Program Overview

The Sierra Program provides special education services to students with emotional disturbances.

Eligibility

The Sierra Program services students who meed the Emotionally Disturbed (ED) state special education criteria and include students from kindergarten through high school who have emotional problems that significantly interfered with their ability to learn. Physical and mental limitations must be ruled out as the primary reason the student is not learning.

Students must exhibit one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree which adversely affects educational performance.

• Inability to learn which cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.
• Inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers
• Inappropriate types of behaviors or feelings under normal circumstances exhibited in several situations.
• General, pervasive mood of unhappiness and depression.
• Tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.

Specialized Education

The Sierra Program classrooms are staffed at high staff to student ratio allowing for extensive individualized help. Small group instruction and one-to-one interaction enhances the emotional and academic growth of these students.

The program emphasizes how students can deal with their emotional problems in a positive, constructive manner. Social skills training, communication skills, and appropriate school behavior are specifically taught within an established curriculum

Students have an opportunity to attend classes at regular education school sites as they are ready to participate with regular education students. On-going communication is conducted with mainstreaming teachers in order to enhance success for Sierra students,

Related Services

Related services are also an integral component of the Sierra Program. A nurse, psychologist, and speech/language specialist work with students as stipulated in their IEPs. In addition, students who have been referred via Chapter 26.5 are eligible for mental health services.

Referral

Students can be referred for enrollment in the Sierra Program by their school of residence Individualized Education Program (IEP) team. A rigorous application procedure is required, which includes extensive testing and documentation of school interventions. A joint IEP meeting is then held with Sierra staff, district staff, and parents in order to determine the appropriateness of a Sierra placement