The mission of HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy is to educate, nurture and care for children and youth with motor impairments who may also have other disabilities resulting from brain injury with the goal of assisting each individual in achieving his or her maximum potential.
At HMS, we focus on what each child can do. We give our students a voice and teach them how to navigate their world. Our individualized, comprehensive programs facilitate independence and social interaction, cognitive growth and communication skills.
We are experts in the field, not only in special education but in cerebral palsy, assistive technology and state-of-the-art equipment and techniques. Our interdisciplinary team reinforces students learning, as teachers collaborate with skilled physical, occupational, speech and recreation therapists to achieve IEP goals. The team also includes nurses, certified nursing assistants and a social worker who support students capacity to participate in the school day and in family and community life. As many as 9 to 14 individuals work together to make each childs program successful.
Technology plays a major role, so important that the team includes a full-time assistive technologist. Both high-tech and low-tech assistive devices help students access and control their environment. From activating a BigMack switch to mastering power mobility, from painting with an adaptive brush to utilizing a sophisticated communication device our team strategizes how to enhance each students growth.
The therapy disciplines are integral to HMSs education program, helping our students to access and control their environment, express their feelings and needs and experience life and learning more fully. Students complex needs drive our broad therapeutic offeringsspeech/language, physical, occupational, recreation, music, dance/movement therapies and adaptive art program. All therapists are HMS staff, essential members of the team.
We dont have a one-size-fits-all program. Whatever it takes, we aim to optimize each childs development. Therapists work with students individually in pull-out sessions or in the classroom and in small groups. We individualize all decisions, like scheduling a therapy session for a childs most responsive time of day. Therapists decide when to co-treat toward a students goals.
