Approach | Sand Hill School

Early Support as an Investment in the Future:

When you suspect that something isn’t working for your child at school, it’s natural to think, “Maybe next year will be different.” After all, it may be unclear if your child is experiencing a passing phase or is showing signs of a more serious issue. At the same time, research suggests that early intervention pays as an investment in the future. In one study, for example, providing early intervention for skill deficits in grades K-1 built skills four times faster than addressing the same problems in 4th grade+.

Sand Hill School is built on the tenet that early intervention is the key to changing the trajectory for children showing emerging difficulties in school. As a leader in providing alternatives to the “wait-and-see” approach, Sand Hill School builds critical skills to increase self-confidence and motivation to learn. The goal: Successful transition to a traditional classroom setting.

Personalized Attention:

Sand Hill School’s class ratio is 1:5 (one teacher for every five children).
Two experienced, credentialed teachers lead a classroom limited to 10 children.
Teachers develop a personalized plan for each child based on their observations of his or her strengths and needs.
Small group, in-class support from speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists and educational specialists from Children’s Health Council is offered as part of the weekly classroom schedule. (This support is included in the cost of tuition.)

Skilled, Caring Teachers:

Sand Hill teachers are specially trained and experienced in early childhood and/or special education. Teachers understand that when a child is uncooperative or shy, he needs the kind of environment and attention that helps him learn new ways of responding. Equipped with a tool box of teaching methods for individual needs, teachers approach each student with an attitude of compassion and curiosity to provide guidance in a way that works best for each child.

Teachers & Administration Collaborate with Team of Child Specialists:

One of the strongest differentiators for Sand Hill School is our team of child development specialists from Children’s Health Council (CHC). This team is readily available to every teacher and the administration starting from the admissions process through day-to-day classroom support and through transition to a traditional classroom. As part of CHC, Sand Hill School is in the unique position to draw on the expertise that resides with the specialists on site. From art therapists to behavior specialists and young child psychologists, the students in every classroom receive the kind of personalized attention needed in order to be successful.

Teachers collaborate with specialists and call upon them for additional strategies to help a child. For example, a teacher may ask an occupational therapist (OT) to come to class to observe a child and make recommendations for additional strategies. We call this the “dream team” model because many teachers in other settings who are accustomed to waiting months to get support from these types of professionals consider our model every teacher’s dream.

Access to Additional Integrated Care from Children’s Health Council:

In addition to the support that Sand Hill School provides as part of tuition, some parents find it beneficial to seek additional support from the same professionals their child has seen in the classroom. As part of Children’s Health Council, Sand Hill School offers the convenience of providing additional services under one roof. Appointments can be scheduled immediately following the school day to not only eliminate extra driving, but also eliminate the complexity of coordinating their child’s care among professionals. No longer does the parent have to be the hub for communication to make sure the speech-language pathologist knows what the child is working on in the classroom, for example. Parents can rely on the support of the Sand Hill School and Children’s Health Council to share the burden of responsibility with a team of experienced professionals. The cost for services received after the Sand Hill School day is not included in the cost of tuition.

Services and specialists available at Children’s Health Council include:

Services:

Evaluation (including psycho-educational evaluation)
Individual and family therapy
Social skills, language and other therapeutic groups
Individual educational services
Parent coaching & parent education

Specialists:

Art Therapists
Assistive Technology Specialist
Behavioral Specialists
Educational Therapists
Marriage & Family Therapists
Occupational Therapists
Neuropsychologists
Parent Coaches
Psychologists
Psychiatrists
Speech-Language Pathologists

+ National Institutes of Health