Personalized Learning 

Special Education at TRHS

ThunderRidge High School provides  targeted special education support and services to students on Individual Education Plans (IEP).

Special Education Services

Special Education services are afforded to all students who are entitled to special education services as identified in the student’s Individualized Education Program. Services may include:

The continuum of special education services  are designed to ensure that students are able to access and make progress in the general curriculum. Service delivery is driven by student performance and subject to change as the student makes progress towards goals and objectives and is served in the least restrictive environment.

More information can be found at  https://www.dcsdk12.org/cms/one.aspx?pageId=5755431



 Supporting Students 

At ThunderRidge, one of the ways in which students are supported is through a co-taught model. Co-teaching is the practice of pairing teachers together in a classroom to share the responsibilities of planning, instructing, and assessing students. In a co-teaching setting, the teachers are considered equally responsible and accountable for the classroom. Co-teaching is implemented at ThunderRidge with general and special education teachers paired together as part of an initiative to create a more inclusive classroom.  

ThunderRidge also offers a continuum of services for students that need support in addition to the co-taught classes. These classes are outside of the general education classroom and taught by a learning specialist. 



Reference:Trites, N. (2018, August 27). What is Co-Teaching? An Introduction To Co-teaching and Inclusion. Retrieved from http://castpublishing.org/introduction-co-teaching-inclusion/

Registration Process for Incoming 9th Graders with IEP's


If at any time during this process, should questions arise please contact the TRHS special education department.   

Special Education Department Contacts 

Department Chairs

Mariclar Hall - mariclar.hall@dcsdk12.org

Hannah Gaul (Mild/Mod) - hannah.gaul@dcsdk12.org

IEP and Assessment Specialists

Emily Cackett - emily.cackett@dcsdk12.org

Learning Specialists

Hannah Gaul (Mild/Mod) - hannah.gaul@dcsdk12.org

Karen Clark (Mild/Mod) - karen.clark1@dcsdk12.org

Mariclar Hall (Mild/Mod) - mariclar.hall@dcsdk12.org

Nichole VandeVusse (Mild/Mod) - nichole.vandevusse@dcsdk12.org

Randy Stewart (Mild/Mod) - david.stewart@dcsdk12.org

Center Based Programming

Brianna Scott (AN) - brianna.scott@dcsdk12.org

Ashley Ives (SSN) - ashley.ives@dcsdk12.org

Samantha Wheatley (SSN) - samantha.wheatley1@dcsdk12.org

Mental Health 

Chris Hannaford - chris.hannaford@dcsdk12.org

James Tropper- james.tropper@dcsdk12.org

Stephanie Guyer - stephanie.guyer@dcsdk12.org

Speech-Language 

Pam Lackey - pamela.lackey@dcsdk12.org

Sarah Miller - sarah.miller@dcsdk12.org

Intervention Specialist

Jessica McCague - jessica.mccague@dcsdk12.org