Northbrook School District 27

Special Education

Heather Miehl, Director of Special Education
Heather Miehl
Director of Special Education
(847) 498-2610, ext. 5118
Email Ms. Miehl

The Office of Special Education oversees the following:

  • Eligibility for special education services.
  • Implementation of Individual Education Plans (IEP).
  • Maintenance of special education records.
  • Monitoring of special education rules and regulations.
  • Preschool screening.
  • Child Find and Proportionate Share
  • Related services including speech and language, social work, occupational therapy, etc.
  • Response to Intervention (RtI).

Department Staff

Mitch Singer
Special Education Coordinator
(847) 498-2610, ext. 5132
Email Mr. Singer
Elizabeth Kramer
K-8 Behavioral Coach
(847) 498-2610, ext. 5133
Email Ms. Kramer
Kelli Hunt
Behavior Specialist
(847) 498-2610
Email Ms. Hunt
Klaudia Kulpa-Lindgren
Occupational Therapist
(847) 498-2610
Email Ms. Kulpa-Lindgren
Teri Johnson
Admin. Asst. for Special Education
(847) 498-2610, ext. 5130
Email Ms. Johnson

Interpreters for Special Education/504 Meetings
Effective June 10, 2022, school districts must provide qualified interpreters for parents who do not normally speak English, and licensed interpreters for deaf parents, at multidisciplinary meetings, mediations, Section 504 meetings and due process hearings. If you would like to request an interpreter for any of these meetings, please contact Teri Johnson, Administrative Assistant for Special Education at (847) 498-2610 ext. 5130 or johnson.t@nb27.org.

Notification Regarding Related Service Logs as Student Records
Students with disabilities may receive related services as part of their individual education programs (IEPs). The school district will maintain related service logs that record the type and number of minutes of related service(s) administered to such students. These service logs are considered part of a student’s temporary school record. Copies of the related service logs will be available to parents/guardians at their child’s annual review IEP meeting and anytime upon request of the child’s parent or guardian. The district shall comply with a request for the record without unnecessary delay, in no case, more than 15 business days after the request has been made.

Procedural Safeguards for Parents/Guardians of Students with Disabilities (PDF)

PUNS Information for Parents
PUNS stands for “Prioritization for Urgency of Needs for Services.” PUNS is a statewide database in Illinois through the Department of Human Services that records information about individuals with developmental disabilities who are planning for or seeking services. Families are encouraged to register their child with developmental disabilities with PUNS. The state has developed a guide for Understanding PUNS for parents. If District 27 parents have additional questions, please contact Heather Miehl, Director of Special Education - miehl.h@nb27.org and 847-205-3504. 

Eligibility

Students with disabilities who do not qualify for an individualized education program (IEP), as required by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and implementing provisions of the School Code, may qualify for services under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 if the child (i) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, (ii) has a record of a physical or mental impairment, or (iii) is regarded as having a physical or mental impairment.  Please contact your school building administrator or Heather Miehl, Director of Special Education with any questions.