Our Model

A therapeutic school community providing a creative, collaborative and integrative approach to learning.

Students are
supported by: 

  • Fully Credentialed Classroom Teachers 

  • Instructional Assistants

  • Speech Language Pathologists

  • Occupational Therapists

  • Marriage and Family Counselors

  • Social Worker

  • Vocational Coordinator

  • Classes are ungraded so children can learn and advance at their own pace.

  • Oak Hill School's low student-teacher ratio allows for continual evaluation and flexible programming to address individual needs in each area.

“Oak Hill is a place that nurtures your child’s full potential with dignity and love. With the staff’s support, my son was able to develop his own voice and opinions while guiding him through those tricky teen years. Oak Hill has transformed our son into a mature articulate young man who sees a bright future! Thank you!”

Special Education Teachers

  • Leads the Classroom

  • Adapts and Develops Curriculum

  • Creates Meaningful Learning Experiences

  • Individualizes Teaching Approaches

Occupational Therapists

  • Fine and Gross Motor Development

  • Activities of Daily Life

Social Worker

  • Partners with Student and Family to Plan for Adult Life After OHS

Speech Therapists

  • Language

  • Communication

  • Social Thinking

  • Social Pragmatics

Marriage and Family Counselors

  • Support Student and Family Emotional Well-being

  • Supports Emotional Regulation, Crisis Intervention, and Self Awareness

Vocational Coordinator

  • Coordinates Practical Work Experience and Internships

We first carefully evaluate each child's potential

… and determine the specific nature of his or her abilities and limitations. We then develop a program coordinated and aligned with each student's individual educational program (IEP). No single method or technique is followed exclusively at Oak Hill School. Each student’s program draws from a diverse collection of approaches that meet the student’s individual needs.

We use a suite of approaches within the relationship-based model, including structured visual work systems, augmentative and alternative communication, Floortime/DIR, activities promoting healthy emotional regulation, social cognition, and positive behaviour.

Oak Hill’s secondary school serves students ages 12 to 22 in one of five classroom groups.

One or more credentialed special educators leads each class, supported by highly qualified teaching assistants. Speech-language therapy, occupational therapy and psychotherapy are integrated with the classroom program. Social learning goals are a priority across the school. Students experience challenging and meaningful trips and internships in the larger community, such as working part-time in local retail businesses. Sensory interventions are available throughout the day for all students in the school.

Planning for transition

…underlies all our work at Oak Hill: preparing students for the next stage in their academic journey, developing vocational skills for entering the workforce, and cultivating daily living skills to maximize independence. 

Each Oak Hill student is on a different path, and our program is responsive to the unique needs of each student and his or her family. As part of the IEP process, we develop an Individualized Transition Plan for each student aged 15 and over. We work closely with families to access resources and make plans for the practicalities of aging out of the school system.