TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804 Programs: Nurturing Growth and Fostering Independence
TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804 offers a comprehensive suite of programs designed to support students with a wide range of needs, from early childhood to young adulthood. These programs prioritize creating a sense of belonging, independence, and mastery in students while fostering strong partnerships with families and communities.
North Shore Academy: A Therapeutic Day School
North Shore Academy (NSA) stands as a public therapeutic day school committed to supporting students facing emotional or behavioral disabilities, autism, anxiety, depression, and other health impairments. The core philosophy revolves around equipping students with the necessary skills to cultivate a sense of belonging, independence, and mastery. This is achieved through a focus on the Circle of Courage, recognizing that behaviors are intrinsically linked to skill development.
Family Partnership and Support
NSA emphasizes creating strong partnerships with families, placing the student at the center of the collaborative effort. A variety of resources are available to connect families with therapy, community support, and pathways that promote growth. This comprehensive approach aims to support the learner within the context of their family system.
The skilled and educated staff at North Shore Academy collaborate with families, students, school districts, and community agencies to help students and families achieve their dreams and hopes, particularly when their lives have been disrupted by challenges at school.
Individualized Approach
Recognizing the unique and complex needs of each student, NSA provides a range of additional resources to tailor the school experience to address specific needs. Typically, a team of people, including parents, home school staff, and district representatives meet to determine what kind of program the student needs. If the IEP team agrees that a therapeutic day placement is the least restrictive placement for a student, the district representative will make a referral to North Shore Academy.
Read also: Career Paths at West Shore Educational Service District
Community Engagement and Service Learning
NSA integrates community engagement as a vital component of its program. Each day, groups of students venture into the community to share their talents and contribute to the well-being of vulnerable populations. Activities include serving food at soup kitchens, cooking for homeless shelters, tutoring local elementary students, assisting refugees, and leading activities in retirement communities.
In addition to these local activities, 12-14 students participate in a week-long service learning trip to another part of the country to engage in service related activities.
Mentor Program
Acknowledging the crucial role of supportive adults in a child's life, the NSA Mentor Program trains men and women to mentor students for up to four hours per week. Research has shown that having a caring adult outside of the family who takes an interest in a child and nurtures their development is essential for building resilience.
After School Recreation
North Shore Academy offers a wide range of after school recreation opportunities that occur within a structured, safe and nurturing environment. Working closely with students, parents and NSA staff, we seek to offer meaningful and positive experiences for our students that enhance self-esteem, healthy relationships and the attainment of social skills.
Parent Resources
Recognizing the challenges of parenting, NSA has developed a variety of resources to develop partnerships with parents that try to accommodate busy schedules as well as unique family needs.
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Leadership Opportunities
NSA strives to provide every student with opportunities to develop leadership skills.
Chicago Area Alternative Education League (CAAEL)
North Shore Academy is a member of the Chicago Area Alternative Education League (CAAEL). This league provides a chance for students to travel and compete in the sports of flag football, softball, basketball, bowling, and volleyball.
Arts Programs
Recognizing the importance of creative expression, NSA offers classes and after school activities in the areas of art (including ceramics), music and theater.
TrueNorth Supported Learning Environments (SLE) Program
The TrueNorth Supported Learning Environments (SLE) Program delivers educational services to students ages 6 - 21 with developmental delays, cognitive disabilities, autism, and multiple disabilities.
Integrated Classrooms
The SLE classrooms are integrated into member district’s general education school buildings to foster and support age appropriate, peer-oriented social connections.
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Trans-disciplinary Service Model
Students in the SLE Program are taught and supported within a trans-disciplinary service model where the teacher, speech and language pathologist, occupational and physical therapists, adapted PE instructor, nurse, intervention specialists (social workers and school psychologists), vocational coordinators, transition specialists, assistive-technology consultant and teaching assistants all work in tandem to maximize each child’s learning across all areas of development.
Self-Determination
From the development of the daily educational program, to establishing long-term transition goals, the SLE team works with each student to develop a sense of self-determination in making current and future life choices.
Transition Support
Experienced transition specialists work with students and their families to develop realistic transition goals for post graduation life and students work with their team to develop their personal transition plan based on those goals. This focus on transition support aims to create sustainable long-term outcomes for students.
TrueNorth's Early Childhood Program
TrueNorth's Early Childhood Program provides educational services to preschool-aged children through inclusion support services, half-day and extended-day programs.
Child-Centered Environment
Each Early Childhood classroom is created as a child-centered environment that is joyful, energetic, and respectful and addresses the needs of the whole child.
Partnerships
Integral to the success of the Early Childhood Program are the partnerships that exist with families, member school districts, community preschools and agencies serving young children.
Addressing School Avoidance
There are times when the stress of school is so overwhelming that a student will refuse to attend school. This strategy of avoiding the stress of school can have a great impact on how students cope with other stresses. Avoidance can quickly become a self-destructive go-to strategy for anxious students to manage the stresses in their lives. TrueNorth programs actively work to address and mitigate school avoidance behaviors, equipping students with healthier coping mechanisms.
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