Special Education
Welcome to Special Education
Somerville Public Schools is committed to ensuring that students with disabilities receive the individualized support they need to learn, grow, and participate as fully as possible in their school communities. Our Special Education Department works in partnership with students, families, teachers, and administrators to develop and implement Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and provide services in the least restrictive environment appropriate for each student.
We provide a broad range of special education services and programs for children and young adults ages 3 through 22, guided by state and federal special education laws, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Special Education Services
Students may receive a combination of specialized instruction, related services, and supports based on their individual needs and IEP. Services available across Somerville Public Schools include:
- Resource room support
- Inclusion opportunities
- Occupational therapy
- Speech and language therapy
- Physical therapy
- Counseling
- Adaptive physical education
- Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) services
- Assistive technology
- Orientation and mobility services
- Support from teachers of students who are deaf or visually impaired
Resource room services are available in all schools from Pre-K through Grade 12 and provide targeted support in areas such as reading, math, written language, organization, and other educational needs.
Specialized Programs
SPS offers specialized classrooms and programs for students whose learning, behavioral, communication, social-emotional, or functional needs require more intensive or highly individualized support. Programs are designed around student needs and may include opportunities to participate in general education settings when appropriate.
Pre-K | Capuano Early Childhood Center
ECIP is a developmental, multisensory preschool program serving children with and without IEPs. The program includes both integrated and substantially separate classrooms and provides individual, small-group, and large-group learning opportunities.
Pre-K to K | Capuano Early Childhood Center
Grades 1–8 | Winter Hill Community Innovation School at Edgerly
Grades 9–12 | Somerville High School
A.I.M. supports students with learning needs related to communication, social interaction, sensory experiences, and changes in routines or environments. Students receive individualized specialized instruction and support from a multidisciplinary team that may include a BCBA, occupational therapist, speech and language pathologist, and counselor.
K–8 | John F. Kennedy School
9–12 | Somerville High School
The Life Skills program supports students with moderate to severe disabilities and focuses on functional academics, communication and social skills, self-advocacy, safety, and independence.
SKIP: K–8 | John F. Kennedy School
SHIP: 9–12 | Somerville High School
The Specialized Kennedy Intensive Program (SKIP) and Specialized High School Intensive Program (SHIP) support students with complex educational profiles who require intensive instruction in communication, mobility, social skills, and daily living skills.
Grades 1–6 | John F. Kennedy School
SEEK is a therapeutic program for students who need additional support with coping skills, emotional regulation, and social interaction. Students receive grade-level academic instruction along with embedded social-emotional and therapeutic support.
Grades 2–5 | Arthur D. Healey School
These classrooms provide significantly modified instruction for students who require substantial support to access the general education curriculum. Students may participate with general education peers in appropriate academic and school activities.
Grades 4–6 | Albert F. Argenziano School
This program provides specialized instruction for students with language-based disabilities, including multisensory, structured reading instruction and support for expressive and receptive language development.
Grades 9–12 | Somerville High School
PATH is a therapeutic program for students experiencing significant social-emotional challenges that may affect school attendance or participation. Students receive individual and group counseling and develop coping, social, and self-advocacy skills while participating in the general education environment when appropriate.
Ages 18–22 | Somerville High School and off-campus locations
The Transition Program helps students prepare for greater independence through vocational and job training, community and travel skills, self-advocacy, functional life skills, and postsecondary experiences. Students may participate in community-based work experiences, college enrollment, and other off-campus learning opportunities.
Early Identification and Child Find
Somerville Public Schools provides free screenings and evaluations for children ages 3 through 21 who live in Somerville and may have a disability that affects their ability to make effective progress in a general education program.
Parents, caregivers, and teachers may refer a student for an evaluation. This includes children attending public or private schools.
Developmental Screening
SPS offers free, optional developmental screenings for Somerville children ages 3–5 and for kindergarten students attending private school or being homeschooled. Screenings help families understand their child’s development and identify whether further evaluation or support may be appropriate.
Screenings are held at the Capuano Early Childhood Center and are available at various times throughout the school year. Families with concerns about a child’s development can learn more through the Preschool Screenings webpage.
For children under age 3, families should contact Early Intervention services.
Family Resources
Educators or school administrators refer students to various after school programs that are beneficial to student growth and enrichment. These programs, operated externally by community partners, can be reflective of school curriculum or designed to develop social emotional skills. SPS currently offers four referral programs that are free of charge (based on referral).
The Somerville Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SSEPAC) provides an opportunity for families of students receiving special education services to connect, share information, and advocate for students and families. Find SSEPAC on their webpage.
Families of students who are eligible for special education services have specific rights and protections under state and federal law. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education provides the Parent’s Notice of Procedural Safeguards in multiple languages.
Our Special Education Department has compiled a collection of resources and websites to support students and families. Resources cover topics including accessibility, communication, executive functioning, literacy, sensory needs, and more, with information available in multiple languages.
Community Partnerships
SPS also partners with community organizations to expand opportunities for students. For example, through a partnership with Waypoint Adventure funded by the Cummings Foundation, students participate in indoor and outdoor adventure experiences such as hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, and camping. These experiences support physical, social-emotional, and personal growth through hands-on learning.
Contact the Special Education Department
Ildefonso Arellano
The Special Education Department is located at 167 Holland Street, Somerville, MA 02144.
For school-specific questions, families may also contact their school’s Special Education Department Coordinator.
Special Education Department Coordinators
Capuano Early Education Center
Siobhan Aberdale, SE Department Coordinator, Capuano School, 617-625-6600 x3624
Laura Walley. SE Program Director – AIM, 617-625-6600 x6730
Keveny Landry, SE Department Coordinator – AIM, 617-625-6600 x6730
Arthur D. Healey School
TBD, SE Department Coordinator 617-625-6600 x6619
Benjamin G. Brown School
Dorothy Scally, SE Department Coordinator, 617-625-6600 x6835
East Somerville Community School
Marianna Stewart, SE Department Coordinator 617-625-6600, x3754
Albert F. Argenziano School
Dr. Iris Miller, SE Department Coordinator 617-625-6600 x6534
John F. Kennedy School
Will Verbits, SE Department Coordinator 617-625-6600 x6619
West Somerville Neighborhood School
Dr. Iris Miller, SE Department Coordinator 617-625-6600 x6536
Winter Hill Community Innovation School
Marisa MacDonald, SE Department Coordinator, 617-625-6600 x6815
Laura Walley. SE Program Director – AIM, 617-625-6600 x6730
Keveny Landry, SE Department Coordinator – AIM, 617-625-6600 x6730
Somerville High School
Konstantina Kalogridis, SE Department Coordinator 617-625-6600 x615122
Marianna Stewart, SE Department Coordinator for Specialized Programs 617-625-6600
Next Wave / Full Circle Schools
Jack Haverty, SE Department Coordinator / Assistant Principal 617-625-6600 x610770
Out of District Programs
Dorothy Scally, SE Department Coordinator, 617-625-6600 x6835