One of Corona del Mar’s biggest goals as a school is to provide a safe and inclusive environment for all its students, regardless of any unique resources that those students may need. This is best incentivized by CdM’s dedication to supporting students enrolled in the school’s special education program.
Any student who attends or staff member who works at CdM will likely have occasionally seen groups of students, guided by one or more chaperones, tending to the various plants located in the high school quad area. This gardening is but one of many activities that CdM’s special needs students engage in. CdM seeks to offer support for these students, providing “free education in the least restrictive environment,” and ensuring that “accommodations are made for students who need them,” as said by Principal Dr. Haley. These students are offered educational services that allow them to learn despite their disabilities, tools that allow them to more effectively communicate and engage with peers and teachers (for instance: a tablet that uses text-to-speech to allow for nonverbal communication), and finally a set of devoted, caring mentors, chaperones and teachers that aid them in daily activity and help to develop real-world skills. Such a “wide variance” of support that CdM offers for children, each with their own unique set of disabilities, is “[representative of] the width of our school’s capabilities,” said Dr. Haley.
In addition, it’s not just those directly involved in the special education program that assist special needs students, either. CdM’s yoga instructor, Kathryn Amos, ensures that these students feel welcome and included in her practices: “I have worked very hard to make [my class] a very safe and happy environment, so they feel that.” She notes how “[yoga] helps with their creativity outside of class, without any other stimulants around,” explaining how the calming nature of her classes aids these students.
When asked about her opinion on the program’s quality, Amos responded, “I think [CdM] did a very good job,” stating that CdM gave these students opportunities for “hands-on” experience and activities that would help them later in life.
CdM’s special education program is a prime example of the school’s unwavering devotion to its students and the lengths to which it’s willing to go in order to provide for every single student, regardless of the tools or resources they need to succeed.
