River Valley School District strives to make its website accessible to all individuals. If you use special adaptive equipment and encounter problems when using this website, please report the issue to: Dr. Steven Disney by email at steven.disney@rivervalleyschools.org or by phone at 269-756-9541. We will let you know if the information is available in an alternate format. Additional accessibility resources and assistance are available at ADA.gov.
Special education programs and services are in place at each of River Valley’s buildings in order to serve the needs of students with disabilities. We also coordinate with Berrien RESA and several other area school districts to provide programs and services to those having specific needs which cannot be addressed at the local buildings.
At the elementary schools, the majority of special education programming takes place in the resource room. In the resource room setting, students receive intensive intervention and instruction in a small group or one-on-one setting designed to best meet the student’s needs.
Within the middle high school, programming is a hybrid of resource room instruction and full inclusion classes. In an inclusion class, students with disabilities are educated alongside their general education peers by River Valley’s highly qualified content area teachers following the Michigan curriculum. Special education teachers co-teach in these classes, providing support and accommodations designed to promote academic success.
The State of Michigan has created a required high school curriculum (Michigan Merit Curriculum) which students must complete in order to receive a high school diploma. Students unable to complete the Michigan Merit Curriculum may have a Personal Curriculum, which still meets the graduation requirements. Not all personal curriculums will result in a diploma. Students not receiving a diploma may receive a certificate of completion. For further help with high school graduation requirements, contact the high school guidance counselor.
River Valley provides speech and language therapy services for all district residents, from age three through 12th grade. Speech services are provided at all district school buildings in a small group or one-on-one setting.
Parents who suspect their child may have a disability may submit a written request for evaluation.
For determining the existence of a Specific Learning Disability (SLD) in Special Education our district will use a process of analyzing a Pattern of Strengths and Weaknesses. For more detailed information on this process please consult the Berrien Regional Education Service Agency website.
If you have specific questions regarding any of the special education programs and services, or for a print copy of the Special Education Procedural Safeguards, please contact the special education supervisor.
Parents Advisory Committee — Parents of students with disabilities are invited to attend the Parents Advisory Committee (PAC). Monthly meetings are held at 7:00 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month during the school year, except December at the Berrien RESA building in Berrien Springs. Berrien RESA Special Education PAC provides many services to increase awareness about special education for parents. Information and training sessions help parents understand new programs and practices as well as learn about special education topics. Getting parents together gives them input into the special education process and helps build their resource network. All parents are welcome to attend, participate in discussions, and connect with other area families of special need students. If you are interested in serving as the River Valley representative on this committee, please contact Michelle Sykora.
http://www.berrienresa.org/education_services/special_education/parent_advisory_committee
Procedural Safeguards — Parents of a student with a disability have protection under procedural safeguards. Click here to view: Procedural Safeguards Notice
Michigan Alliance for Families (800-552-4821) — Michigan Alliance for Families provides information, support, and education for families who have children (birth through 26 years of age) who receive (or may be eligible to receive) special education services. Local mentors are available to assist you in understanding your rights or to provide an advocate.