Beyond Expectations: Zachary High's Special Ed Program Gives Autistic Students Unique Opportunities
Apr 24, 2024 01:14PM ● By Lauren Pope
You never know what you'll find in the ZHS Special Ed classroom. A tuba? A crew of cheerleaders? A chicken?
It's all on the table. Ms. Byrd and Ms. Smith's special ed classroom is known across Zachary High as the place to be. "We have different electives each year that let our students have access to programs like band or art. This year they're doing band and will be performing with the ZHS Band at their Spring Concert. We also partner with the Ag Dept every year." Hence, the chickens. They were raised for 4H.
These programs keep the students engaged and challenge them to grow beyond the limited expectations that some may have for them. "Seeing their children succeed and interact with their non-disabled peers is so meaningful for the parents," Byrd explains. Recently, her students were down on the field cheering on the Broncos with their neuro-typical classmates and having the time of their lives.
Part of that exceptionality comes from the high expectations that Byrd and Smith have for their students and the intense focus they place on giving them employable skills. "We do units on everything from how to sort silverware to how to act as a host or hostess to how to answer interview questions, depending on how verbal an individual student is, " Byrd explains. The students graduate with the knowledge they need to provide valuable employment skills to the community.
"I think sometimes businesses overlook people with developmental disabilities as potential workers, but they can be some of the most dedicated, most focused employees anyone could ever ask for. Just look at our community at Rouses or Winn-Dixie. Everyone knows Joey and CJ, for example, and look forward to seeing them every time they shop.
Because there's a wide spectrum of abilities and disabilities within the umbrella of autism, the expectations for each student after high school are a bit different. The employment opportunities for non-speaking students are obviously different from the ones that exist for the ones who can communicate verbally. Regardless though, the special ed team treats every student with dignity and high expectations.
"We teach all of our students about things like how the government works and how to vote. We talk about how to understand information like weather reports and even just give them knowledge of our town in particular. We take field trips to Home Depot and Walk-ons for example, places that might be a good fit as a future employer, and give parents and students support for transition after high school."
It's all on the table. Ms. Byrd and Ms. Smith's special ed classroom is known across Zachary High as the place to be. "We have different electives each year that let our students have access to programs like band or art. This year they're doing band and will be performing with the ZHS Band at their Spring Concert. We also partner with the Ag Dept every year." Hence, the chickens. They were raised for 4H.
These programs keep the students engaged and challenge them to grow beyond the limited expectations that some may have for them. "Seeing their children succeed and interact with their non-disabled peers is so meaningful for the parents," Byrd explains. Recently, her students were down on the field cheering on the Broncos with their neuro-typical classmates and having the time of their lives.
We spoke with the parent of one of those students, Tara Gallagher who explained to us "I couldn't wait for my son, Ashley, who has autism to reach high school so he could be in Jamie Byrd's class. The way she works with them and the opportunities she gives her students is just exceptional."
Part of that exceptionality comes from the high expectations that Byrd and Smith have for their students and the intense focus they place on giving them employable skills. "We do units on everything from how to sort silverware to how to act as a host or hostess to how to answer interview questions, depending on how verbal an individual student is, " Byrd explains. The students graduate with the knowledge they need to provide valuable employment skills to the community.
"I think sometimes businesses overlook people with developmental disabilities as potential workers, but they can be some of the most dedicated, most focused employees anyone could ever ask for. Just look at our community at Rouses or Winn-Dixie. Everyone knows Joey and CJ, for example, and look forward to seeing them every time they shop.
Because there's a wide spectrum of abilities and disabilities within the umbrella of autism, the expectations for each student after high school are a bit different. The employment opportunities for non-speaking students are obviously different from the ones that exist for the ones who can communicate verbally. Regardless though, the special ed team treats every student with dignity and high expectations.
"We teach all of our students about things like how the government works and how to vote. We talk about how to understand information like weather reports and even just give them knowledge of our town in particular. We take field trips to Home Depot and Walk-ons for example, places that might be a good fit as a future employer, and give parents and students support for transition after high school."
ZCSD has a mission to "to assist every student in reaching his or her maximum potential through high-quality instruction and good stewardship of community resources." Jamie Byrd and her co-teacher Ms. Smith are keeping that mission alive every day in their classroom.
