The Diverse Support Program is located on the Woodland High School campus. It encompasses supports for students with diverse disabilities within a variety of educational settings. This program provides supports that are generally referred to as life skills, supports for students with autism and other pervasive developmental disabilities, including students with high functioning autism, and supports for students with multiple disabilities in grades 9-12. The program is staffed with one certified special education teacher and educational assistants. Based on individual needs, students may receive academic instruction in the Diverse Support Program classroom, the Resource Room, or the general education classroom. Students within this class have access to Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech Language Services, per their needs as documented on their IEP’s. The Diverse Support Program focuses on creating independent students. This encompasses academic, school, and community skills and independent mobility.

Life Skills Class

Students with intellectual disabilities, autism, and multiple disabilities receive supports for life skills/functional skills within the special education classroom. Students work on academic, home, social, recreational, and career goals. Students are integrated into the general education program based upon educational needs, appropriate behavior and experiences needed to fulfill goals. Most students are working to earn a high school diploma.

This program utilizes small groups as well as one on one work. Skills are taught through Direct Instruction from staff, modeling, and peer mentoring along with independent learning. Reading, Writing, and Math standards are addressed through functional academics with real world applications. All instruction is individualized for each student's needs, abilities, and goals.

Throughout the year students are able to participate and plan a variety of activities that give them experiences that relate to working or being part of our community, the following items are some of our activities:

  • Community Access
  • Job Training, including jobs on and off campus
  • Library visits

Structured Support Class

This class provides supports for students with High Functioning Autism and other Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Students receive intense supports for Executive Functioning Skills Social Skills through daily support in their general education classes, as well as instruction each day within the Structured Support Class. An Instructional Assistant checks in on students throughout the day, often assisting in general education classrooms to better support our students diverse needs. The Special Education teacher works with the IA to provide social skills instruction and executive functioning skills instruction in a classroom based format.

This program utilizes strategies and curriculum from nationally recognized Autism experts such as Michelle Garcia Winner (http://www.socialthinking.com) and Jed Baker (http://www.jedbaker.com). The structure and content of the class is crafted each year to address the specific needs of the students in the class.