Communication-Related Services

This is my final post for my communication series.  Colleagues includes: Related Service Personnel

I have thought and thought this summer about how to better communicate with related services personnel. In case you don't know, these are all of the amazing professionals that come in to our schools to work with students. They are our speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapist, teachers for the visually impaired, behavior consultants, just to name a few. I cannot imagine doing my job without them.

The problem lies in that these professionals are not in the building all day, everyday. This can make them hard to find and communicate with. This is no one person's fault, it's just that school is a busy place and sometimes you don't get to make all of the connections you need to make in one day. I've been lucky to work with OTs and PTs and speech therapists that I could call or email and touch base with them that way outside of the school day. As I begin to plan for my new classroom and new surroundings, I began to think about how I could interact more often and more efficiently with my related service coworkers.

My idea is a bulletin board/meeting area. You will have to envision this in a classroom instead of my rudimentary drawing, but I hope you can get the idea, nonetheless:

Clipboards for each related service person
Calendar for upcoming meetings
Notes for communicating when either person is not there
On clipboard-sheet for working on specific OT, PT goals, check off for when certain accommodations were implemented.

My vision is for each related service person to stop in the room and check it what is on the board. They can get notes, documentation, and stay up to date on each student on their caseload, even if they don't have time to talk to a special Ed teacher face to face that day.

I have created a Related Services Communication Pack available on TPT
It includes:
Student Goal Sheet
Notes for communication between related service professionals and teachers
Cover Pages for each Professionals' Clipboards (OT, PT, SLP, and blank for you to write your own)

Enjoy!

I'm linking up with 4th Grade Frolics for Monday Made It!