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Name: Pressley Ridge Day School for Autism |
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The campus is located on the North Side of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, very near Pressley Ridge's main campus. The facility consists of classrooms, pre-vocational and daily living skills areas. The students have access to a large gymnasium. |
Pressley Ridge maintains provider contracts with state, county, and local governments and receives federal grants. Depending on the program, services are provided to children and their families on a fee-for-service and/or cost-reimbursement basis. Each student's education costs are paid through a contract with the referring school district. |
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The primary form of treatment for children with autism is education. Education encompasses working with the child and his/her family to support the child in the acquisition of skills and knowledge. Education for children with autism needs to include not only academic learning, but also socialization skills, adaptive skills, language and communication, and reduction of behavior problems. The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Program of Pressley Ridge focuses on all aspects of learning for our children and their families, so that we may assist them in developing independence and personal responsibility. Because children with autism are at high risk for other impairments, our program focuses on educational planning that addresses both the needs typically associated with autism spectrum disorders and those needs associated with any other accompanying disabilities. The Day School for Autism consists of a very structured combination of individual and group procedures. The program consists of the following components: |
Academic program, which includes one-on-one, small, and large group instruction; academic support teams; and computer-based and computer-assisted learning as appropriate. The staff is trained to deliver instruction through various techniques Treatment program, consists of a classroom management system, individualized interventions, and integration of various therapies into the classroom and community settings. Family Liaison program works with students' families in order to strengthen the child's overall environment so that the program supports the student's academic and behavioral progress. Reintegration program helps the student return successfully to a less restrictive setting. Experiential therapies teach youth new behavioral and educational competencies by linking IEP objectives to hands-on, discovery-oriented tasks. |
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The Day School for Autism is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and offers comprehensive curricula in compliance with state regulations. As such, all credits earned for Pressley Ridge courses are directly transferable to schools throughout the state. However, it should be noted that the classes taken by an individual, the materials used, and the teaching and evaluation procedures are determined on an individual basis. The range of outcomes for children with autism can be very broad due to the range of severity of the disorder. Our program works to support the attainment of language, social skills, and cognitive skills as close to age level as possible for the children that we serve. However, the core deficits in autism generally persist to some degree in most persons with autism spectrum disorders throughout their lives. Due to this our planning of services and programs is based on educational objectives that describe specific behaviors to be acquired or changed for each individual child. |
The attainment of these objectives becomes the educational outcomes for every student that we serve.Our program utilizes progress monitoring which is a scientific based practice used to assess the development of our students and evaluate the effectiveness of our program offerings. Our staff determines the present level of functioning for each student that enters the Day School for Autism. Goals are developed for the child based on the needs identified by the assessments. The children's progress is then measured daily, weekly, monthly and compared to their expected rates of learning. Based on these outcomes, teachers adjust their teaching. Hence, the child's progress is monitored and instructional techniques are adjusted to meet the individual's learning needs. |
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Each classroom is staffed by a special education teacher, a mental health (Behavior) specialist, and a special education aide whose responsibility is to assist the educational and developmental needs of our students. There are family liaisons who work directly with the students' families, the school districts, and other community agencies. There is also ancillary staff that provides instruction in physical education, art and music, speech and language therapy. A developmental pediatrician and nurse provide additional support. In addition, the integration of the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Program provides a level of service supported by the nationally recognized expertise in Autism. |
All students admitted must meet criteria for Autism, Developmental Delay, or Emotional Disability as outlined by the U.S. Office of Education (1977) or be considered by the Individualized Education Program team to be the most appropriate placement. |
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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. |
The Day School for Autism program is based on the concept of Re-Education and its 12 principles. We measure our results, evaluate quality, and train our teacher/counselors based on these principles, which were created and written by Dr. Nicholas Hobbs in the 1960s. These principles rest upon two beliefs: that every child wants to do well and that when basic needs are met, the child is able to learn. Our program philosophy is further framed by the intrinsic features impacting children on the Autism Spectrum. This philosophy is: All children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are entitled to, and benefit from guided social intervention; As educators, our job is to create experiences in which the children derive joy and meaning from being with each other and engaging in learning; We help children learn to communicate through joint attention, social referencing, and social cueing; |
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Our classrooms are intended to foster a sense of team and unity. We believe that being a member of a group has its own intrinsic value and reward. We also acknowledge the fact that many of our students do have these opportunities in their home school districts or communities; We believe there is a fine balance between routine and novelty and that both are needed to optimize learning in individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
• It is our strong belief that staff must receive strong initial and ongoing training and supervision in order to provide the best possible services. We expect our educators to be continuous learners and we encourage professional growth. • It is our strong belief that families/caregivers are partners in the treatment and education of their children. |
• It is our belief that initial and ongoing assessments are essential in order to ensure that each child's treatment/education is appropriate, effective, and holistic. • Our interventions, which are based on current research and best practice guidelines, are tailored to each individual's unique profile of strengths and weaknesses. • We are accountable for results. Treatment and educational effectiveness are measured and monitored continuously. • It is our belief that relationships are the vehicle for learning and catalyst for growth in children and families. We succeed when our children and their families succeed, not only while they are with us but in the future as well. We strive to produce educational and treatment effects that generalize, are long-lasting, and are transferable.
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Established in 2002, the school currently serves students from 45 school districts in a five-county area of southwestern Pennsylvania. |
The Pressley Ridge Day School for Autism educates children and youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Its school year is 180 days, with 6.5 hours of service per day. The staff is available to the family 24 hours a day all –year long. All components of Pressley Ridge are accredited through the Council on Accreditation. |
