THE PATHWAY SCHOOL

THE PATHWAY SCHOOL EMPLOYS AN INTEGRATED, TEAM APPROACH FOR THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN AGES 4-21 WITH MILD TO MODERATE AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS, INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, SERIOUS EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE AND OTHER NEUROLOGICAL IMPAIRMENTS. EDUCATION IS PROVIDED ON AN INDIVIDUALIZED BASIS IN ACCORDANCE WITH EACH STUDENT'S INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN (IEP) AND IS DESIGNED TO MEET THEIR ACADEMIC, SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL, AND BEHAVIORAL NEEDS. SERVICES ARE IMPLEMENTED ON A 12- ACRE CAMPUS AND IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. ADDITIONAL RELATED SERVICES PROVIDED INCLUDE: SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, READING SUPPORT, ADAPTIVE PHYSICAL EDUCATION, COMMUNITY REINTEGRATION AND POST-GRADUATION PLANNING, CAREER EDUCATION AND CLINICAL SERVICES. PATHWAY IMPLEMENTS A SCHOOL-WIDE POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT PROGRAM THAT ENHANCES THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT AND PROVIDES A SAFE, THERAPEUTIC ENVIRONMENT FOR EACH STUDENT TO PROGRESS ACADEMICALLY AND TO DEVELOP AGE APPROPRIATE SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SKILLS. THE GOAL OF THE PATHWAY SCHOOL IS TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT EMPOWERS EACH STUDENT TO LEARN AND ACHIEVE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. PATHWAY STUDENTS COME FROM 40 SCHOOL DISTRICTS, 20 CHARTER SCHOOLS AND FROM 8 SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA COUNTIES. THE PATHWAY SCHOOL CURRENTLY SERVES 173 STUDENTS FROM INTERMEDIATE UNITS 14, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 AND 29.THE INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL USED AT THE PATHWAY SCHOOL RANGES FROM A SELF-CONTAINED, ONE-ON-ONE INSTRUCTION; TO HOMOGENEOUS GROUPINGS FOR READING, MATH, SCIENCE AND WRITING INSTRUCTION; TO DEPARTMENTALIZED INSTRUCTION IN A SECONDARY (HIGH SCHOOL) PROGRAM. STAFFING RATIOS DEPEND ON THE NEEDS OF EACH STUDENT, BUT GENERALLY CLASS SIZE IS 6 - 8 STUDENTS, WITH 1 TEACHER AND 1 TEACHER ASSISTANT. EACH CLASSROOM IS EQUIPPED WITH COMPUTER AND SMARTBOARD TECHNOLOGY AND EACH STUDENT HAS THEIR OWN CHROMEBOOK TABLET. PATHWAY CONTINUES TO EXPAND THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND HAS STEM PROGRAMING WHICH IS BEING USED BY STUDENTS. THE INSTRUCTIONAL CURRICULUM WITH SCOPE AND SEQUENCE INCLUDES THE USE OF RESEARCH-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES AND IS DESIGNED TO MEET STATE COMMON CORE STANDARDS. ALL TEACHERS ARE CERTIFIED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION; MOST HOLD MASTER DEGREES. SOCIAL SKILLS ARE EMBEDDED THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DAY SO STUDENTS CAN LEARN TO INTERACT APPROPRIATELY WITH PEERS AND ADULTS ACROSS A VARIETY OF SETTINGS. REGARDLESS OF INTELLECTUAL FUNCTIONING, EVERY PATHWAY STUDENT OVER THE AGE OF 14 IS ELIGIBLE TO WORK IN THE CAREER EDUCATION PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDES BOTH ON-CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY-BASED EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCES. ALL PATHWAY STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE THEATER PROGRAM WHERE THEY ARE LED BY PROFESSIONAL ACTORS AND SET DESIGNERS ON THE PRODUCTION OF THE SCHOOL PLAYS. PATHWAY STUDENTS GRADUATE AT A RATE OF 100%. HIGH ACHIEVING STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO ATTEND CLASSES AT MONTGOMERY COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE WHILE ENROLLED AT PATHWAY.