Программа «Харбор»

Видение

The vision of the Harbor program is to provide a specialized education program for students who need significant, individualized support to build functional life skills, communication, and independence. Just as a harbor offers safety and a place to grow before heading out to sea, this program provides students with a calm, structured environment where they can develop essential skills at their own pace — with the support they need to thrive in school and in the broader community. Harbor is a place where every student is seen, valued, and supported. The program meets students where they are and builds the real-world skills they need to participate meaningfully in their school, their community, and their lives — now and in the future.

Описание программы

The Harbor program provides each student with individualized instruction, support, and services needed to access the general education setting when appropriate to provide social interactions with peers and to increase independence.

Staff use evidence-based strategies and draw on each student's strengths to guide their growth.The continuum of services, from elementary to high school, focuses on highly structured, individualized programming in:

Self-care and personal independence: developing skills for daily routines and personal needs
Functional skills: building the practical abilities needed for everyday life at school, home, and in the community
Communication and language: developing ways to express needs, make choices, and connect with others
Social skills and emotional regulation: learning to navigate relationships and manage feelings
Academic skills: accessing learning at each student's individual level
Transition and life skills: preparing for independent living, community participation, employment, and post-secondary opportunities

Students in the program have unique needs that include cognitive impairments, and most have significant needs in the area of functional/adaptive skills. Students typically receive specialized educational services for more than 60% of their school day. Staff focus on individual students’ positive attributes and strengths to assist in developing proficiency in skill areas, accessing the community, preparing for life after high school, and daily living skills.

Модель предоставления услуг и кадровое обеспечение

A full continuum of services is available and provided as indicated on a student’s IEP. Each Harbor classroom has a small group of 6–8 students, a licensed special education teacher, and paraprofessional support. Students receive most of their instruction within the Harbor classroom, with meaningful opportunities to participate alongside general education peers whenever that is appropriate and beneficial.

As students get older, the program expands to include community-based learning, work experience, and preparation for life after high school. The environment is intentionally calm and structured, giving students the safety and consistency they need to practice and grow.

Depending on each student's needs, their support team may also include speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, developmental/adapted physical education teacher, physical therapists, behavior specialists, vision specialists, job coaches, work experience coordinators, and school nurses.

Размещение

For placement in a center-based program, such as Harbor, students must be eligible to receive special education services. Placement in Harbor is always an IEP team decision, made collaboratively by families, educators, and specialists. All district center-based programs are multi-categorical based on student needs. Harbor primarily serves students with Developmental Cognitive Disabilities (DCD — including moderate and severe/profound), Severe Multiple Impairments (SMI), or Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

Before a referral is made, the school team works to provide additional support and interventions within the student's current environment. If those supports are not sufficient to meet the student's needs, a referral may be initiated. Placement decisions are guided by current evaluation data, the student's IEP goals, and a careful review of the least restrictive environment that will best support the student’s growth and success.