In response to the requests for what P.A.L.S actually stands for, it is:
Personalized
Academics
and
Life Skills
I came up with a program name in order to prevent the students from being referred to as "Room 49 kids" back when I was in the beginning stages of actually creating the program. There was a need to assign an actual name to the specialized program and so Mike Straatmann and I spent 2 years trying to come up with different names in order for the elementary schools to be able to explain to the families the different levels of services available for their child. Having the children identified by their classroom number gave a negative impression from the dark ages and didn't provide enough of an idea to what the program actually was...thus, PALS was born. The program is now known throughout the district by its name and has received recognition from surrounding districts as other district's staff have come to observe & visit me and ask how to get a program like this started in their district.
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