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Programs & Services

Special Education

Overview

Special education is specially designed instruction, at no cost to parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability. The School District of La Crosse offers many special education services for children from early childhood (age 3 years) to age 21.

An Introduction to Special Education

Special Education in Plain Language

Contact Information

Aimee Zabrowski

Director of Student Services
Phone: (608) 789-7655
Fax: (608) 789-7976

Sue Dwyer

Administrative Assistant
Phone: (608) 789-7688
Fax: (608) 789-7976

Greg Fenton

Supervisor of Special Education
Phone: (608) 789-8472
Fax: (608) 789-7976

Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns not addressed on our web page, please feel free to contact us using this form.

School Program Coordinators

Autism & Intellectual Disabilities Program

The School District of La Crosse offers an array of educational supports to address the needs of students educationally classified with Autism as well as students who present with needs consistent with an Autism Spectrum diagnosis. Students with autism are served in a variety of settings throughout the school district. Our goals, while teaching within the standard academic areas, address issues related to and impacted by core deficit in the areas of social, communication, and behavior challenges. These areas of concern are addressed with different levels of educational support. Education services for students with Autism vary with respect to the number, variety, and intensity of programming, always keeping in mind the least restrictive environment.

Students with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) are educated in a variety of settings depending on their individual needs. Services are provided in a continuum of environments ranging from full inclusion to self-contained settings. Students with fewer needs may be successful in some general education classes, while some are successful in a resource setting where they receive special education alongside peers diagnosed with other disabling conditions. Other students may require a more intense setting that provides a full day of special education services for students with an emphasis on developing functional and academic skills in an environment with smaller student-to-staff ratios. Services are provided in a variety of settings including general education and special education classrooms, community environments, and job training sites.

Resa Hawes
Hogan Administrative Center
(608) 789-8961

    Transition Program

    Hello! I am the Transition Coordinator for the School District of La Crosse. The transition from high school to life after graduation can be stressful for students with special needs and their parents. One of the joys of my job is getting to know these incredible young adults and their parents as I help guide them through this process.

    Transition planning is a team effort. Collaboration between students, parents, teachers, guidance counselors and a variety of community agencies is vital for success. As a team we create a proactive plan to set students up for a successful, productive future. My goal is to help students with disabilities maximize opportunities and minimize barriers in the areas of employment, post secondary education or independent living. This is facilitated through the development of Post Secondary Transition Plans.

    Deanna Sobeck
    Hogan Administrative Center
    608-789-8941

    Early Childhood/4K Programs

    The School District of La Crosse provides a continuum of service options to meet the needs of 3-5 year old children with special education needs. Children are evaluated to determine if they meet one of the state’s eligibility criteria. Special education and related services may provide consultation to staff, direct services to the child, training related to the disability, and other services that are identified in the child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).

    Service options range from self-contained classrooms (children with special needs only), team taught classrooms with Head Start and 4 year old Preschool, and/or school based speech services. In addition, itinerant services can be provided (as determined by the IEP team) where we provide speech, early childhood teacher support, and/or occupational therapy in the child’s natural environment. Itinerant sites include Child First, Coulee Children’s Center, Congregational preschool, Head Start, 4 year old Preschool sites, Red Balloon, YMCA and UW-L daycare.

    Jennifer Kalis
    Hogan Administrative Center
    608-789-7621

    Emotional Behavioral Disabilities Program

    Students with emotional behavioral disabilities (EBD) receive programming based on the student’s individualized education program (IEP).  The School District of La Crosse offers a full continuum of school-based services ranging from integrated programming within the general education classroom to intensive programming within the special education classroom, as well as alternative placements in the integrated supports centers and community-based programs.

    The EBD programs focus on CASEL’s 5 social and emotional learning competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.  In collaboration with the general education teachers, EBD programs provide functional behavior assessments, behavior intervention plans, behavioral supports, and social-emotional learning instruction based on the 5 social and emotional learning competencies.

    Heather Stern
    Hogan Administrative Center
    608-789-7927

    School Psychologists

    School psychologists help children and youth succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. They collaborate with educators, parents, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments for all students that strengthen connections between home and school.

    • Leah Braunschweig – Summit Elementary, Lincoln Middle, & Logan Middle
    • Leisa Hanson-Fergot – Coulee Montessori & Longfellow Middle
    • Rill Moline – Emerson Elementary, Hintgen Elementary, & Private Schools
    • Ken Ortery – Logan High School & State Road Elementary
    • Don Scheckel – Northside Elementary
    • Morgan Schilz – Hamilton Elementary & SOTA I
    • Julie Mannion – North Woods Elementary
    • Kaylin Zukowski – Southern Bluffs Elementary & Spence Elementary
    • Zach Noethe Wolford – Central High School, La Crosse Polytechnic School, & CRVA