Our Program: Sheppard Pratt School in Severna Park High School
With small classes, and a low student-to-staff ratio, personal attention and compassionate care are our priorities.
During the admissions process, we meet with each new student and their family to evaluate the student’s needs and review their Individualized Education Program (IEP) to determine placement and the best class schedule for each student.
Our students spend time in Sheppard Pratt classes and classes offered by Severna Park High School based on their level of readiness. We believe in maintaining a calm and safe environment for learning so our work with students to improve their skills. We meet our students at their level as we work on skills and strategies to support their transition to the general education setting.
Academics
Our students receive individualized academic instruction from our special education teachers based on the Anne Arundel County Public School’s curriculum. The curriculum is differentiated by student’s functional grade level and academic needs and students are offered interventions in areas they struggle. We offer required classes in English Language Arts, Social Studies (World History, US History and Government), Mathematics (Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Bridge to Algebra), Environmental Science, student seminar, and SAT preparation (as needed by students). In student seminar, we assist our students with executive functioning skills, in addition to providing academic support. For all other classes, including advanced math, science such as biology, social studies/history electives, students choose from the full course offerings at Severna Park High School. As needed, our educational assistants support students in the general education classroom, and our staff collaborate with the Severna Park staff to ensure successful transitions. Our students receive the accommodations (identified in their IEPs) in all classes. Our team works with general education teachers to help them understand the tools that maximize our students’ strengths. We help student with self-advocacy skills and independence and generally see significant progress by their senior year.
Our staff creates a warm atmosphere for our students. The AACPS curriculum is hands-on and practical, involving a variety of proven techniques to help our students grasp the material. We incorporate mindfulness activities, sensory breaks, and technology throughout the day to keep learning thoughtful and engaging. Each classroom is equipped with an interactive whiteboard and computers, which allow our students and teachers access to the Internet and supplemental teaching aids.
Integrative Learning
We benefit from being located within Severna Park High School, and have access to sports teams, the cafeteria, vast elective offerings, completer programs, and extracurricular activities. Our students can take advantage of courses available through AACPS’s Center of Applied Technology South (CAT-S), and graduate with an industry certificate in a technical program such as Automotive Technology, Carpentry, or Welding. Learn more about CAT-S.
We are fortunate to have a partnership with the Department of Rehabilitative Services (DORS), which allow our students the opportunity to obtain paid summer internships at a local hospital. We work together with DORS to identify students who would benefit from this learning experience.
Support and Services
We teach academics and provide our students with structured and supportive opportunities to gain independence and manage behaviors. We use research-based practices, social thinking skills, and mindfulness activities throughout the day to best meet the needs of our students. Additionally, our students receive individual and/or group counseling weekly, allowing our students to enhance their communication, social, and coping skills.
We structure our classroom and sessions to account for our students learning styles. We use breaks throughout the day to help the students’ process, organize and manage anxiety. Breaks are learning opportunities, and vary from using computers, to mindfulness activities, to sensory integration activities, or games to improve social skills. In addition, our students receive occupational therapy and speech and language therapy as specified in their IEPs.