Mission
The Joy School prepares students with learning differences to return to traditional classroom settings by enabling them to reach their academic and social potential in a safe, supportive environment.
Philosophy
We believe students with learning differences learn best when given opportunities to:
• Be viewed and taught as individuals with unique strengths, weaknesses and learning styles
• Understand and respect individual strengths, weaknesses and learning styles in others
• Set reasonable and achievable goals for themselves
• Discover and accept their personal strengths, weaknesses and learning styles and practice advocating for themselves based on these qualities
• Receive remedial instruction in areas they find difficult, while being allowed to excel in other areas
• Learn in small group settings
• Participate in activities which allow them to work directly on social skills
Goals
• Provide remedial academic instruction in order to grant students the opportunity to improve their performance so their test scores more closely match their expected grade level
• Allow all students to be successful in order to promote higher self-esteem
• Create opportunities to practice positive pragmatic skills, including self-advocacy
• Support students and their parents in finding appropriate schools for placement following attendance at The Joy School
• Promote a professional environment that values creative thought, qualitative judgment and decision making and where professional growth and collaboration are supported and respected
• Provide consultation services, training and resource information for parents, professionals and schools not directly involved with The Joy School in order to increase community awareness regarding the needs of students with learning differences
Values
The House Rules posted in our lobby are not just a colorful, warm welcome to visitors and students. They are who we are!
Our house rules boldly highlight the everyday actions that occur on campus, creating a JOYful school experience for all students, parents, faculty and staff.
The House Rules form the core of our approach to discipline, diversity and inclusion, character education, social skills instruction, bullying prevention and more. On a daily basis, students are reminded about how these rules shape their character not only in the classroom, but also on the playground, at home, in our communities and in the future.