Supportive Services
At The School at McGuire Memorial, we offer a full range of supportive services to help students meet their individual goals.
Occupational therapy services include fine-motor-skill development, handwriting and computer skills, sensory integration, daily living skills, and functional feeding. Following a comprehensive assessment, an occupational therapist defines functional goals aimed at increasing independence. Along with a certified occupational therapy assistant, the occupational therapist works with a student to implement individualized goals in a variety of settings including the classroom, therapy room, and lunchroom.
Physical therapy helps students develop and refine gross motor skills. A licensed physical therapist and licensed physical therapy assistant work with individual students to achieve identified goals. Staff members utilize a wide range of specialized therapeutic equipment such as standers, gait trainers, and various walkers as they work with students in a variety of environments – from the physical therapy room and physical education class to the outdoor playground.
Speech therapy services address a wide range of communication difficulties. Three masters-degree-level speech pathologists (Certification of Clinical Competence or Clinical Fellowship Year) help our students develop functional systems which may include speech, sign, picture systems, object/symbol systems, switches, and Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) devices. The speech pathologists also work in conjunction with the occupational therapist to develop and implement functional feeding programs.
A full-time Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA) and a full-time behavior specialists provide direction and support to staff members for students with behavior challenges such as aggression, self-abuse, property destruction, elopement, non-compliance, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, and an inability to transition.
Thus, the primary goal of the positive behavioral support program is to minimize such challenging behaviors and teach students functional, appropriate replacement behaviors.
Through the functional behavior analysis process, the behavior therapists develop a positive behavior support plan and provide training to classroom staff members in order to fully implement our “no restraint” policy at The School at McGuire Memorial.
The Behavior Department ensures that all staff members receive training annually in Comprehensive Crisis Management (CCM) to help them most effectively assist students.
A full-time licensed nurse is responsible for maintaining individual student health records, conducting mandated screenings, distributing daily medications, monitoring complex medical conditions, providing medical intervention, overseeing the implementation of health protocols, and responding to medical emergencies.
When documented in an Individualized Education Program (IEP), individual nursing support (paid for by the student’s home school district) is available for students with significant medical needs.
- Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Speech Therapy
- Positive Behavioral Support
- Nursing Support
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy services include fine-motor-skill development, handwriting and computer skills, sensory integration, daily living skills, and functional feeding. Following a comprehensive assessment, an occupational therapist defines functional goals aimed at increasing independence. Along with a certified occupational therapy assistant, the occupational therapist works with a student to implement individualized goals in a variety of settings including the classroom, therapy room, and lunchroom.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy helps students develop and refine gross motor skills. A licensed physical therapist and licensed physical therapy assistant work with individual students to achieve identified goals. Staff members utilize a wide range of specialized therapeutic equipment such as standers, gait trainers, and various walkers as they work with students in a variety of environments – from the physical therapy room and physical education class to the outdoor playground.
Speech Therapy
Speech therapy services address a wide range of communication difficulties. Three masters-degree-level speech pathologists (Certification of Clinical Competence or Clinical Fellowship Year) help our students develop functional systems which may include speech, sign, picture systems, object/symbol systems, switches, and Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) devices. The speech pathologists also work in conjunction with the occupational therapist to develop and implement functional feeding programs.
Positive Behavioral Support
A full-time Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA) and a full-time behavior specialists provide direction and support to staff members for students with behavior challenges such as aggression, self-abuse, property destruction, elopement, non-compliance, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, and an inability to transition.
Thus, the primary goal of the positive behavioral support program is to minimize such challenging behaviors and teach students functional, appropriate replacement behaviors.
Through the functional behavior analysis process, the behavior therapists develop a positive behavior support plan and provide training to classroom staff members in order to fully implement our “no restraint” policy at The School at McGuire Memorial.
The Behavior Department ensures that all staff members receive training annually in Comprehensive Crisis Management (CCM) to help them most effectively assist students.
Nursing Support
A full-time licensed nurse is responsible for maintaining individual student health records, conducting mandated screenings, distributing daily medications, monitoring complex medical conditions, providing medical intervention, overseeing the implementation of health protocols, and responding to medical emergencies.
When documented in an Individualized Education Program (IEP), individual nursing support (paid for by the student’s home school district) is available for students with significant medical needs.