Finding Purpose in Special Education

For Isaac Kim, teaching wasn’t part of his original plan. With a degree in philosophy, he didn’t set off seeking a career in education, but his experience with kids at his church’s vacation bible school and camps since age 13 made stepping into the classroom feel natural. “I was used to working with young people,” he said. “The population was different, but the principles were the same – building relationships, earning trust, and making sure they feel safe.” Now, five years after being hired at the High Road School of Hartford, Kim has found deep purpose in his work. Starting [...]

Finding Purpose in Special Education2025-03-26T18:08:03-04:00

Celebrating a Decade of Impact

This fall marks Jennifer Johnson’s 10-year anniversary with High Road Schools of Connecticut and B.E.S.T. Academy. Johnson knew from an early age that she wanted to be a teacher. Inspired by the educators in her life–especially her sixth-grade homeroom and science teacher –who helped solidify Johnson’s decision to pursue a career in education. That passion led her to a career in special education, where she has dedicated herself to helping students overcome challenges and achieve success. Today as regional director, Johnson helps lead multiple schools, shaping the lives of both students and educators. We sat down with her to reflect on [...]

Celebrating a Decade of Impact2025-03-13T16:21:12-04:00

Arien’s High Road Journey

Table of Contents Academic gains Ready for success beyond the High Road School Finding the right educational setting for a child with special needs can be an exhaustive search. Ashley Negron, the mother of Arien, knows this all too well. From the time Arien was just 3 years old, Ashley found herself struggling to get him the support he needed at school. Frustrated and wanting only the best for her son, Ashley decided to enroll him in the High Road School of Hartford, a decision that came with mixed emotions. "I didn’t [...]

Arien’s High Road Journey2024-06-13T15:00:42-04:00

Comfy for a Cause

Between our 90 standalone day schools and 90-plus In-District Classroom partnerships across 17 states, SESI serves nearly 8,000 special education students every year—many of whom have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Comfy for a Cause2024-01-19T09:53:00-05:00

‘An Incredible Honor’: Hartford Teacher Wins National Award

A Connecticut high school teacher is being recognized for her “outstanding and innovative” work in the classroom. High Road School of Hartford teacher Rachael Chatel was named as the first Teacher of the Year by Specialized Education Services, Inc. (SESI). The private school works with special education students ages 15 to 21 facing social, emotional, and behavioral challenges that can impede success in a traditional classroom setting. Nationwide, SESI works with more than 7,000 students in over 600 school districts. Chatel won the top honor for going “above and beyond for her students and working to engage families in meaningful [...]

‘An Incredible Honor’: Hartford Teacher Wins National Award2022-06-15T14:50:45-04:00

Christian’s Impressive Engagement

The staff at High Road have been impressed with Christian’s engagement while participating in distance learning. He holds himself accountable for logging-in for his scheduled Zoom and Google classroom sessions with the teacher and teacher's assistant. He is patient when technology isn’t cooperating, and he has done an excellent job expressing his frustrations appropriately! Christian, keep up the amazing work! Learn more about our school today.

Christian’s Impressive Engagement2020-12-15T20:51:28-05:00

Ms. Lewis Goes “Above and Beyond”

According to her peers, Ms. Lewis always goes above and beyond. She always supports staff and students when needed. She makes great connections with the students and utilizes the CASE language like a rock star! She makes balancing many roles look easy and she is always positive in the classroom! Learn more about our school today.

Ms. Lewis Goes “Above and Beyond”2020-12-15T21:00:50-05:00

Staff of the Month – April

Mr. Kim began as a teaching assistant in the Warriors classroom this year. His mild, yet confident manner immediately earned the students’ trust and admiration. He quickly became instrumental in using the SESI language and level system to provide our students consistency during the day. One of his teaching strengths is in science and more specifically his STEM lessons. His students love and thrive with the hands-on experience and Mr. Kim challenges them with new projects all the time. Mr. Kim was able to quickly switch directions to distance learning when it became necessary. For those of us who run [...]

Staff of the Month – April2020-05-18T15:32:01-04:00

Mrs. Carrillo Rocks!

Mrs. Carrillo always helps out wherever she is needed. She helps to make sure that the school has an inventory of necessary items that allow our school to run smoothly. The staff chose Ms. Carrillo as staff of the month for February because she is never afraid to step away from her duties at the front desk to support staff and students alike. She wears many hats at the high school. She is our administrative assistant, assists as qualified personnel to assist when the nurse is not in the building, and she is a CT DMV endorsed driver and [...]

Mrs. Carrillo Rocks!2022-01-18T00:28:31-05:00