Pupil Personnel Services
Special Education
A multidisciplinary team of professional specialists interacts with students, parents, administrators & teachers to identify pupil needs and to devise appropriate interventions to meet those needs.
Dr. Sabrina Brancaccio
Executive Director of Pupil Services
(516) 897-2200
Ms. Michele Vivona
(516) 771-3787
Assistant Director of PPS
Mrs. Kimberley Liguori
(516) 897-2203
Elementary Special Education Coordinator
Ms. Maria Vazquez-Wright
(516) 897-2207
CPSE/CSE Coordinator
Mr. Jake Baron
(516) 897-2165
Long Beach Middle School Special Education Coordinator
Ms. Serena Whitfield
(516) 897-2036
Long Beach High School Special Education Coordinator
Pre-School Screening
All children are required by New York State to receive an evaluation/screening to determine their needs, strengths and weaknesses. This is accomplished by individual observations by various personnel such as psychologists, speech language therapists, nurses or social workers - Teacher assessment and record reviews are also conducted.
Our Committee on Pre-School Special Education provides advice and recommendations to parents of 3-5 year olds who exhibit special needs.
Ms. Maria Vazquez-Wright (897-2200) is the Chairperson of the District Committee of Pre-School Special Education (CPSE).
Diagnostic Screening & Committees for Special Education
EVERY CHILD WITH A DISABILITY IS ENTITLED TO A FREE, APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION.
Range of Services:
In School Counseling
Psychological & Social Work services
Resource Rooms
Speech and Language Therapy
Occupational and Physical Therapy
Consultant Teacher
Integrated Co-Teaching
Self Contained Classes
Transportation
Referrals for children suspected of having a disability may be made in writing to the Building Principal, or to the Director of Pupil Services (897-2200).
IEP
• Your child has been found eligible for special education. What happens next? An IEP (Individualized Education Program) is developed.
• An IEP is a written statement of the educational program designed to meet a child's individual needs. Every child who receives special education services must have an IEP.
• Information found on an IEP is as follows:
Date & Location:
When services and modifications will begin.
How often they will be provided.
Where they will be provided.
How long they will last.
Present Levels Of Education Performance:
This statement describes how your child is currently doing in school.
Annual Goals:
The IEP must state what you and the school team think he or she can reasonably accomplish in a year.
Measuring Progress:
The IEP states how the school personnel will measure your child's progress toward the annual goals.
Special Education And Related Services To Be Provided:
The IEP must list the special education and related services to be provided to your child.
Participation In State And District-Wide Assessments:
The IEP team must decide what modifications your child needs and list them in the IEP.
Participation With Non-Disabled Children:
The IEP states how much of the school day your child will be educated with non-disabled children.
Transition services:
Transition planning will help your child move through school, The IEP must include a statement of his or her transition service needs, starting at age 14
Social Work Services
School social workers seek the enhancement of social and academic functioning for all students. Programs to improve behavior, enhance decision making and increase coping skills are initiated on an individual or group level. Social workers are involved with community, staff and families in helping all children develop to their fullest potential academically, emotionally, and socially.
Our school social workers are as follows:
Deborah Bernardino-Arden
District-wide; housed at West School
ext. 2173
Stacey Durnan
Long Beach Middle School
ext. 2023
Dr. Jacqui Agresta
Long Beach High School
ext. 2072
Dr. Shelly Cepeda
Long Beach Middle School/High School
ext. 2273
Glenn Gartung
Middle School
897-2172
Bonnie Scholfield
West School
ext. 2292
Maria Yaker
Long Beach High School
897-3988
Rachel Lonergan
Lindell School
ext. 2265
Sally Keiser
Lido School
ext. 2143
Conor Manning
Long Beach High School
ext. 3948
Psychological Services
School psychologists provide assistance to teachers and to students in areas related to cognitive, social and emotional development. Each building has a psychologist who provides psychological and consultation services for our students.
Our team of School Psychologists is as follows:
Mariana Rotenberg PhD
West School
897-2219
Jeanine Sorensen Psy. D.
Lindell School
897-2198
Maria Saraceni
Long Beach Middle School
771-3986
Bernard Valentin
Long Beach High School
ext. 2009
Seraphina D'Anna
Middle School
897-2161
Michelle LaForest, Psy.D.
Lido School
ext. 2117
Matthew Morand, Psy.D.
Long Beach High School
ext. 2073
Gizelle Conroy
Lindell School
ext. 4598
Long Beach Catholic Regional School
432-8900
Nora Strecker
Lido - CPSE
OPWDD
The New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) offers access to a full range of services that may be needed by persons with disabilities through their lives. Through its administration of vocational rehabilitation and independent living programs, OPWDD coordinates policy and services relating to:
Transition services for students with disabilities from school to adult services;
Vocational Rehabilitation services for individuals with disabilities, ages 16 and older;
Independent Living Services for people with disabilities of all ages; and
Employer Services for hiring a qualified diverse workforce.
The seeds of adult success are sown during the school years. The system established by the Board of Regents to administer education and vocational services for people with disabilities fosters this and has evolved into a national model, designed to focus on our customers and produce results. For additional information, please review the following websites:
OPWDD http://www.opwdd.ny.gov
Special Education: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/specialed/