Since its inception in August of 2003, Jackson Christian’s Harmony Program has provided excellent service to qualified special needs students. This highly successful program is designed to meet the needs of students who desire to attend a Christ-centered school, but are unable to successfully meet the rigorous academic expectations. Harmony is under the direction of Leigh-Ann Davis and Ruth Anne Smith.
Jackson Christian believes that students who have special needs should be assisted to experience success and should be challenged to strive toward their maximum potential. This program is offered to elementary, middle, and high school students. Special programs, such as this, require an extremely low student-teacher ratio. This necessitates an additional expense for these students.
I Peter 3:8 – “Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another, be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”
General Guidelines
- The Harmony Program will provide educational services to students identified with special needs.
- Admissions staff will communicate with Harmony faculty and administration about all prospective Harmony students before admission is applied and granted.
- Admission to the program is on a weighted basis and will service JCS families first.
- Prospective Harmony students, new to Jackson Christian, will spend time with the Harmony teacher in the class setting.
- Students must have a current accommodation plan and current psychological/medical evaluation. The evaluation should include academic testing, cognitive functioning, identified disability and deficit areas. Evaluations are considered current from three years of test date.
- Harmony personnel and administration will meet to review data and determine if placement in the Harmony Program is possible and at what level. An Accommodations Plan will be developed for each student.
- Not all students with special needs will be accepted into the program.
- Students cannot be a threat to others or to themselves. Their behavior should be manageable.
- There is no specific number of students the program will serve. Capacity is based on the needs of the students served.
- Students receiving Harmony services will be billed according to their individual Harmony levels.
- Students will receive a diploma. Harmony services will be noted on the student’s report card and Jackson Christian official transcript.
- Harmony faculty and staff will meet throughout the year to discuss issues relating to Harmony and to ensure continuity between the elementary school and the middle/high school.
- If at any time Harmony faculty and/or administration feel that the program is not an appropriate placement for a student, a conference will be held with parents to determine continuation in the program.
- The Harmony Program will be equipped with staff, curriculum, and a physical environment to provide an enriched learning experience for the students.
The following statement will appear on report cards and transcripts of Harmony students:
Harmony Student
This transcript/report card reflects the student’s performance within the Harmony program. Harmony provides educational services to students with special needs (intellectual or physical disabilities). All students enrolled in the Harmony program have a current psychological profile and may receive modifications in coursework, assessments, and/or assignments. All modifications are made in compliance with the student’s accommodation plan.
