THE BAY SCHOOL

THE BAY SCHOOL, A MAY CENTER SCHOOL, IS A NONPUBLIC, NONPROFIT SCHOOL DEDICATED TO PROVIDING EDUCATION AND INTERVENTION SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS (ASD) AND THEIR FAMILIES. IT IS ONE OF MAY INSTITUTE'S FOUR SPECIAL EDUCATION SCHOOLS LOCATED IN MASSACHUSETTS AND CALIFORNIA FOR STUDENTS WITH ASD AND OTHER SPECIAL NEEDS. AT THIS FULL-DAY, YEAR-ROUND SCHOOL, WE EDUCATE STUDENTS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 5 AND 22. THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO FACILITATE THE STUDENT'S SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION BACK INTO PUBLIC SCHOOLS. MAY CENTER SCHOOLS ARE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AS LEADERS IN "BEST PRACTICE" EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. OUR STUDENTS ARE SURROUNDED BY CARING, HIGHLY TRAINED PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IN THEIR CARE. A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM THAT INCLUDES TEACHERS, THERAPISTS, AND CONSULTANTS IMPLEMENTS THE INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN/INDIVIDUALIZED TRANSITION PLAN (IEP/ITP) GOALS OF STUDENTS REFERRED BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND REGIONAL CENTERS. EACH STUDENT RECEIVES APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTION AND RELATED SERVICES ON AN INDIVIDUALLY CONTRACTED BASIS. FROM THE FIRST DAY A CHILD ENTERS ONE OF OUR CLASSROOMS, WE BEGIN TO CAREFULLY CREATE A PERSONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE, ASSESSING NEEDS AND DEVELOPING SPECIFIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. TEACHING PROGRAMS ARE DEVELOPED BASED ON EACH STUDENT'S EDUCATIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL NEEDS. TEACHERS AT THE BAY SCHOOL ARE CERTIFIED BY THE CALIFORNIA COMMISSION ON TEACHER CREDENTIALING AS SPECIALISTS (MODERATE TO-SEVERE) IN SPECIAL EDUCATION. THEY WORK WITH STUDENTS ONE ON- ONE AND IN SMALL GROUPS, COMBINING BEST PRACTICES FROM THE FIELDS OF APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS (ABA) AND SPECIAL EDUCATION. CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES EMPHASIZE ALL AREAS OF A CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE, SOCIAL SKILLS, SCHOOL READINESS, SELF-CARE, AND PLAY SKILLS STATE-OF-THE-ART TEACHING PROCEDURES SUCH AS DIRECT INSTRUCTION, DISCRETE TRIAL TEACHING, PRECISION TEACHING, OBSERVATIONAL LEARNING, AND INCIDENTAL TEACHING ARE USED TO TEACH EACH STUDENT MEANINGFUL SKILLS TO MAXIMIZE PARTICIPATION AT SCHOOL, AT HOME, AND IN THE COMMUNITY. AT THE BAY SCHOOL, WE RECORD DATA DAILY ON ALL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES IN EACH STUDENT'S IEP. OUR HIGHLY STRUCTURED SYSTEMS ENABLE US TO REGULARLY MEASURE PROGRESS, REEVALUATING AND ADJUSTING EACH INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM, AS NECESSARY, IN ORDER TO CONSTANTLY CHALLENGE, MOTIVATE, AND ENCOURAGE EACH CHILD. FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES PLACE STRONG EMPHASIS ON PARENT TRAINING. ACCORDINGLY, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH FAMILIES AND STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO OBSERVE THEIR CHILD WHILE IN SCHOOL PROGRAMMING AND IMPLEMENT TEACHING PROCEDURES IN THE HOME. THE BAY SCHOOL'S SPECIALIZED CARE ENABLES EACH CHILD TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT AND ONGOING IMPROVEMENT IN SKILLS. THESE IMPROVEMENTS RESULT FROM THE TIRELESS WORK OF OUR STAFF COMBINED WITH OUR UNCOMPROMISING COMMITMENT TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS. FOR OLDER STUDENTS AT THE BAY SCHOOL, THE FOCUS IS ON TRANSITIONAL SKILLS THAT BOLSTER SELF-CONFIDENCE AND FOSTER SELF-SUFFICIENCY. THE SCHOOL'S VOCATIONAL PROGRAM HELPS STUDENTS DEVELOP THE ESSENTIAL SKILLS THEY NEED TO OBTAIN PAYING JOBS AND ACHIEVE AS MUCH INDEPENDENCE AS POSSIBLE. THE VOCATIONAL CLASSROOM TEACHER WORKS WITH INSTRUCTORS AND PARENTS TO DEVELOP SPECIFIC VOCATIONAL GOALS FOR EACH STUDENT. THE FIRST WORK OPPORTUNITIES OFTEN OCCUR RIGHT AT THE SCHOOL AND MAY INVOLVE ACTIVITIES SUCH AS RESTOCKING CLASSROOM SUPPLIES, DELIVERING MAIL, AND SHREDDING PAPER. MANY STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO TRANSITION INTO THESE VOCATIONAL POSITIONS. THESE WORK EXPERIENCES PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH AN INVALUABLE SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT AND SATISFACTION.