Community School Program hours from August/September to June are 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Half days are prescheduled and occur throughout the school year on Mondays. Half day dismissal is at 12:00 PM. These provide time for staff to engage in professional development.
The Community School offers a 6-week summer program that runs Monday through Thursday, 9:00 AM to 2:45 PM. Participation in the summer program is determined through the team process.
The Community Schoolis a day school thatprovides educational services to students ages 3-21 with severe and multiple disabilities who may also have complex medical needs and require behavioral support. The Community School supports the diverse needs of each student using adapted curricula with an emphasis on functional academics. Additional areas of focus include communication, activities of daily living, social/emotional development, self-determination, adaptive behavior, vocation and leisure/recreation skills. Individualized accommodations and modifications are identified based on student assessment and data analysis and include an extensive use of assistive technology to improve access, engagement and understanding. Content is individualized as appropriate and presented utilizing a variety of methodologies.
Services Offered
Occupational Therapy Physical Therapy Speech & Language Pathology Music Therapy (Group) Vision & Orientation & Mobility Services Deafblind Accommodations Adapted Physical Education (Group) Behavioral Supports Community Based Instruction & Vocational Development Recreation Activities (e.g. Field Trips, Therapeutic Riding, Yoga, Access Sail) Assistive Technology Home Based Consultation Equipment clinics with a variety of vendors including: wheelchair repair, splinting, equipment evaluation & trial
Preschools (ages 3-5): The pre-school classrooms are language/ communication based and use monthly thematic units to meet the early childhood standards set forth in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. By teaching a unit on animals, the students are listening to stories, sharing ideas, taking turns, counting, categorizing, using manipulatives, learning new vocabulary and content, listening to animal sounds and related music, creating artwork and using technology to access information or to participate in the activities.
Kindergarten (ages 5-7): The Kindergarten classrooms are language based comprehensive program. This is a small nurturing environment which offers consistent routines where children may utilize their current skills as independently as possible while building on higher level concept development including their ability to "act" upon their world. All areas of the curriculum are covered through monthly thematic multisensory based units which are directly linked to the curriculum frameworks.
Elementary Classrooms (ages 7-12)
Functional Academic (ages 7-10): These classrooms work on skills related to pre-academic and academic areas. This includes but is not limited to: color identification and matching, number recognition, quantity, exchange, letter recognition, name recognition, writing/scribbling, etc. Skills are embedded in functional activities and routines throughout the day. This is a highly structured classroom with a strong focus in the development of communication skills. There are opportunities for both independent and facilitated social interactions to encourage play and friendships. Opportunities to learn and practice daily living skills are an essential part of this classroom.
Academic Classrooms (ages 7-15): These classrooms focus much more on true academics. Although they include such concepts as basic letter and number identification they also look at the development of beginning reading skills, arithmetic (simple addition/subtraction), writing/typing (can be very simple or more complex depending on the student), simple science, social studies and health.
Transitional Classrooms (ages 7-10): These are highly specialized classrooms for students who need a much quieter and slower paced setting. There are higher levels of therapeutic support, specialized positioning equipment including a waterbed and opportunities to have a very individualized schedule which would include frequent breaks for rest, medical interventions or repositioning. There is a strong focus on the development of communication skills using pictures/objects/tangible symbols and electronic supports.
Secondary Programs (ages 13-21)
Functional Academic (ages 14-17): These classrooms continue to have a strong communication focus. Facilitator support strategies are used to promote incidental as well as structured interactions between peers and students/staff. Assistive technology is integrated throughout the routines both in terms of access to the curriculum as well as a supplemental activity to reinforce content and skills. There is consistent exposure to print/objects/pictures through the use of thematic units to support greater content knowledge and concept formation. Daily living skills are addressed as a function of naturally occurring routines.
Transitional (ages 17-21): These classrooms are highly individualized for students with significant therapeutic and positioning needs. Assistive technology is integrated throughout all activities supporting partial participation and independence. Activities are sensory based and are sensitive to the age and interests of the students. Students are encouraged to participate and assisted to be independent in portions of the activities. Communication is a high priority in this classroom.
Vocational (ages 17-21): Classrooms focus on basic to increasingly complex skill acquisition to support vocational development. There are opportunities to practice work related skills within the program as well as community based instruction. In addition to vocational development, this part of the program works on social competencies to support full community participation. Leisure/recreation skills are addressed both on a group and individual basis. Self-help and independent living skills are addressed on a daily basis to support overall independence.
AIM (Achieve, Inspire, Motivate): The AIM program is a hybrid program model between the South Shore Educational Collaborative’s Community School and Quest Programs. This model was introduced at the start of the 2015-2016 school year and has now grown from a single classroom to four classrooms serving students from both the Community School and the Quest School. The AIM program focuses on higher level academic content for students who would typically attend the Community School and more individualized modifications for the students who would typically attend the Quest school. AIM seeks to serve students who need a higher level of support within the classroom setting. Students in these classrooms receive increased individualized attention for social, emotional, and academic needs.
