Whole Child Focus

A Whole Child approach to services places the focus of services on the ongoing global development and long range success of all children rather than on the needs of a select few children who have developmental, educational or other challenges. Whole Child services begin with the strengths of each child served and their contributions to the collective whole of all children rather than on the impairments, limitations or areas of deficit. Each child is celebrated for who they are rather than viewed by what they cannot do compared to a standard of “normal.” Each child is served with a focus on the impact of the school culture and climate to learning, and the importance of promoting education that supports health and well-being; physical, emotional, academic, and social safety; unique and personalized engagement and learning in connection with the school and community; challenging and comprehensive curriculum across content areas; and opportunities to develop critical thinking and reasoning skills, problem- solving competencies, and technology proficiency for all children. Each child is given the opportunity to succeed with the gifts, talents, abilities, interests, passions and dreams unique to them.

Whole Classroom Programs

A Whole Classroom approach to services strives to create an integrated and inclusive classroom environment with rich learning experiences that encourage the participation of all children. Whole Classroom services optimizes the impact OT, PT and SLP services by promoting the provision of therapy in the general education setting, during naturally occuring activities, and during content and context learning to the greatest extent feasible. Whole Classroom services enable service providers to support the education of all children through integrated and inclusive learning opportunities supported or facilitated with therapy;and to enhance universal and targeted services when supports are integrated throughout the day rather than offered during limited times. Integrated and inclusive therapy services represent ‘best practice’ in schools. Inclusive classrooms benefit all children, those with and without differing abilities and/or mental health challenges. For all children, learning of a new skill is optimized when it is practiced in the setting and during the situations where it is naturally performed. When services are integrated children with differing abilities and/or mental health challenges get to participate fully in educational opportunities throughout their school days with peers. Providing services in natural settings such as an inclusive classroom helps therapists learn about the academic and behavioral expectations, teacher preferences, and the unique culture of each classroom; to better understand the relationships between each child’s abilities, activity expectations, and the physical and social environment more fully; and to promote environmental and task adaptations relevant to each child to foster more successful child participation.

Related Services

Our OT, PT and SLP services are designed to support the related services needs of each educational program we serve, to promote the educational inclusion of all children, and to help enhance the learning and successful life outcomes for all children. Our related services are as varied and individual as the educational programs and children we serve. The focus of our related services has transitioned from supporting special education services for an educational program to promoting the inclusive education of all children in general education and together with peers. Our focus is to help all children succeed in a way unique to each of them, and in a way that promotes their learning across essential areas for life. We strive to help make it easier for all children to participate fully in their classrooms, to engage with their peers in and out of class, and to join fully in afterschool or other community activities.

Paraprofessional Support

Per the unique needs and circumstances of each educational program, we provided paraprofessional and direct classroom support to help integrate essential elements of social-emotional, communication, physical and self-care learning strategies in classrooms flowing with the natural routine and rhythm of each classroom.

Professional Development/Inservice Trainings

Our professional teams have extensive knowledge and experience in a variety of educationally relevant areas, and provide educational and other team support across these areas. Professional development topics that we offer include, but are not limited to:

• Trauma Informed Classrooms and Trauma Informed Services
• Implementing Zones of Regulation for Classrooms and Students
• Movement Mechanics and Safety Guidelines for Students with Significant Physical Challenges
• Emergency Procedures for Students with Significant Physical Challenges
• Identifying and Implementing Self Regulation and Other Behavior Strategies to Help Optimize Learning
• Identifying and Implementing Sensory and Sensory Motor Strategies to Help Optimize Learning
• Discerning Between Sensory and Behavioral Challenges: Proactively Managing Each
• Handwriting Without Tears
• Reflex Integration, Yoga and Other Child Centered Strategies for Classrooms and All Students
• Classroom Based Motor Activity Programs and Skill Building Learning Groups
• Classroom Integrated Therapy Services
• Mind Body Readiness for Learning in the Classroom
• Relieving Test Taking Anxiety for Teachers and Students
• Positive Behavior Supports through Motor Activity and Movement
• Vision, Visual Perception and Learning

Assistive Technology Consultation

Our OT, PT and SLP teams work with educational and other teams to help address the assistive technology needs of each child served. Our AT services include consulting with a child’s team to consider potential assistive technology needs; providing information needed for a trial or acquisition of assistive technology devices; assisting teams in the selection, design, fitting, customization, adaptation, application, retention, repair or replacement of devices; aiding teams in the integration and inclusion of AT into instruction and other learning activities; and providing training and technical assistance to teams. As part of a personalized learning and support process, AT can be considered as a means to support a child’s access to the curriculum and participation with peers.