Special Services

Joplin High School offers a number of special services and programs to assist students identified with special needs.

SPECIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT

Department Co-Chairs: Staci Saunders (Email) & Tammy Arteaga(Email)
For a full listing of the teachers in this department, please refer to the Faculty Directory.

The Special Services Department consists of twenty-two instructors. Classes offered include a varied schedule of our curriculum to assist our students with special needs. Special Services instructors are committed to providing a supportive environment for students with special needs.

Instruction may occur in these settings:

Class-Within-A-Class: the regular teacher and a special education teacher team-teach the regular curriculum. Both teachers work with the entire class to enhance the learning styles of all students.

Resource (Pull-Out) or Monitor: the student may spend most of their day in the regular classroom and also receive other needed services from a special education teacher or therapist outside the regular classroom.

Self-Contained: the student spends the majority of their school day with a special education teacher.

Services and instruction offered may include:

• Assessment for Psychological and Educational Needs


• Educational or Behavioral Programming


• Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy


• Assistance for the Hearing or Visually Impaired


• Community-Based Education provides students the opportunity to enhance their skills in actual settings within the community. This may be in a social or recreational situation, or work setting.


• Vocational Education assists students in awareness, exploration, and preparation for work and careers. Training sites, vocational evaluations and assessments, referral to Vocational Rehabilitation, and work experience may be utilized.


• Homebound Services are available for any student unable to attend a regular school day due to a medical problem. A physician's statement is needed for referral.