MAGNOLIA SPEECH SCHOOL

MAGNOLIA SPEECH SCHOOL EXISTS TO TEACH CHILDREN WITH SIGNIFICANT COMMUNICATIVE DISORDERS, INCLUDING HEARING LOSS AND SEVERE LANGUAGE DISORDERS, TO LISTEN AND UNDERSTAND, TO SPEAK AND TO BE UNDERSTOOD AND TO READ WITH COMPREHENSION. THE GOAL OF THE SCHOOL IS TO PREPARE THESE STUDENTS TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AND GRADUATE FROM THE PROGRAM TO MAINSTREAM SUCCESSFULLY INTO A MORE CONVENTIONAL EDUCATIONAL SETTING IN THEIR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS OR THEIR LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL OF CHOICE. MAGNOLIA SPEECH SCHOOL OFFERS A LIFECHANGING CURRICULUM WITH SPECIFIC GOALS, CRITERION AND ACTIVITIES LISTED FOR OVER 2,500 SKILLS IN THE AREAS OF AUDITION, RECEPTIVE LANGUAGE, EXPRESSIVE LANGUAGE, SPEECH, READING, MATH, SOCIAL STUDIES, SCIENCE, THE ASSOCIATION METHOD, FINE MOTOR, GROSS MOTOR, SOCIAL INTERACTION AND AUDITORY PROCESSING. CLASSES CONTAIN NO MORE THAN 38 STUDENTS WITH A TEACHER AND AN ASSISTANT. SUPPORT SERVICES ARE OFFERED FOR AUDIOLOGY, SPEECH PATHOLOGY AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AS NEEDED. IN ADDITION TO CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION, STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND MUSIC. EACH STUDENT HAS A SERVICE PLAN AS OUTLINED BY THE MS DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. OTHER SERVICES INCLUDE EVALUATION AND OUTPATIENT SERVICES IN THE HACKETT BOWER CLINIC AT MAGNOLIA SPEECH SCHOOL AND A STATEWIDE HOME BASED EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS WITH HEARING LOSS. THE SCHOOL SERVES CHILDREN THROUGHOUT MISSISSIPPI (MANY COMMUTE AND/OR RELOCATE FOR THESE UNIQUE, LIFECHANGING EDUCATIONAL SERVICES).MAGNOLIA SPEECH SCHOOL HAS EXTRAORDINARY SUCCESS IN TRANSITIONING CHILDREN WHO ARE DEAF, HARD OF HEARING AND LANGUAGED DISORDERED INTO REGULAR EDUCATION. RECORDS INDICATE THAT IN THE LAST 15 YEARS, THE SCHOOL HAS MAINSTREAMED 74% OF THE STUDENTS TO REGULAR CLASSES WITH 10% MORE RETURNING TO THEIR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH SOME RESOURCE HELP IN SPEECH AND/OR READING. AT MAGNOLIA SPEECH SCHOOL EVERY STUDENT'S PROGRESS IS TRACKED THROUGH CRITERION REFERENCED GOALS THAT ARE LISTED ON A SERVICE PLAN (SIMILAR TO AN IEP), BY ANNUAL FORMAL EVALUATIONS AND BY AN ANALYSIS OF ONGOING LANGUAGE SAMPLES. THE SCHOOL MAINTAINS AN ACCREDITED STATUS FROM THE MS DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE ADVANCED NETWORK.