Published in November issue of The Bradford

At the high school, the Special Education department strives to reach all of its learners by
providing them with the support and skills they need in order to access the same material as
every student in the school.

“Our philosophy centers largely on inclusion and helping the high school experience be as
comparable to that of their non-disabled peers as possible,” said Special Education Department
Head Mr. Greg Beaupre, of the school’s approach to educating students with disabilities.

Ms. Ashley Pierce, a special educator in the Skills Program, which offers a highly individualized
curriculum for students with low-incidence disabilities, considers equity the greatest factor to
helping her students find success in their learning.

“Equity is the underlying theme for how I want to help my students,” said Ms. Ashley Pierce, a
special educator in the Skills Program, which offers a highly individualized curriculum for
students with low-incidence disabilities. “Giving them the instruction and tools that they need in
order to succeed and gain confidence is the ultimate goal.”

With a great diversity of learning styles comes a plethora of different approaches that special
educators utilize to ensure their content reaches every student.

“In Skills, our staff is so incredibly dedicated, and the demonstration of teamwork in our
program is essential to reaching all our students,” said Pierce. “There are some creative ways to
have the curriculum reach all students, and teachers are all very supportive.”

Although learning for students in the Skills Program often takes place in small group or
individual settings, Beaupre considers the inclusion of students with disabilities into general
education settings a vital part of the program’s mission.

“In the ideal world, special education would be a very small part of Wellesley High School, and
students with disabilities would be able to be served in entirely general education settings and get
the support they need within the general education classroom,” said Beaupre. “All of the data
about inclusion shows that students who are more included and have less restrictive
programming have better outcomes.”
The description of the Skills Program states that, when appropriate, students are mainstreamed
within the high school’s curriculum and, depending on their Individualized Education Plan [IEP],
may spend time in general education settings for academic or social-building purposes.
“Having students in the Least Restrictive Environment is what we always aim for,” said Pierce.
“In Skills Learning Centers, when students are in a one-on-one setting, reinforcing learned skills
is always our priority. I think there can be a best of both worlds model. I love when I go into a
general education classroom, and I see all students are being included and peers are being
supportive.”

Beaupre aims to foster a greater connection between the special education department and the
town of Wellesley in hopes of creating further opportunities outside of school for students and
young adults with disabilities in the future.

“The next step for Wellesley is therapeutic recreation and having more opportunities,” said
Beaupre. “Any ways or types of programs to support connections between the high school and
our community in terms of developing job sites is a big interest of mine.”

High school principal Dr. Jamie Chisum urges the student population to strive to become more
understanding towards those who learn differently.

“I wish the student population would understand that a kid who receives special education
services is just as capable as other kids, just is going to go down a different path,” said Chisum.
“Our system tends to value one type of thinker, and we should be more open-minded.”