Special Education Staff
Meet our district-wide Special Education Director and Special Education Coordinators!
Nicole Tyo Dr. Angela Nichols
Director of Special Education Special Education Coordinator (Elementary Schools)
Phone: (614) 801-3021
Nancy Gero Ashleigh Jackson
Special Education Coordinator (Intermediate Schools) Special Education Coordinator (Middle Schools)
Phone: (614) 801-3089 Phone: (614) 801-3019
Janet Yohman Todd Spadaro
Special Education Coordinator (High Schools) Special Education Coordinator (Elementary Schools)
Phone: (614) 801-3169
Dawn Brewer Drenda Kemp
Special Education Coordinator (Preschool) Special Education Coordinator (Head Start/ECE/FCBDD)
Phone: (614) 801-8444 Phone: (614) 801-8426
Our school-aged Special Education Administrative Assistants are:
Jeni Steinhauser
Makenna Steinhauser
Our preschool-aged Special Education Administrative Assistant is:
Amanda Willing
Our preschool Intake Case Manager is:
Stephanie Lepard
Students with Disabilities
The Federal Government, through legislation entitled Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), states that a child with a disability refers to a school-age child who has been evaluated and determined to have one of the following disabilities that adversely affects the child’s educational performance and who, therefore, needs special education and related services:
- Intellectual disability;
- Hearing impairment (including deafness);
- Speech or language impairment;
- Visual impairment (including blindness);
- Emotional disturbance;
- Orthopedic impairment;
- Autism;
- Traumatic brain injury;
- Other health impairment;
- Specific learning disability;
- Deaf-blindness; or
- Multiple disabilities.
The law also required public schools to provide services to preschool age students (ages three to five) with disabilities if they are at least three years of age and younger than six years of age, have a disability demonstrated by a documented deficit in one of more areas of development, which has an adverse affect upon normal development and functioning.
South Western Special Education PreschoolThe South Western City Schools' Preschool Program has center-based preschool classrooms, head start inclusion classrooms, and provides itinerant services. Our center-based preschool programs are designed to provide early intervention for children between the ages of 3-5 years who are identified as special needs and/or preschoolers who are typically developing (peer models). Classes meet Monday through Thursday, following the SWCS calendar. Assessments, home visits, training, and a variety of other activities are scheduled on various days.
Parent ResourcesA Guide to Parent Rights in Special Education
Concern/Support Escalation Tiers
In SWCS, we believe in working directly with the public to resolve concerns and answer questions related to their department and position as close to the concern or question as possible.
Tier 1: Classroom Teacher/Intervention Specialist, then
Tier 2:Principal, then
Tier 3:Special Education Coordinator, then
Tier 4:Special Education Director, then
Tier 5:Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum
Child Find
The South Western City Schools is committed to the location, identification, and provision of a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for all children between the ages of 3 and 22 having disabilities. Location and referral of such children (Child Find) may be initiated by anyone with knowledge of the child and suspecting the child may have a disability. Please contact the Director of Special Education Services, at 614-801-3000 with any questions or names for Child Find referrals within the South Western City Schools.