CASE Collaborative

The CASE class at Fowler Middle School in Maynard is part of the collaborative's sequence of programs for developmentally delayed children.  While the Fowler Middle School spans grades 4 through 8, students generally enter the CASE class in grade 6. They typically stay in the class for three or four years, graduate with the eighth grade, and transition to a high school-based program -- often one with a vocational training focus -- after they leave.  Some graduates of this class have enrolled in their local vocational technical high school, with special needs support.

The CASE class at Fowler Middle School is designed to meet the special educational needs of students with mild to moderate cognitive delays. For a student to be successful in this program, pragmatic language and social skills should be established at the upper elementary levels, approximating a developmental age of at least 9 or 10 years.  Students in this class possess the ability to work independently for a significant period of time, to work in cooperative learning groups, and to manage the logistics of a typical middle school environment (finding their way from class to class, handling an 8-period day, managing a cafeteria situation, etc.).  Instruction is multi-modal, including auditory, visual, hands-on, and activity-based strategies.  The use of computers for both teaching and learning is considerable.  Independent living skills for students in this class approximate a developmental age of at least 10 years, generally reflecting a level of independence typically found in fifth graders or above.  Areas of disability span a significant range, including, on occasion, students with high functioning autism spectrum disorder.

The focus of the CASE program at Fowler Middle School is on:

(1)  Basic academic skills, with an emphasis on application and comprehension. The Massachusetts School        Frameworks are addressed by the curriculum, as much as possible.

(2)  Social maturity and self-reliance.

(3) Pragmatic language skills.

(4) Group learning experiences typical of an emerging adolescent.

(5) Introduction of foundation skills leading to vocational training in high school.

The core curriculum is delivered by the classroom teacher and assistants. Support services in the following areas are also part of the program:

(1) Adaptive physical education.

(2) Social skills discussion group (weekly).

(3) Growth and development, including health, sexuality, and "stranger awareness" issues.

(4) Keyboarding and use of the computer.

(5) Speech and language therapy.

(6) Occupational therapy and “life skills.”

(7) Outings and community based activities and programs (e.g. swimming, karate).

Mainstream academic and enrichment opportunities may comprise as much as 25 to 30 percent of a student's schedule, with on-site assistance and/or resource room assistance provided by CASE staff.  A weekly after-school activities program from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. is available to students in this class.  The program is provided in three units (each six weeks long) during the course of the year (fall, winter, and spring).  After school activities are held at the Sanborn Middle School in Concord, and students attending the Sanborn CASE class are invited to participate.  Sending districts generally provide transportation to Sanborn, while parents are asked to arrange for participating students to be picked up at 4:30.  The after-school activities program is run by CASE staff, and is designed to enhance student recreational and leisure skills.

Participation in the Fowler/CASE class follows TEAM recommendation, and consensus between the student, his/her parent(s), the sending school district, and the CASE Collaborative.

Please direct inquiries and referrals to:

Rory Liebmann, Assistant Director
978-318-1535
rliebmann@colonial.net