Northern Rhode Island Collaborative - Foundations Academy (Social & Emotional)

Foundations Academy (Social & Emotional)

The Foundations Academy provides special needs students - diagnosed with behavioral and emotional disorders - with an alternative to traditional schools.

Students in the Foundations Academy develop social and scholastic skills with the support of families, teachers and teacher assistants, along with occupational therapists, social workers, a consulting clinical psychiatrist, behavioral specialists, and community agencies. It is a mutually reinforcing network of educators and caregivers especially attuned to the needs of atypical learners.

Elementary Students

Elementary students in the Foundations Academy maximize opportunities for learning and scholastic achievement through participation in highly structured environments. A "level system" of behavior management places strict boundaries on behavior, citing and redirecting disconformant behavior, while tying real world incentives to active engagement and participation.

Students develop skills to better manage their social behavior along with scholastic skills needed to excel as lifelong learners and valued contributors to the community.

Secondary Students

Secondary students have a number of academic and career-oriented options, all correlated to the Rhode Island Diploma System. Our curriculum is rigorous, yet flexible, and open to on-going change and development, based on the individual needs of the student. It includes:

Enrollment in our Virtual Learning Academy, integrating an on-line national standards based curriculum
Community-based activities, providing students with experiences that will help them better understand themselves and their connection to their communities.
Vocational options, including several on-site initiatives, community-based training programs, part-time arrangements with area vocational-technical high schools, and work study programs.