Our Classroom

Curriculum Highlight— Unique Learning System

Unique Learning System is a computer-based curriculum specifically designed for students with significant support needs. It takes the actual Common Core State Standards and creates modified, accessible versions — so your student is working on real grade-level content adapted to their abilities. Lessons include digital and printed materials, read-aloud support, and differentiated levels within each unit. It is not a separate, watered-down curriculum — it is the same standards, presented a different way.

Truly individualized

even in a group. Instruction in every center is differentiated by skill level. Your student works at their own level within the group and moves forward only when they demonstrate mastery of the current skill. No one is rushed ahead, and no one is held back. The student — not the calendar- drives progress.

The Centers

Language Arts

Reading comprehension & writing

Students work on reading comprehension, vocabulary, and writing skills using grade-aligned, modified texts. Reading instruction is delivered through our Unique Learning System curriculum — texts are presented on screen, read aloud by the program, and printed for repeated review. Writing tasks are scaffolded to each student's current level, from tracing and copying to composing sentences and short paragraphs independently.

Mathematics

Functional & grade-connected math

Math instruction is functional and practical — focused on skills students will actually use. This includes telling time, handling money, addition, subtraction, and multiplication where appropriate. Lessons connect to the Common Core through modified Unique curriculum, so students are working toward grade-level concepts at the right access point for them.

Community & functional life skills

Real-world skills for everyday independence

This center builds the practical knowledge students need to navigate the world around them — pedestrian safety, reading crosswalk and traffic signs, functional sight words like job words and grocery words, and other daily living skills. Instruction connects directly to IEP transition goals and the long-term goal of greater independence in the community.

Vocational skills

Work habits, tasks, and school-based jobs

Students practice job-based tasks and take on real responsibilities within the school setting. This center builds foundational work skills — following multi-step directions, task completion, attention to quality, and workplace behavior — in preparation for future employment and transition programming.

Campus Safety

Our middle school ESN program operates as its own distinct community within the Montgomery campus. Students move, eat, and learn in dedicated middle school spaces — separate from the high school throughout the day.

How we keep middle school spaces protected

Safety Student Advisors (SSAs) are stationed throughout campus to maintain zone boundaries and prevent high school students from entering middle school areas. Middle school and high school brunch and lunch schedules are intentionally staggered to minimize contact.

Montgomery is a closed campus with an anti-scaling fence and a gated parking lot. Parents and visitors must sign in through the main office before entering the campus at any time.

Arrival & Dismissal

Morning Drop-off

Students arrive by bus or parent drop-off during the designated 8:05–8:15 window. Families arriving after this window must check in through the office.

Afternoon Pick-up & Buses

Students leave the classroom at 2:05 and board buses by approximately 2:09 — before the 2:10 bell — so they are not caught in high school hallway traffic. The bus loading area is a designated safety zone, actively supervised by staff and SSAs.

8:05 – 8:15

Morning arrival window, Assistants are on Hahman Ave to support Students through campus to Room P

Lunch & food routines

How lunch works

Lunch boxes travel to the cafeteria on a cart. Students may eat a packed lunch from home or choose the free school lunch. The Thursday/Friday school lunch option is available for families who prefer it on specific days.

Individualized food support

For students with medical or behavioral considerations around food, the team can create a structured, predictable lunch plan — including menu review, set choices, and consistent daily routines. Please reach out before school starts to coordinate any medical accommodations.

Pragmatics - "Social Skills"

Self-regulation — the ability to recognize how you are feeling and manage it — is a skill that does not come naturally to everyone. For many of our students, it needs to be explicitly taught and practiced. We use a research-based framework called The Zones of Regulation to do exactly that.

The Zones give students a simple, visual language for understanding their own emotional state — and a set of strategies for getting back to a place where they can learn, connect, and feel good.

Students learn to identify which zone they are in, use strategies to manage it, and build the emotional vocabulary to ask for help. These are life skills — not just classroom skills. A student who can recognize and manage their own feelings will navigate friendships, work, and daily life more successfully for years to come.

Mainstream Courses - Electives

All Students participate in one general education elective course for the duration of the school year. Courses include:

7th Graders

8th Graders

Leadership
College 2 Career
Art

We feel it is vital for our students to learn from their typical peers. Students participate to their fullest capabilities with the support of assistants and the Special Education teacher supervising all modifications and interventions. Curriculum and instruction is modified to meet the needs of each individual student.

Mainstream Courses - Physical Education

All students participate in 1 general education PE course for the duration of the school year. We feel it is vital for our students to learn from their typical peers. Students participate to their fullest capabilities. Curriculum and instruction are modified to meet the needs of each individual student.

The price for physical education uniforms (short & shirt)

Shirt & Short $20.00

Sweatpants $20.00

Sweatshirt $20.00

*The PE uniform, knee-length solid red shorts and grey crew neck, short sleeve tee shirt, may be purchased through Slater or elsewhere.

7th Grade Parents please remember to buy the uniform a size bigger so that it can be used for two years.

Community Based Instruction

Community Based Instruction (CBI) is designed for students that need intensive instruction in functional and daily living skills. Community Based Instruction (CBI) is educational instruction in naturally occurring community environments providing students “real life experiences”. The goal is to provide a variety of hands on learning opportunities at all age levels to help students acquire the skills to live in the world today.

Community is defined as the school, home and city community environments in the location the student lives. Students with cognitive challenges have difficulty generalizing or transferring information. When instruction is conducted with the actual materials in the natural environment where a functional skill is expected to be performed or the activity would occur, students progress at a greater rate. CBI provides natural opportunities for Adult Living skills practice that is meaningful to students. Concepts and skills that are introduced in the classroom are applied and practiced in natural environments in the community using CBI. CBI experiences allow students to see, hear, smell and do things in real life settings as opposed to simulated or artificial settings that are very abstract. Doing things in the natural environment is concrete, reinforcing, and assists in providing educational relevancy for the student.