FSIProgramDescription

Special Education students

The Fundamental Specialized Instruction (FSI) program is for children and teens who are cognitively and/or developmentally delayed and would benefit from a curriculum that emphasizes functional skills in reading, writing, math, communication and self-care.

The Fundamental Specialized Instruction (FSI) program (CoSer 226-4220) is for students who are cognitively delayed and would benefit from a curriculum that emphasizes functional skills in reading, writing, math, communication and self-care.

The primary focus of this program is on academics, communication and social skills for students with moderate to severe developmental and/or neurological deficits. To ensure that all students receive an enriching middle school experience that will prepare them to advance to a high school program, FSI students in this program are offered the following:
• The Four-Block® Literacy program;
• A multi-sensory math program;
• Modified social studies and science curricula;
• Speech and language therapies,
• Occupational therapies,
• Social work strategies,
• Cooperative learning, and;
• Select mainstream classes.

During the 2009-10 school year, the middle school-level FSI program is located at Van Antwerp Middle School/Niskayuna CSD.

The high school FSI class is organized to serve teens/young adults ages 17-21. The primary focus of this program, which is a continuation of the middle-level FSI program, is on academics, communication and social and life skills for students with moderate to severe developmental and/or neurological deficits. To ensure that students receive an enriched high school experience, and to prepare them to move into the world beyond high school, this program offers students the following:
• The Four Block® Literacy program (including Wilson/word work, reading workshop, guided reading and writing workshops) in all content areas;
• Multi-sensory math programs;
• Modified social studies and science/science lab curricula;
• Speech and Language therapies;
• Cooperative learning opportunities;
• Computer lab;
• Select mainstream classes.

In addition to academics, students may participate with co-curricular sports clubs, attend school-wide assemblies and participate in job-sampling, internships and BOCES Career and Technical School (CTE) programs, which provide vocational alternatives for education.

During the 2009-10 school year, the high school-level FSI program is located at Guilderland High School/Guilderland CSD.

For students age 18-21, the BOCES College-based Transition Program at the College of St. Rose offers developmentally disabled students the opportunity to experience a variety of job placements while continuing with academic classes in subjects such as language arts and math. This program is for students who would benefit from an experience similar to their non-disabled peers. Students in this program learn about local, state and federal agencies, social programs and other services they are likely to need to succeed as they move into the adult world. They participate in work-study experiences, audit one college class with their non-disabled peers each semester (not for college credit) and participate in a life-skills curriculum that focuses on the above listed areas.

During the 2009-10 school year, the post-secondary/transition FSI class is located at The College of Saint Rose.

For more information about the middle school, high school and post-secondary/transition FSI programs contact:

Terry Orlando, middle school/high school/post-secondary alternate assessment principal, torlando@gw.neric.org or (518) 464-6315.