Social/Emotional Disabilities Programs
The CASE Collaborative Social-Emotional Program serves students with average or above average intellectual abilities who experience social, emotional, and/or behavioral difficulties, and have been unable to make adequate academic and social/emotional progress in the general education setting. Students from kindergarten through high school are served in our Acton location.
Students served in the CASE Social-Emotional Program may have one or more of the following characteristics:
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Poor impulse control
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Difficulty remaining on-task
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Difficulty with transitions
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Low tolerance for frustration
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Difficulty managing conflict
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Underdeveloped social skills
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Emotional and behavioral self-regulation difficulties
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Difficulty following the agenda of others
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Inflexible behavior
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Oppositional behavior
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Poor relationships with peers and/or adults
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Difficulty dealing with stress and/or anxiety
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Difficulty modulating moods
An important goal for every student is to gain an increasing awareness of his or her strengths and challenges. The educational climate within each classroom is designed to promote learning by:
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Creating a comfortable, non-threatening, caring environment for learning;
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Engaging students personally through the use of journals, discussion, sharing, reflection; and
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Helping students recognize and use adaptive coping and problem-solving strategies.
The CASE Social-Emotional Program offers highly structured therapeutic classes that are academically challenging while also remaining supportive and sensitive to the individual needs of each student. There are four primary components of the classrooms in the CASE Alternative Program:
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Each class has a challenging curriculum aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks
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Each class is based on the therapeutic milieu model which emphasizes support, structure, and consistent expectations for all students throughout the school day. Each interaction students have is an opportunity for them to learn and build new skills.
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CASE classes foster a sense of community and belonging in which students feel respected, cared for, and valued as people and capable learners.
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Behavior management is based on classroom values of safety, respect, and responsibility. Students are supported by the individualized use of various behavior interventions, which all emphasize skill-building and increasing self-control and self-management.
Social/Emotional Disabilities Program Inquiries
Early Elementary (K-3),
Middle School
Marcia Berkowitz
Assistant Director
mberkowitz@casecollaborative.org
Asst: Rachel Thunberg (978-318-1534)
Elementary (4-5)
Program Coordinator
Asst: Karen Harvey (978-881-4146)
High School (Colebrook High School)
Courtney Hudgins
Program Coordinator
chudgins@casecollaborative.org
Asst: Karen Harvey (978-881-4146)