In-School Specialists
Occupational Therapy
The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) define the role of an OT in the following way: “Occupational therapists focus on adapting, modifying, or changing daily activities that a person is required or wants to do. OTs might do this by altering the activity, altering the environment, or altering the skills of the person. At the personal skill level, an OT might help patients improve their fine motor skills. Fine motor skills are typically small movements made with your upper body. They are essential for many daily activities such as picking up a toothbrush and brushing your teeth, cutting your food with a fork and knife, getting dressed, using a smartphone, or driving. For patients with mental health challenges, an OT might improve skills by increasing the use of positive coping strategies that allow the patient to work or be successful in school.
OTs are problem solvers who enjoy helping people better their lives by regaining independence after an injury or by helping children and adults with intellectual or developmental delays adapt to daily life. From neonatal care all the way throughout the lifespan, OTs are compassionate clinicians who consider the whole person and develop therapies taking into account physical, emotional, and environmental factors that affect participation and performance in meaningful activities.”
*The focus of school-based OT services is on school function. Intervention can be provided directly with the child, in the context of the classroom, or through collaborative consultation with the members of the educational team.
Physical Therapy
The MCPHS also illustrates the Physical Therapist’s (PT) role as a support service: “Physical therapists are movement experts who optimize quality of life through prescribed exercise, hands-on care, and patient education. They are also problem solvers who are passionate about getting their patients back on their feet. PTs focus on restoring the ability to move, reducing pain, and improving gross motor skills while promoting function and independence, and preventing disability. Gross motor skills are typically developed in childhood and are used in the movement and coordination of the arms, legs, and other large body parts.
PTs often work with patients who may be recovering from an injury that has impacted these skills. The focus is not only on rehabilitation but also on the prevention of further injury. Functional and pain-free movement is essential to one’s quality of life. Physical therapists also create and develop treatment plans to improve mobility to help their patients avoid surgery or prescription pain medications. PTs also understand the emotional aspects of recovering from an injury and are often their patient’s biggest cheerleaders.”
Our district wide team includes:
Angelia Kassouf, Occupational Therapist, akassouf@region1schools.org and
Jane Simonds, Physical Therapist, jsimonds@region1schools.org
School Psychologists
School Psychologists are part of the faculty at the Pupil Services Center. It is the School Psychologist’s goal to help every child succeed academically, socially and emotionally. They collaborate with educators, parents and other professionals to create a safe, healthy and supportive learning environment for all students that strengthens connections between home and school. They work to find the best solution for each student and situation by using different strategies to address student needs and to improve school support systems. They accomplish these goals each day through student assessments, teacher and parent consultations as well as by running individual/group counseling sessions. Below are helpful websites for your reference.
Speech-Language Pathologists
The Pupil Services Center faculty includes Speech-Language Pathologists. Speech-Language Pathologists provide many services for students, parents and other school staff. They are consultants providing information about child and adolescent speech and language development and speech, language and communication delays and disorders. They are evaluators or diagnosticians in the areas of speech, language and communication including the connections between these areas of development and the development of pre-academic and academic skills (such as reading, listening, curriculum, language comprehension and expression). They design and deliver programs to address speech, language and communication deficits as part of the range of special education programs and services. They collaborate with other specialists and with classroom teachers in the design and delivery of their services. Their services may be provided in a resource room setting or in a “natural” setting such as a classroom or, for older students, a workplace.