High Road School of Frederick County
High Road School of Frederick County is a Type I full day Special Education and related services program serving the instructional and behavioral requirements of students with emotional disabilities in grades 1-12. The focus at High Road School of Frederick County is the development and implementation of highly individualized behavioral and learning programs to meet the needs of each student. These programs are developed in accordance with the IEP and all available assessment data.
Our Students
Our Staff
The High Road School of Frederick County serves the educational and behavioral needs of students in a therapeutic and structured environment. The program is designed to focus on personalized academic and behavioral goals so students may return to a less restrictive setting as quickly as possible. The goals of the program are as follows:
- To provide each student with the academic and social skills necessary to be successful at school, at home, and in the community
- To prepare students to return to a less restrictive setting
- To prepare students for Maryland State testing programs
- To provide students with a consistent and structured environment designed to prevent regression and produce both academic and behavioral gains
- To provide students with an array of cultural and recreational experiences
By focusing on key areas — academics, behavior modifications, support services, and transition / life planning services — we are able to meet the individual needs of all students through these varied approaches to instruction. Through collaboration with a student’s IEP team, we are able to choose the most appropriate learning model based on a given student’s present levels of performance, social capabilities, motor coordination, and ability to learn in a group setting.
Utilizing four specific instructional rotations, students are assessed academically, gain self-regulation skills, learn with district-aligned academic curriculums, and utilize integrated technology.
Transition Program
All of the programming that is designed to transition the student from school to work emphasizes preparation for productive employment after graduation. To make this employment as successful and fulfilling as possible, we help the student explore his or her interests and then build upon natural talents in choosing possible career paths. As students mature, we encourage them to gradually become more self-reliant. Our Transition Services staff aids in this process by giving the students just the right amount of independence and interaction with the wider community, while still providing the supports necessary for the students to feel secure and confident.
School-to-Work Program
Our School-to-Work Program offers students the opportunity to participate in true-to-life jobs within the school setting. The end goal of the program is to develop the students’ employment skills and social skills in order to maximize their potential for success in the real world. As such, students seek to obtain jobs by first filling out an application and interviewing for the position they are interested in, as they would in real life. Once the student obtains a suitable position at school, they are held accountable for their attendance and performance, so we work with them on such aspects of employment as punctuality, responsibility, and working independently. Many of the jobs the students procure involve our student-run, on-the-premises retail business. Students participating in the School-to-Work Program are trained to operate many of the state-of the-art machines that make customized products for sale through this retail business.
Community Work
The High Road School affords students the opportunity to take their learning outside of the classroom and transfer it into the community. We work with our students to practice the proficiencies they have mastered in the School-to-Work Program, and then, when a student is ready, a job coach accompanies them to volunteer or paid job sites out in the community. We partner with a wide array of local-area businesses (including restaurants, hospitals, preschools, and retail shops) to expose the students to real-life work experience and social interactions. In this way, students can explore numerous career avenues and gain valuable work experience to list on their résumés.
