High Road School of New London: Middle and High School
High Road School of New London: Middle and High School provides individualized support within a structured environment for students who have not met with academic or behavioral success in a less restrictive environment. We serve students with a variety of challenges that have prevented them from being successful in accessing their education. Our goal is to help students gain the confidence and competence needed to successfully access their education, and to help students develop the skills necessary to return to a less restrictive environment.
Our Students
Students are referred by their school district to attend High Road School and are generally in grades 6–12 (aged 12 to 21). Currently, High Road School of New London is privileged to educate students from not only New London, but surrounding towns as well. Students referred to High Road often face difficulties in a variety of areas, and possess Educational Diagnoses that include: Autism, Learning Disability, Emotional Disability, Other Health Impairments, Multiple Disabilities, ADHD, and more. At High Road School of New London, we believe in the success of each student that walks through our doors and utilize a team approach to provide comprehensive support to all students.
Our Staff
We are proud to employee 3 Certified Special Education Teachers, who possess a great deal of experience working with children from all walks of life. We also employee a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, who has a great deal of experience working with youth and has a wealth of resources. Our social worker is extremely connected with the surrounding communities and is available to recommend community-based services if a student requires them or a family expresses interest. Staff are trained verbal de-escalation and crisis-management techniques to assist students in developing appropriate skills to return to their least restrictive environment.
At High Road School of New London, we strive to instill behavioral and academic confidence and competence in students. Our research-based, highly structured academic and behavior model, low student : staff ratio, counseling supports, and token economy level system work together to help students develop the skills necessary to successfully access their education, and to prepare them to return to a less restrictive environment when they are ready.
Our school’s social work services, provided by a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), include individual counseling, social skills group, crisis intervention, case management, and collaboration with families and community agencies. Staff receive training in Life Space Crisis Intervention in order to take a trauma-focused approach to interactions with students.
Utilizing four specific instructional rotations, students are assessed academically, gain self-regulation skills, learn with district-aligned academic curriculums, and utilize integrated technology.
The school partners with various providers in the community to address needs and provide community support to students. High Road School works closely with student’s sending schools in order to connect students, who meet the requirements, to sports and activities available through their public school. The transition program connects students to work opportunities and volunteer opportunities in the community. Student field trips have included trips to the Pequot museum, local parks, and courses at the Fields of Fire Adventure Course.
The school partners with agencies such as Walmart, Walgreens, Access Health, the Gemma Mirand Center food pantry, and the Community Meals Center soup kitchen to provide students with various vocational experiences to build career readiness skills.
Transition services include a weekly transition elective and weekly push-in services into the classroom by the school’s full-time transition coordinator. During these times, students are provided with information that will easily translate to the world outside of school. Topics are often chosen by students and have included; managing money, obtaining employment, and exploring the options available after high school. Our transition coordinator is also available to have individual meetings with students to address specific goals. Students are engaged in a variety of activities including interest inventories, skill development, in-school jobs, college and vocational program tours, and participation at work sites in the community. Computer software, including CareerScope and TRAX, are utilized to assess student skills to ensure areas of strength are applauded and areas that need work are built up, helping each student reach his or her full potential.
I just wanted to let you know I talk about your group of students, that volunteer at the Gemma Moran Food Center, all the time. I Have other schools and groups of kids volunteer here, but High Road’s students are the most respectful, ready to work, and give back to the community, kids that I have ever had here. Even though your students may vary from week to week, there hasn’t been one student from High Roads that has been disrespectful or wasn’t here to work or volunteer. Thank you and the High Road School students for volunteering at the Gemma Moran Food Center.
– Lamar Spruill, Campaign & Community/Volunteer
