SEDOL News

There are so many things to celebrate and be grateful for, other areas to lean into further growth and expanding opportunities. This newsletter highlights some of the great celebrations and the continued efforts to evolve as an exceptional organization focused on exceptional students.

This past month we have continued to lean into the important work of our SEDOL Continuous Improvement Plan aligned to the recent ELS review and will continue to highlight progress monthly.

At the last SEDOL Executive Board meeting there were presentations highlighting the related efforts focused on two of the goals of the SEDOL Continuous Improvement Plan for 24-25 shared below.

-Interim Superintendents’ Dr.Tim Thomas and Dr. Judy Hackett

November is School Board Appreciation Month, a time to recognize the dedication and hard work of our Executive and Governing Boards as well as the SEDOL Foundation's Board. These committed leaders tirelessly advocate for our students, ensuring we have the resources, programs, and support needed to provide an exceptional learning environment. Their guidance shapes the future of our schools, fostering a community where every student can thrive. We are incredibly grateful for their service, vision, and unwavering commitment to our students’ success. Thank you to all of our board members for all that you do!

One Special Night for Very Special Kids was held on Saturday, November 9, 2024 at the Lehmann Mansion in Lake Villa. This year’s event featured the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons performed by the Four C Notes.

David and Donna Raye, owners of The Goddard School in Third Lake, IL, were co-chairs for the event. All proceeds benefit students with multiple disabilities and complex medical needs from 3 years to 22 years of age at Laremont School, one of the center-based schools at the Special Education District of Lake County (SEDOL).

MOVE™ International (Mobility Opportunities Via Experience) is an activity-based program designed to improve independence and overall quality of life. Through the program, individuals of all ages and cognitive levels acquire motor skills for sitting, standing, walking, and transitioning utilizing equipment such as adaptive chairs, standers, and gait trainers. MOVE is suitable for any individual with a disability who needs assistance in these areas, regardless of age or cause of disability. Laremont School will be the 34th site worldwide to implement this program for their students.

"The SEDOL Foundation really appreciates the time and effort that Donna and David have put into this event each year," stated Ann Subry, Director of the SEDOL Foundation, "They have created a fun evening that features great music in a perfect

venue."

The Raye's helped the SEDOL Foundation raise over $50,000 which was doubled to $100,000 with the SEDOL Foundation Board matching dollar for dollar, to be used to purchase equipment for the MOVE curriculum. This was Donna and David's 11th year of hosting this annual event, accumulating donations close to $700,000 for various impactful programs such as music and art, equipment for the deaf and hard of hearing, an outdoor classroom, an innovation technology lab and a community room.

This student has been nominated for STARS as a true role model. She continues to excel academically at Cyd Lash Academy, but that only highlights part of her impact. She has been consistently working toward personal goals, achieving impressive milestones as they transition back to her home school. Demonstrating leadership, she has also been assisting middle school students as a peer mentor during PE, where younger students naturally follow her lead and, through this student’s positive example, are becoming more successful at Cyd Lash Academy.

Jennifer O'Day is a behavioral paraprofessional who has played such an important role thus far in the creation of Fairhavens new Alternative Learning Enviornment "The Nest". Jennifer is often communicating with staff to better understand how she can support them and the students. She is also apart of the "staffing committee" at Fairhaven. This committee meets every morning and ensures that every classroom and student has the appropriate amount of support. Jennifer is also an incredible mentor. She frequently pushes into classrooms for added student support while also supporting staff as well. Jennifer is a great example of an exceptional staff member who provides exceptional services for exceptional students.

Aligning District and Building Goals for Student Success at Cyd Lash Academy

At SEDOL, we believe that cohesive goals across district and building levels are essential to delivering a unified and high-quality educational experience for our students. This school year, we are excited to share how SEDOL’s Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) goals align with Cyd Lash Academy’s School Improvement Plan (SIP) goals, creating a streamlined approach to student success.

SEDOL CIP Goals:

1. Provide Exceptional Programs and Services
2. Ensure Equitable Financial Structuring
3. Maintain High Standards and Expectations
4. Foster Collaborative Team Practices

Cyd Lash Academy SIP Goals:

1. Strengthen Curriculum
2. Enhance Operations
3. Improve Communication

At Cyd Lash Academy, three dedicated teams – the Curriculum Team, Environment Expectations & Character Education Team, and the Data/Interventions Team – are key to driving these goals. Here’s how our collaborative teams are making strides:

Holistic Student Support
Together, our teams ensure that every student’s academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs are met. Through a unified approach, we aim to deliver well-rounded support that empowers each student to thrive.

Collaboration on Programming
Our teams are working closely to design programming that addresses core curriculum standards, builds positive learning environments, and uses data to target specific interventions. These collaborative efforts ensure a thorough, adaptable approach to every student’s educational journey.

Student-Centered Focus
By centering our efforts on student progress, we create tailored experiences that meet individual needs through a robust curriculum, a supportive environment, and responsive interventions.

Making Our Goals a Reality
To bring these goals to life, our teams will focus on the following key initiatives:

• Student Target Portfolios: Developing personalized portfolios to track each student’s academic and behavioral progress.
• Comprehensive Programming: Building programming that aligns curriculum goals with environmental standards and data-driven interventions.
• Curriculum Roadmaps: Establishing clear curriculum roadmaps to cover standards, pacing, lesson planning, resources, and assessment.
• Professional Development: Conducting targeted PD needs assessments to promote high-leverage practices among staff.

By aligning our efforts with SEDOL’s CIP goals, we’re committed to creating an impactful, student-centered environment at Cyd Lash Academy that fosters both individual growth and collective achievement. Together, we are moving towards our shared vision for excellence and progress across the district and at CLA.

Supporting Student Safety Through Customized Emergency Planning

At SEDOL, we are dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of all our students, including those with disabilities, through proactive and inclusive emergency planning. In alignment with the recent Illinois law (HB 3680/PA 103-0197), which requires accommodations in emergency scenarios to be incorporated into IEPs, SEDOL has developed a comprehensive Individualized Emergency and Lockdown Planning (IELP) checklist. This checklist identifies key supports needed for students with medical, sensory, or communication requirements, addressing mobility, medication, sensory needs, and behavioral support.

The IELP checklist and Medical Service Plans for Emergency Accommodations have been thoughtfully designed to meet each student’s unique needs in case of emergencies, such as natural disasters or lockdowns. Our nursing staff plays a critical role in updating and expanding accommodations to ensure comprehensive support. The completed plans are then shared with transportation teams, classroom staff, and other essential personnel to ensure everyone is equipped to assist students effectively.

SEDOL is proud to implement these measures, prioritizing individualized safety for our students and empowering staff with the resources needed for prompt, tailored responses in emergency situations.

Strengthening Student Support Through Our Behavioral Specialist Team

In alignment with SEDOL's CIP Goal 3: High Expectations and Accountability, our Behavioral Specialist Team is dedicated to providing high-quality, responsive behavioral support across the district. Organized into two units—Building-Based and District-Wide Behavior Specialists—this team plays a key role in addressing student needs and supporting positive learning environments.

Our Building-Based Behavior Specialists work directly with students and staff in specific locations:

• Cyd Lash Academy: Steve Jacobson
• Fairhaven School: Bailey Kostas
• Gages Lake School: Nicole Richter

Our District-Wide Behavior Specialists are responsible for assisting additional classrooms and offering flexible support across schools. This team serves programs at Sector, John Powers, and Laremont and provides an added layer of support to Cyd Lash, Gages Lake, and Fairhaven. Our District-Wide team includes:

• Tracy Adams
• Alex Letto
• Joe Winters

District-Wide Behavior Specialist Activities:This team is actively involved in:

• Visiting classrooms and building connections with staff and students
• Reviewing and updating our Behavior Specialist Shared Drive
• Streamlining processes through an updated Referral System
• Addressing individual student issues based on referrals and observed needs

Between September 2 and October 16, our District-Wide Behavior Specialists responded to nine cases, including support requests across multiple programs such as ELP, JPC, LASSO 3 Transition, and more. Their efforts continue to ensure students receive consistent and tailored support that aligns with our goal to uphold high expectations and accountability across SEDOL.

We are grateful to our Behavior Specialist Team for their expertise, commitment, and responsiveness in addressing student needs across the district!

SEDOL continues to work on many important priorities that include advancing professional learning opportunities shared through the recent PD newsletter and stakeholder discussions and upcoming meetings on fiscal restructuring aligned to the SEDOL CIP that reflect the guiding principles established in 2024. It is imperative that the discussions are future-driven and include concise and current data and current and future needs. There are other contributing factors including changing in Illinois law that will potentially impact the discussion in positive ways as teams collaborate to best meet the needs of students across our SEDOL community

November:

• Fairhaven Friends-Giving at Fairhaven on 11.22.24 from 9:15-2:30
• SAB Productions at GLS on 11.22.24 from 1-2pm
• Gages Lake Fall Festivities at GLS on 11.26.24

December:

• Donuts with Santa at Laremont on 12.7.24 from 10-12pm
• Rotary club Santa at Laremont - TBD
• Holi-Daze at Fairhaven on 12.13.24 from 9:15-2:30