Triton Academy Presented by Holly Minear, Principal

Triton Academy
Presented by Holly Minear, Principal, & Linet Keshishian, School Psychologist
Our name was chosen by an advisory committee member as a reference to the mythological Greek god, Triton, who
calmed and raised the ocean waves with a twisted conch shell. It was selected as our symbol to show our belief that
a supportive environment with specially trained staff will provide the calm and nurturing environment that students
with autism require in order to optimize their learning.
Triton Academy is located at 700 Temple Avenue in Camarillo.
We share a middle school campus with University Charter Middle
School, which is a public middle school that houses
approximately 250 6th - 8th grade students.
Who are we?
• A collaborative model between Ventura County
SELPA, Ventura County Office of Education, and
local school districts in Ventura County.
• Triton Academy was designed by a team of
professionals and parents through an advisory
committee.
Rationale for Development of Triton Academy
• Many students with autism in Ventura County have
difficulty accessing their education at comprehensive
school sites.
• This is due to many factors including:
– Difficulty with implementing a consistent behavior
system and a sensory regulation program
– Inconsistent use of strategies
– Difficulty recruiting and retaining knowledgeable, well
trained staff members
– Difficulty with consistent collaboration with specialized
staff
Who do we serve?
• Students who live within the Ventura County SELPA
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attendance boundaries and whose primary barrier to
learning (i.e. special education eligibility) is autism.
Students who have been referred to us from VC school
districts’ IEP team meetings.
3rd – 12th grades
There are currently three strands of classrooms:
– CAPA
– CMA
– CST
Self-contained setting with limited opportunities for
interactions with typically developing peers.
Our Team
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Credentialed special education teachers
“Highly qualified” status paraeducators
Speech and language specialists
School psychologist
Behavior specialists
Occupational therapist
All of our staff members have attained a VC
SELPA Autism certification or are in the process
of attaining this certification.
What makes us unique?
• We are structured to effectively meet the needs
of students with autism by systematically
addressing the following areas:
– A consistent behavior system that is based in ABA
theory
– Sensory regulation
– Social and communication needs in group settings
– Support for visual learning style
What makes us unique?
• We maintain small class sizes. There are no
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more than 8 students per class with some
classes full at 6 students. We look at each class’
individual dynamics in determining class size and
student population.
All of our paraeducators work with all of our
students. In some classrooms, our
paraeducators utilize a rotation schedule if more
frequent individual student attention is needed.
What makes us unique?
• ABA-based behavioral system
– All students use a token board and/or a point
system to reinforce and encourage
appropriate behaviors and discourage
inappropriate behaviors.
– All token boards are individualized
Token and point systems
What makes us unique?
• Sensory needs met through:
– Sensory regulation program
– Sensory room with a variety of equipment
– Students can access sensory room on an as needed
basis or as part of a sensory diet.
– Sensory items and techniques are utilized within the
classroom.
– Heavy work breaks embedded in students’ day as
needed.
– Quiet room for times when students may become
over stimulated and need a location to help lower
their engine.
– Occupational therapist on campus
“How Does Your Engine Run?”
The Sensory Room
What makes us unique?
• Communication and social thinking groups:
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Vocabulary
Joint attention
Basic conversation rules
Nonverbal body language, turn taking, playing games,
and social participation.
– Social cognition topics
Social Group in Action!
What makes us unique?
• Visual supports are utilized to maximize
our students’ areas of strength
– Visual schedules
– Visual reminders
– “Time timer”
– Computer programs
– Rules posted
– TEACCH methodology
Some Visual Supports
What makes us unique?
• We have weekly collaboration with specialists
• We are continuing to look at new research
• We want to continually refine our practices
Assessment Criteria Prior to
Referral
• Diagnostic Instruments for ASD
• Cognition/Developmental Level
• Observations
• Adaptive Behavior
• Behavioral Assessment
Assessment Criteria Prior to
Referral
• In accordance with best practices,
– When assessing for Autism Spectrum Disorder:
• Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS)
• Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS)
• Psychoeducational Profile: Third Edition (PEP-3)
– Interviewing/Rating Scale tools (not to be in place of
above assessment tools for ASD, but used to
compliment a thorough formal, hands on assessment
with the student):
 Autism Diagnostic Interview, Revised (ADI-R)
 Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ)
 Childhood Autism Rating Scales (CARS)
 Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (GARS)
Assessment Criteria Prior to
Referral
• In accordance with best practices
– Assessing Cognition/Development for Student
with ASD
• Southern California Ordinal Scales of Development
– Cognition (SCOSD-C)
• Developmental Profile 3 (DP-3)
• Cognitive Assessment System (CAS)
• Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Second
Edition (KABC-II)
• Brigance Inventory of Early Development
Assessment Criteria Prior to
Referral
• In accordance with best practices
– Observations section of assessment for
student with ASD should include info on:
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Reciprocal turn-taking
Shared attention
Social reciprocity
Pretend play
Sustained interaction
Gaze aversion
Spontaneous giving/showing
Imitation of novel acts
Ability to have examiner direct attention
Use of toys and objects
Assessment Criteria Prior to
Referral
• In accordance with best practices
– When assessing Adaptive Functioning in
students with Autism
• Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS)
• The Analysis of Sensory Behavior Inventory (Rev.
ed.) (ASBI-R)
– When assessing Behavior in students with
Autism
• Scales of Independent Behavior –Revised (SIB-R)
• Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second
Edition (BASC-2)
• The Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (ACBC)
Referral Process
• IEP indicating referral to Triton Academy
• Referral paperwork
• Observation in educational setting
• Case conference
• Visit by parents at any time throughout
process
• Decision by referral team
• Transition activities for student
Thank you!
• Questions?
• Please feel free to call or email me for
more information.
Holly Minear, Principal
(805) 384-0205
hminear@vcoe.org