High Road Academy-Wallingford Campus of CT (formerly High Road Student Learning Center), specializes in serving students who face learning, language, and social challenges with diagnoses of, but not limited to, ASDs, LDs, traumatic brain injury, intellectual disabilities, anxiety disorders, NLDs, and speech/language disorders.

High Road Academy- Wallingford Campus is committed to the success of all of our students.  Educational course sequencing is based on that of the respective district and addresses all state standards.  In addition, instructional strategies address the strengths and needs of each child.  Our initiatives are implemented in a warm and nurturing environment characterized by small class sizes, personal attention, and positive reinforcement.

Other features of our program include expanded transitional services, life skills training, integrated computer technology, social skills classes, art and music appreciation, physical education, and career exploration/experience. In addition, High Road Academy-Wallingford Campus incorporates a strong behavioral management system throughout the school day, which emphasizes accountability and the development of appropriate behaviors necessary for academic and life long success.

In addition to the ten-month school year program, an extended school year (ESY) program is offered. The program provides academic support in an effort to prevent regression of skills and/or further acquire and develop academic and behavioral skills through subject area tutorials, behavioral instruction, recreational activities, and cultural experiences.  They High Road Academy-Wallingford Campus also offers an extended school day program for those students identified as appropriate through the Planning and Placement Team meeting process.

Parents are always encouraged to visit the school at any time. Opportunities are available to learn about the school program and to become more involved in their child’s academic endeavors. Family involvement continues to be a focus at the High Road Academy- Wallingford Campus.

New

High Road Schools of CT Presents Informational Workshops for Parents and Guardians March 2012

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3Rd Annual Juan DeJesus Memorial Basketball Game

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Toy Drive

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Winter Festival

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November Parent Workshops Calendar

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ADHD Informational Workshop for Parents

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Open House

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Parent Workshops

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The High Road Schools on the Wallingford Campus Welcomed the Directors (SBU)

On November 18, 2011, The High Road Schools on the Wallingford campus welcomed the directors of other SESI school sites from all across the country. 

To prepare for such very important visitors each school was transformed into a continent with each classroom representing a different country. Our guests were guided through all four buildings on campus by student tour guides who introduced the directors to the ambassadors of each country. The ambassadors gave the directors highlights of their particular country and stamped their passports.

The students enjoyed meeting the directors from all of the other SESI schools and were extremely proud of their school and all of their art work that was showcased. Our guests were very impressed with the students’ comfort level touring them as well as their knowledge about the countries they were studying. The tour guides also shared about their day to day activities

Eighth grader Thomas, from the lower/intermediate school was one of the student tour guides. “I felt honored to be tour guide. I wouldn’t be where I am today without High Road and this was a chance to give something back to the school.” “It was a great experience as I got to help the other tour guides and our visitors were so friendly,” said Thomas.

Lower Newsletter

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Q1 Newsletter

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Community Projects

The High Road Schools of CT has always strived to teach the students to give back to their communities to help them feel connected to the world out side of their families and school. So many of our students require a great deal of support in their academics or social skills and have often felt out of step with the people and places around them. By getting them involved in community projects it gives students the opportunity to step outside of their comfort zone and learn how their contributions can impact others in a positive way. In the process the students raise their self esteem and widen their world view. 

Students from the High Road School of Wallingford – High School had a wonderful opportunity this past holiday season to make an impact on their community by holding class fundraisers that raised a total of $700.00! They took the money and bought toys for the Smilow Cancer Center in New Haven who were thrilled to receive such items as x-box games, board games, arts and crafts supplies to name a few of the things that brightened up the holidays for the children.  The students participating in the Building Maintenance and Trade program at the high school also built a beautiful pine toy chest to donate to the center as well.

High Road Student Learning Center Upper school students were busy this year putting on a Hoop-A-Thon to benefit our local Make a Wish Foundation in memory of a beloved staff member who had a soft spot in his heart for this organization. They also raised $700.00 to donate to them so that Make a Wish can continue to make critically ill children’s wishes come true.

Our regional basketball fundraiser brings all seven school sites together to raise money for High Road’s Juan DeJesus Memorial Scholarship. Our competitive sports team, High Road Hornets, plays against the High Road Staff in a lively competition held at Albertus Magnus College. Parents, districts, staff, and friends come together to root for the students and support this very worthy cause. The scholarship is awarded to a High Road graduate planning to go on to college or a technical school program. An essay contest is held to determine the winner.

The above are just a few examples of how our students are making a difference in their communities.  By focusing on what they can do to help others, the students at High Road Schools of CT learn that with teamwork, perseverance, and commitment, anything is possible!

High Road School Presents Dave Hopla, Motivational Speaker

Basketball Coach Motivates High Road Students

On Friday, November 22, High Road Schools of CT presented Dave Hopla, the United States Top Shooting Coach at the Wallingford Parks and Recreation gymnasium for all the regional school sites. 

Dave not only motivates students to do their best in school and in life during his presentation, but does so while he continuously shoots baskets. Watching him put 414 out of 415 shots through the hoop was astonishing not only for the students but also for the parents and staff!

When Dave was younger he was told he was not very good at basketball, but at age sixteen he learned the skills to shoot baskets. After that he kept practicing and he began to keep a notebook of all of his shots. Tell him a date and he can go straight to his notebook to look up his personal best for that day. He never gets bored with shooting baskets because he is constantly motivated to top himself every time he practices.

Devon Washington a student in the High Road Student Learning Center Upper School was lucky enough to help Dave out during the presentation. Devon thought that Dave was cool. “I enjoyed learning from him by watching him shoot baskets and I liked the message of never giving up,” said Devon. “I am like that, too. I never give up!”

Another lucky student, Rebecca Murillo also from the upper school, kept tally of Dave’s shots. “I thought he was enjoyable to watch and I would love to learn to shoot like that. I liked his testimony how he was told he would never be good at basketball, but he became great at shooting baskets.” said Rebecca.

Both Devon and Rebecca are on the High Road Hornets sports team and enjoy playing basketball on a regular basis.

Dave stressed the three most important aspects of success: stay positive, don’t quit, and set goals. According to Dave, “Everyone has a special talent and when combined with a great work ethic it will bring you success.”

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Professional Development Day

The High Road Schools of CT brought the staff together from the entire region (Hartford, Norwalk, Wallingford, and Waterbury) on October 22, 2010 for a professional development day. The workshop was held at the Howard Johnson’s Harbor conference room in Milford. School psychologist, Andrew Moyer, MS, NCSP gave a presentation on Executive Functioning: Assessment and Intervention. Staff attending included certified teachers, social workers, and related services. .7 CEUs were awarded to participants. 

The workshop provided  an overview of Executive Skills, how to assess them, and how to use that assessment data to design interventions. A detailed discussion regarding skill versus performance deficits also took place. 

2011 Extended School Year schedule announced!

High Road Schools will run an extended year program during the summer months. The program will run 5 days a week, starting July 5 to August 12, 2011 from 9:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.

Each child enrolled in the Extended Year Program will receive personalized academic instruction and social skills training. Occupational and physical therapy, speech and language services and social work will be provided for those students who require them.

For students attending out of district for the summer only, it is recommended that districts send his/her books and assignments in order to continue effectively with the student’s program.
 
For more information on our extended year program, please contact:
                             
Carol Revill, Outreach Coordinator
High Road Schools
31 Village Lane
Wallingford, CT 06492
Phone: 203-294-9139 Ext.1
www.highroadschool.com

Reading Program Handouts

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Competitive Sports

The High Road Hornets  are gearing up for another exciting year playing a wide range of sports, including cross country, basket ball, volley ball, soft ball and flag foot ball. High Road School Students in grades 8-12 from across the region are eligible to be on the team once they achieve upper level status on our behavior management system.

The team faces challenging games with students from other non-public schools in the area. The Hornets look forward to Fridays when they travel to selected schools for the competition.

The competitive sports program enables the students to learn more about a variety of games, as well as, gives them a great opportunity to interact with new peers. Along with exercise and good sportsmanship, the team members also have another venue put their social skills into practice.

Highlighting Programming for Students with Classic Autism

High Road Student Learning Center Lower Intermediate school recently completed renovations in time to greet the New Year with a brand new sensory - motor room and redesigned classrooms. The lower school can now proudly claim that it is the only private non-public special education program in the region with embedded intensive interventions and services for students with classic autism while also providing them with opportunities to interact with a verbal and social student population. Openings are now available for grades K- 8.

Our highly trained team of special educators addresses the core deficits of autism spectrum disorders: communication, behavior, and social skills. We design and implement individualized programs to meet the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of each child. By strengthening executive functioning, theory of mind, and central coherence, students develop social understanding, coping skills, organization techniques, and independence in order to live a richer and fuller life. 

The hallmark of our programs include small staff-to-student ratio with class sizes of 8-10 students with integrated technology in every classroom. Other amenities include a sensory room, recreation equipment, art, music, clubs, and field trips.

All of our academic programs align with Connecticut state standards and the students under go a pre- and post academic assessment. Math and reading programs are individualized with a one on one tutorial-style teaching method based on the student’s skill level. Group activities are also incorporated into the schedule with many hands on learning opportunities to provide a multi-sensory learning approach. 

In addition to academics, there is strong emphasis on social skills, which includes but is not limited to, pre-teaching strategies, social stories and scripting. Through the daily social skills classes the students learn various coping techniques that help them deal with their anxieties, anger management issues, and relationship development. 

A comprehensive behavioral program is also in place to address high frequency behaviors. A color coded behavior level system and token economy are implemented through out the school to provide consistency and structure to the school community. Behavioral ratings scales are used to target specific behaviors in order to develop a Behavior Individualized Plan (BIP) with positive reinforcements. 

All related services are made available to the students such as speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and social work.

High Road is committed to working with such a diverse student population to meet the ever growing needs of students on the autism spectrum, along side our broad based population whom we have served for over 30 years.

1st Student Government Campaign!

High Road Student Learning Center is proud to report that the first student government campaign was an absolute success! The students rose to the challenge when announced that there was going to be a student government for the 09-10 school year.  There were many students who ran for office and campaigned hard with their posters and well written speeches.  It was a very close race when it came time to vote with the school president only winning by one vote!  All of the students were very gracious in how they either accepted their victory or defeat, congratulating one another on a race well run.   They have already had their first meeting and proved that they will be excellent decision makers for the school.  The school is truly looking forward to a wonderful year with its new appointed student government.

Related Services 

High Road Schools help the students to make the most of learning opportunities by staffing certified specialists to help each student with additional support as needed.

Our speech and language therapy program includes a coordinated and individualized approach. In group work, as well as individually, our certified speech therapists help the student to correctly produce the sounds in words, increase speech intelligibility, develop vocabulary knowledge and understanding, and utilize appropriate conversational skills. Emphasis is placed on pragmatics; such as turn taking, topic maintenance, asking appropriate questions, and socialization.   Also, grammar, syntax, and written expression are addressed.

Our occupational therapists help students with sensory, perceptual, and motor problems better meet the daily demands of their environment. She uses directed play as the primary method of treatment; however, classroom consultation directly with teachers and assistants regarding the student’s abilities is also key to their success. Directed play includes activities such as mazes or target games to develop the student’s eye and hand coordination or ball games to increase coordination between two sides of the body.  Through the use of movement, touch, and other functional activities, the student better develops the responses needed to function in the classroom, home, and community environments.  As the child ages and his or her needs change, the focus is on the acquisition of specific skills.  These can include learning to measure baking ingredients, personal care, or crossing busy streets, depending on the student’s abilities.

Our social workers help students with emotional and social growth issues.  They focuses on helping the student develop age-appropriate skills and behaviors for the classroom.  Through the use of recreational and other activities, they assist students in building self-esteem, applying social skills, and practicing leadership and team participation.  The students are seen individually and in small group sessions.  It is also not unusual to find social workers in the classroom leading social skills activities.

A consulting psychologist and behaviorist are also available on an as needed basis.

At High Road Student Schools all related services personnel work closely with the classroom teachers to assure integration into all classroom activities.

Success with Asperger’s Syndrome

The staff at the High Road Student Learning Center in Wallingford view the process of working with students that have Asperger’s Syndrome as all pulling together to ensure optimal results and success. We have implemented a comprehensive program that incorporates learning, adaptation, and behavior modification. 

Asperger’s Syndrome is a rare neurological disorder characterized by serious deficiencies in social and communicative skills.  The syndrome primarily affects boys and is signified by average to above-average intelligence and superior rote memory.

Students with Asperger’s have difficulty separating rational and irrational feelings and differentiating intent from incidence.  Moreover, they are generally self-absorbed and feel singled out, causing difficulties with everyday situations and the formation of relationships.

On a daily basis, all students, including children with Asperger’s Syndrome, participate in a social skills program designed to address the social and communication issues that they face.  Themes include reacting to disappointment, defining affected behavior, and understanding the notion of fair vs. unfair.  Some of the methods used in a group setting are discussions; activity based projects, role-playing, scenarios and learned rules and behaviors.  To ensure communication across the board, we also utilize communication logs with parents, have staff meetings, and consult closely with related service personnel. 

In addition, our school social workers, conducts small group discussions to develop group dynamics and sportsmanship skills.  They also visits the classrooms to conduct formal lessons, and assist in integrating learned skills into classroom routine.

Students are given he opportunity to practice skills that are learned in the classroom, out in the community or on field trips.  Our students feel comfortable and supported venturing into the public, whether to go on a grocery shopping excursion or to dine in a restaurant. 

Additional services include individual counseling sessions for group participation preparation, and Speech Therapy, to strengthen communication skills.

Progress is seen as a continuum, extending through every phase of the child’s school day, and reinforced at home.  Success is contingent on this entire circle of support, therefore, improving self-image and positively modifying behavior.  Thus, the possibility of successful relationships and friendships are enhanced.  Although it is difficult for these children to form friendships on their own, they are able to do so in the safe, non-threatening atmosphere provided at High Road Student Learning Center’s lower-intermediate and upper schools.

Winter Festival

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November Parent Workshops Calendar

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ADHD Informational Workshop for Parents

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Open House

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Parent Workshops

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Professional Development

On November 10, 2011, the High Road Schools of CT came together for a professional development day at the Holiday Inn, North Haven.

High Road certified teachers attended a workshop on Multisensory Teaching presented by Genevieve Shryer from one of the SESI schools in Missouri, called Rivendale.

A multi sensory approach to instruction helps students to learn through more than one sense at a time. Students are taught using all their senses; (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic) simultaneously in order to enhance memory and learning and to accommodate all learning styles.

Ms. Shryer presented hands-on activities for reading, language arts, and math, and the staff had an opportunity to practice the lessons as well as make some materials for their classrooms.

Success in multisensory learning has proven to decrease anxiety, as well as, improve self-esteem, self confidence and responsibility!

IEP Management System

High Road Schools of CT is pleased to announce the implementation of IEP Direct web based management system in our Norwalk, Wallingford, and Waterbury locations. The utilization of this program will better serve the needs of districts and students with more efficiency and accuracy in creating individual educational plans.

For more information about the High Road Schools of CT, please contact Carol Revill, Outreach Coordinator @ 203-294-9139 or Brooke Violante, Chief School Director @ 203-840-1030.