QC students make, sell key chains to raise money for Uganda playground

Students make a difference while they help other children far away. And there’s a business lesson in this as well. Students at High Road of the Quad Cities make and sell key chains to raise money for a playground in Uganda. So far, they’ve raised more than $500. According to its website, High Road School of the Quad Cities provides academic and therapeutic services for children, adolescents, and young adults, ages 3 through 21, with extraordinary needs. Landon Montgomery and Nathan Mansell work as a team. One cuts, the other colors. Tara Gonzalez said every key chain they make raises money [...]

QC students make, sell key chains to raise money for Uganda playground2022-04-22T13:41:23-04:00

High Road School of Peoria celebrates neuro diverse learners and the power of music

Children in the classroom learn in a variety of different ways. However, catering to each child's preferred or necessary learning style can be not only difficult, but sometimes impossible in a classroom of over 20 students. That’s where High Road School of Peoria comes in. The organization teams up with local school districts, such as East Peoria #86, Pekin #108, Dunlap #323, Limestone #310, and several others to provide custom designed education plans for students who may benefit from them. The goal is to create a nurturing and stimulating environment that allows for learning and staff and student relationships to [...]

High Road School of Peoria celebrates neuro diverse learners and the power of music2022-04-05T17:03:12-04:00

Community gardens help students blossom and grow. As a therapist, I’ve seen it firsthand.

The garden teaches students about nutrition, stewardship of the earth, collaboration of neighbors and more. Leiser is an occupational therapist at the Sierra School of San Diego, which focuses on special education and is located in San Carlos. She lives in North Park. I distinctly remember the first time I stepped foot into the San Carlos Community Garden. It was a hot San Diego summer day four years ago and I was touring the campus as an occupational therapy student for my level two fieldwork rotation. I was ecstatic being able to implement outdoor therapy for my students in a [...]

Community gardens help students blossom and grow. As a therapist, I’ve seen it firsthand.2022-04-05T11:02:21-04:00

Excel Academy Englewood students inspired by women’s empowerment brunch: ‘The sky is the limit’

When the young women at Excel Academy Englewood encounter challenges in the future following their passion, they're going to remember the women's empowerment brunch at their school. "I learned that the sky is the limit and you can do anything," junior Melody Terry said. "It was good hearing from somebody who started from the bottom and work their way up top and hearing them saying keep going," senior Traviyunna Williams said. In honor of Women's History Month, female students heard from women who have had their share of setbacks, but still accomplished their career goals. "You should always put yourself [...]

Excel Academy Englewood students inspired by women’s empowerment brunch: ‘The sky is the limit’2022-03-28T13:10:05-04:00

4 Essential Components of Behavior Support in the Classroom

Diane Myers, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Special Education - Behavior, March 22, 2022 -- Expectations that are clearly established, and reinforced regularly will contribute to a consistent, positive experience for students. The 2021-2022 school year began full of promise. Students, families, and educators were ready to get back to pre-pandemic learning routines. Almost no one was prepared for how the landscape had changed – many educators had left the profession, staffing needs were at an all-time high, and students were engaging in more frequent and more severe challenging behaviors. The disruption wreaked by Covid dramatically impacted our students, especially those who were [...]

4 Essential Components of Behavior Support in the Classroom2022-03-28T11:59:21-04:00

Sierra School of San Joaquin Now Open and Enrolling K-12 Students

New Non-Public School Provides Needed Community Resource for Those with Behavioral and Social-Emotional Challenges SAN JOAQUIN, Calif. , Feb. 02, 2022 -- Specialized Education Services, Inc. (SESI), a premier provider of education services for K-12 students who require additional educational and positive behavioral supports to overcome challenges that impede success in a traditional school setting, today announced the opening of the Sierra School of San Joaquin (2106 Cherokee Rd., Stockton, CA). Programming at Sierra School of San Joaquin is designed to meet the unique academic and social-emotional learning needs of each individual student. Sierra School of San Joaquin is a California Department [...]

Sierra School of San Joaquin Now Open and Enrolling K-12 Students2022-02-03T16:28:01-05:00

Excel Middle Years Academy Helps Students get into High School of Their Dreams

Excel Middle Years Academy is an accelerated school of choice for middle school students who find themselves in need of a smaller school setting. Located at 4300 Westminster Avenue, Excel’s mission is to create a safe environment for students to succeed inside and outside the classroom by fostering positive relationships within the school setting while learning to be responsible and accountable. “As soon as we do orientation with a student and a family member, the first thing we ask them is, what high school do you wish to attend? What is the high school of your dreams?,” said executive director [...]

Excel Middle Years Academy Helps Students get into High School of Their Dreams2022-01-28T15:55:56-05:00

SESI Behavior Expert Featured in K-12 Dive; Discusses Bringing Joy to the Classroom

K-12 Dive, a publication that gives insight into impactful news and trends shaping K-12 education, featured SESI's Diane Myers, SVP of Behavior in an article highlighting the importance of infusing joy into learning, especially with all the unique challenges students and teachers are facing during the pandemic. Educators are also reminding themselves of why they entered the teaching profession and why they want to stay committed to this work, even when it's difficult, said Diane Myers, senior vice president of special education-behavior at Specialized Education Services, Inc., a company that partners with school systems across the country to provide expanded academic, social [...]

SESI Behavior Expert Featured in K-12 Dive; Discusses Bringing Joy to the Classroom2021-12-29T10:19:10-05:00

SESI Alumnus and Student Mentor Discusses Personal Journey in Chalkbeat Essay

Raynard Gillespie, an alumnus and program mentor at Excel Academy of Englewood in Chicago, wrote a personal essay featured in Chalkbeat, a nonprofit news organization reporting on education across America. Raynard shares his journey of dropping out of school in ninth grade and then returning to high school at age 19 and graduating from Excel Academy. "At this new school, the teachers and staff didn’t give up on me and always pushed me to improve. If my classmates or I got a C, they helped us work toward a B, and then toward an A. Having someone in my corner [...]

SESI Alumnus and Student Mentor Discusses Personal Journey in Chalkbeat Essay2022-01-28T16:15:44-05:00

SESI Behavior Expert Featured in K-12 Dive; Discusses Remote Learning

A major shift in learning occurred in 2020, when educators had to rethink the Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) of students with special needs. K-12 Dive, a publication that gives insight into impactful news and trends shaping K-12 education, featured SESI's Diane Myers, SVP of Behavior in an article highlighting the struggles - and silver linings - of digital special education. "Early in the pandemic, many schools tried to move what they were doing in-person to a remote format and had this been just a short-term solution, it would have worked," said Myers. She added, "the pandemic dragged on and educators [...]

SESI Behavior Expert Featured in K-12 Dive; Discusses Remote Learning2021-06-30T09:57:59-04:00