|
The North Country Learning Center (NCLC) provides a continuum of services for students ranging in age from 12-21 with a variety of disabilities and skill levels. Students may be classified as Mentally Retarded, Multiply Disabled, Other Health Impaired or Autistic.
The goal of the NCLC is to help students develop the highest level of independence and the skills required for successful integration into both the educational and community based arenas. Emphasis is placed on practical, functional skill development provided through diverse community education and work experiences. Opportunities are tailored to each student's individual needs and abilities.
Program options include: 6:1:1s, 8:1:1s and 12:1:1s.
Mission Statement
North Country Learning Center is a secondary school that empowers students to develop necessary academic, personal and vocational skills.
Our mission is to encourage independence and self-advocacy to successfully transition from the school environment to post school options. Skilled staff, in partnership with family, districts and community, provides quality instruction and services through diverse educational strategies to meet the expectations of the New York State Learning Standards.
Our innovative community based education and work experiences provide unique opportunities to enrich each student's education. The strength of the North Country Learning Center program lies in the integration of essential life skills and the exploration of various community resources in conjunction with academic application. These dynamics maximize the potential of each student to become an active participant within his or her community.
Program Summary
North Country Learning Center's program components include the following:
Sensory Motor Program
Created for students who are severely cognitively delayed and functioning at an infant or sensory motor level of development, instruction in these 6:1:1 classes emphasizes stimulation and motor development rather than traditional academics. Students are functioning between a birth-36 month level and are dependent on others for assistance in all tasks of daily living.
General 6:1:1/8:1:1 Classes
The primary goal of the 6:1:1/8:1:1 program is to maximize each student's potential and to teach skills that will enable them to become as independent as possible within the confines of his or her disability. Program components include: academics with an emphasis on functional skill development; behavior management; independent living skills or activities of daily living (ADL) which include skills that encourage independence, self-advocacy and social interactions; leisure time training designed to encourage exploration of age appropriate activities students can engage in during 'free' or 'down time' at work, at home or at their post-school program; community education providing opportunities for students to generalize the behavioral and academic skills learned in the classroom; and a work skills component that combines skill development with expected work behaviors.
Program for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (6:1:1)
This program offers all of the components of the 6:1:1/8:1:1 classes. However, for the student who requires more intensive support and structure, the classroom setting is highly organized with a strong emphasis on visual supports. Instruction is provided through a structured approach, including discrete trial teaching when warranted. Learning stations and a scheduling framework are evident. Close attention is paid to the student's sensory processing challenges. Classrooms are arranged accordingly to minimize and/or maximize the student's varying sensory input modalities. Communication, social skills training, independent living (life) and work skills, behavior management systems, and student/family supports are all part of this program.
Junior High Departmentalized Program (12:1:1)
This program is designed to prepare students for the Senior High Departmentalized Program. It emphasizes the academics, socialization, pre-employment and pre-vocational skills necessary to meet with success at school, at home and in the community.
Senior High Departmentalized Program (12:1:1)
While academics are taught in the homeroom, students are provided opportunities to apply these skills in various simulated work settings and within the community. These areas include: Food Trades; Supermarket Skills; Office Skills; Workshop; and Community Based Education. Employability skills are stressed in each class including attention to task, endurance, communication, teamwork, leisure time activities, etc.
Work Activities Center
Based on the recommendation of the student's instructional team and with approval of the Work Activities Coordinator, students are provided work experiences that may be school or community based, with or without job coaching. Within the school setting students learn basic office skills such as copying, sorting mail, or are assigned to the school store. Volunteer work is conducted at hospitals, universities, childcare centers and a university sports complex. Paid work experiences are provided at settings such as local fast food restaurants, supermarkets, retail and video stores. In addition, McDonald's sponsors a program on campus where students are trained to prepare McDonald's salads.
Related Services
Related Services are provided as mandated by the student's Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The related services available are: Speech, Hearing, Vision, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Counseling, Mobility Training and English as a Second Language.
Support Services
A School Psychologist and Social Workers are available to provide support to students, staff and parents. They also assist families with linkages to outside agencies.
Program Highlights
A Collaborative Model enables all members of the student's instructional team to share information, determine common goals, plan, and discuss the student's progress and any other issues or concerns.
Collegial Circles emphasize the importance of the NY State Standards and Curriculum. Teachers are clustered by the chronological grade level(s) of their students. This enables staff to discuss age appropriate curriculum, the resources to be used to deliver the curriculum, the modifications required to meet the cognitive levels of each student and the activities through which this can be accomplished.
|
|
 |
