Special Education
The JCSS Special Education programs are founded upon the belief that all children are capable of learning and being successful in school experiences which are designed to develop academic, social, emotional, behavioral, and independence skills for active participation in their community.
Special Education services support children 3-21 years of age who meet eligibility guidelines in the following areas: Autism, Deaf/Blind, Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Emotional and Behavioral Disorder, Intellectual Disability, Orthopedic Impairment, Other Health Impaired, Significant Developmentally Delayed, Specific Learning Disability, Speech/Language Impairment, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Visual Impairment and Blindness. These services are provided in all school systems in Georgia and are free of charge to parents.
The JCSS Special Education Department strives to meet the individual needs of all our students. We invite you to join us in serving your children so that, together, we can guide them in reaching their greatest potential.
Destruction of Records Notice
The Jackson County School System archives and stores special education student records from the Special Education Department for a limited time, according to the Common Records Retention Schedules for all school systems, under the Georgia Archives University System of Georgia. All special education records for students reaching the age of 27 are scheduled for destruction after July of the calendar year. Any person desiring to obtain his/her records may contact the Alexis Johnson via telephone at 706-367-5151 extension 17353.
JCSS Special Education Preschool Program
Parents' Rights
Child Find
Georgia Special Needs Scholarship
Parent-to-Parent Resources
Parent Resource Notebook
Meet Our Team
Melanie Barrow | Director of Special Education
Email: melanie.barrow@jcss.us
Stacy Vandiver | Special Education Department Secretary
Email: svandiver@jcss.us
Andrea Jarrett | Special Education Specialist
Email: aajarrett@jcss.us
Abby Cross | Special Education Specialist
Email: across@jcss.us
Joy Reynhout | Special Education Specialist
Email: joy.reynhout@jcss.us
Shannon Day | Special Education Specialist
Email: sday@jcss.us
Mary Eich | Special Education Specialist
Email: meich@jcss.us
Emily Cimarossa | Parent Mentor
Email: ecimarossa@jcss.us
Alexis Johnson | SPED Compliance Professional
Email: alexis.johnson@jcss.us
School Psychologists
Rachel Greenlee | School Psychologist
Email: rgreenlee@jcss.us
Sterling Joiner | School Psychologist
Email: sjoiner@jcss.us
Debbie Williamson | School Psychologist
Email: dwilliamson@jcss.us
Emily Parr | School Psychologist
Email: emily.parr@jcss.us
Kassie White | School Psychologist
Email: kassandra.white@jcss.us
Heather Cates | School Psychologist
Email: heather.cates@jcss.us