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Related Services

Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy 3:1 Service Delivery

The Special Services Department continuously assesses instructional and related services practices in order to improve the educational experience for all students. The goal to create a comprehensive, student-centered, and more inclusive program is a priority. To help us reach that goal, our speech-language therapists and occupational therapist will begin to use a 3:1 service delivery model for the 2023-2024 school year. 

With a 3:1 model, each month the therapists will provide three weeks of direct services and one week of indirect services. Direct services are the traditional therapies that were agreed upon and included in your child’s IEP. Indirect services include classroom observations, collaboration with teachers and staff, communication with parents and guardians, and individual program evaluation and development. Research indicates that this model provides more consistent services for students and increases inclusionary practices. 

The added benefit of indirect services will allow the therapists to more closely monitor a student’s progress. Classroom observations will help determine how well the skills that are being developed carry over into the classroom setting. This opportunity, coupled with the added time to consult and collaborate with the teachers, will allow the therapist to respond to emerging needs of the individual student. The monthly indirect services will not decrease the frequency and duration of services that were developed for your child’s IEP.

Related services are scheduled to begin the week of September 18, 2023. If you have any questions about the 3:1 model, please feel free to contact me at 856-589-2888 or cmorris@pitman.k12.nj.us. You may also contact your child’s speech therapist and/or occupational therapist after the start of school. Listed below are the phone numbers and email addresses of each team member. 

Speech-Language Therapists

Kim Hemmes khemmes@pitman.k12.nj.us  856-589-2888 ext. 6607

Laura Spadafora lspadafora@pitman.k12.nj.us 856-589-2888 ext. 6608

Rebecca Chiselko rchiselko@pitman.k12.nj.us 856-589-2888 ext. 6609

Occupational Therapist

Ashlee Sheppard asheppard@pitman.k12.nj.us 856-589-2888 ext. 6614