Student Services
Holly Diaz
Director Of Educational Services and Preschool
hdiaz@nadaburgsd.org
(623) 250-7748
Erika Chapman
ESS Coordinator
Erica Stubbs
Community Education Program Coordinator
estubbs@nadaburgsd.org
Alycia Poloni
Occupational Therapist
apoloni@nadaburgsd.org
Lindsey Dyer
Speech/ Language Pathologist
ldyer@nadaburgsd.org
Francesca Ayala-Runion
Psychologist
fayalarunion@nadaburgsd.org
Bruce Taylor
DOES Counselor
btaylor@nadaburgsd.org
James Marshall
MHS Counselor
jmarshall@nadaburgsd.org
NUSD's vision is to meet the needs of all learners with quality education, every student every day. To achieve this vision we offer a variety of student support throughout the district.
Occupational Therapy
Students who participate in occupational therapy receive instruction to improve their fine motor skills; typically, many of the students are working on handwriting skills. Students who receive occupational therapy will have goals in their IEP and meet with their therapist as prescribed by the IEP.
Physical Therapy
The emphasis of school-based physical therapy is to help students access the academic environment and participate in educationally related activities as part of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Physical therapy services are provided primarily through an integrated service model, meaning services are a combination of direct student-therapist contact with consultation and instruction to others involved in the student’s educational program. Physical therapy services include activities that address mobility, educational, and work activities.
Speech and Language
Speech disorders occur when a person is unable to produce speech sounds correctly or fluently or has problems with their voice or resonance. Language disorders occur when a person has trouble understanding others (receptive language) or sharing thoughts, ideas, and feelings (expressive language). Speech Language Pathologists or assistants work individually or in small groups, with students using conversation and targeted activities to enable students to communicate effectively.
Counseling and Behavior Coach
The district provides a full-time counselor and behavior coach. The counselor and behavior coach provide social and emotional support for students. Assessing behavior needs, implementing behavior plans, or just being available to talk with students is an essential component of our special education program.
School Age Programs
Resource
Resource is a special education service that is provided to students as a part of the child's instructional support. The goal of the resource program is to address the unique needs of students in the areas of academics and social/emotional support in each child's least restrictive environment. Students who are identified with a qualifying disability receive an Individual Education Plan (IEP) that is developed through the MET (Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team) in which parents/guardians are encouraged to be active participants. Students receive support in areas identified on their IEP with established goals. Resource may occur in a classroom with a smaller setting, or integrated into the child's general education classroom depending on the child's IEP accommodations and modifications.
Navigator
The Navigator program is for students in grades K-8 that have delays requiring a higher level of support. Students become members of a Navigator class with specific goals to meet their academic and/or social/emotional needs. Navigator classes are smaller than a typical classroom size with a certified teacher, and highly qualified paraprofessionals. The goal of the Navigator program is to give students the skills and strategies to be successful in a general education setting when they are ready.
Compass
The Compass program is for students who need extensive support with social/emotional concerns. Students in grades K-8 are assigned to a small classroom environment with a certified teacher and highly qualified paraprofessionals. Students work with a counselor and behavior coach to develop the skills they need to interact appropriately in social situations. The Compass program's goal is to have students gain strategies and skills in order to return to a general education program and be successful with their peers.
Developmental Preschool
The developmental preschool program is designed for students with disabilities who are preschool-aged to support them in their transition to school. The developmental preschool is located at Nadaburg Elementary School, 21419 W Dove Valley Road, Wittmann, AZ 85361.
Under Child Find, it is our duty to " locate, identify, and evaluate" any child with a suspected developmental delay or other disability. Please contact our special education department if you have questions about Child Find or would like more information about special education services.
Areas of Eligibility
Preschool Speech Language Impairment-
The child demonstrates performance on a norm-referenced language test that measures at least 1.5 standard deviations below the mean for children of the same age or
The child’s speech, out of context, is unintelligible to a listener who is unfamiliar with the child
Preschool Moderate Delay- child demonstrates performance on a norm-referenced test that measures at least 1.5 but not more than 3.0 standard deviations below the mean for children of the same age in two or more areas of development.
Preschool Severe Delay- The child demonstrates performance on a norm-referenced test that measures more than 3.0 standard deviations below the mean for children of the same age in one or more developmental areas.
Preschool Vision Impairment-
The student has a loss of visual acuity or loss of visual field that, even with correction, adversely affects performance in the educational environment.The term includes both partial sight and blindness.
An ophthalmologist or optometrist has verified the visual impairment.
Preschool Hearing Impairment-
The student has a loss of hearing acuity that adversely affects performance in the educational environment.
An audiologist through an audiological evaluation has verified the hearing loss.
A communication/language proficiency evaluation has been conducted.