Lewis Cass Schools goes above and beyond in its commitment to academic excellence by offering a variety of specialized services. The Special Education program is tailored to support students with diverse learning needs, ensuring they receive the necessary resources and accommodations to thrive academically. The High Ability program is designed to challenge and nurture students who demonstrate exceptional academic talents, providing an enriched curriculum that fosters intellectual growth. Additionally, the implementation of Section 504 ensures that all students, regardless of disabilities, have equal access to educational opportunities. This commitment to academic diversity reflects Lewis Cass Schools’ dedication to creating a dynamic and inclusive learning environment where every student can excel and reach their full academic potential. Through these comprehensive services, the school district aims to cultivate a culture of learning that promotes not only academic success but also the holistic development of each student.
Title I Services
Title I is a federally funded program that offers tutoring to identified at risk students in the areas of reading and math. The Title I staff at Lewis Cass Elementary School, in cooperation with parents, classroom teachers, and administrators, recognizes that all students can and will learn. We will endeavor to work together to address the strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles of our students, thereby giving them the opportunity to reach their full potential.
High Ability
The Lewis Cass Schools recognizes there are students who perform or show the potential
to perform at remarkably high levels in the academic areas of Math or Language Arts
when compared to students of their age, experience, or environment. The Lewis Cass
Schools recognizes the fact that there are students in all cultural and economic groups
and has procedures in place to identify those students in grades K – 12. The goal of the
High Ability Program is to provide challenging curriculum, instruction, and opportunities
outside of the classroom for those students to reach their potential.
The High Ability Program works toward the maximum intellectual development of high
ability students in an atmosphere that recognizes the uniqueness of the individual.
The high ability educational environment assists students as they reach their
social, psychological, intellectual, physical, and creative potential.
We believe that high ability students will:
● Be challenged to reach their full potential;
● Be provided leadership roles and responsibilities;
● Need qualitatively different experiences apart from the generalcurriculum;
● Benefit from interactions with varying populations of students;
● Be guided to be creative, independent, and critical in their thinking, problemsolving, and daily work;
● Require nurturing and understanding to promote healthy, social, andemotional well-being;
● Be recognized across all areas of the curriculum, including the arts; ∙ Engage incooperative learning activities in order to develop a sense of teamwork and camaraderie.
Special Education Services
Special education services in K-12 schools are designed to address the unique learning needs of students with disabilities, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to receive an education tailored to their abilities. These services encompass a range of support, including individualized education plans (IEPs), accommodations, and specialized instruction. Special education teachers collaborate with general education teachers and other professionals to create inclusive learning environments that promote academic and social development. The goal is to provide students with the tools and support they need to achieve educational milestones, fostering a sense of inclusion and helping them reach their full potential. In K-12 settings, special education services play a crucial role in promoting equity and ensuring that all students, regardless of their abilities, can access a quality education.
McKinney-Vento Act
WHO IS HOMELESS? Homeless students are those who lack a fixed, regular, adequate nighttime residence. This includes students who are sharing the housing due to loss of housing, economic hardship or similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or campgrounds due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals. The definition includes migratory students who live in the aforementioned situations.
Beginning Dec. 10, 2016, “those awaiting foster care placement” are not included in the definition.
Section 504
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a crucial federal law that prohibits discrimination against students with disabilities at Lewis Cass Schools. This law ensures that all students have equal access to educational programs and activities. Under Section 504, the school is mandated to provide reasonable accommodations tailored to the individual needs of students with disabilities, promoting inclusivity across various aspects of school life. This encompasses physical accessibility, instructional materials, and the development of personalized 504 Plans for students requiring specific accommodations. [School Name] is dedicated to upholding the principles of Section 504, fostering an environment where every student can fully participate and succeed, irrespective of their abilities, and where parents play an integral role in collaborative efforts to support their child’s educational journey.