The Graham Academy has two primary ways of measuring success.  The first is externally mandated and the second is internally motivated.  The external mandates that guide how we measure success are given to us by state and federal regulations.  The Graham Academy is licensed as a Special Education School under the provisions of Pennsylvania regulations. Children in primary grades one through six, who are referred by local school districts as socially and Emotionally Disturbed or with a Autism Spectrum Disorder or Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) are provided an academic placement.  The School provides an educational program that is designed to meet each child’s special needs, and is adapted  to support a students Individualized Educational Program (IEP).  The acquisition of student competencies in areas of academics, cognitive, affective, language, social, perceptual motor, physical, self-help development are highest priority.  Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy, and other services prescribed in an IEP are delivered at the school.

With the assistance of skilled staff and a specially equipped facility, children at the Graham Academy are immersed in sensory driven activities in order to stimulate problem solving, active learning and personal discovery by utilizing visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning.  Each student at The Graham Academy has an IEP (Individualized Education Program).  This document then establishes that students are mandated to meet certain educational goals.  What makes the Graham Academy unique is that our staff uses teaching methods that accommodate the unique learning styles and abilities of each student.  Students are engaged in high levels of  interaction with staff and the approach to learning consists primarily of hands on activities that help students to make connections between concepts and their educational reality.

The Graham Academy also measures success through our ability to accomplish our internally motivated goals because we believe that when we accomplish these things students, families and school districts will benefit.  These goals allow us to measure success in not only what we do for our students but also for those we work with.

KEY GOALS OF THE GRAHAM ACADEMY

• To provide an educational experience that is specifically designed to meet the special needs of each child.
• To maintain small child to teacher ratio to assure individual attention and positive relationships.
• To facilitate the academic, social, emotional and communication growth of each student, allowing them to return to mainstream classrooms as soon as possible.
• To assure every student has an IEP that is appropriate to their needs as determined in partnership with their family and sending school district.
• To provide a safe, secure and nurturing environment where the development of creativity, physical well being, relationships, life skills and a sense of accomplishment are readily available and expected.
• To objectively measure outcomes and evaluate child progress, and adjust programming on an ongoing basis, through a process of  consistent evaluation including: hours of instruction, attendance, scholastic achievement, personal characteristics, student health, adjustment and accommodations and co-curricular activities.
• To provide school districts with alternative options for their students requiring special education as a result of social and emotional disturbance or autism.
• To coordinate academic placements to and from the Graham Academy with local school districts and collaborate to assure timely and effective transitions.
• To invite, collaborate and work with support services such as Therapeutic Staff Support, Behavior Specialist Consultation, Nurses Aid, Speech Therapy and Mobile Therapy when needed and helpful to a students academic success.