Regional Industry & News

WILLISTON — Williston Basin School District #7 is opening a new program designed to provide a highly structured educational environment for students with significant behavioral, sensory and other needs.

Pathways to Success, the new program that will be housed in the former Williston Basin School District #7 office, is designed to serve up to 10 students — at least for now — in kindergarten through eighth grade who qualify for what the district describes as a Level 4 educational setting.

Chief Academic Officer Darla Ratzak said the program is intended to provide students with services that can be difficult to accommodate in a traditional classroom.

The program is not intended to become a permanent placement for students. Instead, the goal is to provide a temporary environment where students can receive more individualized support before returning to their regular classrooms.

"The goal is to have them go back to their school," Ratzak said.

Students who qualify will remain enrolled at their elementary schools while receiving services at the new center. Their schools will continue to be involved in their academic programming and Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings.

Ratzak said the length of time a student spends in the program could vary depending on the student's needs.

“It may take a week. It may take a month," she said. "It may take all year."

The program is expected to operate on a schedule similar to the elementary schools, roughly from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A specialized environment

Ratzak said Level 4 students may have a range of needs, including autism, behavioral challenges and sensory needs that can make a traditional classroom environment difficult.

“In special education, we operate in what we call the least restrictive environment,” said Shawn Huss, director of the WilMac Multi-District Special Education Unit. “We want to place students in an environment where they’re successful. Level 4 is a step in that continuum.”

Levels one through three typically are served within a student's school, while Level 4 provides a more restrictive setting outside the traditional classroom.

"The fact that Williston now has a Pathways program is huge," Huss said, adding that these students can be served within the district rather than being placed in a more restrictive environment outside the district.

“Every child that'll come in here will just have needs, whether it be sensory or just more one-on-one time,” Ratzak said. “Those that need it can't be in a classroom because it's overly stimulated sometimes. So this shift will hopefully help that.”

The center, which is housed in the former district office, includes a classroom, meeting space, private space for counselors or outside therapists, a sensory room and a “time away” room where students can take a break if they become overwhelmed.

The sensory gym is being developed in the former board room. Gone are the long tables and chairs; these have been replaced by gym mats and other equipment to provide sensory input for students.

Ratzak said the equipment will also be flexible, allowing the district to add components as the program develops.

The center's "time away" room is designed to provide students with a safe, calming space. It will include compression couches and sensory materials such as weighted blankets and fidgets. Students can take a break, calm down or reset before returning to their regular schedule.

Beyond academics

The program also will incorporate practical life skills into students' daily routines.

A kitchen area will be used for family-style meals, with students and staff sitting down together for lunch. The existing stove, refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher will remain in place so students can also learn basic cooking and cleaning skills.

Students will be able to help prepare food, clean dishes and develop other skills they can use at home.

Ratzak said the goal is to make the environment as natural and welcoming as possible.

“I want the kids to feel like they're coming home,” she said. “I want them to want to be here."

Ratzak added the project represents a new level of excitement in her work.

“I've always had a passion for what I do, but this brings me back to a new level of excitement because I think that every student deserves a chance," she said.

The program will still include academic instruction, social opportunities and the services required by students' IEPs.

Developing the program

The idea for the center began taking shape last fall after Ratzak, Huss and WilMac Assistant Director Karla Magnusson visited Fargo's Explorer Academy, which includes a Level 4 program.

Ratzak said the visit helped district officials identify a need for a similar environment in Williston.

“We had some discussion with (Superintendent Jason) Germundson about the need that we have for some of our students that have the needs that they have, and so we came back and talked about this building, and I said I needed to make it work,” she said.

The district then began renovating the space. Maintenance staff completed much of the work, including abatement and painting. The district also made the bathroom ADA accessible.

Pathways is not using the entire former district office. The district has additional rooms in the building that are currently being used to store curriculum materials. Ratzak said the space could be readily available if the center expands, particularly to include high school students.

Looking ahead

Ratzak said the district already has students scheduled to participate in the program, with staff working with families before the school year begins.

The program's teacher has been hired and is undergoing training ahead of the school year. Ratzak will continue serving as chief academic officer while overseeing the new center along with the district's Out of School Solutions Center, preschool center and other responsibilities.

State-level discussions also are underway about developing similar programs in other parts of North Dakota, Ratzak said. She said Williston could potentially serve as a hub for students from surrounding communities if the program expands and receives additional state support.

For now, however, Ratzak said the focus is on getting the first students through the doors and building a program around their individual needs.

“I'm happy and excited about it,” she said. “I think that every student deserves a chance, and why can't we give them a chance to be successful? This is what we hope for, to build them for the next level.”