Directors Message
Dear Parents and Community,
On behalf of the Special Education Department, it is my pleasure to welcome you to North Baltimore Local Schools. Our staff works diligently to create a positive learning environment, so all students have the opportunity to succeed. We are committed to work as a team to provide interventions and specialized instruction that support your child’s needs. Through this collaboration and utilization of a team approach, the educators of North Baltimore Local Schools create and implement programs specific to the needs of each child. As a parent, you are a vital member of this team, and we value your involvement.
North Baltimore Local Schools complies with federal regulations and the State of Ohio’s Operating Standards for Ohio’s Schools Serving Children with Disabilities, and takes an active role in identifying children who may have disabilities. North Baltimore Local Schools provides school-age programming for children 3 through 21 years of age who have special needs.
If you know a child between the ages of 3 through 21 residing within the North Baltimore Local School District who may have a disability requiring special education services, please contact me, the Central Administration Office, or a building principal.
If you have questions, concerns, or suggestions regarding your child’s educational needs, please contact me, your child’s teacher(s), or a building principal.
We look forward to working with you and your child.
Sincerely,
Rod Hopton
Special Services Director, North Baltimore Local Schools
E-Mail: rhopton@nbls.org
Phone: 419-257-3464 Ex. 1104
Fax: 419-257-0084
Philosophy
The North Baltimore Local School District is committed to providing a free and appropriate education for all students and meeting the learning needs of all the individual children. North Baltimore schools comply with federal and state regulations regarding the identification and education of any student with a disability.
Special Education
Students ages 3 through 21 identified as disabled under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act are provided services according to Ohio’s Operating Standards for Ohio’s Schools Serving Children with Disabilities. Students receive specialized instruction both within a regular classroom setting and in resource classrooms by certified staff. It is our goal to provide children with disabilities the best conditions for learning within our school system. The State of Ohio Operating Standards for Students with Disabilities are implemented to ensure that all children with disabilities have available a free appropriate public education that emphasizes specially designed instruction to meet their unique learning needs.
Child Find
Federal and state law requires school districts to evaluate children who have suspected disabilities. These laws effect all school-aged children educated within the North Baltimore schools district boundaries and all preschool children who live within the North Baltimore school district. If you have concerns about your child’s ability or skills, and suspect there may be a disability, please contact your child’s teacher, principal, or special education supervisor, call 419-257-3531.
Scholarship Information
The state of Ohio offers parents of children with disabilities two scholarship opportunities to provide special education services to their child. These two scholarships include the Autism Scholarship Program (ASP) and the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program (JPSN).
– The Autism Scholarship Program (ASP) gives parents of children with autism, who qualify for the scholarship, the choice to send their child to a special education program other than the one operated by the school district of residence to receive the services outlined in the child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).
– The Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program (JPSN) gives the parents of children with any disability the choice to send their child to special education programs other than the one operated by their school district of residence to receive the services outlined in their IEP.