Services Available
The Boston Higashi School, utilizing the methodology of Daily Life Therapy® (Seikatsu Ryouhou), delivers all of its educational services to students in an holistic group-dynamic program. Daily Life Therapy provides a unifying set of principles by which all aspects of a student’s education can be guided so that the whole child is learning and developing to his/her potential. According to Dr. Kitahara, Daily Life Therapy is a “systematized program of guidance” taking into account each child’s individual needs; a program that enhances learning by having students learn through the real and meaningful experiences of daily living activities and community experiences within a normalized classroom setting. Daily Life Therapy demands “an appropriate education following a consistent policy within a controlled environment.”
The major tenets of Daily Life Therapy include the use of vigorous physical exercise to reduce anxiety and increase concentration, the establishment of stability of one’s emotions through a predictable, manageable, loving environment and intellectual stimulation encouraging the natural motivators for learning of interest, praise, mastery, and pride. Group education aims for the development of the individuality of each child within the group, helping the child grow through becoming self-reliant.
At the Boston Higashi School, our students are just children first and foremost, and then children who have Autism Spectrum Disorders. Thus, they are not defined by their autism. The education they receive and their opportunities to have a fulfilling and productive life are not limited because of their autism. Daily Life Therapy is not just a set of protocols to reduce symptoms but takes as its mission and responsibility the task of developing and educating the entire child.
The Boston Higashi School, utilizing Daily Life Therapy, offers an integrated service delivery model to address the developmental needs of its students. This means in practice that specialized services for students to meet deficits in various developmental domains are integrated and addressed throughout the entire day rather than offered on a 1:1 or “pull out” basis. The advantage of the Boston Higashi School model is that these services are provided on a full-time, in-context basis throughout the entire day so that learning is continuously reinforced and practiced.
Moreover, these services are not delivered in a “therapeutic” but in an educational way. The goal is not remediation of deficits but new learning appropriate to developmental level. The teaching style and the subject matter address these areas in functional meaningful contexts rather than as “exercises” to be practiced. For example, a child does not get “vestibular stimulation” in a “therapy swing” but learns to swing and pump in and out on a playground swing with peers as models and motivators. Children get proprioceptive feedback (for example: about the spatial orientation of their bodies, the rate and timing of movements, the amount of force their muscles are exerting, how much and how fast a muscle is being stretched, their postural tone and equilibrium, and the stabilization of their eyes (focusing) in space during head movement) by learning to bounce on a bouncing ball, jog, ride a bike and to roller blade.
Classrooms are arranged in order to foster natural social interactions with peers, taking advantage of a group milieu approach to learning. Pragmatic skills such as body positioning, eliciting attention, and turn taking are thus naturally addressed. Speech and language skills are enhanced as a functional aspect of each of these activities within the group context. Behavior management is also an integral aspect of all activities and is approached in a uniquely proactive way through the use of bonding, group dynamics, basic postures and the 3Ps of Prediction, Proaction, and Prevention. Gross motor movements during vigorous exercise and the simultaneous sensory processing of kinesthetic and other bodily/sensory information assist in the social and emotional self-regulation of behavior.
Similarly, motor skills (fine) are taught and sensory sensitivities are addressed during meals and dressing/undressing as well as in art, writing, computers, PE, music, play and leisure activities; sensory integration is promoted through daily activities of play, art, P.E. and music as well as in activities such as stage performances where children wear costumes, experience stage lighting, and perform music and athletic events in front of clapping and cheering audiences.
Other services which are specifically provided in the integrated and meaningful context of daily educational activities are detailed below.
Individualized Education Program
The Boston Higashi School provides educational services under IDEA following the guidelines of the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks as determined for each student by the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process which are then included in the IEP document. The Director of Special Education certifies that the Boston Higashi School is able to provide the services stated in the IEP.
Academics
Dr. Kiyo Kitahara’s teaching methodology provides students with systematic education to achieve social independence and dignity through their overall cognitive and intellectual development by providing a broad range of activities and experiences. Students are taught academics in an applied and functional way. The term “applied academics” means that within each curricular topic the teacher skillfully employs those portions of the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks that have meaningfulness (immediate relevance) for each individual student while maintaining grade/age level appropriateness. Academics are taught through monthly thematic units that utilize experiential learning activities. The strengths of each student’s learning style are utilized to enhance access to the materials presented in a multi-sensory format. In addition to promoting enhancement of knowledge through academics, the classroom setting allows students to practice essential life skills. These include development of proper body mechanics, promoting attention and listening skills and building fine motor skills. During academic lessons, as well as learning content, functional communication skills are also targeted through the expansion of vocabulary and concepts related to the monthly thematic units. Additionally, during all lessons and on many occasions throughout class, students are encouraged to communicate with staff and each other by greeting, commenting, responding, requesting, protesting, and using humor among other communication intentions created or occurring naturally.
Physical Education
Physical Education is the cornerstone of Daily Life Therapy. Exercise underlies the establishment of an appropriate rhythm of life in eating, sleeping, and being alert and motivated to learn. It is the foundation for discharging excess energy while enhancing directed energy and stamina, developing focus and concentration, feeling a calm and relaxed sense of well-being, and enabling participation in group activities. It underlies the development of an integrated sense of self and a feeling of competence and mastery leading to pride and self-confidence. The Physical Education curriculum incorporates a comprehensive developmental approach, which addresses the students’ needs to gain strength, agility, balance, coordination, endurance, flexibility and body awareness. Through developmentally appropriate activities and equipment, students develop gross motor skills which are essential for daily movement activities such as walking, running, climbing and jumping as they learn to acclimate to the stimulating world around them. A secondary benefit of the Physical Education curriculum is the opportunity for students to develop their fine motor skills, as activities and equipment promote the use of bilateral coordination, grip strength and force modulation. Using a Total Communication approach, students have the opportunity during group PE activities to make requests, give peers compliments, make comments, show enthusiasm (cheer), and later describe their experiences. PE also gives students the social opportunity to adjust to various size groups, learn to play appropriately and to have fun.
Art Education
Learning art activities encourages children to express their feelings, thoughts and knowledge in non-verbal ways as well as to gain an appreciation and understanding of the beauty of art and the world around them. The process of creating by oneself leads to awareness of the creations of others, generalizing to heightened sensitivity to one’s spatial orientation and place. In addition, art promotes neuro-motor planning and organization, concentration and joint attention, sensory integration, and cognitive development. Through varied curricular activities fine motor skills are attained, sensory defensiveness is overcome while tactile, visual and perceptual sensations are experienced, and attention to part/whole relations are developed. Many cognitive skills ranging from perceptual matching and discrimination to imitation and copying and personal characteristics from persistence and care to making choices and decisions for oneself are gained through art education.
Music Education
Music is motivating. As students develop an appreciation of music, they learn experientially about harmony, rhythm, and creating something beautiful with others. Music education in Daily Life Therapy focuses on singing, instrument play, movement to a beat, and music enjoyment. The curriculum is geared toward development of the child in a number of key areas. Through singing and instrument play students develop and demonstrate breath control and improved awareness of their oral motor skills. These skills. along with repetitious practice of motor planning movements, are all components that contributes to the development of speech and language.
Through instrument exploration and rhythm activities the students improve their fine motor coordination and dexterity, bilateral coordination and visual motor integration. Students participate in music that encourages whole body movements such as dancing, marching, jumping and clapping, in order to diffuse energy in a constructive fashion, while providing proprioceptive input to the bones, muscles and joints to promote body awareness, motor learning, coordination and balance. Many of these activities (such as the drawing songs) provide opportunities to practice coordinating the executive functions (listening, following directions, organizing) with fine motor activities. Students learn to enjoy and understand music in their daily lives while enhancing their overall ability to communicate with others and participate cooperatively in an enjoyable group experience. In addition, they learn to overcome auditory hypersensitivity and defensiveness. Individually, they learn to be musically creative and develop another avenue for self-expression and pride. Music has been shown to awaken the entire brain and stimulate all areas of learning.
Computer Technology
Most children understand that computers play games, computers play videos and, in general, computers are fun. When a teacher is able to build upon this motivating activity, computers are tools to enhance learning. The three main goals of computer education at Boston Higashi School are to support academics, develop functional computer skills and expand leisure activities. Social, communication and vocational skills are also addressed via numerous computer activities. A variety of educational programs are used to challenge students at their own levels in alignment with their individual IEP goals and objectives. The selected programs develop academic skills across a range of abilities from readiness to advanced, such as matching, categorizing, completing puzzles, identifying pictures/letters/numbers, learning phonics and sight words, improving spelling, increasing vocabulary, understanding concepts and researching topics of interest using a CD Encyclopedia and/or the Internet. Simultaneously, students practice fine motor skills, developing isolative finger movements, bilateral coordination, grasp, in hand manipulation and motor movements for using the mouse and keyboarding. They also learn to navigate various programs, switch between programs and do word processing. They learn to handle the computer carefully and responsibly and, as part of their leisure activities, students are encouraged to generalize their computer skills to their home environments or the residence, using a wide variety of programs depending on their individual interests. As advances are made in new technology and software, they are integrated into the program for our students as deemed appropriate (e.g. touch screen computers).
Daily Living Skills
Basic to the establishment of individual independence and dignity, is the development of skills to meet one’s own self-care needs. The foundation for this is the regulation of the basic biological rhythms of life for eating, sleeping, activity, and work. Under what Dr. Kitahara called “initial stage guidance,” these patterns are taught to all students to enable them to participate in all of the various opportunities and experiences of school and life. Learning independence in each area of self-regulation and self-care creates mastery and a sense of self pride that encourages children in all of their other learning. Thus, the teaching of daily living skills in a systematic and developmental way is a fundamental aspect of the curriculum of the Boston Higashi School.
Social Education
Play is “the bridge to social development” according to Dr. Kitahara and as such reflects and expresses the child’s experiences. Autism limits a child’s engagement with others and therefore opportunities for experience, but learning to play is a way that experiences can be created to entice the child into connectedness. The Play and Leisure curriculum of Daily Life Therapy is developmental, recognizing that learning play skills in a natural sequence builds a strong foundation for social relationships. Play is fun and contributes to feeling happy, successful, and self-confident. Playing helps children explore the sensory world, discharge energy, develop problem solving skills, enhance fine motor and gross motor abilities, learn social and emotional roles, express one’s feelings, and be creative. Through the use of toys, games, and recreation, the components of the play and leisure program gives students opportunities to expand their interests, to join others for participation and socialization, to develop functional capabilities and basic concepts about the world, and to develop one’s imagination and communication as well as learn attending and problem-solving skills that form a foundation for learning.
Clinical Services
Clinical Services are offered in a consultative collaborative model utilizing licensed specialists in their fields including a speech and language pathologist, a clinical psychologist, an occupational therapist and a physical therapist. Having this broad array of service providers available to consult about the individual needs of students as well as programmatic enhancements, contributes to the holistic and integrated service delivery model as well as expanding our understanding of the strong theoretical foundations of the relationship between Autism Spectrum Disorders and Daily Life Therapy.
Employment Education
The goal of employment education is for the students to secure supported and competitive employment positions that both challenge the student and meet the needs of the employer. Students are taught skills in areas such as clerical, custodial and food service both within the school and at community work sites. Various social language skills such as greeting coworkers, opening conversations, maintaining conversations, and closing topics are also taught in natural contexts. As they gain job skills and knowledge, students move from in-school work to obtain paid employment in community settings. Not only do the students learn the skills to do a job but also the skills necessary to be active and productive members of the community. As a corollary of these work experiences, students learn banking and money management skills as part of this program.
Emergence Division
This division is an extension of the High School Division with a focus on the necessary intensive educational and employment outcome goals for Young Adult students who are 19~22. Employment requirements for this division will mirror those expected after graduation (20-30 hours/week). Community Connected Academics will provide students with intensive and relevant on-site based learning in the community. The frameworks that are taught to these students is that of a 24-hour lifestyle incorporating academics, hobbies, domestic activities, exercise, employment, and community participation. The social and communication practices are taught in a way to allow them to be generalized post graduation.
Residential Program
The purpose of the Boston Higashi School Residential Program is one of education, teaching daily living, community, and social skills to Higashi students through the utilization and adoption of the pedagogical techniques of Daily Life Therapy. The residential program curriculum complements and reinforces that of the day program, allowing generalization of learning to this homey yet highly structured context. Enrollment in the residential program is based on need and is available to students ages 3 - 22. The residence operates 304 days per year.
Parents Collaboration Programs
We offer many types of parent training options with topics developed by the Program Committee, often suggested by staff or parents to address the home/school partnership. In collaboration with parents we continually review and develop new ideas.
A variety of parent-staff trainings and interactive programs are utilized to enhance general learning about the Boston Higashi School, and Daily Life Therapy, Autism Spectrum Disorders and other various issues of interest pertaining to our students and their families.
These programs are conducted in a variety of formats including panel presentations forums, workshops, study meetings and specific goal-focused training sessions, interactive materials-making meetings, participatory events and school festivals and celebrations.
We offer individual observations and training, on-going focus group meetings to explore and develop in depth understanding about specific areas of interest, and home visits. With our Parents Association, we have coordinated joint events. We also offer activities for siblings that support family cohesion and functioning.
Respite
Respite services are not directly provided by the Boston Higashi School. The Boston Higashi School coordinates with other agencies or enlists the support of the Boston Higashi School staff on a voluntary basis. Funding is provided by other state agencies or by parents. Boston Higashi School does not fund respite.
Educational Emergency
Emergency services may be requested by the parents while Boston Higashi School is in session by contacting the day school or residence as indicated on this book.
Inclusion
Students have many opportunities for inclusion activities with peers with typical development in either academic or community settings depending upon their needs and schedules. All students in the Transition Class participate daily in an Integrated Pre-School class involving both structured and socialization activities. Older students have reverse mainstreaming or may join integrated clubs such as drama, lunch or sports clubs where students from neighboring schools come to our campus. In addition, individual students may attend classes at local cooperating schools or their home school for selected periods as appropriate to meet their individual needs. Students in the Emergence Division hold community jobs, working alongside typical peers and access community facilities in many other areas such as health clubs, stores, banks, and the library. Residential students, and all students in the summer, take frequent trips into the community to enjoy recreation and to interact with others in enjoying all of the facilities available to the public. The goal of social education is to provide many opportunities for natural inclusion for students to learn the social skills needed for self-regulation so as to enjoy themselves in lifelong inclusion.
Transition
Transition support is developed and outlined through the IEP and transition planning process. The transition plan will be implemented by all designated team members as per the guidelines developed in the transition meeting. The detailed planning process will ensure a collaborative and effective transition for the students.
The Boston Higashi School, utilizing the methodology of Daily Life Therapy® (Seikatsu Ryouhou), delivers all of its educational services to students in an holistic group-dynamic program. Daily Life Therapy provides a unifying set of principles by which all aspects of a student’s education can be guided so that the whole child is learning and developing to his/her potential. According to Dr. Kitahara, Daily Life Therapy is a “systematized program of guidance” taking into account each child’s individual needs; a program that enhances learning by having students learn through the real and meaningful experiences of daily living activities and community experiences within a normalized classroom setting. Daily Life Therapy demands “an appropriate education following a consistent policy within a controlled environment.”
The major tenets of Daily Life Therapy include the use of vigorous physical exercise to reduce anxiety and increase concentration, the establishment of stability of one’s emotions through a predictable, manageable, loving environment and intellectual stimulation encouraging the natural motivators for learning of interest, praise, mastery, and pride. Group education aims for the development of the individuality of each child within the group, helping the child grow through becoming self-reliant.
At the Boston Higashi School, our students are just children first and foremost, and then children who have Autism Spectrum Disorders. Thus, they are not defined by their autism. The education they receive and their opportunities to have a fulfilling and productive life are not limited because of their autism. Daily Life Therapy is not just a set of protocols to reduce symptoms but takes as its mission and responsibility the task of developing and educating the entire child.
The Boston Higashi School, utilizing Daily Life Therapy, offers an integrated service delivery model to address the developmental needs of its students. This means in practice that specialized services for students to meet deficits in various developmental domains are integrated and addressed throughout the entire day rather than offered on a 1:1 or “pull out” basis. The advantage of the Boston Higashi School model is that these services are provided on a full-time, in-context basis throughout the entire day so that learning is continuously reinforced and practiced.
Moreover, these services are not delivered in a “therapeutic” but in an educational way. The goal is not remediation of deficits but new learning appropriate to developmental level. The teaching style and the subject matter address these areas in functional meaningful contexts rather than as “exercises” to be practiced. For example, a child does not get “vestibular stimulation” in a “therapy swing” but learns to swing and pump in and out on a playground swing with peers as models and motivators. Children get proprioceptive feedback (for example: about the spatial orientation of their bodies, the rate and timing of movements, the amount of force their muscles are exerting, how much and how fast a muscle is being stretched, their postural tone and equilibrium, and the stabilization of their eyes (focusing) in space during head movement) by learning to bounce on a bouncing ball, jog, ride a bike and to roller blade.
Classrooms are arranged in order to foster natural social interactions with peers, taking advantage of a group milieu approach to learning. Pragmatic skills such as body positioning, eliciting attention, and turn taking are thus naturally addressed. Speech and language skills are enhanced as a functional aspect of each of these activities within the group context. Behavior management is also an integral aspect of all activities and is approached in a uniquely proactive way through the use of bonding, group dynamics, basic postures and the 3Ps of Prediction, Proaction, and Prevention. Gross motor movements during vigorous exercise and the simultaneous sensory processing of kinesthetic and other bodily/sensory information assist in the social and emotional self-regulation of behavior.
Similarly, motor skills (fine) are taught and sensory sensitivities are addressed during meals and dressing/undressing as well as in art, writing, computers, PE, music, play and leisure activities; sensory integration is promoted through daily activities of play, art, P.E. and music as well as in activities such as stage performances where children wear costumes, experience stage lighting, and perform music and athletic events in front of clapping and cheering audiences.
Other services which are specifically provided in the integrated and meaningful context of daily educational activities are detailed below.
Individualized Education Program
The Boston Higashi School provides educational services under IDEA following the guidelines of the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks as determined for each student by the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process which are then included in the IEP document. The Director of Special Education certifies that the Boston Higashi School is able to provide the services stated in the IEP.
Academics
Dr. Kiyo Kitahara’s teaching methodology provides students with systematic education to achieve social independence and dignity through their overall cognitive and intellectual development by providing a broad range of activities and experiences. Students are taught academics in an applied and functional way. The term “applied academics” means that within each curricular topic the teacher skillfully employs those portions of the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks that have meaningfulness (immediate relevance) for each individual student while maintaining grade/age level appropriateness. Academics are taught through monthly thematic units that utilize experiential learning activities. The strengths of each student’s learning style are utilized to enhance access to the materials presented in a multi-sensory format. In addition to promoting enhancement of knowledge through academics, the classroom setting allows students to practice essential life skills. These include development of proper body mechanics, promoting attention and listening skills and building fine motor skills. During academic lessons, as well as learning content, functional communication skills are also targeted through the expansion of vocabulary and concepts related to the monthly thematic units. Additionally, during all lessons and on many occasions throughout class, students are encouraged to communicate with staff and each other by greeting, commenting, responding, requesting, protesting, and using humor among other communication intentions created or occurring naturally.
Physical Education
Physical Education is the cornerstone of Daily Life Therapy. Exercise underlies the establishment of an appropriate rhythm of life in eating, sleeping, and being alert and motivated to learn. It is the foundation for discharging excess energy while enhancing directed energy and stamina, developing focus and concentration, feeling a calm and relaxed sense of well-being, and enabling participation in group activities. It underlies the development of an integrated sense of self and a feeling of competence and mastery leading to pride and self-confidence. The Physical Education curriculum incorporates a comprehensive developmental approach, which addresses the students’ needs to gain strength, agility, balance, coordination, endurance, flexibility and body awareness. Through developmentally appropriate activities and equipment, students develop gross motor skills which are essential for daily movement activities such as walking, running, climbing and jumping as they learn to acclimate to the stimulating world around them. A secondary benefit of the Physical Education curriculum is the opportunity for students to develop their fine motor skills, as activities and equipment promote the use of bilateral coordination, grip strength and force modulation. Using a Total Communication approach, students have the opportunity during group PE activities to make requests, give peers compliments, make comments, show enthusiasm (cheer), and later describe their experiences. PE also gives students the social opportunity to adjust to various size groups, learn to play appropriately and to have fun.
Art Education
Learning art activities encourages children to express their feelings, thoughts and knowledge in non-verbal ways as well as to gain an appreciation and understanding of the beauty of art and the world around them. The process of creating by oneself leads to awareness of the creations of others, generalizing to heightened sensitivity to one’s spatial orientation and place. In addition, art promotes neuro-motor planning and organization, concentration and joint attention, sensory integration, and cognitive development. Through varied curricular activities fine motor skills are attained, sensory defensiveness is overcome while tactile, visual and perceptual sensations are experienced, and attention to part/whole relations are developed. Many cognitive skills ranging from perceptual matching and discrimination to imitation and copying and personal characteristics from persistence and care to making choices and decisions for oneself are gained through art education.
Music Education
Music is motivating. As students develop an appreciation of music, they learn experientially about harmony, rhythm, and creating something beautiful with others. Music education in Daily Life Therapy focuses on singing, instrument play, movement to a beat, and music enjoyment. The curriculum is geared toward development of the child in a number of key areas. Through singing and instrument play students develop and demonstrate breath control and improved awareness of their oral motor skills. These skills. along with repetitious practice of motor planning movements, are all components that contributes to the development of speech and language. Through instrument exploration and rhythm activities the students improve their fine motor coordination and dexterity, bilateral coordination and visual motor integration. Students participate in music that encourages whole body movements such as dancing, marching, jumping and clapping, in order to diffuse energy in a constructive fashion, while providing proprioceptive input to the bones, muscles and joints to promote body awareness, motor learning, coordination and balance. Many of these activities (such as the drawing songs) provide opportunities to practice coordinating the executive functions (listening, following directions, organizing) with fine motor activities. Students learn to enjoy and understand music in their daily lives while enhancing their overall ability to communicate with others and participate cooperatively in an enjoyable group experience. In addition, they learn to overcome auditory hypersensitivity and defensiveness. Individually, they learn to be musically creative and develop another avenue for self-expression and pride. Music has been shown to awaken the entire brain and stimulate all areas of learning.
Computer Technology
Most children understand that computers play games, computers play videos and, in general, computers are fun. When a teacher is able to build upon this motivating activity, computers are tools to enhance learning. The three main goals of computer education at Boston Higashi School are to support academics, develop functional computer skills and expand leisure activities. Social, communication and vocational skills are also addressed via numerous computer activities. A variety of educational programs are used to challenge students at their own levels in alignment with their individual IEP goals and objectives. The selected programs develop academic skills across a range of abilities from readiness to advanced, such as matching, categorizing, completing puzzles, identifying pictures/letters/numbers, learning phonics and sight words, improving spelling, increasing vocabulary, understanding concepts and researching topics of interest using a CD Encyclopedia and/or the Internet. Simultaneously, students practice fine motor skills, developing isolative finger movements, bilateral coordination, grasp, in hand manipulation and motor movements for using the mouse and keyboarding. They also learn to navigate various programs, switch between programs and do word processing. They learn to handle the computer carefully and responsibly and, as part of their leisure activities, students are encouraged to generalize their computer skills to their home environments or the residence, using a wide variety of programs depending on their individual interests. As advances are made in new technology and software, they are integrated into the program for our students as deemed appropriate (e.g. touch screen computers).
Daily Living Skills
Basic to the establishment of individual independence and dignity, is the development of skills to meet one’s own self-care needs. The foundation for this is the regulation of the basic biological rhythms of life for eating, sleeping, activity, and work. Under what Dr. Kitahara called “initial stage guidance,” these patterns are taught to all students to enable them to participate in all of the various opportunities and experiences of school and life. Learning independence in each area of self-regulation and self-care creates mastery and a sense of self pride that encourages children in all of their other learning. Thus, the teaching of daily living skills in a systematic and developmental way is a fundamental aspect of the curriculum of the Boston Higashi School.
Social Education
Play is “the bridge to social development” according to Dr. Kitahara and as such reflects and expresses the child’s experiences. Autism limits a child’s engagement with others and therefore opportunities for experience, but learning to play is a way that experiences can be created to entice the child into connectedness. The Play and Leisure curriculum of Daily Life Therapy is developmental, recognizing that learning play skills in a natural sequence builds a strong foundation for social relationships. Play is fun and contributes to feeling happy, successful, and self-confident. Playing helps children explore the sensory world, discharge energy, develop problem solving skills, enhance fine motor and gross motor abilities, learn social and emotional roles, express one’s feelings, and be creative. Through the use of toys, games, and recreation, the components of the play and leisure program gives students opportunities to expand their interests, to join others for participation and socialization, to develop functional capabilities and basic concepts about the world, and to develop one’s imagination and communication as well as learn attending and problem-solving skills that form a foundation for learning.
Clinical Services
Clinical Services are offered in a consultative collaborative model utilizing licensed specialists in their fields including a speech and language pathologist, a clinical psychologist, an occupational therapist and a physical therapist. Having this broad array of service providers available to consult about the individual needs of students as well as programmatic enhancements, contributes to the holistic and integrated service delivery model as well as expanding our understanding of the strong theoretical foundations of the relationship between Autism Spectrum Disorders and Daily Life Therapy.
Employment Education
The goal of employment education is for the students to secure supported and competitive employment positions that both challenge the student and meet the needs of the employer. Students are taught skills in areas such as clerical, custodial and food service both within the school and at community work sites. Various social language skills such as greeting coworkers, opening conversations, maintaining conversations, and closing topics are also taught in natural contexts. As they gain job skills and knowledge, students move from in-school work to obtain paid employment in community settings. Not only do the students learn the skills to do a job but also the skills necessary to be active and productive members of the community. As a corollary of these work experiences, students learn banking and money management skills as part of this program.
Emergence Division
This division is an extension of the High School Division with a focus on the necessary intensive educational and employment outcome goals for Young Adult students who are 19~22. Employment requirements for this division will mirror those expected after graduation (20-30 hours/week). Community Connected Academics will provide students with intensive and relevant on-site based learning in the community. The frameworks that are taught to these students is that of a 24-hour lifestyle incorporating academics, hobbies, domestic activities, exercise, employment, and community participation. The social and communication practices are taught in a way to allow them to be generalized post graduation.
Residential Program
The purpose of the Boston Higashi School Residential Program is one of education, teaching daily living, community, and social skills to Higashi students through the utilization and adoption of the pedagogical techniques of Daily Life Therapy. The residential program curriculum complements and reinforces that of the day program, allowing generalization of learning to this homey yet highly structured context. Enrollment in the residential program is based on need and is available to students ages 3 - 22. The residence operates 304 days per year.
Parents Collaboration Programs
We offer many types of parent training options with topics developed by the Program Committee, often suggested by staff or parents to address the home/school partnership. In collaboration with parents we continually review and develop new ideas.
A variety of parent-staff trainings and interactive programs are utilized to enhance general learning about the Boston Higashi School, and Daily Life Therapy, Autism Spectrum Disorders and other various issues of interest pertaining to our students and their families.
These programs are conducted in a variety of formats including panel presentations forums, workshops, study meetings and specific goal-focused training sessions, interactive materials-making meetings, participatory events and school festivals and celebrations.
We offer individual observations and training, on-going focus group meetings to explore and develop in depth understanding about specific areas of interest, and home visits. With our Parents Association, we have coordinated joint events. We also offer activities for siblings that support family cohesion and functioning.
Respite
Respite services are not directly provided by the Boston Higashi School. The Boston Higashi School coordinates with other agencies or enlists the support of the Boston Higashi School staff on a voluntary basis. Funding is provided by other state agencies or by parents. Boston Higashi School does not fund respite.
Educational Emergency
Emergency services may be requested by the parents while Boston Higashi School is in session by contacting the day school or residence as indicated on this book.
Inclusion
Students have many opportunities for inclusion activities with peers with typical development in either academic or community settings depending upon their needs and schedules. All students in the Transition Class participate daily in an Integrated Pre-School class involving both structured and socialization activities. Older students have reverse mainstreaming or may join integrated clubs such as drama, lunch or sports clubs where students from neighboring schools come to our campus. In addition, individual students may attend classes at local cooperating schools or their home school for selected periods as appropriate to meet their individual needs. Students in the Emergence Division hold community jobs, working alongside typical peers and access community facilities in many other areas such as health clubs, stores, banks, and the library. Residential students, and all students in the summer, take frequent trips into the community to enjoy recreation and to interact with others in enjoying all of the facilities available to the public. The goal of social education is to provide many opportunities for natural inclusion for students to learn the social skills needed for self-regulation so as to enjoy themselves in lifelong inclusion.
Transition
Transition support is developed and outlined through the IEP and transition planning process. The transition plan will be implemented by all designated team members as per the guidelines developed in the transition meeting. The detailed planning process will ensure a collaborative and effective transition for the students.
800 North Main Street, Randolph, MA 02368 | Tel:781-961-0800 | Fax:781-961-0888