Learning Support & Psychological Services

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Welcome to the Learning Support & Psychological Services department at St. Junipero Serra Catholic School! We are blessed to be such active members within the school community here. We currently serve about 200 students by way of Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) and/or counseling and consultation services to address a variety of exceptional needs. Based on the policies and procedures in the 2015 Diocesan Diversified Education Handbook, Dr. Quigley offers the following support to students and families as part of St. Serra’s mission to meet the unique potential of the whole child:

Consultation: This includes meetings with teachers to develop strategies to enhance the whole learning experience for a specific child; meetings with parents to discuss concerns and to design and implement solutions; and, classroom and playground observations to help understand student behaviors in a natural environment.
Learning Support Team: Our philosophy is that we ALL have strengths and weaknesses. Even Einstein himself was rumored to have failed his math classes! What this unique program provides is additional support for students who have academic, behavioral, emotional, and/or physical differences that affect their learning in a typical classroom environment. As coordinators of the Learning Support Team, we collaborate with teachers, families, and administrators to develop and implement ILPs to meet the students' individual needs and help them achieve their full potential in all areas.
Counseling: Sometimes children can benefit from talking to someone about their feelings and the events of their lives, which is provided through short-term, solution-focused, confidential counseling (subject to scheduling availability). Examples of topics addressed include improving emotional and/or behavioral control and regulation; coping skills for family/environmental changes; strengthening social skills; reducing emotional distress; and enhancing self-esteem. Referrals for outside professionals are also available.
Resource Library: We have a variety of resources and books for students, parents, and teachers alike. These can be reviewed and/or checked out at your convenience. We can also provide you with an extensive referral list of local and community-based providers upon request.

Questions? Concerns? You've come to the right place! Please contact us according to the grade level of your student:

Preschool - 8th Grade
Dr. Lori Quigley
lquigley@serraschool.org; (949) 888-1990 ext. 243

Additional Information

Essential Learning Systems (ELS)

Essential Learning Systems (ELS) is a program offered at St. Serra for children who may learn differently. These students might lack confidence in their academic skills, have difficulty understanding and/or remembering information, take a long time to complete schoolwork or homework, have limited independent learning skills, and/or benefit from additional academic support.

ELS is a computerized, multisensory, interactive program that improves focus, strengthens information processing skills, and enhances performance in the areas of reading, writing, spelling, vocabulary, and comprehension.
Because ELS is an information processing program rather than a curricular program, it is designed to get at the cause of the learning and attentional difficulties, rather than just treating the symptoms.
Students improve through a series of exercises that help integrate visual, auditory, and motor-kinesthetic modes of processing (known as multi-sensory integration training).
ELS can improve the child’s ability to process information in much the same way that a regular exercise program improves physical strength.
Instruction is individualized, so each child is able to work at his/her own pace and build on his/her success.
Students participate in 45-minute sessions four days per week (Monday through Thursday) for a minimum of one academic year. Two after-school sessions are available, filled on a first-come, first-served basis (with priority given to Middle School students).
There is an additional fee for the ELS program to cover program administration costs.

Please contact us below for more information about the program.

ELS Staff:

Dr. Lori Quigley - ELS Director - lquigley@serraschool.org

Mrs. Cindee Berg - ELS Coordinator - cberg@serraschool.org

Occupational Therapy

BUTTERFLY THERAPIES, INC. STAFF

KARYN BUKY, OTL
Since graduating magna cum laude from Pacific University in Forest Grove, OR in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy, Karyn has worked as an occupational therapist (OT) in all settings from pediatric to geriatric; in hospitals, schools, homes, and community-based programs. She has always maintained a part of the community doing volunteer work with the disabled and those in need. Ms. Buky enjoys lecturing on many topics in including sensory processing, Handwriting Without Tears, and fine motor and visual motor development.

Karyn is owner of Butterfly Therapies, Inc., an outpatient therapy clinic that has been a serving Orange County for over 10 years. She has extensive experience working with a variety of children in private practice as well as within the school systems. Her areas of specialty include treating children with sensory integration needs, sensory processing deficits, and handwriting delays. She focuses heavily on family inclusion and education during her treatment sessions as well as fostering communication with the entire team for a holistic approach.

ELIZABETH EISNER
Elizabeth is a licensed Occupational Therapist with a strong focus on Sensory Integration therapy. Prior to becoming an occupational therapist, she worked as a habilitation therapist for children with sensory processing diagnoses and autism. Elizabeth graduated from Stanbridge University with her Master's in Occupational Therapy, earning honors for her community service and Master’s thesis. She expanded her passion in pediatrics during her Master's thesis where she created a therapeutic children's book for children with anxiety. As a pediatric occupational therapist, Elizabeth is honored to guide children and families in their growth for independence and ultimate quality of life.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY FORMS AND DOCUMENTS
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY SERVICE RATES
ATTENDANCE POLICY
CONSENT FOR EVALUATION AND TREATMENT
RELEASE OF INFORMATION
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT
REFERRAL AND SERVICES INFORMATION

Speech & Language Therapy Services

Kathryn M. Abbene, M.A., CCC-SLP

Kathryn Abbene earned her Bachelor of Arts at UCLA. She completed her Master of Arts in Communicative Disorders at California State University, Fullerton. Kathryn graduated with highest honors and is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi and Golden Key Honor Societies. Upon graduating, she worked as a full-time Speech Language Pathologist for three years in the Saddleback Valley Unified School District. She provided evaluations and evidence based therapy to elementary school students with a broad spectrum of speech and language needs. Kathryn is dedicated to helping children develop the necessary skills to be confident and effective communicators. She enjoys working with families and educators to support each student’s progress toward their goals. Kathryn is board certified by the American Speech and Hearing Association. She holds a state license in Speech Language Pathology and a public school credential in Language, Speech and Hearing.

Kathryn was a member of the first graduating class at Serra and is excited to return and serve the students of St. Serra. She and her husband, along with their two young children, are parishioners of St. Kilian Catholic Church in Mission Viejo.

As a Speech Language Pathologist, Kathryn provides evaluation and treatment in
the following areas:

Articulation Delays: difficulty producing developmentally appropriate speech sounds
Phonological Disorders: patterns of speech sound errors
Receptive and/or Expressive Language: comprehension and verbal production of language (vocabulary, grammar, syntactic structures)
Pragmatic Language: comprehension and use of social language and behaviors
Apraxia: motor speech disorder
Dysfluency/Stuttering: speech disrupted by syllable repetitions, sound prolongations, hesitations

Permission for Speech Screening

Authorization to Release/Exchange Confidential Information

SLP Agreement

SLP Price List

Learning Support Director, Preschool - Grade 8

Dr. Quigley is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and earned her doctorate from the University of Washington. She has worked in a number of research and clinical settings in the San Francisco Bay area before moving to Orange County. She and her husband, John are proud parents to four children, one son and three daughters. They are parishioners at Santiago de Compostela in Lake Forest.

As Learning Support Director, she looks forward to serving the needs of the St. Serra community. Here are several ways St. Serra students, families and teachers are supported:

Learning Support and Psychological Services
• Providing consultation to teachers and families regarding academic concerns
• Ensuring that exceptional needs are met by way of our Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs)
• Coordinating ILP team meetings at least annually to update student goals and areas of development
• Working with principals and assistant principals to incorporate ILP accommodations and modifications into school-wide practices
• Attending public school IEP/504 meetings and working with local district providers to ensure the delivery of student service plans
• Interpreting formal and informal cognitive and psychological assessments and incorporating into ILP plan.

Psychological Services
• Providing consultation to teachers and families about social-emotional/behavioral concerns
• Counseling individuals or groups to address social-emotional/behavioral needs
• Serving as an active member of Serra’s Learning Support Team
• Collaborating with administration to implement school-wide systems for student success, and exercise data-based decision making