In addition to our outstanding general education program, Portola Springs has a variety of other programs and services.
Gifted and Talented Education Program
The GATE Program is available to identified students grades 4-6 with exceptional learning abilities. The program consists of small clusters of identified students within the general education classrooms with a teacher who has been trained in meeting the needs of the gifted student. Appropriately differentiated instruction including depth, complexity, acceleration, and novelty is taught within the core curriculum. You may obtain further information by visiting the Gifted and Talented Education page of the IUSD website at www.iusd.org
Specialized Academic Instruction (SAI) Classes
IUSD provides students with a minimal or total support system (academic, behavioral, personal, vocational, transition) through which he/she can acquire knowledge and those skills necessary to function in the regular class-room and ultimately in society.
Psychological Services
The school psychologist provides assistance for behavioral, social/emotional, and cognitive needs of students. Diagnosis of student needs, guidance for students and parents, testing, and consultation are available.
Education Specialist and Learning Center Program
This program is designed to assist children who demonstrate significant deficits in academic skills. A student can qualify for this program by demonstrating a specific learning disability or a significant discrepancy between ability and academic achievement. After a student is identified as qualifying for this program, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is designed to assist the student to make reasonable academic gains utilizing his/her strengths and remediation of weaknesses. This program is designed and implemented by the resource specialist in classrooms and in a one-on-one or small-group learning situation.
Speech and Language Pathologist
This program is designed to diagnose and provide therapy for students who demonstrate difficulty in speech, language development, and language-based skills. Students who qualify for this program have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) designed for them and receive individual or small group assistance as appropriate.
English as a Second Language
Our staff recommends that children learning English as a second language enroll in the IUSD Newcomer Program. Students are much more successful in English acquisition through this specialized district program. After students reach an intermediate level, they will return to their neighborhood school. Students who have been identified as English Learners receive additional support to assist them in reading, writing, listening, and speaking standards.
What if My Child Needs Extra Support?
At Portola Springs, we pride ourselves in working collaboratively with families. We encourage parents to discuss any concerns with their child’s teacher. Your child’s teacher will always be your best point of communication for anything academic or behavioral. Should your child need extra enrichment or extra supports, Portola Springs has a Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) team that gathers data to review student progress at least once a month. This team can discuss any concerns and look into any possible interventions available to your child. We strive to challenge and support every learner at school.
The MTSS team, consisting of administration, school psychologist, EL Coordinator, Intervention Lead Teachers, and other members, meet regularly to evaluate student data and determine what additional supports and strategies can be put in place to support and challenge all learners.
Additionally, the MTSS team can determine if extra interventions are necessary included Extended Learning (6-8 week interventions), Elementary Resource Counselor support, Guidance Assistant support, and more.