EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Our Special Education services provide a quality education to students with a variety of exceptional learning needs.

KALEIDOSCOPE GIFTED PROGRAM

Saint Richard's gifted program provides differentiated learning that enables students to realize the potential contribution of their exceptional skills to themselves and to society.

- Kaleidoscope is offered to qualifying students in 3rd through 6th grades
- Certain academic, cognitive, social and behavioral criteria that must be met for a student to be recognized as intellectually gifted
- Kaleidoscope students can expect to participate in activities interwoven in all academic disciplinary areas. These activities include hands-on exploration through collaborative projects that cultivate intellectual curiosity and empower them to become versatile thinkers.

SPECIAL EDUCATION

At Saint Richard Catholic School, we are dedicated to providing a quality, Catholic education for all children. For over 30 years, we have provided special education services at our school through our Exceptional Education Program, and we continue to evolve to meet the various special education needs of our students.

Our special education program is an inclusive program offered to students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade
Our program has two special education classrooms: a resource classroom and a higher needs classroom
Our special education teachers work with parents and general education teachers to create Individualized Service Plans to ensure students are reaching their full academic potential in the least restrictive environment possible
Our special education program is accredited through MAIS and work in partnership with Jackson Public Schools.

SPEECH & LANGUAGE AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

At Saint Richard we recognize that communication with peers and educators is an essential part of a fulfilling educational experience. Thus, Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy Services are offered through various avenues for eligible students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade.

Students with Individualized Education Plans may receive speech and language services through Jackson Public Schools Special Education Department. Saint Richard partners with JPS to provide these services to our qualifying students, free of charge.
Alternatively, Saint Richard School partners with Beyond Therapy for Kids, one of Mississippi's largest, interdisciplinary, private therapy clinics. Thus, parents may elect to have their children seen weekly, during the school day, by a Speech & Language or Occupational Therapist from Beyond Therapy. (This is a private pay option; Saint Richard coordinates the services but payment is handled directly between parents and the clinic.)
Saint Richard also partners with other local private therapists who are willing to work on-site to service our eligible students for a fee set by the private therapist.

DYSLEXIA THERAPY

We also provide dyslexia therapy through a licensed dyslexia therapist on our staff.

We offer dyslexia screenings in kindergarten and in first grade to aid in our recognition of students with learning needs.
Students in this program experience an Orton-Gillingham based approach to language development that specifically targets instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness, sound symbol recognition, encoding skills, alphabet knowledge, rapid naming, and decoding skills.
There is an additional fee associated with this service. Please call the office at 601-366-1157 for more information.

COUNSELING SERVICES

Counseling services are offered on our campus through a full-time school counselor on our staff.

Our counselor is part of a proactive program in emotional health for our students.
The counselor works with administration and teachers to conduct sessions or to schedule guest speakers for grade levels on relevant topics for each age of students.
Our counselor also works specifically with students needing a haven of support and understanding.