The purpose of the ESL program is to enable students who have limited skills in the English language to become competent in the listening, speaking, reading and writing of English.  The goals of the program are as follows:

• To increase the English language proficiency to the degree necessary to allow independent functioning in the regular school program.
• To provide the ELL student the opportunity to reach his or her full potential

All parents of newly enrolled students and new kindergarten students are given the Home Language Survey at registration in the school.  This survey identifies any languages other than English that are:

• First learned or acquired by the student
• Spoken most often by the student
• Spoken most often in the home of the student

The Home Language Survey is used as an identification tool for potential ELL students and is a part of the enrollment process. The following is the step by step procedure of the identification of possible ELL students:

• During the enrollment process the parent completes the Home Language Survey.
• All students who indicate a language other than English on the Home Language Survey are referred to the school ESL Coordinator.
• Completed surveys are filed in each student’s cumulative folder.
• Identified students begin testing and placement procedures within 10 school days. 

 If you have questions about our ESL Program please contact your school's assistant principal or the ESL System Coordinator, 

The purpose of the ESL program is to enable students who have limited skills in the English language to become competent in the listening, speaking, reading and writing of English.  The goals of the program are as follows:

• To increase the English language proficiency to the degree necessary to allow independent functioning in the regular school program.
• To provide the ELL student the opportunity to reach his or her full potential

All parents of newly enrolled students and new kindergarten students are given the Home Language Survey at registration in the school.  This survey identifies any languages other than English that are:

• First learned or acquired by the student
• Spoken most often by the student
• Spoken most often in the home of the student

The Home Language Survey is used as an identification tool for potential ELL students and is a part of the enrollment process. The following is the step by step procedure of the identification of possible ELL students:

• During the enrollment process the parent completes the Home Language Survey.
• All students who indicate a language other than English on the Home Language Survey are referred to the school ESL Coordinator.
• Completed surveys are filed in each student’s cumulative folder.
• Identified students begin testing and placement procedures within 10 school days. 

 If you have questions about our ESL Program please contact your school's assistant principal or the ESL System Coordinator, Lanie Kent.

Intellectually gifted children and youth are those who perform at or have demonstrated the potential to perform at high levels in academic or creative fields when compared with others of their age, experience, or environment.  These children and youth require services not ordinarily provided by the regular school program.  Children and youth possessing these abilities can be found in all populations, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor.  Gifted students may be found within any race, ethnicity, gender, economic class, or nationality.  In addition, some students with disabilities may be gifted.

The Mountain Brook Program for Enrichment was developed to meet the needs of students who require services above and beyond those that are provided for the majority of the school population.  The Enrichment Model provides a performance-based, multi-criterion identification and programming strategy that combines enrichment and acceleration in academic strength and interest areas for students whose needs cannot be met appropriately in the regular classroom. Enrichment specialists spend much of their day working directly with these students who demonstrate gifted behavior in a pull-out resource classroom. 

The Enrichment teacher also spends time in the regular classroom working with advanced students in a particular subject area or modeling lessons which elicit gifted behavior and serves as a consultant to regular classroom teachers.

The following is a statement of “Purpose and Beliefs” of the Enrichment model:

The purpose of Enrichment in the Mountain Brook Schools is to meet the academic needs of students who need more challenge than can be easily provided in the regular classroom.  The following beliefs guide the development and implementation of this program:

• Many of the students’ needs for challenge can and should be met in the regular classroom
• Enrichment services should be reserved for the most academically and creatively talented students
• Enrichment services should also be extended to creatively gifted students whose needs are not being met elsewhere
• Identification of students for Enrichment services should be based on multiple criteria
• Consideration should be given to the wide range of academic abilities of young children when identifying primary students as eligible for Enrichment services
• Collaboration between the Enrichment and classroom teachers is an essential element in planning for each identified student
• The needs and interests of the student should determine the area(s) of study in the Enrichment class

Mountain Brook Schools shall prohibit discrimination against any student on the above basis with respect to his/her participation in the enrichment program. For more information, contact Dr. Missy Brooks.

Enrichment Referrals

Teachers, counselors, administrators, parents or guardians, peers, self, or any other individuals with knowledge of the student’s abilities may refer a student to the Student Support Team for consideration for placement in the enrichment program.  Additionally, all second grade students are observed as potential gifted referrals using a gifted behavior checklist and referred to the Student Support Team as appropriate.

For each student referred, information is gathered in the areas of aptitude, characteristics, and performance.  This information is entered on a matrix where points are assigned according to established criteria. The total number of points earned determines if the student qualifies for the enrichment program.

To make a referral, contact your child’s classroom teacher.

Gifted students are those who perform at or who have demonstrated the potential to perform at high levels in academic or creative fields when compared to others of their age, experience, or environment.  These students require services not ordinarily provided by the regular school program.  Students possessing these abilities can be found in all populations, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor.

Teachers, counselors, administrators, parents or guardians, peers, self, or any other individuals with knowledge of the student’s abilities may refer a student to the Child Study Team for consideration for placement in the gifted program (Program for Academically Gifted Education or PAGE).  Additionally, all second grade students are observed as potential gifted referrals using a gifted behavior checklist and referred to the Child Study Team as appropriate.

For each student referred, information is gathered in the areas of aptitude, characteristics, and performance. This information is studied and considered to determine if the student is eligible for PAGE services. Students are re-referred each year.

To make a referral, contact your child’s classroom teacher.

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act defines a homeless individual as one who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. If a family lives in any of the following situations, then pre-school-aged and school-aged children and youth in that family have certain rights and protections under this act.

• In a shelter, motel, vehicle, or campground
• On the street
• In an abandoned building, trailer, or other inadequate accommodations, or
• Doubled up with friends or relatives because you cannot find or afford housing.

If a parent or guardian of a preschool-or school-aged child or children believes any of the above applies to his or her family, he or she should contact the district’s liaison for homeless education:  Lanie Kent (205) 871-4608.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 states:

“No otherwise qualified individual with a handicap in the United States shall, solely by reason of her or his handicap, be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal assistance.”

Purpose.  The purpose of Section 504 is to “level the playing field” to eliminate impediments to full participation by persons with disabilities.  In legal terms, the statue was intended to prevent intentional or unintentional discrimination against persons with disabilities, persons who are believed to have disabilities, and persons with a record or history of disabilities.  In addition, it provides for protection from discrimination for family members of persons with disabilities.

Eligibility.  To fall under the protection of Section 504, a person must have physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities; have a record of such an impairment; or be regarded as having such an impairment.

It is important to remember the three conditions that lead to eligibility for protection under Section 504. 

1. The presence of a physical or mental impairment…
2. which substantially limits…
3. one or more major life activities.

It should be noted that none of these three components has been defined in the law.

Referrals. A referral for evaluation may be made by any individual that reasonably suspects that a child may have a mental or physical impairment by contacting the counselor at the child’s school.

Two Part Evaluation

• Disability Determination- Does the student have a disability under Section 504?

 Based upon all of the relevant, evaluative data drawn from a variety of sources, does this student have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity?

• Service Plan/Placement Determination-Does the student need accommodations/plan to access their education the same as nondisabled peers?

 Based upon all of the relevant evaluative data drawn from a variety of sources, does this student with a disability need special services in order that his/her educational needs are met as adequately as the needs of nondisabled students are met?

• Educational needs are considered academic, social emotional, physical or behavioral needs.
• Necessary accommodations are determined by the team based on evaluative data from a variety of sources.
•  Any member of the 504 team can request a review of the 504 plan by the team at any time.

For more information, please contact the guidance counselor assigned to your child or the District Coordinator for Section 504: Amanda Hood, 32 Vine Street, Mountain Brook, AL, Phone 205-871-4608.