CALS program
(Communication And Learning Support)
Primary: Mrs. Rendulich
Intermediate: Mrs. Bradik
Intermediate: Ms. Bossalina
The CALS classrooms are designed for students with autism spectrum
disorders and/or other related disorders. We have four classrooms serving
students from the central area from grades one through five. Each child has an individualized education
plan designed specifically for his or her current needs. These plans may address student needs in the
following areas: communication, social
skills, adaptive behavior, sensory motor, personal management, pre-vocational
skills, academics, leisure skills, and community based instruction. In addition to individual needs, each child
has access to skills, topics, and materials from the general education
curriculum. All students participate in
school wide activities like lunch, recess, assemblies, and certain field trips. Each classroom has a buddy program where students
from general education join our students in the self-contained environment or
other school wide activities.
Our classrooms offer students a structured environment,
personalized schedules, visual supports, opportunities for one to one or small
group instruction, and shorter instructional sessions. Our CALS classrooms use a variety of teaching
methods: discrete trial-like instruction, following the child’s lead, a TEACCH
(Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication-handicapped
Children) modified structure in the room, and various other teaching methods
that successfully work for students in our classrooms. Other
supports offered in each classroom may include additional adult support,
occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, and physical therapy.