Lakes Special Education Team 

The Lakes Special Education team is dedicated to providing exemplary instruction, meeting students where they are and building on existing skills and strengths.  We support students with an inclusion model, using co-teaching when possible, while supporting students with resource classes, as needed.  We believe collaborative efforts with families, school teams, and the community, as well as accountability, are necessary to deliver excellence in education.

We provide specially designed instruction to help students meet their full potential with an emphasis on relevance, rigor and relationships.   

• Relevance: Students are provided access to a quality education with their peers, including project based learning, elective classes and extra-curricular activities. 
• Rigor: Students are educated with the goal of attaining grade level standards set for all students in Idaho, even if it may take additional time and support to reach those standards.
• Relationships: Students are the reason we are here and developing strong relationships between peers, educators and staff is a critical part of the Lakes experience. 

We utilize the "whole student" approach to balance the cognitive, emotional, relational and physical being of each student supported by the Coeur d’Alene School District.  We support academic, social, emotional, and behavioral needs of our students at Lakes Middle School.

The special education team consists of the parents or legal guardians, student, general education teachers, special education teacher, school psychologist, and the principal or vice principal.  Additionally, depending on the student’s needs, the school counselor or speech language pathologist and / or other related service providers may be invited to the team.  Each person is a valued member of the team and we appreciate the perspective each member brings to the table.

Meet our Case Managers

Karen Toomey supports:

• 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students who receive support in English language arts, math, and social, emotional or behavioral learning.  
• Contact Mrs. Toomey 

Jontie Meehan supports:

• 7th and 8th grade students who receive support in English language arts, math, and social, emotional or behavioral learning.  
• Contact Mrs. Meehan

Kathryn Lillie supports:

• 6th grade students who receive support in English language arts, math, and social, emotional or behavioral learning.  
• Contact Mrs. Lillie

XXXX supports:

• 7th and 8th grade students who receive support in English language arts, math, and social, emotional or behavioral learning.  

Aaron Fox supports:

• 6th, 7th, or 8th grade students enrolled in the therapeutic support classes who receive support in English language arts, math, and social, emotional or behavioral learning.  
• Contact Mr. Fox

Alicia Johnson supports:

• 6th, 7th, or 8th grade students who qualify for speech or language services.
• Contact Mrs. Johnson

Meet our School Psychologist

Rachel Meyer supports: 

• 6th, 7th, or 8th grade students who require consultations, evaluations for special education services, and interventions, as well as providing records reviews for students enrolling at Lakes with special education services in place.
• Contact Rachel Meyer
  

Meet our Para-Educators

Our para-educators support students in the classroom, in small groups or individually under the direction of the special education teachers to help students meet their goals.

Steve Bartlett                                   Linda Bauer                                                                 

Amber Dircksen                                     Nicole Redl                                                       

Kelli Booterbaugh                                    Ann Wytree

Gretchen Vasquez                                  Emily Castle

IDEA/Special Education

Eligible students are entitled to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). FAPE includes special education and related services.

• Free means at public expense. 
• Appropriate means in conformance with an IEP that meets legal requirements. 
• Public means provided under public direction and supervision. 
• Education includes preschool, elementary, and secondary, but not higher education. 

The district must provide related services that are necessary to assist the student to benefit from special education. If a students does not need special education he/she is not entitled to related services. In Idaho, speech language therapy is defined as special education and can be a stand-alone service.

Children ages 3 through 21 are eligible if they have a disability and need special education. The law lists specific disability categories including autism, deafness, blindness, developmental delay, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, cognitive retardation, orthopedic impairment, learning disability, traumatic brain injury and visual impairment. The law does not require the district to label a student by category of disability to provide services.

A team of qualified professionals and the parent (the evaluation team) determines eligibility.