405
Pauline Albrecht, School Psychologist	ext. 406
Jeannie O'brien, Social Worker	ext. 500
Theresa Goretti, Speech Therapist	ext. 202
Debbie Mannon, Speech Therapist	ext. 306
Mary Pieto, Speech Therapist Consultant	ext. 202
Sherry Nelson, Occupational Therapist Consultant
Sam Markle (Ms. Sam), Physical Therapist Consultant

How does the Child Study Team work?
When the CST members meet, their focus is to look at the "total child" in an effort to plan and provide appropriate services. This focus is not to be restricted to diagnosis, labels, or categories. This is a problem-solving process whereby all members are sharing relevant information and exploring numerous alternatives.

The CST meets regularly to discuss concerns regarding students and to plan strategies and interventions to be implemented in the classroom.

How is a child identified by the Child Study Team?
The district Child Study Team serves as a unit in the identification, educational planning and program monitoring of the children identified to the team. The identification process can be initiated by a parent or physician, but usually it is the pupil’s teacher who will initially show concern over the pupil’s lack of progress and make this fact known to the parent and school principal. The school may then, with the collaboration of the parent, seek to remedy the pupil’s difficulties through strategic intervention provided the Pupil Assistance Committee (PAC). If such techniques do not prove helpful, the child may be brought to the attention of the Child Study Team.

When the student is identified to the Child Study Team, the team reviews the student’s records, school performance, teacher input, parent concerns and determines if an evaluation is needed. If it is, parent consent to evaluate will be requested. Following this evaluation, an Eligibility conference is held and if a pupil is found eligible for special education and related services, an Individual Education Program (IEP) will be developed and implemented with parent consent. The IEP addresses the child’s special needs, including specialized instruction and recommended placement. The entire procedure from identification to program implementation is completed within a ninety-day time limit imposed by law.

What is a case manager?
A Child Study Team member is designated and serves as the case manager for each student with a disability. The case manager is knowledgeable regarding the student's educational needs and program. The case manager coordinates the development, monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of the Individualized Education Program or other intervention. The case manager helps facilitate communication between home and school and coordinates the annual review and reevaluation process.