Marlboro Central Schools has five Self-Contained Programs K-12

Prep (High School) 

The PREP (Post-Secondary Readiness and Educational Preparation) Curriculum was created specifically to encourage independence and autonomy for students, in school, at home, at work and in the community. The PREP Class seeks to fully develop each student’s potential by recognizing their individuality and providing an educational program that challenges each student to reach this potential. Each student is provided an individual educational plan thus all skills and abilities will be addressed at their instructional/academic level. Instruction also emphasizes skills that will allow the student to enjoy a greater degree of participation in an enjoyable lifestyle. The PREP Curriculum attempts to provide students with an opportunity to acquire independent living skills at a pace appropriate to the students’ abilities and needs. Every student has the right to be educated in a setting that respects their individual diversity, promotes meaningful personal relationships, encourages freedom of choice and that prepares him/her for a meaningful life.

The PREP Curriculum is designed for high school students who take the New York State Alternate Assessment and are working on developing skills for independent living as well as transition when appropriate. The curriculum is aimed at teaching the life skills needed to achieve self-sufficiency. Every student in the PREP class will receive a Skills and Achievement Commencement Credential (SACC) upon graduation. This certificate along with a Student Exit Summary will be provided as the student transitions from High School to their post- secondary life. It will document the student’s skills, strengths, and interests as well as the student’s level of academic achievement as measured by the New York State Alternate Assessment (NYSAA).

Some areas of focus are:

• Personal Information: applications, resumes, forms

• Personal Management: mobility, attending to personal needs, behaviors, domestic routine and recreation and leisure

• Self-Care: health, hygiene

• Meal Preparation, household chores and Kitchen Equipment: cooking, shopping, recipes, safety, cleaning (dust, sweep, mop, dishes, straightening up), and laundry

• Nutrition: healthy eating and cooking, exercise  

• Social Interactions: Intrapersonal, interpersonal, and group behavior

• Leisure Time: engaging independently, understanding rules, applying rules, understanding one’s gifts/talents, waiting skills, learning various games

• Career Awareness/Vocational Training: Intrapersonal, teamwork, work performance, personal management, interest level, ability level, behaviors

• Money Management and Values: handling and use of money, identification coins and bills, time management, use of calendar, schedules, use of basic math operations, steps in sequence, and word problems

• Functional Academic Skills: Functional math, Functional reading, and Functional writing. Enhanced skill building of student’s personal academic level in all academic areas

• Communication: Receptive, expressive and interactive

Transitions (Middle School)

Since Middle School is a time of many changes, Transitions is the name of our Middle School Life Skills Program. Our classroom consists of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders.  Reading is a vital life skill, and our curriculum throughout the day revolves around reading.  We want our students to become the best readers they can be and to reach their full potential. Writing is also a large part of our curriculum. Students have individual weekly spelling lists. They have their own student spelling dictionaries which are used for editing.  Another focus is on real-life math skills, such as: telling time, the calendar, money, and the basics of addition and subtraction. Our class runs the Marlboro Middle School store. Students use a cash register and interact with other students who come in to purchase items.  In Science and Social Studies we cover the seasons, geography, weather, current events, nutrition and holidays.  Social skills are another important aspect of adolescence. Through role-playing and modeling students are taught how to interact appropriately with their peers and adults. Responsibility is one of the three pillars at the Middle School. Our students have class responsibilities, as well as daily homework they are responsible for. They each have an iPad that they are responsible for. The iPads are used to help teach/reinforce every subject area. The long-term goal for our students is that they become independent life learners who make a smooth transition to High School.

Explorations (Elementary)

ELA:

• Guided Reading – Leveled in small groups according to reading level

• Read Aloud – Books read to the students on topics in class, world events or for listening pleasures

• Writing – A variety of writing topics to build stamina in writing and addressing specific skills in grammar and spelling suing the 6 + 1 Writing Traits

• Spelling – Sitton Spelling with an emphasis on sight words

• Preparation for NY State Assessments is incorporated throughout the year 

Math:

• Students are grouped according to levels and IEP Goals

• Preparation for NY State Assessments is incorporated throughout the Year 

Social Studies :

• Combination of 4th and 5th grade NYS and U.S. History

• Primary focus will be on the Hudson Valley Region and the part it played in history 

Science:

• Combination of 4th and 5th grade curriculum

• We will be studying crayfish this year – up close!

• “Great Body Shop”

   

Responsive Classroom

• Morning meeting combines proof-reading, social skills and sharing

• Teamwork is promoted by cooperative and fun activities

• Standards-based Report Card

• Students receive a 4, 3, 2 or 1 for their work in meeting, exceeding or working toward grade-level standards

Learning Social Skills and Appropriate Behaviors including Responsibility and Independence

• Positive behaviors are rewarded with individual stickers, class links, and tickets

  • Class links are earned as a class and rewarded with a movie when 50 links are earned

  • 7 individual stickers and a child gets to choose from the prize bin

  • Tickets are awarded to individuals for good work and appropriate behavior

• Negative behaviors are addressed through the “stop light”

  • Green – great choices!

  • Yellow – rethink your choices – can be moved back to green when they make good choices

  • Red – continues to make poor choices, can result in a phone call home, no choice time, lastly a visit to the principal

     

Communication:

• Red Communication journals are sent home about 4 times/week.

  • PLEASE read them, comment, initial the entry, and return them to school

• Orange folders are for homework, notes from the office, PTA, community activities

  • PLEASE check them & keep the “Keep at home info” at home.

Endeavors (Elementary)

The 2-3 self-contained class gives students a quality education based on their individual needs.

Respect Self-control Positive reinforcement Open parent communication *Activities based on IEP goals

General Themes

Social skills Sensory development Reading comprehension Reading fluency Handwriting – PAF program W.O.W. Vocabulary development Orton-Gillingham *Leveled Literacy Intervention program *ELA modules *Spelling  6 + 1 Writing program Explode the Code *Journal Writing *Scholastic Reader Monthly/Holiday Events Common Core Math

Tasks

 *Sensory Centers Journals Literacy Centers Guided Reading Groups Math Centers Various Writing Projects Cooking 

Discovery (Elementary) 

The Discovery Curriculum was created to meet the needs of all students following their Individualized Educational Plan. Our goal is to provide a positive and supportive environment for academic, personal and social development. The classroom is structured to minimize distractions and increase individual attention.

The Discovery Curriculum is designed for Kindergarten, First Grade, and Second Grade students. The curriculum is aimed at giving students a strong foundation to begin their academic career and meet grade level expectations.

Themes:

September:

• Classroom rules/expectations/routines 

• Names 

• Apples

October:

• Seasons 

• Fire Prevention 

• Pumpkins 

• Columbus Day 

• Halloween

November:

• Veteran’s Day 

• Thanksgiving

December:

• Holidays Around the World 

• Polar Express 

• Gingerbread

January:

• New Year’s 

• Winter 

• Frozen 

• Snowmen 

• Polar Bears 

• Penguins 

• MLK Jr.

February:

• Groundhog’s Day 

• Valentine’s Day 

• 100th Day 

• Chinese New Year 

• Nutrition

March:

• Dr. Seuss 

• St. Patrick’s Day 

• Spring Easter

April:

• Earth Day 

• Farms 

• Plants 

• Insects

May:

• Cinco De Mayo 

• Zoo 

• Rainforest 

• Camping 

• Memorial Day

June:

• Beach/Ocean 

• Flag Day 

• Summer

Tasks:

• Letter recognition/sounds/blending 

• Sight word development 

• Word families 

• Vocabulary Development

• Writing names/letters/numbers/complete sentences/writing journal samples 

• Number recognition/counting 

• Shapes 

• Number bonds 

• Addition/Subtraction 

• Graphing

Materials:

• Leveled Literacy Intervention Kit 

• Sounds in Motion 

• Fountas and Pinnell Phonics 

• Listening and Learning Domains 

• Skills Strand 

• 6+1 Traits Writing 

• Math Modules

• PAF Handwriting