P.G. Chambers School Brochure

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P.G. CHAMBERS SCHOOL

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P.G. Chambers School

P.G. Chambers School At P.G. Chambers School, “discovering potential� is at the heart of our mission, inspiring us to provide the best, most comprehensive special education and therapy programs for children with disabilities and developmental delays and inclusive early education for children with and without disabilities. P.G. Chambers School changes the lives of children by instilling a love of learning, encouraging independence, and most importantly, developing unshakable self-confidence.

Each child who participates in P.G. Chambers School programs benefits from an organization that makes a significant investment in his or her future with individualized instruction, the latest technology, community partnerships, and highly qualified educators, therapists, nurses, teaching assistants, social workers, and administrators.

Our History In 1954, the wish of a small group of parents convinced an entire community to support the development of a school and therapy center for their children with disabilities. Within a year, the organization was officially incorporated as the Morris County Easter Seals Center. In that year, the organization served 69 children and had three employees. By 1976, the organization had developed comprehensive therapy and educational programs, providing services for 225 children from Morris County. At that time, the Board of Trustees voted to become an independent organization and incorporated as The Children’s Center for Therapy and Learning, disaffiliating from Easter Seals.

In 1993, the Center outgrew its Morris Plains facility and moved to the current Cedar Knolls location, a 22,000 square foot building, becoming a regional facility serving 500 children from nine counties each year. As a result of rapid organizational growth and long waiting lists for services, the organization completed an addition to the Cedar Knolls facility in 2005, nearly doubling its size and expanding its geographic service area. In celebration of its 50th anniversary, and to honor longtime board member and benefactor, Patti Chambers, the center was renamed P.G. Chambers School.

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P.G. Chambers School

Our Vision Our vision is to become a regional center of excellence through the provision of model services, training, technology, consultation and advocacy, using our education and developmental experience and expertise, and our belief in the limitless possibilities for the children and families we serve.

Our Mission Our mission is to be a leader in the education and development of children with disabilities that increases the children’s confidence in their individual abilities, prepares them to engage in the community, and expands their capacity to lead full, productive lives.

Core Values By working cooperatively, diligently, and thoughtfully, we will maintain an organizational culture that values: • • • • • • •

Providing our community with the very best services for children with disabilities by seeking quality in everything we do; Showing respect for the children and families we serve, and for our colleagues with whom we work and grow; Supporting creativity in our thinking, and innovation in our solutions; Pursuing professional and personal growth every day, rewarding excellence and celebrating accomplishments; Taking pride in our organization, its uniqueness, flexibility and capacity for change; Showing ambition first and foremost for the cause, the organization, and the work; Being accountable for delivering results, disciplined in our thinking and actions; and responsible to the community that supports us.

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P.G. Chambers School

Early Childhood At P.G. Chambers School, the high expectations set for all students begin in the early childhood programs. As in other programs, children exhibit a diversity of knowledge based on differences in development, cultural background, and previous learning experiences.

The early childhood programs teach developmental skills through active play. Play allows children to explore their surroundings, learn important social concepts such as turn-taking, expressing themselves effectively, and developing confidence for trying new things and solving problems in a safe, supportive environment. The PGCS team of early childhood educators and therapists uses child-initiated play to promote appropriate social skills and language modeling when interacting with young children.

Early Intervention Early intervention provides support and services for children, birth to 3, with developmental delays and disabilities and their families. Intervention builds upon natural learning opportunities that occur within the daily routine of a child and their family. Services are based on each child and family’s individual needs and may include the following: educational interventions, social work, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. P.G. Chambers School also offers child and family group opportunities and an assistive technology program.

Child Care Kids Count Child Care is a high quality, inclusive program that provides learning, social, and creative early childhood experiences for typically developing children and children with disabilities ages six weeks to six years of age. The program operates five days per week on site at P.G. Chambers School. Kids Count operates under The Creative Curriculum, a State of New Jersey Department of Education recommended curriculum, which provides an educational framework and experiential hands-on activities, promotes growth in gross and fine motor abilities, cognition, communication, and social interaction, and prepares children for the next stage in their life. Child care staff members establish ongoing communication with parents to successfully address a child’s needs and progress. This collaborative approach enables children to be encouraged, supported and challenged to develop to their full potential.

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P.G. Chambers School

Private School and Enrollment P.G. Chambers School is a New Jersey Approved Private School for Students with Disabilities, and is as an educational option for students with disabilities, 3 through 14 years of age. PGCS offers comprehensive education, related services, therapy, and state-of-the-art technology. The academic curriculum meets the Common Core State Standards.

P.G. Chambers School welcomes prospective families to visit at any time during the school day and provides parents with general information about the programs, enrollment criteria, and services offered at PGCS. PGCS works with parents and child study teams to help identify appropriate educational settings for their children. PGCS has open, rolling admissions throughout the year for eligible students.

Preschool

At P.G. Chambers School, the high expectations set for all of our students, extend to the early childhood programs. As in the other programs, children exhibit a diversity of knowledge based on differences in development, cultural backgrounds, and previous learning experiences.

High Scope, a research based approach approved by the New Jersey Department of Education, is the P.G. Chambers School preschool curriculum. Ongoing research has documented its positive, long term effects on learners. In a High Scope classroom, the teacher organizes the classroom program around a set of key experiences derived from developmental theory and assessment of students’ skills. Classroom activities and small group instruction are designed to support children to develop social, play, communication and life skills.

The routine is child-centered allowing for attention to each student’s learning style, interests and individual needs. High Scope’s “plan-do-review” sequence involves children in decision-making and problem-solving situations throughout the day. The role of the educational team is to support the child’s choices and encourage them to extend learning beyond the original plan through accommodations, supports and facilitation. The space in the classroom is carefully organized to foster meaningful, sustained play. For young students, this establishes a strong foundation for future academic learning and the development of appropriate social skills.

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P.G. Chambers School

Grades Kindergarten through 8 At P.G. Chambers School, students participate in a full academic program, where learning is supported by access to technology, research-based curricula, and collaborative professional expertise. High quality instructional programs address each student’s individual learning style. Teachers, speech therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and nurses work as a team to ensure successful participation in instruction. Teaching strategies employ a wide range of high and low assistive technology and multi-sensory approaches. The teams deliver instruction within a meaningful context to foster motivation, mastery, and application to everyday life.

The P.G. Chambers School curriculum offers a unique blend of academic approaches to instruction chosen to foster success for all students. Data driven academic instruction is combined with opportunities for expression and exploration through the arts in whole class and small group art and music classes. Movement opportunities are created throughout the day to foster health, fitness and readiness for learning. All instruction is supported by assistive technology and occupational, physical and speech therapies.

Families are encouraged to participate in lessons, join parent groups and support the many school activities.

Person-centered planning is offered to students and families to foster thoughtful transitions to high school.

As a school, we are about possibilities not limitations.

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Extended School Year (ESY) Our six week ESY program is offered to so that our students can maintain their academic, social, communication, self-care and mobility skills that they have gained throughout the academic school year.

High School P.G. Chambers School partners with Randolph Township Schools to offer a collaborative high school program, called PG RISE at Randolph for students with multiple disabilities. The program combines the strengths and attributes of both the public high school and P.G. Chambers School. The high school program uses an adapted curriculum to support life-long learning and enhance real life applications of academic material. There are daily opportunities for inclusion in general education, a comprehensive related services program, and extensive use of assistive technology.

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Related Services at P.G. Chambers School Therapy at P.G. Chambers School is integrated into the student’s day using a variety of approaches. Each classroom operates with a team that includes a physical, occupational, and speech therapist as well as an educator and teaching assistants. As often as appropriate, therapeutic strategies, intervention, adaptation, and techniques are used with students within the classroom and integrated into lesson plans during the school day. Students also participate in individual and small group therapy, and therapists provide consultative services to classroom teams and families.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy at P.G. Chambers School facilitates the student’s access to the curriculum and the physical environment.

Occupational therapists work with students to engage, advocate and participate in every aspect of their daily life. OT services are integrated into classroom routines, small groups, and individual sessions. Occupational therapists use therapeutic strategies, interventions, adaptations, and innovative techniques to improve the students’: -fine motor and visual motor coordination skills as well as, -bilateral coordination skills -visual perceptual skills -daily living and self-care skills -access to technology -sensory processing and integration, and -self-regulation and executive functioning.

ambition purpose growth

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Speech and Language Therapy Speech and language therapy at P.G. Chambers School focuses on finding each individual students’ “voice” through spoken language, Alternative, Augmentative Communication (AAC) or a combination of the two. In collaboration with the student’s team, the speech language pathologist develops an individualized therapy plan to ensure each student has an effective means of communication to help them participate throughout their day. This includes opportunities to socialize with peers, participate in classroom lessons and engage in conversations. When speech and language therapy is integrated in the classrooms as well as in individual therapy and/or small group sessions, students learn to use a wide variety of communication approaches.

Speech language pathologists also work on increasing students’ oral motor and feeding skills to maximize each child’s potential during mealtimes for independence, socialization, nutrition and safety.

Physical Therapy At P.G. Chambers School, physical therapists work with students to reach their full potential by promoting mobility and function while minimizing impairments. Students not only learn to move but move to learn. Students move throughout the day with the supports necessary to be successful, achieving independence in accessing the curriculum and navigating the school environment. Because movement enhances learning, our physical therapists design an individual movement plan for each student. Each plan incorporates the use of adaptive equipment and assistive to create and maintain overall wellness and fitness. In addition, physical therapists also provide valuable information and training to families regarding the management of their children’s physical disabilities.

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Assistive Technology Assistive technology (AT) is used to support all programs at P.G. Chambers School. Our AT professionals use the ATEAM Approach (Assistive Technology: Linking Education, Access and Mobility) which assesses students’ multiple needs in order to create and recommend solutions to access the curriculum and school environment. The Access to Education clinic provides a venue for teams to work collaboratively for problem solving and best results.

Students and their families have access to weekly clinics held at the school. The clinics, offered in conjunction with appropriate product specialists or experts, include Equipment, Orthotic, Splinting/Fabrication and AAC (Assistive and Augmentative Communication). Services are also offered to children in Early Intervention, and to outpatients and school districts in the community.

Community Services P.G. Chambers School is qualified to help community public and private schools include students with disabilities into their classes and programs by providing on-site related services and educational consultation.

P.G. Chambers School develops contracts with schools to provide evaluations and direct services in speech language pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and assistive technology; learning and educational consultations to teachers and child study teams; and in-service training for staff and parent groups. P.G. Chambers School work collaboratively with the school district staff and are an integral part of the child study team.

Contracts may be short-term or long-term, either providing continuing services over a period of time. Each contract is specifically designed and customized to meet the needs of students with disabilities attending the contracting schools.

Contracts may also be a solution for schools to cover family leave, staffing shortages, or when particular expertise is required for a child to participate and benefit from his or her Individual Education Plan (IEP). There is a wide range of services offered from individual therapy to student evaluations and school consultations. Our expertise in assistive technology, augmentative and alternative communication, and complex feeding challenges sets us apart.

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P.G. Chambers School

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About Us Throughout its history, PGCS has responded to the needs of children and families with professional, high quality, caring services. Today, PGCS is a leader in the field of special education and therapy services for children with developmental disabilities. PGCS is credentialed as both an Approved Private School for Students with Disabilities and an Approved Clinic and Agency by the New Jersey State Department of Education and licensed by the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Office of Children and Families. The school is one of the region’s most comprehensive educational and therapeutic service providers, serving 11 counties in northern New Jersey.

P.G. Chambers School is a private, nonprofit, tax-exempt organization under Section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, tax identification #22-1551480.

If you would like more information about P.G. Chambers School, including scheduling a visit, please contact us.

P.G. Chambers School 15 Halko Drive Cedar Knolls, NJ 07927

Email: info@chambersschool.org Phone: 973.829.8484 Fax: 973.829.8485 www.chambersschool.org

Connect with us: www.Facebook.com/PGChambersSchool www.Twitter.com/PGChambersSchl

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Discovering the unique potential within every child.

P.G. CHAMBERS SCHOOL 15 Halko Drive • Cedar Knolls, NJ 07927-1380 • 973.829.8484 • www.chambersschool.org “Cover art, self portrait by Michael, Class 1 and mentoring artist Khari Johnson-Ricks”