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La Grange School District 105

Compassionate leaders, empowered learners, building a better future

Student Services

WELCOME!

 Children and adults gather at a school playground, enjoying outdoor activities.                    

LaGrange School District 105, in partnership with the La Grange Area Department of Special Education (LADSE), provides child find activities to identify students in need of special education services. Education and related services may be provided to a child who may qualify under either Section 504 or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Under either provision, District 105 supports the intent of the federal and state mandate to meet student needs in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). In meeting the requirements of LRE, our school community continues to embrace inclusive instructional practices.

SPECIAL EDUCATION
IDEA was established in 1975 to ensure students with disabilities are identified and educated through their public school. State and federal law requires schools to provide appropriate education for all children with an identified disability between the ages 3 through 21.

The District provides a continuum of special education services to students through an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Related services are support services that may be provided to assist a student in accessing his/her academic program. Related services include, but are not limited to, the following: occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychological services, social work services, and speech and language services. Educational programs and services are specially designed to meet the needs of a student with an identified disability.

SECTION 504 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination against persons with a disability in any program receiving Federal financial assistance. Students with disabilities shall be provided accommodations in order to ensure equal participation in the school setting. The Act defines a person with a disability as anyone who has a mental or physical impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activity: self-care, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working.

When a student with disabilities requires an accommodation, the parents and school representatives will meet to determine the disability, and develop a written plan outlining accommodations that will be provided in the school setting. 

NOTICE REGARDING RELATED SERVICE LOGS
Students with disabilities may receive related services as part of their individual education programs (IEPs). District 105 will maintain related service logs that record the type and number of minutes of the related service(s) administered to such students. Parents/guardians of students with disabilities may request copies of their child's related service logs at any time.

Ms. Jennifer Sabourin 
Director of Student Services
(708) 482-2700 ext. 1006

Ms. Kathy Hadraba
Student Services/Pre-K Coordinator
(708) 482-2700 ext. 1420

Ms. Sandy Ruffner
Administrative Assistant of Student Services
(708) 482-2700 ext. 1008

  • Bullying Resources

    Click to go to the School Board Policy Manual

    Sections in School Board Policy Manual

    • 7:180 – Prevention and Response to Bullying, Intimidation and Harassment
    • 7:20 – Harrasment of Students Prohibited
    • 6:60 – Curriculum Content (Cyberbullying) 

     

    Bullying Website Resources for Parents

  • Disability Information

    • Understood.org Website
      • Parents want the best for their children. We do, too. For the first time ever, 15 nonprofit organizations have joined forces to support parents of the one in five children with learning and attention issues throughout their journey.

        With the right support, parents can help children unlock their strengths and reach their full potential. With state-of-the-art technology, personalized resources, free daily access to experts, a secure online community, practical tips and more, Understood aims to be that support.

    • Autism Society of America
    • Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network
      • FAAN is dedicated to bringing about a clearer understanding of the issues surrounding food allergies. Its mission is to increase public awareness about food allergies and anaphylaxis (a severe, life-threatening reaction), to provide education, and to advance research on behalf of all of those affected by food allergies.
    • LD Online
      • LD OnLine.org is the world's leading website on learning disabilities and ADHD, serving more than 200,000 parents, teachers, and other professionals each month.
    • National Center for Learning Disabilities
    • National Dissemination Center for Children With Disabilities

      The National Dissemination Center for Children With Disabilities provides information to the nation on:

      • disabilities in children and youth

      • programs and services for infants, children, and youth with disabilities

      • IDEA, the nation's special education law

      • No Child Left Behind, the nation's general education law

      • research-based information on effective practices for children with disabilities

    • National Down Syndrome Society

  • District 105 provides support and counseling for District 105 homeless students and their families. Contact Ms. Jennifer Sabourin for more information.

    Email Ms. Jennifer Sabourin at jsabourin@d105.net

     

    Links and Resources:

    “Homeless” as such term is defined under Federal (the McKinney-Vento Act, 42 U.S.C. 11431) and Illinois (the Illinois Education for Homeless Children Act, 105 ILCS 45/1-1, or IEHCA) laws. Under both Illinois and federal law, school districts have an affirmative duty to identify homeless families within the district. The ISBE Homelessness Policy is available online.

     

     

     

  • Colorful illustration with children figures and the words 'Play, Learn and Grow... Together!'     

    A group of children play with colorful scarves in a classroom.

     

    District 105 Preschool Programs

    LaGrange District 105 is proud to serve the district’s preschool age students at Hodgkins Elementary. There are three sections, two morning sessions and one afternoon session, of Early Childhood Education (ECE) and three sections, one morning and two afternoon sessions, of Preschool For All (PFA). 

    ECE is specifically designed to meet the needs of children between the ages of 3-5 having delays of two or more years in two or more areas of development: speech/language, fine motor, gross motor, academic readiness and social emotional needs. The ECE classroom has no more than 10 students and is taught by a qualified special education early childhood teacher. Speech, occupational and physical therapy are integrated into this program.

    The Preschool For All program is funded by the state to ensure preschool children with risk factors have the opportunity to attend school before they reach kindergarten. Some of the risk factors include:

    •  ELL
    •  Single parent
    •  Low economic status
    •  Family member with special needs
    •  6 month delay in speech and language
    •  Needs in the area of fine/gross motor, academic readiness and social/emotional

    The program is taught by certified early childhood teachers and can enroll up to 20 students in a classroom. Speech, Occupational and Physical Therapy are provided as needed.

     

    Developmental Screening Process

    Stage 1: After parents have called Hodgkin’s Elementary to confirm residency and request a Preschool Screen, they will be directed to the link to complete the online pre-screening. A screening packet will be available for mailing or parent pick-up. Included in this packet is a Dial-4 developmental assessment and forms to be completed. Following a family’s completion of the packet, parents may drop off or mail materials to Hodgkins Elementary. A team member will contact the family to discuss their child’s results. If the results indicate further inquiry, children will be requested to participate in Stage 2 of our Preschool Screen.


    Stage 2: During this stage, children will be assigned a specific time and date at Hodgkins Elementary for their participation. Parents must bring their child’s original birth certificate, a photo ID with current address, and two qualifying forms to demonstrate residency the day of the screening in order to ensure participation. D 105 Preschool staff will transition children without their parents into preschool classrooms. Children will participate in activities that screen the areas of Motor, Language, Cognition, Social-Emotional, and Self-Help Skills. Also, children who are 3 years and older will participate in a Vision and Hearing screener. This entire process takes about an hour to an hour and a half, so please plan accordingly.

    Families are encouraged to complete our online questionnaire and sign up for preschool screening with Maria Almaguer, Preschool Family Liason/Clerical Aide at Hodgkins Elementary (708) 482-2740.

    For additional questions, please contact Kathy Hadraba, Student Services and Preschool Coordinator, at (708) 482-2700 ext. 1420. 

    A group of children and their teachers pose for a photo on a sunny day.

  • Children of diverse backgrounds hold hands around a globe, symbolizing unity.

     

    School psychologists are uniquely qualified members of school teams that support students’ ability to learn and teachers’ ability to teach. They apply expertise in mental health, learning, and behavior, to help children and youth succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally. School psychologists partner with families, teachers, school administrators, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments that strengthen connections between home, school, and community.

    What Do School Psychologists Do? School psychologists provide direct support and interventions to students, consult with teachers, families, and other school-employed mental health professionals (i.e. counselors, school social workers) to improve support strategies, work with school administrators to improve support strategies, work with school administrators to improve school-wide practices and policies, and collaborate with community providers to coordinate needed services.

    What Training Do School Psychologists Receive? School psychologists receive specialized advanced graduate preparation that includes coursework and practical experience relevant to both psychology and education. School psychologists typically complete either a specialist-level degree program (at least 60 graduate semester hours) or a doctorate degree (at least 90 graduate semester hours), both of which include a year-long 1200 hour supervised internship.

    Department Contacts:

    Gustafson, Deanne
    Email: dgustafson@d105.net
     
    Natalie Phillips
    Email: nphillips@d105.net
     
    Nina Wilson
    Email: nwilson@d105.net
     
    Kelly Silarski
    Email: ksilarski@d105.net
     

  •  

    504 Parents Rights in Brief + IL ABLE Brochure (English)

    504 Parents Rights in Brief + IL ABLE Brochure (Spanish)

     

     

  • Cartoon children hold hands, spelling out the word 'SPEECH'.

     

    Speech Team District #105

     

  • D105 Social Work Staff

    Gurrie MIddle School

    Martha Flores Berg
    Email maflores@d105.net

    Genevieve Palabrica
    Email: gpalabrica@d105.net

    Ideal Elementary

    Karlie Pollastrini
    Email kpollastrini@d105.net

    Rebecca Ludke-Burica
    Email: rludke@d105net

    Hodgkins Elementary

    Matthew Sikora

    Email: msikora@d105.net

    Seventh Avenue Elementary

    Charlotte Kopecki
    Email: ckopecki@d105.net

    Spring Avenue Elementary

    Gail Wieland
    Email: gwieland@d105.net

    Geneveieve Palabrica
    Email: gpalabrica@d105.net