Private Autism School in South East PA
Our private autistic disorders school and special needs programs are designed to help our students meet educational, emotional, behavioral and medical needs, while bringing them closer to achieving their own personal goals. Children diagnosed with PDD NOS, Asperger’s, Rhett’s or any number of Pervasive Developmental Disorders can learn and develop in the safe & nurturing environment offered a Woods.
The year-round special education programs and autistic disorders curriculum at Woods is fully licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education as both Private Licensed School and an Approved Private School, and as a result we adhere to all aspects of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. All of our classrooms are staffed by certified special education teachers, supported by direct support professionals, occupational therapists, speech therapists, physical therapists, clinicians, psychologists, and nurses that focus on the special needs of children diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
Our approach to educating children diagnosed with Autism is person-centered and focuses on each student’s strengths, interests, abilities, aptitudes, learning needs and educational levels – utilizing the Individualized Education Planning (IEP) process to identify the best possible objectives and goals. We recognize the importance of giving a voice to the student and parents in all aspects of the learning process. In fact, we embrace an open-door policy for parents and family members in an effort to ensure the maximum experience for our clients.
Educational Experience in Special Needs & Autism
Students with autistic spectrum disabilities often lack key skills such as interacting with peers or speech impairments, which lead to classroom behaviors. Our specialized classrooms are arranged by skill levels, to give every student the opportunity to succeed. Additionally, we recognize the interplay between skills and behavior. So while the main focus of our education program, is on reducing the behaviors that serve as barriers in the classroom, we aim to increase motivation to build skills in the areas of communication and socialization that fosters a willingness to learn.
Our Autistic Programs & Special Education Classrooms Include:
- Autism Emotional Support
- Life Skills
- Multiple Disabilities
- Diploma Bound
We offer stimulating, small class-sizes that are designed to promote evidence-based teaching strategies and self-contained instruction which is essential for children.
This structure enables our faculty and staff to personally know each and every student in our schools, in order to best connect with them academically and individually. We rely on every person in the building to achieve this level of team engagement, which helps provide students with continuous support and maximum resources throughout their educational journey.
Kids Diagnosed with Autistic Disorders Flourish at Woods
In addition to traditional lessons, students participate in adapted physical education, music, art, sensory room, school library and our cooking programs based on their interests, needs and goals. For students who are approaching the working world, we also provide a variety of training experiences that integrate functional academics, skill building, job readiness and work experience both on campus and in the community.
In keeping with our open-door policy, we provide full transparency through a continuous feedback loop, including progress reports five times a year. We believe that this is one of the many critical steps to nurturing successful behavior as it relates to communication, socialization and skill acquisition that ultimately enables a student to integrate back into their home environment.