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Scarsdale Public Schools

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Special Education Overview

A man with short brown hair and a beard smiles at the camera.Eric Rauschenbach

Assistant Superintendent for Special Education & Student Services

(P) 914-721-2445

erauschenbach@scarsdaleschools.org

 

 

Special Education Department

2 Brewster Road

Scarsdale, NY 10583 

Special Education addresses the educational needs of children in the District who have identifiable disabilities, from age 3 until age 21, or until they receive their high school diplomas. In consonance with New York State requirements, the District arranges for multi-disciplinary evaluations. For 3-5 year-olds, these are conducted by County-approved providers, and for school-age children age 5-21 by District personnel, supplemented by outside specialists when appropriate.

Following evaluation, children age 3-5 receive educational and therapeutic services which are arranged by the District through contracts with County-approved agencies. Children ages 5-21 receive school-based services through District staff, which includes special education teachers, psychologists, and physical, occupational, and speech therapists. For children who need additional resources not available within the District, arrangements are made with other school districts, the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), or State-approved private schools.

An Individual Educational Plan (IEP), which addresses the unique needs of the individual learner, is prepared for all children who have difficulties affecting their ability to learn. The IEP for every student is reviewed annually; the District conducts a comprehensive re-evaluation every three years. On average, about 400 school-age children and 100 pre-school children with identified disabilities have IEP's to guide their education each year. 

The fundamental principle guiding Special Education’s work is to offer services in the least restrictive environment. What that means is, to the maximum extent appropriate, providing an education in the same manner as it is provided to every other child, alongside peers, and in a general educational environment -- in their home district, in their home classrooms. Exceptions occur only if a multi-disciplinary team concludes that a child's needs are not being addressed in the general classroom; in those instances, the child will be placed in a special education setting for some part or all of the day.

Special Education is often called upon for another population of students: those who do not have disabilities requiring specialized instruction, but who have certain medical conditions (such as cardiovascular or neurological conditions or severe allergies) and need an environment or assistance that addresses their physical limitations. For those students, a school-based team (called a 504 Committee, after Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act) devises a plan to meet their needs, which is most often implemented by Special Education.

Contact Us

Assistant Superintendent for Special Education and Student Services

Eric Rauschenbach

914-721-2445

erauschenbach@scarsdaleschools.org

 

Assistant Director of Special Education

Dr. Amy Cermele

914-721-2523

acermele@scarsdaleschools.org

 

CPSE/CSE Chairperson

Alexandra Hughes

914-721-2525

ahughes@scarsdaleschools.org

Teacher in Charge of Special Programs

Dana Khani

914-721-2318

dkhani@scarsdaleschools.org

 

Psychologist/CSE Chairperson

Dr. Dina Dadabo

914-722-2842

ddadabo@scarsdaleschools.org

 

CSE Chairperson 

Kristina Beck

914-721-2317

kbeck@scarsdaleschools.org

Assistant to the Assistant Superintendent for Special Education and Student Services 

Lori Ricciardi

914-721-2445

lricciardi@scarsdaleschools.org 

 

CPSE Secretary

Renee Franco 

914-722-2832 

rfranco@scarsdaleschools.org 

 

Clerk

Nora Shwide-Lemorin

914-721-2445

nshwidelemorin@scarsdaleschools.org