South Coast Middle Alternative School (SCMAS)

The South Coast Middle Alternative School (SCMAS) classrooms have a 205-day program that offers a structured learning environment within the inclusionary setting of a public middle school. SCMAS serves students in grades 6-8 who have been diagnosed with emotional disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Mood Disorders. It is the goal of this program to transition students back to their home school district. The SCMAS classrooms have an average enrollment of 5 students and students are supported with a 1:2 staff-to-student ratio.

The primary goals of the SCMAS classrooms are to promote student self-regulation and to allow students to achieve as close to the general education setting as possible. The academic program provides differentiated instruction through the use of general education inclusion as well as therapeutic/academic support within a self-contained environment as needed by individual students. All students participate in general education inclusion classes with their district peers. Students attend general education classes with the support of the SCMAS staff who attend each inclusion class with students to provide academic and social emotional support, while following all IEP goals, objectives, and accommodations. Both inclusion classes and SCMAS program classes are aligned with Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. This inclusive approach aligns closely with the SCEC objective of improving academic achievement of students in the least restrictive environment. SCMAS students also participate in school-wide activities together with their district peers, including bullying prevention programming, high school preparation assemblies, after school clubs, and school dances. The SCMAS classroom utilizes Smart Board technology for much of the delivery of instruction, and provides a computer lab setting for students to utilize on a daily basis within the classroom.
Staff consists of two licensed special education teachers and paraprofessionals for delivery of instruction, therapeutic support, and assessment. Related Service providers, including a clinician, provide individual and group support. Embedded professional development for staff is provided by a wide variety of consultants as well as collaborative sponsored trainings. Monthly consultations consist of programming for individual students and program development to improve classroom practices.

Our goal is to help students grow by collecting, analyzing and using the highest quality evidence. By using objective and meaningful information for each student, we design highly personalized instruction, enabling significant learning and emotional growth. Each student is assessed on one to three essential goals. An essential goal is usually a particularly challenging behavior or emotion that prevents the student from reaching his or her maximum potential. By assessing such behaviors or emotions on a regular basis, we are not only able to see changes in student growth, but determine what supports are necessary to achieve such growth.