Special Needs Boarding School in Massachusetts

Riverview School:
Riverview School, located in Cape Cod (1 hour south of Boston), Massachusetts, is a private co-ed boarding school that serves students ages 11-22 with complex language, learning and cognitive disabilities. The School is committed to developing student competence and confidence in academic, social and independent living skills. Riverview’s use of a thematic, integrated approach promotes learning and generalization of skills across settings. This includes the use of teaching strategies (academic, social, and independent living) across both classroom and dormitory environments.

Boarding School Programs:
- for Students with Language, Learning & Cognitive Disabilities (Ages 11-22)

Middle & Secondary School (Grades 6 – 12):
- Literature, writing, hands-on history activities, the Arts, field trips and the media are connected to a central theme
- Emphasis on high expectations and research-validated instructional approaches
- Maximum class size is eight students - individualized instruction
- Student teacher ratios in middle school - 4:1, secondary ratios - 8:1.

Middle & Secondary Summer School:
Riverview Summer is a five-week co-educational summer experience for students between the age of 12 – 18 with complex language, learning and cognitive disabilities scoring within the 70 –100 range.

Riverview’s Summer program is designed to build the student’s individual skills while maintaining progress achieved during the school year. The program is committed to developing student competence and confidence in academic, social and independent living skills.

G.R.O.W. (Post-secondary ages 18 – 22):
G.R.O.W. (Getting Ready for the Outside World) is Riverview’s 10 month post-secondary component (1 to 3 years) for students who have completed our secondary school (or a similar program), and is designed to provide students with the skills that will assist them in functioning more independently within the adult world.

There are three defined phases of G.R.O.W. and each phase serves as a bridge to the next, building on proficiencies a student has already demonstrated. The G.R.O.W. curriculum includes both academic and vocational skill development and independent living skills training. Classes include Math, Reading, English/Language Arts, Travel Training, Money Management, Community Work Experience, Transition Seminar and Enrichment class.

Post Secondary (GROW) Summer:
Instructional classes are conducted in Reading, English Language Arts, and Consumer Issues. In the Reading class, students read a novel or a set of short stories which relate to a particular theme.

In English Language Arts class, students focus on writing projects related to the book or short stories being discussed as well as focus on issues related to independence and community safety.

Consumer Issues offers fundamental money skills that students need in order to successfully function in the community. During the afternoon, students participate in vocational and elective classes designed to develop work experience as well as personal interests and productive use of one’s time.

Each Wednesday, students go out on a daylong community outing where they explore Cape Cod and the surrounding areas, experiencing many exceptional learning opportunities. Such outings may include:

- Whale watching
- Newport Mansions (R.I.)
- New Bedford Whaling Museum
- Martha’s Vineyard sightseeing
- Museum of Science/IMAX (Boston)
- Hard Rock Café (Boston)
- Tour of scenic Route 6A
- Canal cruise and seal tour
- Kennedy Museum (Hyannis)
- Beach trips