Jared Zimmermann Journal 3 12/2/13

Upon entering Cedar Hills Special needs program, 2 paged bundles and a New
Jersey Department of Education book on Special Education code are given to each childs
parents. The book is a massive 200 or so page legalese pamphlet. Small font with
subsections, criterias and definitions of each recognized disability in New Jersey.
Strangely it has only been amended since 2006 (Effective 1998); maybe Special
Education touch ups are low in NJ Education priority? I think personally it wouldve
been a better idea to make a quick guide for parents and keep legal work to
administration. The first bundle is a Social Assessment form asking about the familys
personal and school history. Sleeping patterns, family health, early schooling, unusual
behaviors and development are in the questionnaire. The other I&RS Action Plan form is
a record of why the child has been recommended to the Special Ed program. It also lists
the prior attempts/failures of similar programs for the student, and has areas to brainstorm
ideas. Jessica DuBois is a member of Child Study Team for all elementary and middle
schools in the Bernards school district. She has been in Bernards for 6 years, and in the
Education field for 9. For the 3 years before Bernards, she worked in Westfield, New
Jersey. In Westfield she was a Student Assistant Counselor (Guidance). Jessica told me
that New Jersey's standard rate of Special to General Education students is 8%, but at
Cedar Hill it is around 13%. Cedar Hill's Special Education department contains mainly
Specific Learning Disability and Autistic students; also communication impaired,
emotionally disturbed, multiple disabled and "other" classed students. Other Generalizes
students with OCDs, ADD, and ADHD. Cedar Hill offers physical, occupational, and
speech language therapy for students. There are In Class Support staff which help Special
Ed students in General Education rooms. Also there is a resource room that will pull out a

Jared Zimmermann Journal 3 12/2/13

student for a Special Education teaching session. The highest offering is a self-contained
classroom which has all Special Education students, with multiple aides and a official
Special Education teacher. As far as inclusion policy goes, all students are able to be in
General Education and after school actives regardless of their disability. Like Principal
Mollica told me earlier, the department was shut down for two weeks after Sandy. The
closest change Jessica thought of regarding Connecticut was the doors have whistles on
them for teachers and a magnetic security slip to lock the door if the teacher can not find
their room key. There are blackout stripes also in each room window like the lunchroom
and normal classes.
Cedar Hill's goals for the Child Study Team this year are to provide more
inclusion of Special Ed students, and to reduce referrals to the program at the same time.
Awareness days for info and acceptance are used for the staff/students. Such an example
is the Autism awareness week that is district wide. Like Mr. Mollica mentioned, time is
one of Jessica's biggest challenges to her job, it takes very long to process paperwork and
schedule parent meetings. However she said around 90 percent of parents are happy and
grateful with the school's offerings. In that respect, her biggest challenge as a CST
member is giving the paperwork to parents that just do not want to hear or accept their
child is special needs. She said you can not change the opinions of these parents and they
say Cedar Hill never has enough to help their child. But on a happier note, she says the
greatest part of her job is the satisfied parents positive feedback. She loves the Cedar Hill
building and seeing all the children grow in and sometimes out of the program everyday.