ESD 112 teams have been doing big things. Check out some updates below.

Spero Center is moving full steam ahead!

ESD 112 is preparing for the opening of its new program, Spero Center. Spero, derived from the Latin word meaning “hope” is a therapeutic school specializing in whole child support for youth in grades 6-12 whose mental health challenges are the primary barrier to their school participation. Students who attend Spero are qualified for and served via an individualized education program (IEP) and are recommended for Spero placement by a school district IEP Team.

Spero will be located in the 2200 building on the ESD 112 campus (Specialized and Regional Transportation, which are currently housed there, will move to the new transportation facility at 1121 NE 136th Ave.). The communications and public information team is working to support Spero Center brand development, promotional materials like brochures and website text, as well as to provide support in selection of paint and wall graphics.

Spero has already begun hiring special education teachers and mental health counselors and next steps include sharing information about Spero Center with superintendents in Clark and Cowlitz Counties.

In addition to having a Spero Center on the ESD 112 campus there are also plans to open a Spero Center in Cowlitz County in a building next to our current Quest facility. The goal is for our Clark County Spero Center to be open to students starting sometime in March 2020.

New Inclusionary Grant Preparations Underway

ESD 112 teams have been hard at work implementing professional development opportunities as part of the Inclusionary Practices Professional Development Project, a grant that increases the capacity of School Leadership Teams to understand, prioritize, and implement structural and instructional inclusionary practices for students with disabilities.

ESD 112 is the fiscal agent for the grant, which is being administered through the Association of Educational Service Districts (AESD). The AESD project Leadership Team will be responsible for overall project oversight and coordination. Members will consist of leaders from the various ESD regions, representatives from partner organizations and schools, OSPI, and the Project Director from AESD.

As part of the professional development initiative, 50 leadership teams from around the state will participate in professional development to support:

  • Development of a common vision and philosophy of inclusion
  • Analysis of current practices to identify areas of strength and weakness
  • Creation of an action plan to adopt classroom and school-wide practices that facilitate inclusion

Participants include principals, associate principals, counselors, psychologists and other members involved in school improvement efforts. General education and special education teachers who can model inclusive practices and mentor other teachers are also encouraged to participate.

The goal of the trainings is to provide increased access to grade level core instruction through inclusion of students eligible for special education services in general education classrooms.

Fostering Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at ESD 112

Cabinet has been discussing the importance of fostering institutional equity in the workplace. An ESD 112 Equity and Diversity Committee has been established and is working with Cabinet to create the mission, value and action statements as they relate to equity, diversity and inclusion at ESD 112.

The equity statements will be used on the ESD 112 website and in new-hire information to help foster a greater understanding of our organization’s commitment to ongoing work in this area. Additionally, the Equity Committee will begin hosting lunch and learn presentations to further explore topics related to equity, diversity and inclusion.