Student Services and Exceptional Children

The Mooresville Graded School District realizes that our success is a direct product of reaching every child, every day by providing support and interventions to all students.

Student Support Services are available to all children within the district through our counselors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, behavior support team and our special programs staff.
Students with disabilities who are found eligible for specially designed instruction and related services through the eligibility process, will have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) developed based on each child's unique needs, as related to present levels of academic achievement and functional performance.
Students with disabilities, who do not need specialized instruction, may be found eligible for accommodations through a 504 plan.

Student Services

School Based Mental Health Support

School-Based Therapy is a continuum of services available to students in the Mooresville Graded School District through several programs throughout the district.
The services are a collaborative effort between MGSD and private mental health agencies working to increase the availability of evidence-based mental health services for the purpose of improving student’s emotional well-being and enhancing their ability to access and benefit from instruction.
These programs are supplemental interventions and supports available to students who require additional accommodations identified through a problem solving team approach.
Services are offered when the student demonstrates or displays significant need that affect their ability to be successful in the learning environment through our Multi-tiered System of Support and is only available with Parent Permission.
Details are available through the counseling office at each school site.

Exceptional Children

Our Exceptional Children's Department strives to accomplish the goal of supporting every child, every day by providing specialized instruction and related services to all eligible students; furthermore, we recognize that students and families may need additional services to succeed in their educational endeavors.

MGSD's Exceptional Children's Department (EC) offers a free and appropriate public education in compliance with the federally mandated Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) through a continuum of services and programs to meet the individual needs of students requiring special education, ages 3-21.
Special education services are provided at all of our schools, with the exception of very specialized low-incidence programs, so that students can attend a school within the geographical zone of residence, when possible.

NCDPI Exceptional Children's Department

Exceptional Children's Assistance Center (ECAC)

Policies Governing Services for Children w/ Disabilities

Parent Rights & Responsibilities in Special Education (2016)

Public Notices

Child Find Process

Mooresville Graded Schools conducts a screening process which may lead to a more comprehensive assessment for children ages 3 through 5 years old. This is provided through the system's preschool program located at Rocky River Elementary School.Parents can obtain additional information about this process by contacting Anselita Newkirk, Preschool Coordinator.

A general education intervention process for children in kindergarten through grade 12 is provided at each school site through student assistance teams or Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). These teams work on behalf of children who are experiencing academic, behavior/emotional, functional, or medical concerns that may be significantly impacting their access to the general curriculum or school activities. These teams work with families and school staff to develop plans that support students' needs so that they can be successful in the general education curriculum and school setting. While working with students, the teams collect data, which is then used to determine if a student may need to be referred for a comprehensive evaluation. Parents must be provided with notice of their child's referral to the intervention assistance teams.

How can I access special education services?

· If a parent suspects delays in the development of their child, ages 3-21, in the areas of speech/language, motor skills, social-emotional skills, academic and/or self help skills, they may contact the student’s home school or the Exceptional Children’s Department to request an evaluation for eligibility for EC services.

· For children who are of preschool age, please contact our preschool coordinator, Anselita Newkirk at 704-658-2628

· For children who are enrolled in a parentally placed private/homeschool please contact the EC department at 704-658-2602

What happens after I make contact with the school?

· In the event the district is notified that a child is a student with a suspected disability, the district is obligated to respond within 30 days.

· An IEP team needs to convene to review the request and make a determination with regard to whether an evaluation is warranted based on a review of existing data.

· If the team determines an evaluation is needed, written permission for testing is obtained. The team obtains any already completed test reports and conducts a comprehensive assessment that follows federal and state guidelines.

· The IEP team schedules a final conference with the student’s parents to discuss the evaluation results and decides whether or not special education and support services are needed.

In This Section

Contact

Sandra Albert, Ed.D.
Chief Student Services Officer

Lori Woods
Administrative Assistant

Our Team

Student Services and Exceptional Children