The total communication program is dedicated to the development of listening, speech, language, literacy and communication so that students can function competitively within the hearing community.
A team of trained paraprofessionals and other support service providers, including sign language interpreters, complements our highly qualified professional staff. All staff receives comprehensive training in the latest developments in technology and strategies for enhancing children's learning. Staff has up-to-date knowledge and skills for working with children with cochlear implants. We offer applied academic programming for students who need direct application of skills for reinforcement and comprehension.
Services to Students
- Simultaneous sign and verbal communication
- Small group instruction
- Educational audiological services
- Mainstream program
- Music
- Inpidual Education Plan developed in conjunction with sending school district's Child Study Team
- Full academic curriculum with emphasis on English
- Interpreter services
- Note-taker services
- Counseling
- Art
- Physical Education
- Computer instruction
- Intensive inpidual speech, auditory and language therapy 3-5 times per week (Speech pathologist ratio 1:12) with emphasis upon listening, speech language and literacy
Our program provides a comprehensive academic program that is enhanced by allied subjects including art, music, library, physical education and extracurricular sports.All classrooms in the Lake Drive Program utilize Smartboard technology as well as a high ratio of computers to students with access to computer-assisted learning opportunities. The Lake Drive state of the art audiological diagnostic testing center has the capacity to program cochlear implants.
Mainstream Program
When appropriate, mainstream education for allied and academic subjects, with comprehensive support services is available throughout the Mountain Lakes School District. This includes mainstream opportunities within the Wildwood Elementary School, Briarcliff Middle School, Mountain Lakes High School and the Morris County School of Technology.
Lake Drive also staffs a team of itinerant teachers of the deaf who provide support and in-service education to students in their home school districts.
Organization of Mainstream Program
- Lake Drive School plans and organizes IEP in conjunction with student's home school district, parents, and staff at mainstream school.
- Students spend a portion of the day in mainstream with support services of teacher of the deaf in mainstream, as needed.
- Orientation and in-service training for teachers of mainstream classrooms.
- Team approach for monitoring student progress.
- Sensitivity and awareness sessions with hearing pupils.
- Interpreter and note-taker services.
Services to Parents
- Reference Library: Books and videotapes
- Evening family education meetings
- Inpidual parent counseling
- Social worker-led group parent information meetings
- Sign language class
- Home-school communication log
- Evening parent education program
- Written progress reports 4 times per year
- Parent conferences and visitations twice annually and more upon request or need.
- Home and School Association
Staff
- Principal
- Supervisors of Instruction
- Fully certified teachers of the deaf
- Classroom teacher paraprofessionals
- ASHA certified audiologists
- School Psychologist
- Occupational Therapists
- Consulting specialists in other areas, as needed
- ASHA certified speech and language pathologists with specialization in language, speech and auditory habilitation
- Art Teacher
- Computer Specialists
- Music Teacher
- Certified Auditory/Verbal Therapists
- Audiological Technician
- Consulting Clinical Psychologists
- Physical Therapists
- Physical Education Teacher
- MSW certified social worker- bilingual service available