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Child Find Procedures

The Old Rochester Regional and Marion, Mattapoisett, and Rochester school districts (in accordance with federal and state regulations) provide special education programs designed to meet the needs of children who are attending public and private schools and whose parents or guardians reside in the towns of Marion, Mattapoisett, and Rochester. This information applies to all children who reside in the towns of Marion, Mattapoisett, and Rochester, including migrants and homeless children.
Special education services provided by the public schools are available to all children aged 3 through 21, who have disabilities which prevent them from making progress in school and which require specialized instruction. Eligible areas of disability include autism, development delays, intellectual, sensory/hearing, multiple disabilities, sensory/vision, sensory/deaf-blind, neurological, emotional, communication, physical, specific learning disabilities and/or health impairments. Parents, guardians or concerned individuals of students who might qualify for special education are encouraged to contact the public school district to determine the eligibility of the child or children.

The school districts have annual or more frequent outreach and continuous liaison with the following groups which promotion or transfer of students in need of special education may be expected, or which would include students in need of special education: professionals in community, private nursery schools, day care facilities, group homes, parent organizations, clinical/health care agencies, early intervention programs, private/parochial schools, other agencies/organizations, and the school or schools that are part of the district, including Horace Mann charter schools.

The ORR School District provides a full continuum of special education services. Parents or public school licensed professionals may refer a child for evaluation for special education eligibility if regular education interventions are not successful. Preschool screenings are available multiple times per year in the elementary schools in the Tri-Town area. These dates are published in the local newspapers, on social media and on this website.

Our school districts have developed Special Education Program Plans for the State Department of Education. These documents are public. Copies are available in the Student Services Office, 135 Marion Road, Mattapoisett, MA 02739. For further information about student services, please contact the Student Services Director's Office. School Principals and Front Office staff are often able to answer questions and we invite your comments about special education in our schools. Any parents or members of the community who would like to participate in our planning for special education should call the Director of Student Services at 508-758-2772 x1942, or should plan to attend a meeting of the Special Education Parent Advisory Council.

Please contact the Director of Student Services at the above listing if you are interested in serving on or chairing your town’s Parent Advisory Council. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these laws and how they affect your children, please do not hesitate to contact your local Principal or the Student Services Office. Anyone may obtain copies of special education laws and regulations from the Department of Education, 75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148-4906 or from their website www.doe.mass.eduSpecial Education on DESE's website

ORR School District & Supt. Union #55 - Contact Information

  • Elementary Schools Director of Student Services – 508-758-2772 Ext. 1942
  • Early Childhood Coordinator – 508-758-2772 Ext. 1948
  • Old Rochester Regional High School - (Gr. 9-12) 508-758-3745
  • Old Rochester Regional Junior High School - (Gr. 7-8) 508-758-4928
  • Sippican Elementary School (Marion – Gr. Pre-K-6) 508-748-0100
  • Center School (Mattapoisett – Gr. Pre-K-3) 508-758-2521
  • Old Hammondtown School (Mattapoisett – Gr. 4-6) 508-758-6241
  • Rochester Memorial School (Rochester – Gr. Pre-K-6) 508-763-2049