Special Needs Services

The Learning Center provides a full array of support services to students who are enrolled at The Mountain Community School. The primary function of the Learning Center is to provide special education services to those children who qualify for special education and related services, as mandated by the federal government and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Related services include speech therapy, occupational and physical therapy. Children who are identified and placed in programs for speech-impaired, specific learning disabled, behaviorally and emotionally disabled, educationally disabled (mild to severe), autistic, other health impaired, orthopedically impaired, multiply handicapped, visually impaired, and hearing impaired may be eligible for occupational and physical therapy based on evaluation results. A team will be established to develop an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for eligible students. The team will consist of the child’s parents, the Principal, the Learning Center Director, and other individuals deemed appropriate to the child’s unique needs. This IEP will address his/her individual learning needs as determined by parents and the school-based team for the identified disability and related services. Related services cannot be provided to an individual student until they have an IEP in place.

The model of instruction of the Learning Center is based on the premise that children learn best with their classmates. Pull out services are reserved for those individual students who would benefit most from intensive one on one intervention. Most students are served in the classroom with minimal time away from their regular place of instruction. Student who do not qualify for special education services but are exhibiting academic difficulty may also receive support from the Learning Center when space permits.