Interest Increasing in Special Education Preschool
By Sarah E. Alexander
Cherokee Tribune Staff Writer

Susan Lumpkin of Ball Ground has an ultimate goal for her 4-year-old daughter, Zana: Self-independence.

Mrs. Lumpkin's daughter, who has Down syndrome, is one of a growing number of special needs students participating in the Cherokee County School District's preschool special needs intervention program.

Zana started the program last year and now is in a preschool inclusion class at the Ralph Bunche Center in Canton.

"I've seen some progress in her ability to follow directions and to stay on task," Mrs. Lumpkin said. "I think it will better prepare her to enter kindergarten next year."

More preschool-aged students with special needs are enrolling in the district. During the 1995-1996 school year, the district received 164 referrals for preschool and 161 were evaluated. During the last school year, the district received 418 referrals and 359 were evaluated.

Debra Farist, lead preschool facilitator for the district, said she thinks more students are in the program because of better early identification and more knowledge about the students' needs.

"We expand every year," she said. "We're usually adding a class or more every year."

Ms. Farist said there are 135 children with special needs in the preschool special needs intervention program at the Ralph Bunche Center, First Baptist Woodstock, Bascomb Methodist Church and Arnold Mill, Boston, Hasty, Holly Springs, Johnston, Sixes and Woodstock elementary schools.

"Our children come in as they turn 3, so of course we have children coming in every three weeks," she said.

Ms. Farist said she thinks the district has improved its ability to identify students' special needs before they enter kindergarten.

"That's the whole point of the program - is the earlier we get the child the more likely they are to be able to be in a typical classroom. That's our goal: for every child that comes in is for them to be able to be in a typical classroom in kindergarten with whatever modifications and support they need," she said. "Everybody doesn't always meet that goal, but- last year and the year before last like 96 percent, 97 percent of children were in a typical setting for most of the day that came from our program."

Sherry Green, district supervisor of special education, said she is very proud of the program's success.

"Early intervention is critical for students to achieve. The research certainly suggests that the earlier we get the child in an intervention program that the more successful that child is going to be moving forward in school," she said. "It is certainly a strength in the school district and something that we're very proud of."

Ralph Bunche Center Administrator Dr. Mary Ursits said the school has included students with special needs in class before, but this is the first year they have had a special education teacher in a classroom for half-days with a Head Start teacher.

"Inclusion helps many students with special needs," she said. "The inclusion situation gives many students with special needs the opportunity to have age-appropriate peer role models."

salexander@cherokeetribune.com

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