Resources for Parents/Guardians

Welcome

Welcome to Ralph Richardson Center (RRC). It is a special education center serving students, aged three to twenty-two years. All students have an individualized education program and require intensive services. Students attend RRC either due to the severity of medical and orthopedic needs or because they are complex learners due to autism. The school focuses on providing skill development leading to independence to the greatest possible degree in all areas of development. The goal is to provide students with skills necessary to return to a comprehensive school site.

This school year, the staff is focused on ensuring a safe return to in-person instruction for all students who attend RRC. Staff will be trained in early August and will continue to ensure the safe return of all students.

Administrator: Robert “Bob” Morgan

School Secretary: Haley Balbi

Clerk: Maria Livingston

School Address: 4848 Cottage Way, Carmichael, CA 95608

School Phone: 916.971.7411

Individualized Education Program/Individualized Transition Plan

Every student at RRC has an individualized education program (IEP). A meeting to update the IEP must be convened annually. The IEP team includes, parents, service providers, teachers, administrator, and any other person the parent or student wishes to attend. If requested, an ALTA regional service provider may be invited. During this annual meeting, the students progress is reviewed. Goals and objectives from the previous year are reviewed along with services. Goals and services for the next school year are determined as a team. Every three years, the IEP team completes a triennial review involving in-depth evaluation, including educational testing or a review of records, and a health review.

Please talk with your child’s teacher if you want to schedule an IEP team meeting in addition to your regularly scheduled annual meeting. This meeting may include some or all of the IEP team members.

Students who are over the age of 15 must have an individualized transition plan (ITP). The purpose of the ITP is to plan activities to help students make the transition from school to community, with an emphasis on education, vocational, recreation, community, and independent living skills. The ITP is concurrently updated during the annual IEP team meeting.

Students whose behavior impedes their ability to learn will also have a behavior intervention plan (BIP). The behavior plan is reviewed yearly at the IEP team meeting to determine progress on behavior and to identify appropriate strategies and protocols for individual students.

Parents are provided a complete copy of the IEP for their records.

Related Services

Some students have additional related services to help them achieve their educational goals. These may include speech/language therapy (ST), occupational therapy (OT), physical therapy (PT), and nursing services (NS) based on need as determined by assessment.

Once caseloads have been determined, service providers will provide the special education teacher with their schedules and this information will be relayed to you. You can ask your child’s teacher for the names and contact information for your child’s related service providers.

All related service providers work closely with your child’s teacher to ensure skills are carried over throughout the instructional day. For example, the speech/language pathologist works with the other IEP team members to provide ongoing skill development and reinforcement of skills training throughout the school day.

Attendance

Absences

If a student will be absent from school, please call 916.971.7411. If outside the normal school hours, please leave a voice mail message. The message should include:

1. Your name and relationship to the student
2. The student’s first and last name
3. The student’s teacher
4. The date and reason for the absence

Early Dismissal and Late Arrivals

If a student has to leave school early, a parent needs to call the school at 916.971.7411 with the time the student needs to leave and the reason for leaving. Please proceed to the office and sign out your child. The school secretary will contact your child’s teacher.

If a student arrives late, please go to the office with your child. It is imperative to make sure that you check in with the office so the school is aware that your child is on campus.

Attendance Notifications

If you receive an automated phone message or e-mail stating that your child is absent and you feel this message is in error, please contact the school office at 916.971-7411.

Bell Schedule

Preschool

Room 3 – Co-taught Wrap Class: Monday through Thursday 8-2:30, and Friday 8:45-12:05

Room 2 – Head Start Inclusion: Monday through Friday 8:00-2:30

Room 1– Head Start Inclusion: Monday through Friday 8:45-3:15

Room 8 – Special Day Class: Monday through Friday 8:45-11:45

Kindergarten

Room 8 – Special Day Class: Monday through Friday 8:45-11:45

Grade One through Twelve

Room 6.7.16,18, 20, 21, and 22 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday: 8:45 – 2:45

Thursday: 8:45-1:30

Minimum Days: 8:45 – 11:45

Communication

RRC strives to provide clear, accurate, and transparent communication to families. All staff are encouraged to communicate with the teacher and administrator anytime they witness an interaction with a student that feels or seems unusual in any way. Communication with parents will come from your child’s teacher or administrator with the facts of the incident and what is being done. Behavior emergency incidents will be communicated to the parents on the day of the incident and a behavior emergency report will be sent home with the student.

Your child’s teacher is responsible for communicating progress and IEP specific information to the parents. We discourage staff from using cell phones to communicate with families. Will continue using the Remind app for communication from the classroom regarding daily updates, photos, and quick messages. Instructional assistants are not responsible for providing information regarding student progress or concerns. This will come directly to the parents from your child’s teacher or the school administrator.

When Your Child is Ill

Children who come to school ill put our medically fragile students at risk for serious illness and hospitalization. If your child has the following symptoms, they should not come to school until the symptoms have been resolved for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication. (For COVID-19 symptoms, please follow the most updated District guidelines)

• Fever of 100.4⁰ F or above
• Flu-like symptoms or symptoms of infection (chills, malaise, aches, lethargy, sore throat, wounds that are draining fluid, pus, or blood)
• Persistent and productive coughing
• Green discharge from the nose
• Vomiting / diarrhea
• Rash

Parents will be contacted should their child become ill during the school day. Prior to being contacted, the classroom teacher will ask the school nurse to see the student.

Medications

Students who require medication during school hours must have a doctor complete and sign the Authorization for Medication Administration form which, with the parent’s signature, authorizes nurses to administer medications. All medications must be sent in the original bottle with the child’s name. Parents will be notified when medication is running low. All medications will be kept locked in the nurses’ office unless parent requests otherwise.

A signed Authorization form is also needed for the following:

Over-the-counter medications such as:

• Tylenol, Advil, Aleve, Motrin, Pamprin, Midol, etc.
• Diaper cream, barrier cream, or powders
• Inhaled or nebulized medications (Albuterol, Budesonide, etc.)
• Anti-itch creams, powders, or other ointments

Emergency seizure medications:

• Diastat
• Midazolam
• Any other emergency seizure medications

Emergency anaphylaxis/ allergy medications:

• Epi-Pen
• Benadryl

Specialized Health Services

Students who require specialized health procedures during school hours must have a doctor fill out and sign the Specialized Physical Health Care Services form, which with the parent’s signature, authorized nurses to provide these services:

• G-tube feeding (by pump or bolus)
• Oral suctioning
• Urinary catheterization
• Respiratory treatments by nebulizer
• Diabetes monitoring and/or insulin administration (by pump or manually)

Parent Engagement and Involvement

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

RRC has an active PTA that works with the school community to enrich the learning experience for all students. Please consider joining and participating in anyway possible. PTA flyers will be sent home. The dates for meetings are located on the important dates page.

President: Keri Jobe

Secretary: Sarah Medal

Treasurer: Colleen Diedrich

School Site Council (SSC)

SSC consists of parents, school staff, and community members. The SSC reviews the school site plan and school safety plan, and approves the school budget. SSC meets at RRC monthly. SSC is open to any school or community member. Please share your voice!

Volunteering

RRC is an open campus. Parent volunteers are welcome to support classrooms and special events. Please spend your valuable time!

Room Parents

RRC is seeking parents as liaisons to PTA. Please let your child’s classroom teacher know if you are interested in being a room parent. The room parent responsibilities include: reaching out to other classroom parents for specific help with schoolwide activities and communicating event details.

Community Advisory Committee (CAC)

The school district is looking for parents to attend the CAC monthly meetings. CAC meets the first Tuesday of every month from 6:30-8:30 pm at Kenneth Avenue Elementary, 4825 Kenneth Avenue in Carmichael. Childcare is available at Kenneth Avenue Elementary for the duration of the meeting.

Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Committee (SPAC) Liaison

RRC needs a representative to attend the SPAC. Meetings are held four times per school year. If you are interested in attending, please speak with the office staff. This is a wonderful opportunity to speak with Mr. Kern, the district’s superintendent and to have your voice heard.

2021-22 Important Dates

August 2021

August 12 – First Day of School

September 2021

September 2 – Back to School Breakfast

First PTA Meeting TBD

More dates TBA