Ages: 3-5

Mrs. Leeann Stanley

​Room 3 is the home of the Pre-K Program. The daily schedule includes morning circle (calendar, weather and songs), snack, Pre-K skills (such as colors, shapes, numbers and letters), story time, fine- and gross-motor skills, self-help, show and tell, arts and crafts, and language activities. Time is also set aside for free play and social interaction. All activities in the classroom are geared to where the children are from a developmental standpoint. To that end, we have two groups, one that receives preparation for kindergarten and one comprised of children with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities who receive more individualized attention according to their Instructional Plan (IP). Same-group and whole-group activities make up much of the day. Self-help skills include teaching as much independence as possible for eating, bathroom skills, and dressing.

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Ages: 5-9

Mrs. Diane M. Schultz​

Room 6 is a primary special education classroom catering to ages 5-9 years old. Children with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities transition from the pre-K program. Primary math and reading are taught and are individualized to meet each child’s needs. Religion, science, social studies, handwriting and life skills are taught in both small and large groups. Types of activities throughout the year include activities related to holidays, seasons of the year, school-wide themes, cooking class and many more.

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Ages: 9-13

Miss Vickie McHale

Room 7 uses a total sensory approach to learning. Instructional Plan (IP) goals are reached by incorporating all of the senses into learning activities. Within one activity, they are practicing a multitude of skills (numbers, letters, colors, name recognition, focus, and language). Students are provided with many different modalities within one lesson — not only to reach their goals — but also to keep them interested and involved. Sand bins, salt trays, play dough, shaving cream, paint and markers, rice, noodles, iPads and musical instruments are all part of the experience. Students have their own daily schedule to follow so they can anticipate the next activity. They also are taught to be as independent as possible with regards to self-help skills, which come into play every Monday when it’s job training day. Students go to various areas in the classroom where they practice small tasks that include folding washcloths, sorting silverware, mailing letters, matching socks and hanging them on a clothes line, putting shirts on a hanger, etc. Language is a huge focus. The students are exposed to a variety of ways to express their needs — words, picture cards, iPads, sign language and communication devices. Since everything students would want or need in the classroom is purposely placed out of reach to them, they have to ask for what they want and, thus, they learn to communicate. Café Cookbook, meanwhile, is held once a week and teaches students some basic cooking skills while creating a fun snack to eat. Guest chefs will come in and cook with the students during this program. And every Friday is Good Deed Friday, when students color a pictures and then mail it to someone who is sick or just in need of some sunshine.

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Ages: 9-13

Mrs. Nancy Peluso

​Room 9 is an elementary/intermediate classroom that teaches a combination of a learning support and life skills. The curriculum includes mathematics, reading and language arts, as well as functional life skills. The students in Room 9 switch classrooms with Room 5 three times per week for science and religion. Each student is taught at his/her own level and at his/her own pace of learning. Students are encouraged to be as independent as possible. Subjects are taught using textbooks, computerized reading programs, the Internet, iPads, the Tap-It table and manipulatives. Students receive homework several nights per week. Students attend the library once a week and also assist with lunch preparation once a week, the distribution of the weekly communication envelope, and taking daily attendance. Room 9 students assist with the earring component of the Mercy Metal Works program. 

 

Ages: 13-21

Mrs. Germaine Jordan

​Room 5 is a secondary classroom providing educational and social experiences. Room 5’s focus is to increase independence and self-confidence; and to offer exposure to a variety of skills that will prove beneficial when pursuing a post- graduation career. Curriculum is academic, functional, and based solely on the individual needs of each student. Students participate in in-house or community based Work Experience program. Some of our students attend Lehigh County Technical Institute as part of their half-day service occupation program. Students also are part of Mercy Metal Works and make the bracelet component of this fantastic operation.

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Ages: 14-21

Mrs. Kim Rompilla

​Room 4 is a secondary life skills classroom where the students’ daily routine is structured to focus on life skills, encouraging them to achieve and adapt positive behaviors that enable them to deal effectively with the demands of everyday life. The program is geared to meet the needs of both the individual needs and the group. Academic work focuses on math (using calendars, time, money, menus, and measurements), reading comprehension (with a focus on everyday words, job-related words, basic sight words and more) and science and social studies (focus on healthy living, maps and weather). Students develop their skills in fun and interesting hands-on ways. For example, the class goes into the community monthly to practice what they have learned about safety and proper manners. Students demonstrate both their gross-motor skills by making key chains through the Mercy Metal Works program, and their vocational skills by participating in the Work Experience program. They practice their social and communication skills when they have a meet-and-greet each month with their peers in Room 2.

 

Ages: 14-21
Mrs. Donnalee Carroll

The goal in Room 2 is to create an extremely social environment that encourages communication, interaction, a sense of community and a motivation to learn. Our classroom curriculum includes a structured daily schedule and solid classroom management plan, physical, gestural, and verbal prompting, as well as praise and positive reinforcement to help students meet educational and personal goals.

Large-group lessons, small-group settings, one-on-one instruction, team teaching, and sensory integration are all utilized to implement our lesson plans that are designed to be fun and motivating. Frequent integration with verbal and mixed-level students promotes peer modeling and generalization of skills. Students work on life skills, social skills, functional academics and vocational skills through the “lunchroom experience" (running the cafeteria one day a week), Mercy Metal Works (daily involvement in all aspects of creating, packaging and selling jewelry made from metal washers) and more. A weekly "Team Time" developed and team-taught by the teacher and speech, occupational and volunteer physical therapists will ensure that therapy needs are addressed on a regular basis. A weekly "Spa Day" provides a calming and relaxing sensory experience (while practicing self-help skills), and our "Dinner and a Show" program creates the atmosphere of a family dinner, giving our students a monthly opportunity to practice good table manners, self-help and social skills they need both out in the community and at social gatherings.