Our Approach to Special Education
At the Woods Schools, we believe in creating a supportive environment where all students can reach their full potential. Our programs are tailored to address each student’s unique educational, emotional, and behavioral needs while helping them achieve their personal goals.
We take the time to understand each student’s strengths, interests, abilities, aptitudes, learning needs, and educational levels, and use the Individualized Education Planning (IEP) process to identify each student’s optimal goals. We then support them every step of the way to achieve them.
Because every student and parent deserves to be heard and valued, we embrace an open-door policy that welcomes input and feedback. By working together, we can give Woods Schools’ students the very best educational experience.
Foundations of Education Program at Woods
Our specialized classrooms are arranged by skill level to give every student the optimal environment and opportunity to succeed. We remove barriers to learning by helping students develop the social interaction and communication skills they need to reduce disruptive behaviors.
All of the schools implement school-wide positive behavior supports (SWPBS) that focus on teaching, modeling, and celebrating positive behaviors. Research consistently shows that SWPBS improves students’ social-emotional competence and academic success, as well as the school climate. SWPBS creates a positive, predictable, and safe learning environment, where every student can feel valued, connected to the school community, and supported by caring adults. Safe, predictable, consistent schools are good for teachers too.
Our schools focus on teaching all students core expectations and concentrate on reinforcing positive choices made by students. Each building has universal expectations that students are asked to follow in different parts of the school (e.g., hallway, classroom, cafeteria). Students are taught what each expectation means and provided examples of how to demonstrate them in all areas of the building.
To support positive behaviors, we clearly explain and demonstrate core behavioral expectations throughout the school and celebrate students’ success when they meet them. Throughout the school year, students are retaught and practice meeting these expectations. Teachers and staff members provide positive feedback and reward tickets when they see a student meeting an expectation. Students have the opportunity to spend their tickets at the school store.
Our emphasis on SWPBS enables our faculty and staff to personally know each student in our schools and to connect with them. We rely on every person in the building to achieve this level of team engagement, which helps provide students with continuous support and maximum resources throughout their educational journey.
Academic Content
- Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social Studies
- Specials
- Health/PE
Prevocational Skills
Our prevocational skills programs vary by campus and help students transition to adulthood and acquire experiences that can lead to competitive employment and independent living after graduation.
- Landscaping & Horticulture
- Warehouse & Retail
- Housekeeping & Janitorial
- Beauty & Grooming
Job Readiness
- Exploring career options
- Writing résumé and cover letters
- Filling out job applications
- Developing social skills
- Interviewing skills
- Interpersonal job skills
Independent Living
- Food planning & preparation
- Personal grooming
- Personal finance
- Self-advocacy
- Community living
Student Enrollment
Our Process from Referral to Discharge
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