High Road School of Hartford: Primary & Middle School
Our school, located in Hartford, Connecticut. serves students in all disability categories, but especially focus on students with emotional impairments. Within our school, we use positive behavioral supports and interventions along with a team approach to help our students learn emotional regulation skills, improve their academics, and return to their regular education environment. While students are with us, we collaborate with families, outside service agencies and our team to help our students be successful.
Our Students
Students are referred by their school district to attend High Road School and are generally in grades K–8 (aged 6 to 15). They face disabilities in a variety of areas, including Intellectual Disability, Emotional Disability, Learning Disability, Specific Learning Disabilities, Speech and Language Impaired, Autism Spectrum, Intellectual Disability, Traumatic Brain Injury, Multiple Disabilities and OHI.
Our Staff
We are proud to employee certified special education teachers trained in crisis management. We also have 2 school social workers, a school psychologist, a speech and language therapist and a speech and language assistant. Additionally, we have an occupational therapist and a certified occupational therapist assistant. Physical therapy services are available based on student need. Our social workers are also available to recommend community based services if a student requires them.
- To provide each student with the academic and social skills to be successful in the school, community, and family system
- To prepare students to return to a less restrictive setting as quickly as possible
- To prepare students for State of Connecticut testing programs
- To provide students with consistent and structured tutorials in order to prevent regression and produce both academic and behavioral gains
- To provide students with an array of cultural and recreational experiences
- High Road’s interdisciplinary staff is responsible for providing our comprehensive special education program. The services of a psychiatrist and occupational therapists are also available on an as-needed basis.
In addition to students referred to us by their districts for full-service, longer-term programming, we accept students for diagnostic services as well. Our short-term 40-day Interim Alternative Education Placement (IAEP) program is a fully developed academic and behavioral intervention plan that expertly meets all district needs for interim placements; it encompasses intensive academic intervention, comprehensive behavior management, and individual and group counseling. With the end goal of reintegrating participating students into their public school settings, High Road assists public school districts with appropriate placement evaluation, review, and recommendations to best meet the needs of each student.
To supplement our school’s regular 10-month school year program, we offer an ESY (extended school year) program for eligible students. This summer programming provides academic support with an eye toward preventing regression of skills and maintaining academic and behavioral skills development through such means as subject area tutorials, behavioral instruction, recreational activities, and cultural experiences.
Family involvement continues to be a staple of the High Road model, and parents are always encouraged to visit the school at any time, learn more about our program, and become as involved as they wish in the academic pursuits of their children.
Utilizing four specific instructional rotations, students are assessed academically, gain self-regulation skills, learn with district-aligned academic curriculums, and utilize integrated technology.
Our Speech & Language Therapy Program features a coordinated and individualized approach. In group work as well as in individual sessions, our certified speech therapists work with students to correctly produce the sounds in words, increase speech intelligibility, develop vocabulary knowledge and understanding, and utilize appropriate conversational skills. Emphasis is placed on pragmatics, such as turn taking, topic maintenance, asking appropriate questions, and socialization. Grammar, syntax, and written expression are also addressed.
Our occupational therapists support students with sensory, perceptual, and motor problems in better meeting the daily demands of their environment. OTs use directed play as the primary method of treatment; however, classroom consultation directly with teachers and assistants regarding the student’s abilities is also key to their success. Directed play includes such activities as mazes and target games to develop hand-eye coordination and ball games to increase coordination between two sides of the body. Through the use of movement, touch, and other functional activities, the student more effectively develops the responses needed to function in the classroom, home, and community environments. As the child ages and his or her needs change, the focus is on the acquisition of specific skills used in daily life. These can include learning to measure baking ingredients, personal care, or crossing busy streets, depending on the student’s abilities.
Our social workers guide students through emotional and social growth issues. They focuses on helping the student develop age-appropriate skills and behaviors for the classroom and beyond. Through the use of recreational and other activities, they assist students in building self-esteem, applying social skills, and practicing leadership and team participation. The students are seen individually and in small-group sessions. It is also not unusual to find social workers in the classroom leading social skills activities.
A consulting psychologist and behaviorist are also available on an as-needed basis.
At High Road, all related services personnel work closely with classroom teachers to assure integration of learned skills into all classroom activities.
A student from Ms. Hartwich’s class, Khalil, readily volunteered to show other students how to use the Sensory Path after he received guidance from our Occupational Therapist, Ms. Megan Mele and his teacher.
According to the Sensory Path, what makes it unique is the research behind what they have formulated. As a Special Education Teacher, Holly Clay, the developer of The Sensory Path, served a large percentage of students with Autism. She noticed when a child started losing cognitive functioning during the learning process it helped to give the child some sensory input. She began studying which series of movements seemed to offer the child the necessary proprioceptive and vestibular input so the child could refocus and attend which ultimately increased cognition and retention of new information. She saw a huge reduction of sensory seeking behaviors and an increase in cognitive functioning. The Sensory Path has been identified as helping students with Autism, Sensory needs, ADD/ADHD and many other students who benefit from the specific movements designed in the path.
So far, students are greatly enjoying the path! Khalil likes that he has to complete a “bunch of different activities” and then is able to get right back to work and being a successful student.
Student Spotlight
Resources & Upcoming Events
Kim McVean
High Road School of Hartford County
2023-2024 Campus Winner
Elias Rodriguez
High Road School of Hartford: Primary & Middle School
2022-2023 Regional Winner
