special education Archives

The view from the podium at the 2019 San Benito High School graduation. Photo by Becky Bonner.

Education / Schools

BL Special Report: Students falling through the cracks

Published 11/14/2020
BenitoLink Reporter, Noe Magaña

Over a three-year period, disabled students in San Benito County dropped out at more than twice the rate of the general student population.

Education / Schools

BL Special Report: Hollister School District mirrors method to provide social-emotional support to students

Published 11/08/2020
BenitoLink Reporter, Noe Magaña

Multi-tier support helping to lower suspension numbers, but Hispanics still disproportionately represented in suspensions and dropout rates.

Marguerite Maze Middle School. Photo by Noe Magaña.

BL Special Report

BL Special Report: HSD struggles with high suspension rates

Published 09/25/2020
BenitoLink Reporter, Noe Magaña

Students with behavioral issues are being pushed into the special education department, which is already overwhelmed.

Recent SBHS graduate Jonathan Rivera. He plans to attend Hartnell College to join the track and field team. After Hartnell, he wants to go to a trade school to become an electrician. Photo by Noe Magaña.

Schools & Education

Beating the odds to graduate high school

Published 06/14/2020
BenitoLink Reporter, Noe Magaña

Jonathan Rivera perseveres through dyslexia and ADD.

Norma Nichols with her son Seth, daughter Ella, and niece Nicole Fernandez after being notified she would be be recognized for her leadership. Photo provided.

Education / Schools

Advocate for students with disabilities receives parent leadership award

Published 05/17/2020
BenitoLink Reporter, Noe Magaña

Norma Nichols helps set the path for Spring Grove School to serve those in special education.

More than just classrooms, SBHS special education facilities include a sensory room, speech and language center, modified P.E. classroom, an educationally related counseling space, and transition classroom for adult students who spend much of their day in the community. Photo provided by SBHS.

Education / Schools

SBHS Life Skills facilities get upgrade

Published 02/26/2020
Community Contributor, SBHSD

Architects worked with San Benito High School's special education staff to plan amenities for learning spaces in the centralized facility.

Photos courtesy of Ed Wong and provided by SBHS.

Schools & Education

SBHS holds fourth annual Baler Buckaroo Rodeo

Published 11/27/2019
BenitoLink Staff

Life Skills students participate in events such as steer roping, bucking barrel, barrel racing, goat tail untying and more.

Virginia Gardner at a Sept. 10 SBHS board meeting. She is one of two parents leading calls for a boycott of the special ed event known as the Baler Buckaroo Rodeo. Photos by John Chadwell.

Education / Schools

Special ed parents vow to boycott Baler Buckaroo Rodeo

Published 11/05/2019
BenitoLink Reporter, John Chadwell

They say the person in charge of the event is the aide accused of showing porn to others while students were present.

Panorama of the new classroom at Keith Thompson Non-Public School. Photo provided by Chamberlain's Youth Services.

Education / Schools

Chamberlain’s Youth Services receives grants for additional classroom

Published 10/04/2019
Community Contributor, Chamberlain's Youth Services (non-profit)

$14,000 goes to support more special education students at Keith Thompson Non-Public School.

Families play games during SPIN's family fun day at Dunne Park in June. Photo provided by Ricardo Cornejo.

Children and Youth

SPIN offers Spanish-language workshops for parents with special needs kids

Published 09/18/2019
BenitoLink Reporter, Noe Magaña

Topics are chosen based on concerns raised in support groups.

San Benito High School main administration building. File photo.

Community Opinions

COMMUNITY OPINION: Thank You, BenitoLink and John Chadwell

Published 09/10/2019
Community Contributor, Jennifer Coile

Jennifer Coile writes about BenitoLink's coverage of allegations of inappropriate behavior in an SBHS special education classroom.

The San Benito High School Board of Trustees at an Aug. 27 meeting, where they heard from parents and a special education teacher about alleged inappropriate behavior in a classroom. Photos by John Chadwell.

Children and Youth

SBHS trustees hear criticism over alleged inappropriate behavior

Published 08/31/2019
BenitoLink Reporter, John Chadwell

Parents and a special education teacher voice dismay with school board and administrators.

Parents and educators held signs in silence at the SBHS board meeting on Aug. 14 as speakers spoke of their concerns about alleged incidents in a special ed classroom. Photo by John Chadwell.

Children and Youth

SBHS parents and educators speak out on allegations of inappropriate behavior

Published 08/19/2019
BenitoLink Reporter, John Chadwell

Special education leader vows to advocate for students who cannot speak for themselves.

SBHS Superintendent Shawn Tennenbaum said he wanted an opportunity for the district to share with Benitolink as much about the investigation as possible. Photo by John Chadwell.

Children and Youth

SBHS superintendent discusses claims of inappropriate behavior in special ed class

Published 08/13/2019
BenitoLink Reporter, John Chadwell

Parents have heard allegations of nude photos, a porn video, foul language and bullying, and school administrators say they can't share what actually occurred.

Hollister School District special education teachers. Photo provided by Hollister School District.

News

HSD Special Education department gears up for new school year

Published 08/04/2019
Community Contributor, Gwendolyn Baquiran

One of the district’s responses to improving special education is by providing staff workshops that are aligned with state mandates to improve instruction and support in the classroom.

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