Machias Bay Area School System
Special Education and 504 Services
Our Director of Special Services, Mary Maker welcomes any questions a parent may have about services that are available in A.O.S. 96, she can be contacted at the Central Office, 291 Court Street, Machias or by phone 207.255.4381. Below please see information that may help you as you learn more about special services.
Child Find
AOS 96 seeks to ensure that all children within its jurisdiction are identified, located and evaluated who are school-age 5 through the school year in which they turn 20 and who are in need of special education and supportive assistance -- including homeless children, state wards, state agency clients, students who have been suspended or expelled, children attending private schools receiving home instruction, children incarcerated in county jails, children who have the equivalent of 10 full days of unexcused absences or 7 consecutive school days of unexcused absences during a school year, highly mobile children (including migrant or homeless), and children who are suspected of being disabled and in need of special education and supportive assistance even though they are advancing from grade to grade. Please see our complete Child Find Guidelines here.
Parents Referral Guide
AOS 96 shall refer to the IEP & 504 Team all school-age students suspected of having a disability that requires special education, 504, and related services. Referrals to the IEP or 504 Team may be made by a child’s parent, by professional school staff, or by others with knowledge of the child.
A parent may refer his or her child to the IEP or 504 Team at any time. A professional staff member shall directly assist the Family in making the referral in writing to the Office of the Special Education. Please see the Parent Guide to Referral and Machias Referral here.
Notice of Procedural Safeguards
In the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act of 2004 (the reauthorization of the IDEA, 2004), the Congress required the U.S.
Department of Education to publish and widely disseminate ‘model forms’, that are “consistent with the requirements of [Part B of the IDEA]”
and “sufficient to meet the requirements.” This notice of procedural safeguards has been provided to the states. Please see full Procedural Safeguard here.
ANNUAL NOTICE OF STUDENT EDUCATION RECORDS AND INFORMATION RIGHTS
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”) provides certain rights to parents and eligible students (18 years of age or older) with respect to the student’s education records. Please see complete Annual Notice here.
Restraint and Seclusion Policy
Please see the Restraint and Seclusion Policy here.