January 2023 District Newsletter
To catch up on Board business, check out our quick summaries of the November 28th and December 19th BOE Agendas.
November 28, 2022 Board Corner (doc)
December 19, 2022 Board Corner (doc)
Please note that our Board summaries encompass items presented by the District for Board action. The next regular meeting of the Board is January 23, 2023 at 6pm and will be held at WHS.
Augmentative and Alternative Communications (AAC)
Children (and adults, too) communicate in many different ways - voice, eye gaze, facial expressions, writing, gestures, etc. We all use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) to some extent in our everyday lives. For example, in addition to words, we can often tell someone is angry by their facial expressions and physical gestures - Augmentative Communication. We often utilize email or text to communicate instead of speaking to someone - Alternative Communication.
However, some students do not use spoken language to communicate for a variety of reasons such as muscle weakness, difficulty coordinating and sequencing sounds, or having a limited expressive vocabulary. They may not communicate in the traditional manner of talking and/or using gestures, and fine motor skills used for writing or pointing may differ from their same-age peers. When that happens our Speech Language Pathologists work with the student to employ Augmentative and Alternative Communication that is tailored to their individual needs. Speech Language Pathologists prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat speech, language, social communication, cognitive communication, and swallowing disorders in children and adults (ASHA). WCS employs 4 Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) who are currently serving more than 200 students across the district, with approximately 30 students who use AAC as their primary manner of communication.
AAC methods vary depending on the child and the need. They can range from low/no tech (pointing to pictures on a poster or board) to high tech (use of a speech generating device to communicate). Some of our students use AAC exclusively and some use AAC along with verbal language. Our district has students who use:
Direct selection using eye gaze (either low tech by looking at visual icons or high tech by selecting icons on speech generating devices)
Direct selection by using their fingers/hands on high tech devices that have vocabulary systems on them
Indirect selection using switches by their heads and/or hands to select vocabulary after it has been presented/scanned
Direct selection by using their fingers/hands on visual icons and low-tech core boards
These students rely on AAC to make greetings/farewells, in social routines, to build relationships with others, to communicate wants/needs, to participate in academic tasks, and to ask/answer questions. Our SLPs are a vital part of enriching their school experience and helping students navigate their world on a daily basis. If you want to learn more, we encourage you to check out the resource article linked below from ASHA.org.
Resource Article: Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) - ASHA.org
December 2022 Strategic Planning Update
We want to keep you in the loop as we work to improve our schools. View our Hurricane Forecast: Strategic Planning document to learn more about the projects that we are researching, planning, or currently implementing this school year. We’ll keep you posted on our progress.
Meet our WHS Dean of Students!
We are excited to announce that Matt Spradlin has been hired as the Dean of Students for the High School and started this new role in November. Mr. Spradlin brings many years of experience teaching and building strong relationships with staff and students. He will continue to teach two high school band classes and lead the marching band program this year. As Dean of Students he will work collaboratively with our campus administrators, as well as our campus climate and security teams, to provide support with student discipline, PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports), crisis intervention, and attendance monitoring. The Dean of Students will also reinforce a positive school culture and will foster a safe learning environment for students and staff. This position is paid for out of ESSER funds.
WHS Theatre
Wow! What a performance by our WHS students in the November production of Clue! The students and staff worked hard and the audience was treated to a wonderful performance. The Theatre Dept is now gearing up for 2 big performances in 2nd semester. They will be presenting both Oklahoma and Cats in 2nd semester - both shows are tremendously popular with fantastic musical scores. We can’t wait!
Ohio Measles Outbreak Information
Our Clinton County Health District has provided us with a letter for parents regarding the measles outbreak in Ohio. As of December 30th, more than 80 cases have been diagnosed in Ohio and 32 have been hospitalized. Please review the attached letter regarding the outbreak and the MMR vaccine. Share it with friends who may have small children and help our kids stay healthy and happy.
