Private School Spotlight: Shrub Oak International School
For a variety of reasons that are critical to ensuring success in our practice, it’s important and informative for Marc and me to visit various private school placements.
At the end of June, we toured a new facility, Shrub Oak International School, in Shrub Oak, NY (about an hour north of NYC). The typical student who would attend this program is imagined to be between age 14 and 22, have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis, and face complex challenges.
The campus is expansive — 127 acres with more than 32,000 square feet of classroom and clinical space. The main building, which had previously been a seminary, is a truly ideal space for a residential program, because it comes equipped with small apartments for students to live in as well as communal eating and recreation areas. In addition, there is ample living space for staff members who are in charge of residential life.
The environment lends itself to interdisciplinary learning. Teachers are encouraged to teach outside of their specific areas of knowledge. This fluidity ensures that the children are always learning — the school’s philosophical hallmark. The planned additions of a farm and garden will provide students with real-world experiences in addition to theoretical knowledge.
Particularly for this population, experiential learning is imperative. It provides the opportunity for students to explore their interests, especially as it relates to employment options.
The resources and benefits to this school, and similar programs, are far-reaching. Families travel from all over the world to enroll their children in this type of top-notch residential school.
Unfortunately, the road to tuition reimbursement for this type of placement from the Department of Education is often filled with daunting barriers. We support families and fight for the right educational placement for their child — one that will make all the difference in his or her life.
Contact us with questions.
Read more about Shrub Oak International School here.
Jonathan Gottlieb
Partner
195 Montague Street
14th Floor
Brooklyn Heights, NY 11201
Jonathan@GottliebFirm.com
(646) 820-8506