Pathways

Gateway’s youngest learners are placed in classrooms where they will be provided academic, social-emotional, school readiness, and life skills with a small student to teacher ratio using total communication. Special educators, instructional assistants, speech therapists, occupational therapists, and Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) collaborate to create an individualized program for each student. Instruction is provided in small groups, dyads, and one-to-one. Language instruction and principles of applied behavior analysis are implemented throughout the school day to build foundational skills. Students learn through play in a natural environment to generalize learned skills and continue to implement functional language and social skills.

• Integrated communication services
• Multisensory instruction
• Individually paced
• Individualized schedule of reinforcement
• Small class size
• Programmatic fine motor skills, social skills, and pragmatic language skills
• Exposure to grade-level curriculum
• Literacy and math interventions

Is Brave Pathway the right fit for my child? Students in the Brave Pathway classrooms demonstrate learning readiness and classroom behaviors.

Brave Pathway classrooms are taught by certified special educators with the support of an instructional assistant and 1:1 instructor(s) for student(s) as determined by the IEP. Classroom staff are trained by Gateway’s interprofessional team, including teachers, speech pathologists, and behavior specialists/Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs). The structure of the classroom is whole group (6 students) and small group instruction. Students have the opportunity to work one-to-one with the special educator as needed. Students are taught grade level curriculum adapted to meet their individual learning needs. The classroom is supported by a BCBA and speech-language pathologist. Students in the Brave Pathway may be diploma or certificate track.

• Small group instruction (3:1); flexible grouping
• Opportunity for 1:1 instruction
• Differentiated group instruction
• Adapted curriculum
• Integrated communication and language services
• Research-based strategies and interventions
• Individualized schedule of reinforcement
• 25-minute instructional blocks with 5-minute breaks
• Least to the most prompting hierarchy
• Keyboarding and technology instruction
• Guiding towards independence
• Instruction and intervention in English/language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science
• Explicit and intentional instruction of social skills and daily living skills; facilitated opportunities for generalizing skills learned

Is Epic Pathway the right fit for my child? Students are cognitively at or above grade-level, their disability impacts their social-emotional learning.

Epic Pathway classrooms are taught by a special educator and are supported by a speech language pathologist, teaching assistant, and behavior specialist. Academically, students may present with mild reading, writing, or math learning disability in addition to their autism. The classroom instruction includes critical thinking strategies, multi-sensory instruction, research- based programs, and systematic reinforcement system. Social Thinking is embedded throughout the classroom, students’ expectations are clear. Students are taught grade level or enriched curriculum with intensive social-emotional supports in place. The Epic Path classrooms engage in programmatic therapeutic groups to develop self-regulation skills and social skills as part of the weekly schedule. The groups are led by Gateway’s psychologist and speech pathologist. Students in the Epic Path are diploma track.

• Taught by a special educator and supported by a speech-language pathologist
• Integrated language services
• Embedded and intentional social skills and pragmatic language instruction
• Focus on executive functioning skills
• Small group instruction
• Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and Registered Behavior Technician support daily
• Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
• Sensory Supports
• Technology integration
• Inquiry-based curriculum for language arts, math, social studies, & science
• Curriculum differentiated to provide rigorous instruction

Fearless Path classrooms are taught by a certified special educator, students are provided a 1:1 instructor who is trained and supervised by a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). 1:1s are certified Registered Behavior Technicians (RBT) or provided the opportunity to enroll in RBT courses. Students engage in evidence-based practices throughout their program focusing on application of skills across people, environments, and contexts. Each student in the Fearless Path follows an individualized program to meet his or her specific learning needs, curriculum is modified and adapted to meet the student where he or she is with exposure to grade level curriculum. Students in the Fearless Path may be diploma or certificate track due to the individualization of the classroom.

• Maximum 1:1 support
• Special educators and instructors implement the principles of applied behavior analysis
• Research-based strategies
• Adapted and/or modified curriculum
• Intensive 1:1 instructional setting
• Individualized schedules of reinforcement
• Participate in small groups for a shorter duration
• Integrated communication and language services
• Instruction in English/language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science
• Direct instruction in the areas of social skills and essential daily living skills within the natural teaching environment
• Focus on communication, learning availability, skill acquisition, and generalization