Lake County Office of Education
Lake County Special Education Local Plan Area

APPROVAL OF CLEARLAKE CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
NEW PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS WITH EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE

“Educating students who’ve been labeled Emotionally Disturbed (E.D.) is a challenging endeavor that often requires that we each face our very human limitations. To successfully educate E.D. students requires compassion, teamwork, a highly structured therapeutic environment, and last, but not least, as sense of humor” (Aldrich, R., 2012).

Meeting the Challenge

On September 13, 2012, the Governance Council for the Lake County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA), consisting of the Superintendents of each of our Lake County Districts and the Superintendent of the Lake County Office of Education (LCOE), requested that the Lake County SELPA design and implement a program for students with emotional difficulties who have been unable to be successful within the existing options for Special Education in Lake County. Many of these students have experienced significant trauma in their young lives that has resulted in interpersonal and social skills issues that impact their ability to participate in an academic program. The goal of our E.D. program is to work collaboratively with students, their families, and community agencies to provide a safe and supportive place for our students to learn the skills needed to re-integrate themselves back into general education. The need for a highly structured therapeutic environment for our students which allows them to risk success after experiencing repeated failure is both well-documented and significant.

Program Philosophy

Creativity is the foundation of the Clearlake Creativity School and underlies our commitment to do whatever it takes to make a difference in the life of a child. Often, our students' strengths lie in areas that are not typically emphasized in the classroom. The Clearlake Creativity School will seek to draw on the universal strength of creativity through the use of the arts and technology to engage students in academic and vocational endeavors. Project-based learning will be tied to the Common Core State Standards and the development of vocational and entrepreneurial skills designed to engage students in the classroom and in our communities in meaningful, positive, creative ways.

Funding the Program

Staffing needs for a successful E.D. Program are significant and will be the primary cost of the program. With the passage of AB114, education is now responsible for the educationally-related mental health services previously provided by the Department of Behavioral (Mental) Health. In this regard, funds have been allocated to SELPAs to develop programs and increase our capacity to meet the mental health needs of our students. Our Governance Council has approved the budget for this program which will draw on these funds to help in offseting the costs to our districts. The program will be located at the Clearlake Community School site, making full use of this wonderful facility, sharing it with the Regional Occupation Program. SELPA staff will be an integral part of the program, providing professional development and on-site support for both students and teachers on a daily basis. If approved by the Department of Rehabilitation, this will include services through a newly proposed Transition Partnership Program, in addition to WorkAbility services. In addition, there will be an administrator, two teachers, two instructional assistants, a receptionist, fiscal support, and a full-time counselor. Districts will provide other related services, e.g., occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech & language, and transportation, as indicated by the individual needs of each student and their resulting Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

Educationally-Related Mental Health Services (ERMHS)

Through a partnership with Redwood Children's Services (RCS), the Lake County SELPA has been providing Educationally-Related Mental Health Services to our Special Education students with intensive mental health needs. We are currently working on a contract for continuing those services for the 2013-2014 school year. Our proposal in relationship to the E.D. Program is for RCS to provide services to assist in transitioning students into the Clearlake Creativity School and then to provide "after care" services for students who transfer back into the general education setting to ensure that these transitions are successful. IEP teams are responsible for determining the extent and configuration of the services provided to meet the needs of each child. While at the Clearlake Creativity School, students will be provided with individual and group counseling, in addition to full-time on-site crisis care as needed, by an LCOE employee. Our Governance Council has approved the proposal for RCS to continue to provide mental health services outside of the E.D. program under contract with the Lake County SELPA and the Department of Behavioral Health. Contract conversations with RCS and Behavioral Health are ongoing.

Action

As a new Lake County Office of Education program, operated through the Lake County SELPA, we are requesting the Board’s approval to operate this program at the Clearlake Community School site.

“Imagine an America where children arrive at their school desks, ready to learn and succeed. They have coping skills to address their everyday worries, concerns and stressors, as well as the more difficult challenges life may present. They have social skills to establish positive relationships with their peers, teachers and parents. They make healthy choices that allow them to focus on their education and prepare for future success. And if a problem arises, they have access to early intervention and treatment” (Behrens, D., Lear, J.G., & Price, O.A., 2012).

This is our goal, and we invite you to join with us in meeting this challenge.

Ruth S. Aldrich, Ed.D.
Senior Director,
SELPA & Student Services
Lake County Office of Education

Page | 1 April 10, 2013