The ESE and Student Services Department continually strives to strengthen our services to students and families by working collaboratively with our teachers, therapists, support personnel and administrators.
Levy County has approximately 1,200 exceptional students enrolled in its public schools. An exceptional student is one who has special learning or behavioral needs. The special assistance received in school is called Exceptional Student Education, ESE, or Specially Designed Instruction. Our goal is to provide every exceptional student with a free appropriate public education (FAPE), help them progress in school, access the general curriculum, and prepare for life after school.
Marcy Young
Director of ESE and Student Services
Phone: (352) 486-5231 X2031
Nina Morrison
Coordinator of ESE and Section 504
Phone: (352) 486-5231 x2122
Jennifer Martin
Staffing Specialist
Phone: (352) 486-5231 x2051
Renee' Lehman
Bookkeeper/Confidential Secretary
Phone: (352) 486-5231 x2043
Ninette "Nina" Hauser
ESE/MIS Manager
Phone: (352) 486-5231 x2045
Laura Klock
SEDNET Coordinator
Phone: (352) 486-5231 x2057
Teresa Pinder
Local Assistive Technology Specialist
Phone: (352) 486-5231 x2058
Shawn Myers
Family Liason
Phjone: (352) 486-5231 X2059
Valerie Taylor
Teacher, Hospital/Homebound
Phone: (352) 486-5231 x2053
Jennifer Burns
Hospital/Homebound Teacher
Phone: (352) 486-5231 x2054
Gale Korn
School Social Worker
Phone: (352) 528-3341 x3339
Kyle Quincey
Transition Coordinator
Phone: (352) 493-6000 x3667
Rebecca Childs
Pre-K Coordinator
Phone: (352) 486-5231 x2063
Benjamin Hawkins
Coordinator of Student Services
Phone: (352) 486-5231 x2055
Kimberly Walker
Behavior Specialist
(352) 486-5231 x2127
ESE Useful Links
- Exceptional Student Education/ Student Services Website
- Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services
- Notice of Procedural Safeguards (English)
- FL DOE School Choice
- FDLRS
- CARD
- Sunshine Connections (PEER)
- ESE Policies and Procedures 2021-2023
- ESE Program Brochure
- LEA Profile
- FL DOE Gifted Education
- Florida Association for the Gifted
- Transition Fair Documents
- FLDOE ESE Parent Survey
- Community Behavioral Health Resources
- HB 149 Restraint Seclusion Required Posting
Parent ESE Resources
Levy County Exceptional Student Education Parent Liaison
The Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Parent Liaison is available to facilitate communication between parents and their students with schools in the county about your child’s special education services. The Liaison is available to respond to parent requests and or school personnel for assistance throughout the county, and can be contacted to assist with communication or for accessing helpful resources.
Parent Advisory Committee (PAC)
Levy County has created a Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) which meets throughout the school year to provide a forum for parents, students, and educators to discuss the educational needs and challenges facing Levy County students. These meetings are announced in newspaper notices and letters home with our students with disabilities throughout the school year. The Parent Advisory Committee helps to further explain and support parents concerning the Exceptional Student Educational process. (Initial evaluations, Procedural Safeguards, IEP’s, placement, services, etc.)
PARENTS + EDUCATORS = AN EXCEPTIONAL TEAM
Other Resources
Contact
If you have questions or need assistance feel free to contact Constance Ward at the ESE/SS office at 352-486-5240.
Student Services
The Student Services Department provides comprehensive support services to students and their families so that all students will attend school, stay in school and engage in learning. The main functions of the department are to support the following:- Exceptional Student Education
- Section 504 compliance
- Psychological Services
- Early Childhood Education for Students with Disabilities
- Parent Education and Staff Training
- Visit students' homes to work with families
- Attendance intervention and truancy reduction
- Drop-out prevention
- Hospital/Homebound Services
- Multi Agency Network for Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities (SEDNET)
- Regional Local Assistive Technology Specialist
- Teen Parent Program
- School-Wide Positive Behavior Supports
- Gifted Programs
- School Social Workers
The Student Services Department supports the school system's vision and mission by taking a proactive role in providing educational opportunities for all students. Services provided include counseling and conferences with students and parents; identifying and assisting students and families in accessing services to address unmet needs (home, school, community); identifying physical, emotional, social barriers preventing students from succeeding in school.
The Department of Student Services is comprised of a group of highly skilled caring professionals who are committed to improving student achievement by enhancing the educational experience of all Levy County students. Our commitment is to work with students, their parents, schools, and community agencies in support to our students.
Problem Resolution
When you have concerns about your child's classroom, placement, or Individual Education Plan (IEP), the first person you should talk to is your child's teacher. Problems are most easily resolved by the person who spends the most time with your child. If you are unable to resolve the issue with the teacher, you should next contact the guidance counselor or assistant principal. These two professionals may call upon the Principal for assistance. It is very important that you talk to the Principal before calling the District Office. The Principal has the responsibility for the outcome of your child's education at that school. They need to know about issues of concern. In most situations, the principal has the authority, capability, and responsibililty for resolving concerns. It is our desire that you have a good relationship with your child's school.
Project 10: Transition Education Network
The mission of Project 10 is to assist Florida school districts in providing secondary transition services to students with disabilities in order to improve their academic success and post-school outcomes. Project 10 serves as the main channel between the Florida Department of Education and school district personnel in addressing law and policy, effective practices, and research-based interventions in the area of transition services for youth with disabilities.
Project 10 provides training and technical assistance in the following areas: assessment and instruction; student-centered planning and self-determination; independent living, including recreation and leisure; postsecondary education and training; and career development and employment.
Project 10 Levy School District Resources:
Please click here: Project 10 Resources
Assistive Technology Resources
Not sure what Assistive Technology is?
Please review this document: AT Overview—School Environment
How does the school determine if AT is needed?
Please review this document: The Team Approach to AT
Who is available in Levy County Schools to assist the student’s IEP team?
Each school has an assigned LATS (Local Assistive Technology Specialist)
- the school based Speech/Language Pathologist
- the school based Occupational Therapist
The Regional Assistive Technology Specialist
- Based at the Region 2 Satellite Lab
- Contact: Teresa Pinder
What resources are available locally?
Located at the ESE and Student Services office is the Region 2 Satellite Lab:
- low and mid tech devices /systems for student trial
- adapted books and curriculum for check out
- production lab for specific teacher made/created classroom materials (by appt.)
- demonstration software for student trail (by appt.)
Other resources available state wide:
Levy Behavior Support
The Levy County School Board employees an Exceptional Student Education Certified Behavior Specialist whose professional goal is to assure delivery of appropriate public education for students with disabilities by assessing, developing, training, and monitoring programs which promote behavioral change.
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Services Provided
Direct Services to Students
The Behavior Specialist works directly with students with Emotional Behavioral Disabilities, students on the Autism Spectrum, and students requiring behavioral observation, assessment, and behavioral intervention. Some of the activities involved in providing these services may include the following:
- Assessments
- Development of Behavior Intervention Plans
- Revisions to current Behavior Intervention Plans
- Observations, records reviews, interviews
- Recommendations to staff & parents relative to behavioral interventions & strategies
- Development of Individualized Behavior Support Plans
- Classroom Consultation Services
The Behavior Specialist provides classroom consultation services for staff upon request for it. This is a collaborative process that involves observations, recommendations, modeling of interventions and strategies, planning sessions, and follow up support.
Professional Development
The Behavior Specialist, on behalf of the Exceptional Student Education and Student Services department, provides training opportunities for school staff as well as parents on a continuing basis throughout the year.
Student Services Evaluation Team
Steps for Incoming Students
Student Services Evaluation Team (SSE Team) provides prompt review of special education records for incoming students transferring from Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Programs outside of Levy County, Florida. The following steps should be taken for arriving out-of-state/out-of-county transfer students who have previously received ESE services.
- Call 352-486-5252 for base school assignment which is based on proof of residency.
- Register student at his/her base school. Contact the school for registration requirements.
- Your base school will contact the SSE Team once your child is completely enrolled.
Individual Education Plan Needed
It is essential that the parents or legal guardians bring with them the Individual Education Plan (IEP) to the Levy County school where he/she is registering in order to insure the continuation of their Special Education Services. If this information is not provided, there may be an interruption of services until such time that verification of Special Education programming from the previous district can be confirmed.
Students whose previous program placement is in question or not verified at the time of enrollment shall be served in a regular class setting until the SSE Team is able to verify and confirm the previous ESE. assignment.