Pressley Ridge Day School Greensburg

President: B. Scott Finnell, Ph.D., LCSW

School Type: Licensed Private Academic Special Education School

Founded: Pressley Ridge was founded in 1832, and the Day School Greensburg was established in 2008

Ages/Grades: 6-22 years of age

School Setting: The Pressley Ridge Day School Greensburg program serves youth, ages 6-22, with behavioral and mental health issues that prevent them from obtaining an appropriate education in their neighborhood school. Youth enrolled in the program also meet the criteria for DSM IV diagnosis such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Conduct/Oppositional Disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Mood Disorders, Developmental Disorders, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, and Asperger's.

School Size: We are licensed to serve up to 60 students

Classroom Size: The program consists of 5 self-contained classrooms, each with a capacity for 12 students

Student/Teacher Ratio: Two staff to twelve students is the maximum ratio

Tuition: Each student's education costs are paid through a contract with the school district that has sent the child to Pressley Ridge and has agreed to pay. There are no fees to parents or the families and guardians except for meals and those rates are based on family income.

Departments:

The program components of the Day School Greensburg consist of the following: academic program, treatment program, family liaison program, reintegration program, and experiential therapy program.

Curriculum:

The Day School Greensburg is licensed and approved by they PA Department of Education and offers comprehensive elementary and secondary curricula in compliance with state regulations. As such, all credits earned for courses taken at Pressley Ridge are directly transferable to schools throughout the state. However, the classes taken by an individual student, the materials used, and the teaching and evaluation procedures employed are selected on an individual basis. Because of the highly individualized nature of the educational program, the majority of instruction is conducted on a one-to-one basis; however, both small and larger group instruction is used when appropriate, particularly when students are nearing discharge to public school programs.

Percentage of Graduating Class: During the 2007-2008 school year, the Day School Greensburg graduated 100% of their seniors Support Services: Reading Specialist Program; Speech and Language; Behaviorist

Support Services: Each classroom is staffed by a special education teacher and a mental health specialist. In addition, there are family liaisons specialists who work directly with the students' families, the school districts, and other community agencies involved with the students (i.e. juvenile court, mental health, children and youth services). There is also support staffs that specialize in providing ancillary instruction. Speech and language therapy is provided through the student's home school district on an as needed basis. Program services are monitored by coordinators and supervised by the program director. A psychiatrist and psychologist are available to provide consultative support services.

Camp Programs: Yes

After School Programs: No

Computer Capabilities:

Yes

Parking Spaces/Availability: Yes

Uniform Guidelines: Uniforms are not required

Admissions Requirements:

Students are referred to the Day School Greensburg by local school districts when those districts' special services prove ineffective to meet the students' needs. We admit only those students who have been unable to function satisfactorily, despite receiving specialized services and participating in special programs.

Mission Statement:

The mission of Pressley Ridge is: to improve the adjustment and achievement of children and youth with troubling behaviors through effective programs that focus on all aspects of their lives; to lead in the development of innovative programming through evaluation, research, and outcome measurement; and, to champion initiatives to improve the system of care for children, youth and their families.

Philosophy/Belief Statement:

The Pressley Ridge Day School Greensburg program is based on the concept of Re-Education and its 12 principles, created and written in the 1960s by Dr. Nicholas Hobbs. The principles rest upon two basic beliefs: that every child wants to do well and that when basic needs are met, the child is able to learn. The Day School believes that every child has the potential to perform well if the following needs are met: belonging, safety, relevance, attention, competence/mastery, power/influence, empathy, and fun/stimulation.

School History: Since 1832, Pressley Ridge has been providing services to children with troubling behaviors and developmental disabilities incorporating the principles and values of Nicholas Hobbs' Re-Education. Focusing on the strengths and talents of each child brings enrichment and remediation to lesser known skills. In this way, teacher/counselors help children to become healthy and competent. They find joy in life, become healthy and productive, and find a place in society where they can be successful.

Notes/School Information:

The Pressley Ridge Day School Greensburg program provides intensive, relatively short-term educational and therapeutic services. Our hope is that these services will allow the participating children and youth with social and emotional disorders to reintegrate into their communities and schools. Success for a majority of the students is gauged by the following: a return to the public school system with minimal special services and/or programming; improved relationships with family, peers, and community, with reduced involvement in the judicial, child welfare, and mental health systems; increased ability to function independently and/or move toward life goals; ability to transfer improved functioning to other environments. All components of Pressley Ridge are accredited through the Council on Accreditation.