You are hereFrequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT AGE GROUP OF STUDENTS DOES SULAM SERVE?
WHAT TYPES OF LEARNING DIFFERENCES DOES SULAM ADDRESS?
MUST A STUDENT HAVE AN INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN (IEP) TO BE ADMITTED TO SULAM?
WHAT TYPES OF PROFESSIONALS MAKE UP THE SULAM FACULTY?
HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE CURRENTLY IN SULAM?
WHAT IS THE STAFF TO STUDENT RATIO AT SULAM?
WHAT CLASSROOM TECHNOLOGIES ARE USED?
Q: WHAT AGE GROUP OF STUDENTS DOES SULAM SERVE?
A. Sulam works with students in grades K-12 at the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy.
Sulam has students in grades K-6 at the Torah School of Greater Washington.
Sulam supports students in grades 7-12 at the Yeshiva of Greater Washington, Girls and Boys Divisions.
Q: IS SULAM CONSIDERED A PART OF THE MELVIN J. BERMAN HEBREW ACADEMY (MJBHA), THE TORAH SCHOOL OF GREATER WASHINGTON (TSGW) AND THE YESHIVA OF GREATER WASHINGTON (YGW)?
A. All Sulam programs function as semi-autonomous entities within our host schools. The nature of our inclusive program requires close collaboration between faculties. From an accreditation perspective, several Sulam programs are approved as MSDE non-public, independent schools. Other Sulam programs are recognized by MSDE as resource departments of our host schools.
All full-time student tuitions are paid to Sulam, Inc.
- The Sulam School at MJBHA is a MSDE approved nonpublic, independent school, with accreditation for grades K-8.
- At TSGW, Sulam functions as an adjunct educational program in grades K-6.
- In the MJBHA Upper School (grades 9-12), Sulam functions as an adjunct educational program. Sulam students receive their high school diplomas from MJBHA.
- She’arim upper school at MJBHA is an MSDE approved nonpublic, independent school with accreditation for grade 9. (Additional grade levels are added as needed).
- Part-time (supplemental) students at the MJBHA and at the YGW, are registered as regular students of their host schools. A separate fee is paid to Sulam for Sulam services.
Q: WHAT TYPES OF LEARNING DIFFERENCES DOES SULAM ADDRESS?
A. Sulam supports students with a range of mild to moderate learning needs including, but not limited to:
- Specific learning disabilities
- Auditory Processing Disorders
- ADD/ADHD
- Developmental Delays
- Twice Exceptional (GT/LD)
- High functioning autism spectrum disorders, including Asperger’s syndrome
- Mild to moderate cognitive disabilities (eg. Down syndrome)
Q: DOES A STUDENT HAVE TO HAVE AN INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN (IEP) TO BE ADMITTED TO SULAM?
A. No, but all full time Sulam students have a documented learning difference. A student is admitted to Sulam after professional testing and interviews show that the student is a good fit for a Sulam, Inc. program. Sulam’s multidisciplinary team develops a Formal Educational Plan (FEP) for the student, containing personalized goals and objectives which can include, but are not limited to, social-emotional, educational, speech-language and fine and gross motor skills. The FEP is a living document, intended to be updated several times each school year as student progress is carefully evaluated.
Note: Many Sulam students also have an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) from one of the local public school systems. A member of the Sulam faculty will often attend IEP meetings with Sulam parents as an advisor/consultant in order to help parents advocate for services to which they are legally entitled.
Q: WHAT TYPES OF PROFESSIONALS MAKE UP THE SULAM FACULTY?
A. The Sulam professional team includes special educators, reading, math and/or transition specialists, teachers, instructional assistants, a school psychologist, as well as speech and language, occupational and physical therapists.
Q. HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE CURRENTLY IN SULAM?
A. There are several categories of Sulam students.
FULL TIME STUDENTS: In any given year, the number of full-time Sulam students is between 22 and 30 students in grades K-12.
SUPPLEMENTAL (PART-TIME) STUDENTS: Typically, Sulam enrolls approximately ten supplemental students annually. Supplemental students are MJBHA, Torah School and Yeshiva students who receive a maximum of two periods of specialized instruction through Sulam.
HYBRID STUDENTS: Sulam opens a number of its classes to host school students. A variety of hybrid classes, such as math, science, English, history, Talmud and Hebrew language, have been offered over the last several years. Hybrid classes perform standard coursework which has been expertly differentiated by a Sulam special educator. In recent years, as many as 45 MJBHA students benefited from hybrid classes.
Q. WHAT IS THE STAFF TO STUDENT RATIO AT SULAM?
A. Sulam is extremely proud of its low staff to student ratio. Sulam classrooms have no more than 7 students with a Sulam teacher, and frequently as few as 2 or 3. While in mainstream classes, one or two Sulam students receive support from a Sulam instructional assistant.
Q. WHAT IS A TYPICAL SCHEDULE?
A. Each Sulam student has a unique daily schedule created to fit his/her individual needs. Some students receive most of their instruction in self contained Sulam classes while others only receive instruction in the mainstream with the assistance of a Sulam staff member. Custom schedules are built to include time with typical peers in classrooms, at lunch, recess, gym and special activities. All students have weekly sessions with the Sulam psychologist. Many students also have scheduled consultative time with the Sulam speech, occupational and/or physical therapists.
Q. WHAT CLASSROOM TECHNOLOGIES ARE USED?
A. Sulam instruction is suffused with technology. Sulam classrooms are equipped with computers and SmartBoards. Instructional programs like Kurzweil and Lexia help teachers support students in a variety of ways.
Sulam, Inc. faculty members stay informed about new technologies that make it possible for Sulam students to maximize strengths while being supported technologically in challenge areas.
