Frequently Asked Questions

The school day at Harbor School starts at 8:30 am and ends at 2:30 pm.

A typical class of eight to ten students has one special education teacher and a student to staff ratio of less than two to one.

Harbor School uses the Lee Canter Assertive Discipline in conjunction with the Crisis Prevention Intervention ( CPI) as a general school-wide approach to support behavior. Each teacher develops a classroom plan catered to meet the needs of their group of students. For those students who need an individualized plan, all staff who work with that child will meet with the school behaviorist to generate an individual plan. This plan is sent home for parental approval and then is sent to the Case Manager so it can become part of the IEP.

All of our teachers and therapists hold certifications or licenses that allow them to work with special needs students. All of our assistants have completed two years of college or they have taken and passed the Para-Pro Praxis Test.

There are usually six to ten students in a class.

The school has an “open door” policy and parents can visit and observe their child. Parents can also observe their child having therapy. Therapists are willing to train parents in what they are working on with a particular child so that the parent can do the same activities at home. This will serve to enhance the child’s program and help the parent and therapist to work together to improve the child’s skills.

Therapy sessions are thirty minutes long.

Therapy can be done individually or in a group. The therapist decides which format is appropriate and will best meet each child’s needs.

Transportation is provided and arranged by the sending school district. Transportation can be done by a public school van or bus or by vehicles that are privately contracted by the sending district.

All teachers use the classroom dojo app to communicate with parents directly and in real time. Some teachers also use a communication book that goes back and forth with students for teachers and parents to write anything of importance in.

In addition, parent conferences are held in November and March and they afford the opportunity for parents and staff to meet.

Progress reports are sent home to the parents in November, March and June. The annual IEP which is held at the school is another forum in which the school staff and parents can communicate with each other.

The principal will review the child’s records. During the initial visit the principal, classroom teacher and therapists will observe the child and determine if the placement will meet the child’s educational and therapeutic needs. The parent will be informed of the school’s decision to accept or not accept their child at the end of visit.

The child can start as soon as Harbor School receives the IEP and as soon as transportation can be set up with the school district.