Special Education Department Shines as Support for Students Expands

The LaRue County Schools Special Education Department is spending the summer laying the foundation for an exceptional 2024-2025 school year.

Savannah Boone, Special Education Director, explained that the department is preparing teachers and classrooms for exciting additions.

“While students are out of the buildings, our teachers are attending training all over the state to learn very specialized skills,” Boone said. “We have purchased new curriculum that targets our students’ specific needs and our teachers will work on plans for implementation this summer. Like every other teacher, our teachers clean, rearrange, and decorate their classrooms over the summer. However, they also spend time creating tools to meet our students’ unique needs, like sensory corners, anchor charts, and visual prompts and cues.”

A large part of that classroom development for teachers comes from developing their Individual Education Programs (IEPs). Boone said these plans give new teachers the understanding of the special education students and their needs.

“They also create what’s called an ‘IEP at a Glance’ which helps inform the student’s other teachers about their needs,” Boone said. “They make contact with parents, and start making sure that all of the classrooms are prepared to meet students' accessibility needs.”

The LaRue County Special Education Department coordinates and collaborates with a variety of community groups, including the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, the LaRue County Cooperative Extension office, the LaRue County Library, the Hodgenville Police Department, Baptist Health Hardin, and other organizations. All of these groups provide support for teachers, students and their families.

For Boone and other special education educators, they strive to do more than accommodate students with disabilities. Independence is the goal.

“We want to challenge them and hold high expectations,” Boone said. “Additionally, our goal for every student is that when they graduate, they are able to live and work independently and be included in their community.”

What many people don’t realize is that efforts of the special education department extend beyond the classroom. Boone noted that special education staff and teachers are on the frontlines of protecting students’ civil rights through compliance efforts.

“Most people know that special education teachers complete a lot of paperwork, what they may not realize is that the documents we complete are legal documents that protect our students,” Boone said. “The documents make sure that students get the services they need and even help our students get services they need once they graduate. In addition to their work in the classrooms, this is what makes special education teachers special.”