Shepard School Programs
Middle School Program
The formative years of middle school, and the often uneasy transition to high school, can be a challenging interlude in any child's social development — never more so than for behaviorally disabled middle school students. The Shepard Schools Middle School Program works within the requirements of the N.J. State Core Curriculum Content Standards to help students prepare for and cope with the demands of the classroom, through a policy of individualized instruction and behavior modification intervention.
Who It's For
Students in grades 5-8 with significant behavioral disabilities (ADHD, Bipolar Illness, Asperger's Syndrome, etc.), who are not presently meeting the
academic and social demands of a regular middle school setting, even with access to special education services.
How It Works:
The Middle School Program at Shepard Schools recognizes the fact that many students struggle with emotional and behavioral immaturities which can interfere with everything from their self-esteem, respect and tolerance for others, to their academic motivation, ability to process information, and facility at solving problems.
The Shepard Schools program works within state Core Curriculum guidelines to equip students with the tools they need to achieve their potential in a mainstream school setting.
Factors such as work/study habits, behavioral choices and attitudes toward education are highlighted along with critical thinking, reading and writing, active listening, mathematical literacy, and overall command of subject areas.
Many of the students in the Middle School Program have been able to return to their sending district after attending Shepard for eighth and ninth grades, while others stay at Shepard High School through the end of twelfth grade, and successfully transition to a two or four year college.