With
the growing number of inclusive classrooms, public school systems
have had to make provisions for children with special needs.
But for children whose developmental delays show up earlier
than kindergarten, the responsibility falls to the community.
Beverly
Krabill understands the support children need as they grow,
especially children with special needs. She is the Early Childhood
Coordinator at the Elkhart County Special Education Cooperative.
Her job of overseeing the organization's special education
services for children ages three to five supports the mission
of the Elkhart County Special Education Cooperative: "Meeting
the unique needs of our students."
The
programs at the cooperative are designed so that children's
special needs can be assessed before they enter public school.
Debra Midgley, a speech and language pathologist, works at
the Elkhart County Special Education Cooperative with children
whose developmental skill levels "run the gamut." Midgley,
who has been on staff for 15 years, says "Children's development
can be delayed in a variety of areas, including social, cognitive
and adaptive skills."
The
staff at the cooperative includes assessment teams, therapists,
and a variety of professionals who meet the challenge of helping
these children every day. As part of the STARS (Speech Therapy
and Resource Services) program, Midgely works in classrooms
with children who have speech and language delays. Speech
and language therapy is offered as it relates to children's
educational needs. Through the REACH (Resources for Educating
and Assisting Children) program, children who are delayed
in a variety of other areas can attend classes where instruction
is designed to encourage their development.
Midgely
finds a special joy in helping her students reach their goals.
"It's about believing in them and creatively trying to find
what works for them, watching them progress," she says. Seeing
a child smile and take pride in his success is just one of
the perks of Midgely's job. Her passion for working with children
echoes the mission of the Elkhart County Special Education
Cooperative: "Meeting the unique needs of our students."
In
addition to working with such talented staff, Krabill says,
"I also enjoy seeing and hearing about the growth children
experience from the time they enter our programs until they
are ready to transition to a school age program." For parents
who are concerned that their child's development is delayed,
Krabill recommends calling the cooperative.
For
more information on programs available through the Elkhart
County Special Education Cooperative, call 574- 533-3151.
