Special Needs

For all formal accommodation plans, a diagnosis by a medical doctor is required; however, the specific requirements to receive various supports depend on the specific diagnoses. Receiving official status may take up to a year.

The diagnosis cannot be older than three years.

Students with weaknesses in Math and German language may be eligible for accommodations based on internal assessments conducted by qualified staff members.  Parents of students impacted will be notified in such cases.

The class conference decides which accommodations are appropriate for the particular student, these are documented and the parents receive a copy of the accommodations page. Each of the student’s teachers reviews the accommodations plan and has access to the plans.

A student is in need of a new accommodation plan, where there is a new diagnosis of a disability, or they are new to JFKS and have an existing accommodation plan from their previous school.

1. The student and parents will meet with the appropriate case manager to review the diagnosis and discuss which accommodations would be most appropriate for the student’s needs.  All diagnosis paperwork to be reviewed must have been completed within the last 3 years.
2. The case manager drafts a proposed accommodation plan and shares it with the family for review.
3. The case manager sets up a "Dienstbesprechung"/Approval Meeting with administration and all of the student’s teachers.  In this meeting, the plan is reviewed and discussed by all attendees before a vote is held on the implementation of each accommodation.
4. Teachers receive a copy of the approved accommodation plan, both digitally and in print, and the student and parents receive a copy as well.  
5. The case manager will meet with the student and their family at least once each school year for an accommodations meeting to review student progress and needs.

1. At least once each school year, case managers will invite each student and their parent(s) to attend an Annual Accommodations Meeting.  Families are also welcome to request a meeting at any time during the school year.
2. All diagnostic paperwork is reviewed.  The diagnosis must not be older than three years in order to continue to remain on an accommodation plan.
3. In the meeting, attendees review input from the student, parent, and teachers to identify areas of success, and potential areas for support.
4. The student sets two goals: One academic goal for the remainder of the school year and one for their plans after graduating from high school.
5. After reflecting on the collected feedback and the student’s goals, the accommodation plan is reviewed in detail to make sure the student understands how to use each accommodation, as well as to assess whether or not the accommodation is still appropriate to the student’s needs.  If there is a need for increased support, additional accommodations can be added at this time.
6. Parents receive a copy of the updated accommodation plan with any proposed changes, notes from the accommodation meeting, and a copy of the feedback from teachers for their records.
7. Teachers are informed of any proposed changes to the accommodation plan, as well as the student’s goals.  Teachers are encouraged to begin using the proposed accommodations once they have been received, but the changes are not officially adopted until the teachers have an opportunity to vote on them during grade conferences at the end of each semester.
8. The case manager informs the families if any of the proposed changes to the plan are not accepted.

1. All students that have either a new accommodation plan or an Annual Accommodations Meeting will have their plan officially renewed at the end of the semester.
2. During grade conferences, case managers present accommodation plans to the student’s teachers for review.
3. Teachers vote on each accommodation and, if passed, that accommodation is officially added to the accommodation plan.
4. Official changes are made to hard copy plans, and also updated in WebUntis.
5. The agreed upon plans are valid for two semesters and will need to be reviewed and voted on annually.

1. Parents may revoke a student’s accommodation plan at any time.
2. Teachers will be informed that the accommodation plan is no longer to be used.
3. If a family wishes to put their student back on an accommodation plan, they must use the same process as a student that is seeking a new plan, including meeting with the case manager and having their plan voted on at a "Dienstbesprechung"/Approval Meeting.