By Drs. Nicki Thomas and Becky Salato, School District Superintendents
You might be wondering what dragonflies and monarchs have in common. In this context, they refer to programs that serve students with special needs and the partnership between Kelseyville Unified and Konocti Unified school districts.
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), public schools are required to provide a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities in the least restrictive environment. But it can be challenging to provide certain types of services in small, rural communities like ours. This is why Kelseyville Unified and Konocti Unified decided to pool our resources and work together. Our collaboration allows us to split costs, so we can better support local children. It also avoids the need to send some students out of town for specialized support.
Monarch Program (Transition Program)
The Monarch Program serves students ages 18-22 with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) who have not received a high school diploma. An IEP makes students eligible for additional services under the Special Education umbrella. Monarch students learn independent living skills, including job skills, to help them reach their full potential for independence. The program allows students to participate in community settings and build meaningful connections.
Monarch staff walk students through each step required for various daily living tasks. For example, to prepare meals, students learn everything from calculating their food budget to grocery shopping, meal planning, and cooking. They also learn job skills by working in local businesses or by creating their own business. Currently, students work at restaurants, preschools, food banks, and other community organizations. Previously, students learned entrepreneurial skills by starting a dog biscuit business.
Not only does Monarch help students to be as independent as possible and play a meaningful role in their homes, it also allows community members to recognize the ability of students with disabilities to be productive, contributing members of society.
Dragonfly Program
The Dragonfly Program serves elementary students with active IEPs who have significant behavioral challenges, including physical aggression. The program targets the underlying cause of behaviors rather than simply responding to the disruption they cause.
Dragonfly provides support from a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), who conducts observations, creates behavior plans, trains staff, and oversees the Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs). RBTs work directly with students to implement their behavior plans, empowering students to manage their emotions so they can reduce problematic behaviors. While many RBTs work with individuals with autism, they also support those with other developmental or mental health challenges.
The classroom is specially designed for these students, with a sensory calming section that includes a swing and other supports that have proven effective. Our dragonflies (students) also benefit from a high staff-to-student ratio and Educationally Related Mental Health Services (ERMHS) counselors who support students’ social-emotional needs.
As with all students who have an IEP, the goal is for our dragonflies to spend as much time as possible in general education classrooms (with support). Our expectation is that early intervention in elementary school will reduce the need for intensive support later.
As students learn coping skills in the specialized classroom and gradually integrate back into general education, some will no longer need the specialized classroom at all. They will continue to receive support, but spend their class time with their general education peers.
Historically, we have tried to keep students with even the most severe needs on campus. Integration teaches acceptance, tolerance, and understanding among all students, and students with special needs can learn how to behave better when they see those behaviors modeled by their general education peers. Through integration, we’ve seen students with special needs form genuine friendships and become valued members of their school communities.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
We are very proud of this collaborative partnership we have developed between our two districts, one that is made possible by our shared philosophy that we will go out of our way to take care of local kids. We look forward to continuing to work together as we expand our programs and services to support more students.
Before we close, we want to thank our amazing Special Education directors and staff who make this partnership possible. They’ve worked together for years and would be the first to tell you that when you trust and respect the people you work with, so much becomes possible. We are so grateful for this beautiful relationship that truly benefits local kids and all the communities we serve.