Student Support and Development

For students who have not demonstrated success in the day school programs District 230 offers two alternatives. For freshmen and sophomores a daytime alternative education program is offered. For juniors and seniors an evening alternative education program is available. Entry into these alternative education programs is determined by the Student Services Teams in each school.

District 230 manages student behavioral problems in accordance with Senate Bill 100. Based on a clear set of rules that students are required to follow, the intent of school discipline is to be positive and corrective. Nevertheless, it is still discipline. The discipline process provides interventions for students involved in repeated offenses to help them develop skills to manage their behavior effectively.

District 230’s guidance program helps all students with goal setting, planning, self-awareness, career exploration and decision-making. Developmental in nature, the guidance process addresses students’ and parents’ unique needs during each particular year in school. The guidance counselor is an advocate throughout the high school experience who assists students in preparing educational programs in keeping with post high school plans. The counselor also encourages social and emotional development and facilitates home-school communication.

Each campus offers school psychological services to determine whether a student qualifies for special programs or services. Student counseling, staff and parent conferences and consultations, referrals to outside services, and annual reviews of special education students help school psychologists assess the needs of some students. Referrals for evaluation by the school psychologist are made by members of the student services team. The first resource for parents and students is always the guidance counselor.

Short-term family obstacles or difficulty developing relationships at school can often affect a student's learning. In such cases, social work services are available to students and families through the Student Services Team. The initial referral may come from members of the school staff, parents or the students themselves. School social workers assess school related problems and their possible causes to make recommendations, which may include modifications to the student’s school program or a referral to appropriate community resources.

Services are provided to all students identified with disabilities as defined in all classifications by the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act including mental, physical, vision, hearing and speech impairments, as well as learning disabilities and emotional disorders. For these students an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is developed detailing goals and services or programs to address their needs. Parents who suspect that their child has a disability are urged to call their guidance counselor. Qualified and experienced school professionals work with parents to identify these needs.

Speech-Language Services are available for those displaying deficits with communication that adversely affect the student’s academic achievement and/or functional performance and/or ability to establish and maintain social relationships. Speech-Language Pathologists provide services to address the speech, expressive language, receptive language and/or pragmatic/social language needs identified through the evaluation procedures and based on the adverse effect on education. All inquiries regarding school Speech-Language Services should begin by contacting the student’s guidance counselor. This contact can be made by the student, teachers, or by the student’s parents/guardians. The Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) Team must review all referrals for evaluation or assessment. This team will determine the appropriate action to address concerns regarding a student’s communication, academic, behavioral, or emotional growth.

Help for families and students to avoid or overcome the obstacles of substance abuse is available through programs such as student assistance coordination, alcohol/tobacco/drug prevention education, interventions, tobacco cessation programs, parent/student presentations and Operation Snowball (drug prevention programs). Student Intervention Teams of trained school staff review specific cases of suspected substance abuse and their subsequent impact on academic success and behavior. For parents who prefer to seek resources on their own, a list of community assistance agencies are available. Coping Center Website  

The school nurse maintains student immunization records, assigns elevator keys as needed, assesses the needs of special education students, performs vision and hearing screenings, and promotes awareness of health concerns to students and school staff. Students may arrange to see the nurse by obtaining a pass from a teacher and should visit the school nurse for first-aid treatment following any injury that occurs at school, especially in physical education class.