Enrollment is now open!
www.enrollholyoke.com

Do you have questions or are you feeling confused?
Please contact your team leader for support and information.

Enrollment Questions:
Rebecca Lamb
Director of Enrollment
(413) 534-2000, Option 1
Send Rebecca Lamb an Email

Transportation Questions:
Dean Santiago
Transportation Specialist
(413) 534-2000, Extension 1640
Send Dean Santiago an Email

General Questions:
Jill Hughes
Director of Intensive Services
Send Jill Hughes an Email

Donahue:
Christina Trudeau
(413) 437-0541 CELL for families/staff
DONAHUE School:
(413) 534-2069/2070
Send Christina Trudeau an Email

Jericho:
Ryan Bowler
(413) 237-5017 CELL for families/staff
Send Ryan Bowler an Email

Tim Britton
Send Tim Britton an Email

Transitions Academy:
Liz Jazab
(413) 539-7909
(413) 512-5361, Extension 1801/1802
Send Liz Jazab an Email

TIP:
Kristal Torres
(413) 297-8777
Send Kristal Torres an Email

Lawrence School
(413) 534-2075 (families/staff)

View our brochure for Extended School Year Brochure-English and Folleto del Año Escolar Extendido-Español to learn more about our offerings for those who qualify.

Question and Answer Guide on Special Education Extended School Year Programs 603 CMR 28.05(4)(d)

Qualifying students in grades preK-12 can now register for the 2023 Extended School Year (ESY) Program, which provides a range of special education learning opportunities.

If you are unsure if your child qualifies for ESY programming, you can check your child’s current IEP or ask your child’s special education teacher or building team leader. You may send an Email to Enrollment for assistance with online registration. You may send an Email to Jill Hughes for more information about extended year services.

ESY programs will begin on July 10 and will end on August 3, 2023. All programs are scheduled to take place in-person. HPS will follow all state and local guidelines for social distancing and/or other precautions that may be required over the summer. 

Based on their IEPs, students may qualify for one of these programs:

Theme-based curriculum emphasizing language, social, motor, and academic readiness skills. Similar to our integrated preschool program throughout the school year. Peers accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, based on classroom availability.

ABA-based instruction, including discrete trial training, pivotal response training, generalization, and visual systems to address academics, social skills, communication, and independence. Similar to our ABL program throughout the school year.

Multi-sensory curriculum for maintaining academics, social skills, communication, and independence. Similar to our RISE & SHINE programs throughout the school year.

Theme-based curriculum for maintaining academics, communication, social skills, motor skills, and generalization. Instruction is embedded into recreational/physical activities in both indoor and outdoor settings. Typically designed for students in RISE, Functional, TIP, SIP, and Inclusion settings during the school year. Peers accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, based on classroom availability.

Therapeutic curriculum for maintaining social, emotional, academic, and independence skills. Similar to our Therapeutic Intervention Program (TIP) settings throughout the school year.

Focus on various facets of life including employment,  post-secondary education (i.e. functional academics, college, training) maintaining a home, involvement in the community as individually appropriate, and enhancing satisfactory social and personal relationships. 

Related services such as speech/language therapy/AAC, occupational therapy, vision, and physical therapy are provided as drop-in service or included within ESY programming as determined by the IEP team.

Decisions about ESY programs are made on an individual basis, taking into consideration the unique needs of each child. These discussions occur as part of your child’s IEP Team meeting.

One of the factors that IEP teams consider when determining ESY eligibility is whether a student substantially regresses or falls behind during break periods during the school year (referred to as “regression”). The team also determines whether a student needs a substantial amount of time to build back the skill levels they had attained prior to the break period (referred to as “recoupment”).   

Teams must also consider other factors such as the degree of the impairment, rate of progress, behavioral and physical issues, availability of alternative resources, as well as the transitional needs of the student based on guidance from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Data is also collected throughout the school year through observations, assignments, and informal assessments, with teachers monitoring students' progress on goals and objectives and keeping records when a student falls behind.

All IEP team members complete an ESY Eligibility Tool during every annual IEP meeting, where they also present data collected throughout the school year and discuss the child’s need for services. Parents should be an integral part of this process. 

If your child qualifies for ESY Services, your child’s IEP Team will review available service and program options to ensure your child is placed in the most appropriate program to meet their needs. 

If your child qualifies for ESY services, this information will be found in the Service Delivery Grid of your child’s IEP, with an explanation documented in the “Nonparticipation Justification” section of the IEP.

Please reach out to your child’s IEP Team Leader at their school if you have additional questions.

If your child’s IEP states that they qualify for Extended Year Services (ESY), but you are unsure which program your child’s team has recommended, please contact your child’s Special Education Team Leader.

If your child does not qualify for ESY programming, please visit our summer learning web page to view the many other free summer learning options that HPS has to offer.