Unique Qualities of The Gateway School
The Gateway School is a New Jersey special needs school staffed with dedicated special education instructional and support service professionals allowing for a low student-teacher ratio.
The warmth and energy that permeate the school creates an outstanding learning environment to provide the students support and structure to grow and progress both academically and socially. The program currently serves children, adolescents and young adult students ranging in age from five years old up to twenty-one. Of the students currently enrolled, approximately 60% are classified as Multiply Disabled or Cognitively Impaired. Over 30% are students diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorders. The remaining individuals are students with learning disabilities, traumatic brain injury or other health impairments.
The mission of The Gateway School in Carteret, New Jersey is to provide a safe and nurturing educational environment dedicated to the vision that individuals with disabling conditions are entitled to a full and meaningful life. The school seeks to empower each student with skills for life, work and recreation, believing that every individual possesses the dignity and potential to contribute to a better world.
The Gateway School provides each child with a solid foundation that serves as the basis for future success. Gateway begins by establishing an important bond between parent, sending district, student and school staff. The experience of getting education from The Gateway School offers a definite advantage in preparing students with disabling conditions to lead satisfying, productive and independent lives.
Unique qualities of The Gateway School
- The student/staff ratio varies from 2:1 to 4:1 depending on the age, learning and behavioral needs of each child.
- The small classes ensure individual attention and active participation in the learning process of each student.
- The Gateway School accepts students with challenging behaviors and strives to assist students to develop appropriate interpersonal skills to function within community, work and other social settings. The Gateway School provides a typical ten-month program as well as an Extended School Year, offering a full-time, thirty-day summer session.
- The school offers specially designed classrooms, therapy suites and an Activities of Daily Living room that includes appliances for cooking, laundry and instruction in other domestic skills.
- Each classroom is equipped with computers and internet access to allow students to learn technological skills necessary in our information society.
- Therapy staff includes Speech, Occupational and Physical therapists in addition to a certified School Counselor. School nurses provide medical coverage and relevant instruction pertaining to health and family life.
- Parent/Teacher conferences are held twice yearly during both afternoon and evening sessions to accommodate parents’ busy schedules.
- Music, Art and Physical Education add to the overall functional academic and life skills curriculum.
- Transition services allow for in-class, in-school and off-campus based work sampling in order to prepare students for future adult environments. In addition, transition services also enable parents to access programs provided by state agencies such as DDD and DVR.
- Community-based instruction allows students of all ages to generalize skills learned in the classroom out into the real world
- Mobility training teaches students how to access public bus and train travel in the central New Jersey area. We help students and families get set-up with services that will transport persons eligible in preparation for transition, such as Access Link.
- Social skills training based on Jed Baker’s research teach students better interpersonal skills to get along in school, at home and on the job.
- The intimate, family-like environment allows students to develop friendships, values and feelings of self-worth.
