The bell rings, and the teacher tells you to turn your test in. You did not finish because your anxiety, dyslexia, dyscalculia, and ADHD kept you from understanding the questions. Your test grades are constantly decreasing, and your teacher feels that you need help. That is when the Child Study Team(CST) might be called in for assistance. The Edison Intermediate School (EIS) CST is extremely beneficial to our school, and deserves recognition for all the help that they provide in our school.
What is the CST?
According to the speech therapist Mrs. Julie Lupin at Edison Intermediate School, the “CST benefits schools by identifying students who need support early, creating personalized intervention plans, and fostering collaboration between educators and families. By providing guidance and promoting inclusion, the CST helps ensure that all students receive the resources they need to succeed academically and emotionally.”
Mrs. Natalie Smith-Zuvovsky, an occupational therapist (OT) who works with EIS students, also expressed a similar view of the child study team. She explained, “The CST is highly beneficial to our school because it provides essential support for students with diverse learning needs. By collaborating with teachers and families, the CST ensures that students receive the accommodations and interventions necessary for their academic and personal growth. They help identify challenges and implement strategies that promote student success.”
Who makes up the child study team?
The CST is a team of people that is trained to help students achieve their highest potential. This is not a one person job, and there are multiple diverse roles that make up the team. For example, EIS Behavior Analyst Ms. Jessica Macdougall said, “As part of the Child Study Team, my job title is Behavior Analyst. As a behavior analyst, I help students with decreasing behaviors as well as to help increase alternative behaviors. I also work with teachers, paraprofessionals and other school personnel to teach them the interventions necessary to make their students with behaviors successful.”
Another important part of the CST is Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant Ms. Melissa Greenwald finds deep pleasure in her work. She explained, “My role as a learning disabilities teacher consultant (LDT-C) and member of the CST in the school is imperative. My job enables the schools and teachers to recognize the different needs of our students, in addition to, servicing the needs so that all students, despite any academic weaknesses, can thrive and find success.”
You may recognize the name Mrs.Greenwald from a summer or school year testing session.In the CST office at EIS Ms. Greenwald is accompanied by school Psychologist Mrs. Heather Alvarez: “As part of the child study team, I conduct initial evaluations and reevaluations to determine eligibility for special education services. Specifically, the school psychologist completes the cognitive evaluation portion, as well as assessing social and emotional health. Then, the team reviews the cognitive abilities and compares them with the different areas of academic ability. This helps us to determine things like whether the student has a learning disability. We also consult with school staff regarding social and emotional needs of students and sometimes meet with students for counseling.”
In addition, the speech team will help correct all speech errors. For example, if you say gweat you will learn to make your speech great. Mrs. Lupin said, “An SLP’s job on the Child Study Team is to assess, diagnose, and support students with speech, language, and communication challenges that may be impacting their learning. We provide therapy, develop IEP goals, and collaborate with teachers and families to ensure students can effectively communicate and succeed in school.”
Speech is truly the reason why many conversations you have with your peers are understandable. However, there is another aspect of learning like picking up a pencil, this is an easy task for many, but a physical challenge that some students struggle with. Mrs. Zuvovsky helps students with these struggles: “As the OT, I support students who experience challenges with fine motor skills, sensory processing, self-regulation, and daily school activities. I see helping students develop the necessary skills to participate fully in their academic and social environments as my primary goal.”
Case Management
At EIS, the case management team is responsible for deciding the next step for a student’s academic growth. Your case manager is randomly assigned to students and is not determined based on your academic performance. Even though you may have been tested by Ms. Greenwald, that does not indicate that she is your case manager. The three case managers at EIS are Ms. Greenwald, Mrs. Alvarez, and Laura Cappocia, who is currently on maternity leave.
In further detail, these case managers will have meetings with your teacher to discuss next steps, make changes to your IEP, and speak with your parents and sometimes even you.
How Does This Help EIS?
The CST is like the wings to a plane because with them you can soar. They give that extra boost that the teachers need. The CST has been very beneficial to students and teachers. Eighth grade English Language Arts teacher Erin Meade expressed her reasons behind why the CST has helped: “The child study team really helps when teachers don’t know why a student isn’t successful in class. Sometimes, it is very hard to figure out how a person learns best. The child study team is great at figuring out what modifications kids need to learn best.”
They Help Everyone
You now have a case manager and have met with the CST. Your grades have majorly increased because you are now given the opportunity to have extra time, and now your tests are finished to completion.Not having the CST in EIS would result in many kids severely struggling in class and maybe not passing. If you ever feel like the CST could benefit you in school go to the main office and speak with your guidance counselor. Overall the EIS, CST is a crucial component of the success of our students.
