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The Calais School provides a host of special services to meet the diverse challenges and needs of our students. Student success is not driven solely by an IEP, needs are continually assessed to ensure that the right plan, with the appropriate level of services, is in place.
ANIMAL ASSISTED INTERVENTIONS
The Calais School is setting the standard for effective animal-assisted therapy in schools with our Animal Assisted Interventions Program. Our therapy dogs are extensively trained to handle the unique needs of students with special needs. The dogs and their handlers collaborate with faculty and therapists to help students reach their educational, behavioral and therapeutic goals.
COUNSELING SUPPORTS
Our counseling services team is a dynamic group of licensed clinical and school social workers. They play a crucial role in the emotional and physical well-being of our students. The counseling team facilitates effective behavioral and social skills development and integration by providing emotional and clinical support for all students.
Clinic & Agency
The Calais School is an approved clinic and agency that offers comprehensive and thorough evaluations in order to create a personalized learning profile. The evaluations and services offered assist parents, professionals, and school districts in creating the most appropriate and effective education program and plan for their students.
Our highly qualified and professional team is available to parents, school districts, and professionals for independent Child Study Team Evaluations that include:
- Learning/Education Evaluations
- Psychological Evaluations
- Speech/Language Evaluations
- Social Evaluations
- Compensatory Education (Basic Skills)
- Home Instruction
- Supplementary Instruction
- Child Study Team Services
- Occupational Therapy Evaluations
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Occupational therapy (OT) helps students participate fully in school activities—from paying attention, concentrating on tasks, holding a pencil, or behaving appropriately in class. The Calais School has an occupational therapist on staff for our students at no additional cost to districts or parents.
PHYSICAL THERAPY
Physical therapy is available to address the needs of students whose disability impacts their ability to access, participate, or progress in school environments. A certified physical therapist will provide a tailored plan based on recommended strategies, modifications, and adaptive aids to accommodate a student’s specific needs and abilities.
PSYCHIATRIC SUPPORTS
The Calais School’s consulting Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Dr. Bryan Fennelly, provides an additional layer of consultation services to the psychological services team at Calais in our efforts to provide for our students’ needs. Dr. Fennelly provides psychiatric consultations, diagnosis, and medication treatment at school when determined appropriate.
READING REMEDIATION
Reading is not just a fun and imaginative activity for children, it can also have an impact on a student’s personal, academic and professional success. Instructed by Orton-Gillingham certified reading specialists, students are able to work at their instructional level and at their own pace in a comfortable atmosphere using a variety of engaging supplemental materials based on their individual learning differences.
SOCIAL SKILLS BUILDING
Social skills weaknesses can negatively impact a child’s well-being on many levels including health, perceived self-worth, self-esteem, and other areas of learning. At Calais, students are supported as they cultivate a problem-solving framework and social competencies upon which they can rely as they develop positive social behaviors, peer relationships, and healthy life choices. We reinforce skills of social awareness, active listening, conflict resolution, anger management, accepting criticism, independence and more through direct teaching, activity-based learning, and role-playing. Our staff of Licensed Social Workers are also available for individual and group counseling as needed.
SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY
Our in-house speech pathologist meets individually or in small group sessions with students. The Speech and Language Therapy Program provides our students strategies that build their communication skills and strengthens their self-awareness and self-esteem in the process. Our program also supports other areas through collaboration with teachers and other professionals, providing push-in classroom services and input during parent teachers conferences.