Guiding Principles

Oak Hill School believes that building a strong emotional bond to a child and connecting to his or her interests and passions are keys to establishing the foundation for successful learning. Providing individualized curriculum that is project-based and multi-sensory, utilizing a transdisciplinary approach, engaging families as partners and providing time for teachers and therapists to collaborate as a team are what make Oak Hill School unique.

Relationship-based Learning

Our students learn in a relationship-based model. Typically, students who come to Oak Hill School have been unable to develop the primary relationship skills in order to develop friendship, insights and feelings of belonging to a community. Our team carefully guides students through each of the six functional developmental levels of relating and communicating. Students are also assisted in efforts to expand their capacity to empathize and self-initiate. Our therapist team utilizes play, music, art, dance, puppetry and drama to help students express feelings and develop caring relationships with peers and adults.

Transdisciplinary Approach

Oak Hill School believes that in order for students to access their educational program, a transdisciplinary intervention team needs to work closely together in developing an appropriate educational plan. The team includes teachers, instructional aids, speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, music and art therapists and psychotherapists, to ensure that there is an integration of all services across all disciplines.

Curriculum

Oak Hill School uses the state mandated standards in Math, Science, Social Studies and Language Arts as a foundation for developing curriculum. Subjects are presented individually or in small groups and reinforced through play, project-based learning and experiences with dramatic production, gardening, music and movement.

Oak Hill understands that all students learn differently. Thus, the program offers a wide variety of curricular materials, strategies and methodologies as well as a multi-modality instructional approach. Fun for the children and constant successes are key ingredients when implementing our curriculum. In addition, when designing each child's individualized program, our team identifies what the student does well, is interested in and is excited by, in order to enhance the child's engagement.

Integrated Therapies

While Oak Hill offers individual and group speech therapy, occupational therapy, art and music therapy and developmental therapy, the school also integrates these therapies in a unique way to optimize a student’s learning. For example, our speech therapist may join a student during his or her occupational therapy time, understanding that when the student is engaged in sensory regulating activities both language expression and comprehension are acquired quickly. Our speech therapist may also co-lead an art and music therapy session, understanding that the rhythmic patterning of the music will enhance expressive language skills.

Parents as Partners

Oak Hill School understands that its students' education does not begin and end when the school bell rings. Families are an intricate part of the educational planning at Oak Hill School. Parents provide valuable input on their child’s interests, needs and challenges. Additionally, parents are members of the Board of Directors at Oak Hill School and participate in creating a safe, relationship-based and supportive learning environment.

Oak Hill School’s Services