SOAR Program

SOAR (Structured teaching, Opportunities for social inclusion, Active learning, and Rigor) is a regionalized program for students with Autism who requires specialized instruction in order to develop skills essential to achieving independence, self-advocacy, flexibility, and generalization. The program serves students beginning in kindergarten through the end of the student’s high school career and utilizes evidence-based practices to support academic, communication, social, adaptive, and behavioral development. Classrooms are purposefully arranged to integrate visual supports, principles of applied behavior analysis, and structured work systems. SOAR classrooms maintain high levels of structure, have increased staff to student ratio, and provide intensive case management. Students in the SOAR program are on track to receive a high school diploma. Placement in the SOAR program in determined through an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting. Students in SOAR at the Gwynn Center may receive a variety of services as stated in their IEP, such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, or other related services. If you have questions about the SOAR program, please contact your child’s teacher.