Cumberland School Board Members Discussed Tiered Intervention for Students

 

Cumberland school board members spent time at their monthly meeting discussing tiered intervention to deal with students' different levels of learning.

 

Board members met with district social worker and special education coordinator Betsy Ryan, district school psychologist Mallory Foster, and EIASE Executive Director Tony Reely and Associate Director Debbie Rotramel.

 

Members heard that interventions are tried for a specific amount of time before trying other inteventions. Board member Beth Reeder asked about the number of students being referred to special education and who begins the process. Reeder also wondered whether parents are involved in the process. Ryan answered that parents should be notified when the services are implemented. There's also no limit on the number of students who can be referred to the program.

 

Ryan also shared that the team should be communicating information about gains or lack of progress with parents, and those reports should be presented to parents quarterly.

 

There are concerns among some in the Cumberland district that there are many more students needing the intervention assistance than typical in other districts. 

 

In action items, the Cumberland board approved the FFA field trip to the national convention; accepted the resignation of Rhonda Brown as a bus driver; employed Jessi Allison as high school assistant softball coach; employed Greg Boldt as high school head baseball coach; hired Ali Dunn as a paraprofessional; and approved memoranda of understanding with the Cumberland Education Association and with the Cumberland Education Support Professionals Association in regards to employee vaccination and testing mandates. Each vote on the memoranda was 6-1 with Josh McElravy voting No each time.