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Penquis Valley

Learning Alternative Program

MISSION

It is the mission of MSAD #41 to provide opportunities for students to experience personal growth by providing programs and services to all children based on individual learning styles and needs. Differentiations of curriculum scope and sequence, as well as instructional techniques are essential to assure high levels of engagement and academic achievements.

The district recognizes that all students have unique needs and is dedicated to providing support designed to help all students become thriving members of society. Choices they make now will determine their future. Providing programs to those students with behavioral and emotional difficulties with limited flexibility and low frustration tolerance allows each student to become a successful part of our community of learners. The PV Learning Alternative Program uses a social skills curriculum that provides opportunities for students to better understand and manage behavior; as a result, giving them the skills to accept responsibility for their own actions and interactions. Often such difficulties prevent students from taking advantage of educational opportunities available in the general education setting.

Adaptations for these complex students must be delivered in a short term, more intensive, emotionally and educationally supported program of study. Within the Learning Alternative Program students are given opportunities to participate in social/peer interaction skills instruction, group behavior analysis, individual and/or group counseling; as well as small group and individualized instruction. All academic instruction is aligned with the Maine Learning Results and district grade level curriculums in core content areas. Each student is provided with an individualized behavioral and academic program in a self-contained small group setting.

The goal of the Learning Alternative Program is to provide students with the necessary skills to restore and enable positive feeling towards self, school, and life; to help students develop appropriate patterns of social behavior, understand how their behavior impacts others, accurately interpret social cues, develop self regulation skills, and assume responsibility to guide their own learning. Following successful completion of the Learning Alternative Program students return to the general curriculum with the essential skills to inspire life long learning and with a positive sense of self worth.

Program Philosophy

We believe that given proper guidance, structure, and opportunities, all difficult behavior can change. The Learning Alternative Program is an intensive behavior modification program for adolescents with a documented history of difficult behaviors that place them “at risk” for academic failure. Students are placed in a more restrictive self-contained small group setting outside the general curriculum. This more restrictive setting increases opportunities for individualized student support and attention. After being taught skills and strategies to effectively deal with the every day stressors inherent in the learning environment; students are given the opportunity to make better choices and become more successful.

While certain social and peer interaction restrictions are placed on program participant activities, each PV Learning Alternative Program student is given the same opportunity to achieve academic and emotional success.

As students progress through the program they will acquire the essential executive function skills for self-regulation, social and emotional competence to assume the responsibility for their own learning.

Once a student has acquired these necessary skills a supported positive reinforcement reintegration plan is developed to transition students back into the general population setting. Clear, concrete, realistic behavioral goals will be developed to insure that each student has a successful reintegration:

1. Students have consistently displayed skills critical to being flexible and are able to tolerate frustration.

2. Students demonstrate an awareness of the consequences of personal actions.

3. Students will identify and explain behavioral alternatives that are socially acceptable.

4. Student demonstrates a sense of personal responsibility for learning.

5. Students will attend school on a regular basis and continue to progress academically in the general education setting.

6. Students demonstrate success at each behavior level.

Admission /Identification Process

Referrals to the Learning Alternative Program can be made through the SAT process, IEP process, teacher, parent, or administrative referral. The IEP- Team meeting must be held for recommendation and placement as determined by the State of Maine Chapter 101- regulations. The IEP Team will include district administrator, teachers, guidance, social worker, parents, student, and if appropriate, all outside providers working with the family. The IEP team will review documentation and reports to determine if the student will benefit from the Learning Alternative Program. The documentation required includes, but is not limited to:

1. Statement of need describing the problems (antecedents/maladaptive behavior) being encountered in the general school environment.

2. Most recent evaluations; academic, psychological, behavioral, attendance, teacher/parent reports, receptive/expressive language to identify pragmatic skills etc.

3. A copy of most recent Behavior intervention plan or goals

4. Health Records

5. Current IEP (if applicable)

6. Parents will be made fully aware of the Learning Alternative Program and its expectations prior to entry.

Once all documentation is reviewed and the Team determines the student will benefit from participation in the program, the team will identify specific behavioral triggers, social/emotional needs, communication and academic needs to develop the Individual Behavior and Education Plan goals. Parents will sign the Learning Alternative Program Agreement Form. Parents, staff and student will complete the program inventories to determine whether additional evaluations are necessary for development of an appropriate education plan.

The Individualized Education Plan will include:

➢ Modifications and/or adaptations for classroom

➢ Behavior plan and goals

➢ Regular education staff differentiation

➢ Mentorship for personalized programs

➢ Grade placement and credit requirements

➢ Consideration of counseling needs or social skill instruction

➢ Established measurable goals and objectives

➢ Assessments and progress reviews at regular report card dates

➢ Quarterly review of students’ present level of academic performance and ongoing program planning

➢ Weekly team reviews as student progresses through levels.

Academic Curriculum

It is the goal of the Learning Alternative Program to provide instruction to all students appropriate for the individual learner while encompassing the fundamental principles of the Maine Learning Results. Students will meet the academic and behavioral goals outlined in the Individual Education and Behavior plans that the IEP has developed based on their individual needs. Students will be provided hands-on and minds-on instruction that connects real situations with opportunities to use newly acquired skills. Students are grouped according to individual strengths and needs. All goals are to be mastered before students are transitioned out of the program.

Behavior Management Curriculum

The Learning Alternative Program was developed to give students the opportunity to learn socially acceptable ways for acting and reacting to situations in social and educational settings. Positive behaviors are reinforced, while negative behaviors are identified and corrected. With the leveled behavior management system, students are given the opportunity to move through each level and earn privileges by displaying appropriate behavior. Unacceptable behavior will result in loss of privileges and remedial action.

Defining Acceptable Behavior:

Self and Community:

1. Making the appropriate effort and accepting feedback in a positive manner

2. Effort in tasks outlined in IEP to provide learning opportunities and work towards personal behavior goals

3. Accepting feedback, redirection or assistance with specific tasks

4. Maintaining a safe, clean, healthy environment (ie: organization skills)

5. Respect Differences of others without criticism

6. Respecting the rights of others to feel safe from harm or danger

7. Respecting the rights of others to participate in the program without distraction or delay

The Learning Alternative Program is broken down into four tiers or levels, based on the concept that students are able to make choices in order to achieve desired outcomes. Levels are reviewed weekly:

Level 1 Cognitive Discovery: (approximately 4 weeks)

This beginning Level is intended to help students start to develop Cognitive Flexibility Skills by identifying thoughts, feelings and behaviors that created problems for them in the school setting using a Collaborative Problem Solving Approach. Topics covered include problem solving, anger/frustration management, and aggression, identifying antecedents/triggers, physical signs of escalation, boundaries and personal space.

Supports: Social worker individual therapy session (Length and frequency to be determined during the intake IEP team meeting)

Identifying self-concept and needs during escalation to unacceptable behavior.

Peer group/social skills activities

Academic support and small group instruction

Level 2 Cognitive Awareness: (approximately 6 weeks)

At this secondary level, students are beginning to identify signs of frustration, and how to use emotional regulation and coping skills. Using these cognitive awareness skills, students are better able to manage thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Patterns of problem behavior, self-awareness, positive feelings of self, and conflict response to unpredictable circumstances are identified through empathy and reassurance.

Supports: Group social and peer problem solving skills

Daily problem solving modeling and role-plays

Peer group/social skills activities

Academic support and small group instruction

Level 3 Cognitive Empowerment (approximately 6 weeks)

Students will use executive function skills, which involve organization, planning, shifting cognitive sets, and separation of affect. These skills provide students with an organized, structured, predictable framework for solving problems. Students demonstrate a greater ability to anticipate social/emotional outcomes using alternative solutions in peer and school settings. Students are able to label their emotions, identify and articulate their frustrations, and think through possible solutions. They have accomplished all goals outlined in an IEP Behavior Plan successfully for a minimum of 4 consecutive weeks.

Supports: Group social and peer problem solving skills

Daily problem solving modeling and role-plays

Peer group/social skills activities

Academic support and small group instruction

Level 4 Cognitive Emergence (as determined on an individual basis)

Students consistently display socially acceptable ways to manage frustration and can articulate their needs; have met the criteria at Levels 1-3 and all bench mark IEP academic and behavioral goals, including target behaviors.

Supports: After Care Activities:

Continued individual therapy sessions (as needed)

Peer group/social skills activities (as needed for reinforcement)

Academic support and monitoring

All PV Learning Alternative participants are expected to progress through Level 4 prior to a full reintegration into general school curriculum.

Anger Management Individual/Group

Anger is one of the most difficult emotions to control because it has a sudden onset and escalates quickly. Anger, in and of itself, is not dysfunctional. Anger is an emotion, which, like anxiety, affects many systems (emotional, cognitive and physiological). It is typically activated when a person believes he or she has been deliberately provoked. In terms of survival, anger can be looked at as a necessary driving force when "fight" as opposed to "flight" is required. Some people, however, have "anger control problems". Even when nothing really appears to be provoking them, these people are feeling incited, taken advantage of, belittled, or abused in some way. Sometimes their perceptions are accurate; other times perceptions extremely distort their experience.

1. Cognitive Deficits: Students with anger control problems have an insufficient number of adaptive skills to apply during provoking events. When asked how they would solve provocative situations, students with low flexibility and frustration tolerance have fewer ideas/solutions than people without anger problems; most ideas/solutions tend to be hostile.

2. False reading: Students with anger control problems often misconstrue events such that they feel provoked even when they are not. People with anger control problems tend to believe that people are deliberately hassling them. Therefore, due to only seeing part of the picture, they tend to misinterpret harmless events.

3. Rigid Beliefs: People with anger control problems often possess steadfast beliefs as to the legitimacy of hostile retaliation. Some examples include: "Hostility is okay if someone does something to provoke it." or "The best way to get your needs met is to demand it." or "People are, for the most part, stupid and need to be dealt with forcefully." It is not difficult to imagine how adhering to such beliefs might lead to some volatile encounters.

4. Difficulty Anticipating Outcomes Before Action: Students without anger problems are able to control how they respond to anger and actually keep it from getting out of control by predicting what "could" happen if they "lost it." Students with anger problems tend to be black and white thinkers and respond impulsively without such forethought.

Using the Collaborative Problem Solving Approach, Anger Management Therapy builds on the Level 1 Cognitive Discovery to help students recognize their internal anger control cycle. Students gain control of their anger by learning how to step back in an anger-provoking situation and evaluate accurately. This requires learning skills to alert themselves to the subtle signs of increasing anger by identifying physical signs (body cues). The essential skills taught through anger management groups include information processing, identifying triggers of anger, controlled/uncontrolled anger sequence, and positive self-statements. Students will be able to answer:

1. WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE? (Is there sufficient evidence to back up the interpretation you have made of the event that is making you angry?)

2. IS THERE ANOTHER WAY OF LOOKING AT THIS EVENT? (Is there one or two other explanations for what is interpreted as "deliberate provocation?")

3. SO WHAT? (Rarely are things as catastrophic in reality as they seem in the heat of the moment.)

4. WHAT WILL THE OUTCOME BE? (Thinking of potential outcomes of our actions is not easy, much less when you are in a state of anger.)

Empathy Enhancement Group

What are the characteristics of a capable, successful learner? Successful learners are knowledgeable, self-determined, strategic, and empathetic. In addition to having knowledge, including critical and creative faculties; motivation to learn and confidence about themselves as learners; and tools and strategies for acquiring, evaluating, and applying knowledge; successful learners also have insight into the motives, feelings, and behavior of others and the ability to communicate this understanding-- empathy.

Successful students recognize that much of their success involves their ability to communicate with others. They can view themselves and the world through the eyes of others. This means.... examining beliefs and circumstances of others, keeping in mind the goal of enhanced understanding and appreciation.... Successful students value sharing experiences with persons of different backgrounds as enriching their lives.

Empathy enhancement group instruction builds on skills learned at Level 2 Cognitive Awareness and Level 3 Cognitive Empowerment. The program begins with the assessment of empathy. Students identify situations of explosive behavior and place themselves in the role of the victims: (Students, teachers, principal, and parents). Empathy enhancement group therapy and role plays help students develop the capacity to understand, appreciate, and communicate meaningfully with others and show understanding about how another feels. Students learn to use empathy enhancement skills, which involve verbal confirmation of understanding and/or supportive facial cueing and body language. Once students can apply these skills they can move away from our differences of opinion, come to care about one another, and communicate that through kind conduct.

Criteria for Level Advancement

All behavior is charted on a Daily Behavior Sheet in 4 dimensions: time, completion of cognitive level, accomplishment of individual goals, and observation of expected behaviors. To be eligible for level advancement the students must, at a minimum, meet the following criteria: (Students may progress faster or slower through each level depending on engagement.)

Level 1 Cognitive Discovery: Approximately 4 Weeks:

a. Students receive a minimum of 40 (A=Acceptable) for the preceding 7 days in both academic and behavioral expectations.

b. No days less than 6 of 10 in either academic or behavior

c. No Major displays of aggressiveness towards self or others

d. No refusals to complete academic or behavioral requirements

Level 2 Cognitive Awareness: (approximately 6 weeks)

a. At least 7 successful days at Level 1

b. Receive a minimum of 50 (A=Acceptable) for the preceding 7 days in both academic and behavioral expectations

c. No day less than 7 of 10 in either academic or behavioral

d. No displays of aggression towards self or others

e. No refusals to complete academic or behavioral requirements

Level 3 Cognitive Empowerment (approximately 6 weeks)

a. At least 7 successful days at Level 2

b. Receive a minimum of 60 (A=Acceptable) for the preceding 7 days in both academic and behavioral expectations.

c. No displays of aggression towards self or others

d. No refusals to complete academic or behavioral requirements.

Level 4 Cognitive Emergence (as determined on an individual basis)

a. At least 7 successful days at Level 3

b. Receive a minimum of 65(A=Acceptable) for the preceding 7 days in both academic and behavioral expectations (general education setting)

c. No displays of aggression or inflexibility in the general education setting,

d. No refusals to complete academic or behavioral requirements in the general education setting

Restrictive Self Contained Program of Study

The Penquis Valley Learning Alternative Program is a 100% self-contained program of study outside the general curriculum.

a. Students are not permitted in the general curriculum until behavioral requirements have been met and students begin to reintegrate back to the general school setting.

b. Breakfast and lunches will be provided within this program. Social interactions are limited to the social and peer group therapy sessions.

c. No student will be permitted into the general school environment during the instructional day.

d. Personal items such as, backpacks, purses, cell phones, music players, dvds, video games, etc. are not permitted during the Level 1 Cognitive Discovery time period. (No exceptions)

e. During this time period, starting with week 1, students are given the opportunity to earn the privilege to bring personal items for use during reward time.

f. When a student has an excused absence, that day does not count for or against the cumulative behavior average.

g. Unsafe behavior at anytime can result in the removal of an earned reward. Formal incident reports will be completed on disciplinary issues to share with parents, the team, and placed in the student file.

h. If any student leaves the EC Alternative Program building the police will be called and he/she will be returned to Level 1 Cognitive Development and lose all earned privileges.

Rewards/Motivator

Students will be provided rewards and/or privileges as they progress through the leveled system. Rewards will be individualized, based on student wants and needs. Possible rewards include personal belongings from home for free time, games, music, computer, homework pass, additional peer interaction time, gym time, etc.

Classroom Rules and Procedures

Students are expected to follow all identified classroom rules, such as respecting yourself and others, follow directions, remain in your own personal space, use appropriate communication skills, complete all academic assignments, attend all therapeutic sessions, maintain a positive attitude, etc. Classroom rules will be reviewed periodically and modified to meet the classroom needs.

Therapeutic Holds

Therapeutic holds are only used in situations where a student is unsafe to self or others. All staff is trained in Non-violent crisis intervention. Physical restraints would occur only after verbal de-escalation was attempted and deemed unsuccessful due to the student failure to respond. The following procedures will be followed during and after each incident that requires a therapeutic hold:

1. An incident report will be completed after each episode requiring the use of a protective hold.

2. If a therapeutic hold is necessary the first person to apply the restraint will become the lead for the team. He/she will do all the communicating with the student.

3. Immediately after, or as soon as feasible following the incident, the school nurse or other person not in the program will check the student whom the restraint was applied in the presence of an Learning Alternative Program Staff member.

4. As soon as the student can use self-control to calm down for one minute, the team will inform the student the protective hold will be systematically loosened as long as he/she is safe.

5. Once the incident is over, the student will process the incident and be reminded of his/her coping skills that will help to avoid the trigger in the future. The student then has a chance to demonstrate good choices and coping skills.

6. Students may earn additional points on their Daily Behavior Sheet for a positive turn around.

Quiet time

Quiet time is provided to students in a supervised manner to relax when agitated or upset, or for de-escalations. Quiet time or time out is not a location, but rather a process.

Communication with Parents

Frequent communication with parents is an essential component of the Penquis Valley Learning Alternative Program. Methods to be utilized include daily written logs, phone conversations, team meetings, and copies of daily behavior sheets. Additional communication will be required as determined during the initial intake and development of IEP program plan.

Expectations

On a daily basis, all students are expected to work with individual education and behavior plans in the effort to gain the necessary skills to reintegrate into the general school setting. They will complete all academic assignments and participate in all individual/ group therapy sessions to learn the appropriate social, organizational and self-regulation skills to be successful. Students will participate in activities that enable them to personally manage their behavior and use their coping skills when faced with stressors, as well as accepting responsibility for their own actions and reactions.

Transportation

During the development of each IEP Academic/Behavior plan transportation services will be discussed and if deemed appropriate will be provided to/from school. (bus, van transportation, parent transportation)

Learning Alternative Program Schedule

|Time |Monday |Tuesday |Wednesday |Thursday |Friday |

|7:30- 8:00 |Arrival/Breakfast |Arrival/Breakfast |Arrival/Breakfast |Arrival/Breakfast |Arrival/Breakfast |

|8:00-8:15 |Morning meeting |Morning meeting |Morning meeting |Morning meeting |Morning meeting |

| |–Expressive language |–Expressive language |–Expressive language |–Expressive language |–Expressive language |

| |vocabulary |vocabulary |vocabulary |vocabulary |vocabulary |

|8:15-9:00 |ELA-Reading |ELA-Reading |ELA-Reading |ELA-Reading |ELA-Reading |

|9:00-9:30 |Writing |Writing |Writing |Writing |Writing |

|9:30-9:40 |Break |Break |Break |Break |Break |

|9:40-10:30 |Social skills/Peer |Social skills/Peer |Social skills/Peer |Social skills/Peer |Social skills/Peer |

| |group/1:1 time |group/1:1 time |group/1:1 time |group/1:1 time |group/1:1 time |

|10:30-11:00|Computer |Computer |Computer |Computer |Computer |

|11:00-11:30|lunch |lunch |lunch |lunch |lunch |

|11:30-12:15|Health |Health |Health |Health |Health |

|12:15-1:00 |Specials-Art |Group |PE |Group |Specials-Music |

|1:00-2:35 |Science/SS |Science/SS |Science/SS |Science/SS |Science/SS |

|2:35 |Dismissal |Dismissal |Dismissal |Dismissal |Dismissal |

| | | | | | |

Evaluation of Program

Annually, the Director of Student Services shall present to the Superintendent and the Board of Directors an evaluative report of the Penquis Valley Learning Alternative Program, to include the number of students referred to the program, the number and grade levels of students identified as eligible for the program, a summary of the nature of the programming afforded identified students, and recommendations for revisions to the program as needed. Student performance and progress is assessed at least quarterly based on measurable goals and student achievement.

Appeals Process

Any person may present a concern about a student referral and/or identification to the attention of the Director of Student Services. The Director may convene an Individual Evaluation Team meeting in order to discuss the concerns presented. The Team may request further evaluation for the student if necessary. If the person who brought forth the concern is not satisfied with the decision of the Individualized Evaluation Team concerning the identification of student, the concern may be brought to the attention of the Superintendent of Schools for further consideration.

(All school policies will be followed involving school arrival/dismissal, breakfast, attendance, dress code, phone use, cars, contraband, damage or destruction of school property, breakfast/lunch, medication, electronic equipment, visitors, no school announcements, technology, fire drill regulations, etc.)

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