Special Services

The mission of St. Martin Parish School District is to provide quality education and foster lifelong learning to develop productive members of society.  This mission also holds true for special education in the district.  We offer a variety of programs and services in our district for students from birth through 21 years of age who qualify for special education.  Besides instructional services, other qualifying services may include speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, adapted PE, vision services, orientation and mobility, counseling and others.

For children age 0 to 3 years, we provide special services to students in their natural environment.  The natural environment may include the home, daycare, Headstart, or any place that a child would "naturally" be placed at that age.  If it is suspected that a child qualifies for these birth to age 3 services, please contact Dawn Richard at the Special Services Office, 337-332-3388, ext. 3207.

Once the qualifying special education student is of preschool age, his/her services can be provided in the preschool classroom, where all of our special education students participate in the regular PK program with support from a special education teacher.

The special education student's services may follow the student through age 21, with a review of the student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) every year.  A reevaluation is conducted at least every three years to further evaluate the need for continued services or added services.

Every effort is made to include special education students in the regular education program, which is why we offer inclusive classrooms that are supported by both a regular and special education teacher.  We also have resource classrooms as well as self-contained rooms with each providing more special education instructional time than the other respectively.  Programming and placement decisions are made by the student's IEP committee, which includes the parent, student's teacher, officially designated school representative, and other relevant school personnel.  Decisions are based on the student's individual needs.

If a student is already enrolled in the school system and is suspected of having a concern or disability that may qualify him or her for special services, the student's teacher or school's SBLC (School Building Level Committee) chairperson should be notified to discuss the concern.

Special Services Supervisors

Cheryl Mitchell
Supervisor of Special Education PK-5
Phone:  337-909-2868
 Cheryl_Mitchell@saintmartinschools.org

Shirley Thibodeaux
Supervisor of Special Education Grades 6-8 
Phone: 337-909-2892
 shirley_thibodeaux@saintmartinschools.org

Michael Hebert
Supervisor of Special Education Grades 9-12
Phone: 337-909-2891
mike_hebert@saintmartinschools.org