Meet The Team
School Director:                                                        

Eve Weber M.S., CCC-SLP, BCBA
Speech and Language Pathologist
Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)

Supervisors:

Jennifer Metzger M.S. Ed, BCBA
Assistant Director of Clinical Supervision and Training
Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)

Lindsay Peters M.S., BCBA
Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)

Pamela McKenna M.S., BCBA
Board Certified Behavior Analyst

Alexis Herberman M.A., BCBA
Board Certified BCBA

Academic Staff:

All teachers have a Bachelors degree and are either enrolled in or have a Masters degree in Behavioral Education, Speech and Language Therapy, Developmental Psychology or a related area.  All teachers have a minimum 1-year of experience in ABA and with students with Autism/PDD. All staff are CPI trained.

Mission, Objectives & Philosophy

The mission of Confidence Connection Day School (CCDS) is to provide the highest quality educational and clinical services for children with Autism and other Developmental Disorders using the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and other evidence-based approaches. We strive to develop individualized objectives focused on communication, academic, social, play and self-help skills for each student.  Our objective is to develop strong core skills to support advanced learning.

Confidence Connection Day School is dedicated to our mission to transform the lives of children with autism through the provision of evidence-based educational services.  


Organizational Structure of CC Day School

CCDS is a full-year program, operating 216 days per year. The school offers 30 hours per week of 1:1 instruction. School is in session from 9:30 am to 3:45 pm Monday - Friday (see Academic Calendar for more information).

Every student will receive 1:1 instruction throughout the day. Each student will have a team comprised of experienced and highly trained ABA instructors, a Speech-Language Pathologist, an Occupational Therapist and a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA). Our director, Eve Weber, provides oversight of the program.

Educational Facilities 
Confidence Connection Day School is located in an office building in Needham. The school has over 15 individual classrooms, each equipped with learning and play materials specific to the interests and abilities of individual students. Every student is provided with his or her own classroom, set up to best support the learning of each child.
The school is equipped with a gym featuring a trampoline, freestanding swing, climbing apparatus and ballpit. Our kitchen provides an area for students to eat together, as well as prepare any meals and snacks brought from home.

A large park and playground are located 5 minutes away, providing an opportunity for students to take part in outdoor physical activity and play during the spring and summer.


Curriculum, Instructional Resources & Materials
Upon entry into CCDS, each student will be assessed using the ABLLS: Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills. This is an assessment, curriculum guide, and skills tracking system for children with developmental, cognitive, social and/or language delays. The ABLLS scores help to determine educational priorities and the selection of appropriate educational objectives. Once individualized objectives have been determined a variety of curricula will be utilized, which may include the following:

Language Development:
  • SRA Language for Learning
  • SRA Language for Thinking
  • SRA Reasoning and Writing

Math:
  • SRA Distar Math
  • SRA Connecting Math
  • Fast Math, Everyday Math
  • Numbers and Counting Adventures

Reading/Phonics/Comprehension:
  • Lexia
  • Headsprout
  • Ultimate Phonics
  • SRA Reading Mastery
  • Raz Kids
  • Reading Laboratories
  • Visualizing and Verbalizing
  • Edmark
  • RAVE-O
  • Reading Street (My Sidewalks)

Spelling:
  • SRA Spelling
  • Seeing Stars

Science:
  • Everyday Science

Writing:
  • Language for Writing
  • Frame Your Thoughts

Grading and Standards for Progress

The ABLLS serves as a skill tracking system in order to monitor the individual progress of each student.
Standards for satisfactory progress are determined by the mastery of specified educational objectives selected from the ABLLS. Data are taken before and during treatment and ineffective interventions are revised quickly to ensure continued progress. Additionally, the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) will serve to measure student performance. Students supported by their residing districts participate in the IEP process.

Enrollment

CC Day School will serve 6 students with Autism and other Developmental Disorders from the ages of 4-8 beginning September 2012, with the potential to expand for the 2013 school year.