State and Federal Programs

Mission Statement

The mission of Lake Shore Public Schools Special Education is to provide the opportunity for all students to achieve and become socially accepted, productive members in a community.

Belief Statements

1. All children can learn and enjoy success.

2. All students are members of the general education.

3. Early intervention through general education promotes
increased student achievement.

4. Collaboration/cooperation among staff members, parents
and the community are key to a student's success.

5. Students are most successful when participating in the least
restrictive environment.

6. Learning is enhanced in a non-threatening environment.

7. Ongoing assessment establishes individual needs and directs
instruction.

8. All children learn through a variety of modalities and at different
rates.

9. Instruction is adapted to meet individual needs.

10. All students are responsible for their own learning and behavior,
recognizing every choice makes a difference. 

General Information

Lake Shore Public Schools offers a wide range of services for those students identified as having a handicap under Michigan Law. Depending on the handicapping condition, your child may be eligible for self-contained instruction within a special classroom, resource room support, teacher consultant support, as well as additional support services such as speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and school social work.

If you suspect that your child may have a handicap which adversely affects that student's ability to profit from instruction within the general education classroom, you should contact the Special Education Office for information regarding support services and/or evaluation.

Each building in our district offers to the community a specialist in the area of speech and language, emotional concerns and academic achievement. You may access these specialists by contacting your local building and requesting to speak with the speech and language pathologist, the school social worker or the teacher consultant.

Lake Shore Schools offers specialized programming for youngsters identified as having a handicap whose ages range 3-6 years old.

We also offer preschool speech for those preschool students who are experiencing either an articulation concern and/or a language development concern.

Families in need of referral services to other agencies in the community such as the Department of Community Mental Health, Social Services or any other community outreach agency may obtain additional information by contacting their school social worker.

We are happy to provide special education services to families that are educating their children at home and whose home school has been certified by the State of Michigan . If you are educating your child in a certified home school and need more information, please contact the Special Education Office.

Section 504 Overview

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) is an education law that offers supplemental funding for services to students with very specific educational disabilities. The IDEA defines as eligible only those students who have specified types of educational disabilities and who, because of one or more of those conditions, need special education (specially designed instruction) and related services. Section 504, on the other hand, protects all qualified students with disabilities, defined as those persons having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Section 504 covers all students who meet this definition, even if they do not fall within the IDEA enumerated categories and even if they do not need to receive specially designed instruction.

An example of a student who may be protected by Section 504, but who may not be eligible under IDEA, is one who has juvenile arthritis (health impairment) but who does not require special education in order to receive free appropriate public education (FAPE). However, the student may be disabled for the purpose of Section 504 because of a health impairment that substantially limits a major activity (physical strength). This student may have limited strength, and not be able to carry several books home every night. In order to fully access the regular education program, the district may determine that it is necessary to provide an extra set of books for the student to keep at home during the school year. In essence, this is a Section 504 accommodation.

List of Contacts

If you have any educational concerns, please contact your building principal or the director of special education. We also offer help in speech, reading and emotional problems. To arrange an evaluation, please refer to the following contacts:

For speech concerns, contact our speech pathologists:

  • Ann Kelly, Preschool at (586) 285-8632
  • Katie Lubera, Preschool or Rodgers at (586) 285-8632
  • Renee Atkins, Rodgers at (586) 285-8616
  • Gabriella Catenacci, Masonic Heights at (586) 285-8514
  • Kristi Boris, Masonic Heights/Violet
  • Megan Giorlando, Violet at (586) 285-8714
  • Lauren Russi, Kennedy (586) 285-8937
  • Scott Archibald, LSHS (586) 285-8934

For emotional concerns, contact our social workers:

  • Rebecca Asni, Rodgers at (586) 285-8665
  • Erin Pastoria, Rodgers at (586) 285-8626
  • Nichole Filer, Masonic Heights at (586) 285-8513
  • Michelle McCoubrey, Violet at (586) 285-8712
  • Kayla Glombowski, Kennedy at (586) 285-8814
  • April Gardner, Lake Shore High School at (586) 285-8936
  • Helen Buyse, Districtwide 

For other educational concerns, contact our teacher consultants:

  • Nichole Quinlan, Masonic Heights at (586) 285-8518
  • Suzanne Zelenock, Rodgers at (586) 285-8651
  • Jennifer Rafferty, Violet at (586) 285-8710
  • Lisa Bonett, Kennedy at (586) 285-8747
  • Kyrstyn Karle-Sloan, Lake Shore High School at (586) 285-8636

Lori FarrLori Farr
Director of State and Federal Programs
(Civil Rights, Title 9, Section 504, ADA, Harassment)
(586) 285-8610
Send Email
Veronica R.Veronica Robinson 
Special Education Secretary
Homeless/Foster Care Liaison
(586) 285-8610

Send Email

Special Education Office
Lake Shore Public Schools
28850 Harper Avenue
St. Clair Shores, MI 48081
Tel: (586) 285-8610
Fax: (586) 216-5347

Highlights

  • School social worker in every building
  • Speech pathologist in each building
  • Intervention help K-8
  • Title one K-5
  • Math and ELA support classes be grade level at KMS.
  • Algebra Lab and Geometry Lab at the HS
  • PASS support at the HS
  • Response to Intervention in place in the elementaries

Important Links