STAR/LINKS program sees success at school
Gila Ridge teacher is helping autistic students
March is autism awareness month, and the Yuma Union High School District is participating in the Arizona Statewide Autism Project, which trains special educators to bring evidence-based instructional strategies to the classroom.
“I have loved implementing the STAR/LINKS program into our classroom. All students using the program have shown growth and it is amazing!” said Tricia Severs, a special education teacher at Gila Ridge High School who joined teams of educators from across the state at a three-day training in Phoenix last fall. Training and curricula for the project is provided by the Star Autism Support network.
Severs started using the program and strategies in her classroom and is seeing good outcomes with her students, the YUHSD said in a news release. STAR is short for Strategies for Teaching based on Autism Research, and the LINKS is Linking Assessment and Instruction for Independence.
“Their independence, communication skills, and overall academics have dramatically increased,” Severs said. “I’m excited to see what the future holds for our students!”
A unique aspect of this project is the focus on instructional strategies specifically designed to meet the unique needs of secondary students. Instructional strategies include skill instruction to help students with communication, social skills and academic skills, the release noted. Severs focuses on making sure her students use the skills learned in class by providing many opportunities to use their skills in real-life situations. The class schedules community outings weekly and has gone to the Humane Society and the Yuma Community Food Bank.
“Tricia Severs is an outstanding teacher who puts forth tremendous effort and energy into every lesson,” said Derek Bosch, assistant principal of academics.
“Tricia is well respected by her peers, but more importantly she is loved by her students. It’s incredible to see the impact she has on her students every day.”
As part of the project, Severs organizes instruction around central themes such as Community Helpers, Winter and the Zoo. Academic content is integrated around these central themes. Severs receives monthly consultation visits from a Star Autism support consultant who is visiting this week, along with a representative for the State Department of Education.
The curriculum content is based on students’ IEP goals and Severs works on independence with her students.
All students in Severs’ classroom have an individual schedule, the release said, and are working hard to become independent at following their schedule.