The Lake County Educational Service Center (LCESC) offers a vaviety of program options for students who reside in Lake County.  Districts with students who require very specialized programming to meet their individual needs may find it difficult to provide the variety of services necessary to meet a variety of needs. Districts may need to provide those services in a collaborative and consortium model. The LCESC is able to provide effective programming in a cost effective manner, as well as, support the individual districts in providing programs within their own schools. All programming is designed with the Least Restrictive Environment in mind.  Students are provided support and services at their individual level of need to allow them to remain as close to the regular education setting as possible. The LCESC is committed to assisting districts to provide Free and Appropriate Public Education to the students in their districts. The LCESC approaches planning by using the Lake County Leadership Cycle. The appropriate stakeholders are convened to identify needs and goals. The team collaborates to maximize resources for the identified common goal. The team remains together to create a new product, service options or programs. The process has proven to result in success!

The LCESC staff is available to assist your district's team to utilize the Lake County Leadership Model for change in your district. Special education programs available to students in and around the area are:

• Kennedy Academy (SAIL & LEAD)  34050 Glen Dr., Eastlake 
• Crossroads PHP Program  8445 Munson Road, Mentor
• Lake County Vocational Transition Consortium     Perry:  4261 Manchester Rd., Room MW6, Perry  Willoughby:  25 Public Square, Bldg. C, Door 6,  Willoughby
• LEAD Program at Lake Erie College,150 Gillette Street, Room D11, Painesville
• Extended School Year (ESY)
• Resources

For further information and referrals please contact:
Julie O'Neil, Special Education Director
Email:  joneil@lakeesc.org
Phone:  350.2563 ext. 746
Fax:  350.2566

Crossroads
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)

The Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) is a collaborative program involving Crossroads and the Lake County Educational Service Center.  The program is designed to meet the treatment and academic needs of Lake County children and teens experiencing significant emotional and/or behavioral problems. The non-residential program day is carefully planned so that each child participates in a variety of treatment activities and also receives academic instruction in a highly structured classroom setting. (There are no academics during summer PHP.)

Download Brochure:  Crossroads PHP Program

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Additional information for Crossroads can be accessed on their web site:  www.crossroads-lake.org

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Lake County Vocational Transition Consortium

 The Lake County ESC Vocational Transition Consortium has been established to provide vocational training for students with multiple disabilities. Through this program, students will have opportunities to learn job-related skills and practice them at community training sites. This program has four satellite centers: Lake Front Lodge East at Tri Point Medical Center, Lake Front Lodge West in Willowick, Willoughby Technical Center and Perry Manchester West. The goal of the program is to provide transition to adult services, graduation from high school and competitive, supported or sheltered employment.

Vocational Transition Consortium Highlights

• Specialized vocational training 
• Vocational evaluation/career assessment 
• Learn job-related skills 
• Practice at community training sites 
• Access to job placement services 
• Transition to adult services 
• Graduate from home school district 
• Employment

SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM AT WILLOUGHBY TECH CENTER

• Half day program for 14-22 year olds who require support in developing work skills, work behaviors and self-help skills
• Incorporates three distinct components for acquiring the skills necessary to be independent, contributing members of society

Community Living Skills component is designed to teach students a variety of daily living, leisure and social skills that are necessary to function more independently in home and community environments. It helps students to develop positive attitudes toward task completion, pride in accomplishments and increased self worth.

Supported Employment Training component provides students with vocational training in a simulated work environment. Students are taught personal and social employability skills that are essential for obtaining employment and achieving success in a working environment

Community Internship component provides students with continued career exploration and on-the-job training after a functional assessment of the student’s interests and abilities. These experiences help them develop new work skills and reinforce personal and social employability skills. They engage in a continuum ranging from volunteering to working for pay.

LAKE FRONT LODGE COMMUNITY BASED INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

• Full day program for 18-22 year olds
• Provides career exploration and job training in the community
• Begins the transition of students from school to work

While each day begins at Lakefront Lodge, students spend the majority of the school day at community experience sites such as Tri Point Medical Center, Lake West Hospital, Endura Plastics, Kirtland Library, Lake Farmpark, Kirtland Senior Center and Lakeland Community College.

Students receive training in grocery shopping, preparing simple meals, housekeeping skills, telephone skills, and personal grooming, as well as practice to maintain basic academics (money skills, math, and reading). Students learn and experience Laketran's regular route buses as well as the Dial-A-Ride buses. 

PERRY TRAINING CENTER

• Full day program designed for 16-22 years olds who require intensive support 
• Offers entry level skills practice
• Opportunities for experience at community job sites

Located in Perry on the grounds of the Perry Local Schools, this all day program is designed for students who need more support in areas of independent living skills, leisure skills, pre-vocational skills and vocational skills.

Students practice entry level skills in the classroom and/or community training sites after they have received functional and vocational assessments of their interests and abilities. When they are determined to be ready, the students will be placed at appropriate community job sites.

UNIQUE LIKE ME

Unique Like Me, a storefront vocational skills training site, opened December 6, 2011, and is located at 9179 Mentor avenue, Unit D, Mentor (in plaza across from Super K). Store hours are Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m.--2:00 p.m.

The purpose of Unique Like Me of the LCVTC is to provide unique, quality, handmade and /or recycled products to consumers while, at the same time, build an awareness of the overwhelming number of abilities demonstrated by individuals with disabilities. In addition, the business will provide real life, meaningful work experiences, as well as opportunities for interactions with individuals from the community, to students with disabilities as part of their work sills training.

Please visit the web site at www.uniquelikeme.org

To view news items about the store click on "video" or "article" below:

• Video produced by The City of Mentor's Public Information Office for The Mentor Channel.
• Article from The Mentor Patch

Download Brochure

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LEAD
Learn, Experience, Achieve, Develop

LEAD is a program of the Lake County Educational Service Center in collaboration with Lake Erie College, Lake County School Districts, Auburn Career Center, Lake County Court System, Crossroads, Huelwen Farms, and Jobs and Family Services of Lake County.

The mission of LEAD is to provide therapeutic, prevocational, and educational opportunities in a non-traditional setting.

LEAD is designed for 9th and 10th grade students who thrive best in a non-traditional environment with support from caring, experienced professionals and support staff.  The program is dedicated to each student's personal success.

Download brochure for additional information:  LEAD Brochure  

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Kennedy Academy--SAIL & LEAD 

The SAIL Program is designed for students on the Autism Spectrum who thrive best in a self-contained environment that emphasizes the acquisition of social and interpersonal language skills. The SAIL program offers flexible services designed with each student's success in mind. Our philosophy is student centered with an emphasis on successful transitions for every student.

LEAD is designed for students who thrive best in a non-traditional, self-contained environment with support from caring, experienced professionals and support staff. These classrooms provide an opportunity for students to feel a sense of belonging and demonstrate success on a regular basis.

For additional information about the new programs, a brochure can be downloaded along with the Special Education Hierarchy.    SAIL Brochure     LEAD Brochure     Hierarchy

 Please visit the web site:  Kennedy Academy

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ESY
Extended School Year

 A variety of services for students are offered during the summer.  For additional information, click on the links listed.

Camp Kennedy  link        OT, PT, SLP Services Flier  link          ESY Forms  link

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Resources

Educational Resources from the Office of Exceptional Children   link

Who's IDEA Is This? A Parent's Guide to IDEA   link 

The Office of Exceptional Children at the Ohio Department of Education   link

Operating Standards and Related Guidance for Ohio Educational Agencies Serving Children with Disabilities   link

 Accredited On-line Colleges  link

 Explore college level courses through a collection of on-line open courses  link

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