About
The Children's Program
The School of the Holy Childhood offers comprehesive and therapeutic services to children ages five to twenty-one in their School Program. Students attend from thirty six different school districts in Monroe and outlying counties. All have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) determined through their district's Committee on Special Education (CSE.) The overall curriculum focuses on the development of the whole child/student with emphasis placed on academic, social, physical, vocational and recreational growth.
Referrals to the Children’s Program are made by school district officials (CSE), parents, medical professionals and other community/school agencies. Students must go through an Intake Process which consists of a tour, application, review of records and observations. Initial referrals should be made directly to the Principal, Melanie Byrne. She works directly with an Intake Committee to determine whether or not referrals can be accepted into program.
The Program consists of both 8:1:1 classes - eight students, one teacher and one classroom aide - and 12:1:1 classes - twelve students, one teacher and one classroom aide. Individual students may also have one-on-one aides. The 8:1:1 classes are primary classrooms (ages 5-10 years). In addition to academics, the curriculum addresses cognitive and language skills, fine motor skills, social/behavioral skills and self-help skills.
The 12:1:1 classes are intermediate and secondary classrooms. Students in these classes begin the Transition Program where emphasis is placed on preparing students for all aspects of life beyond graduation. The Transition Program focuses on job completion, following directions, accepting criticism, cooperation, time management, self esteem building, self advocacy, taking pride in one’s accomplishments, eye/hand coordination and fine motor skill development.
Students attend vocational classes within the agency and eventually begin to try out jobs in Holy Childhood's sheltered workshops and in the community with the assistance of a job coach. Individual schedules are developed based on needs. The A.C.H.I.E.V.E.S. Program prepares students to transition from school to the adult world. Students become informed about the world of work by working in a variety of community work sites, assisting them in making more informed choices about their vocational future. Students have an opportunity to work in the Holy Childhood's sheltered workshops as well as jobs in the community with the assistance of a job coach.
