SCHOOLS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION
(FORMERLY SCHOOL OF HOPE)

A Programme of the Jamaican Association on Mental Retardation and The Ministry of Education

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Mission Statement: Preparing children with Mental Retardation and other Developmental Disabilities to take their rightful place in Jamaica's ever changing Society by giving them the tools to help themselves.

MOTTO: LEARNING FOR LIFE

Profile

This is a programme that seeks to unleash the full potential of each student.

The network of Schools of Special Education is the oldest and largest special education programme in Jamaica. It was founded in 1956, and is now jointly operated by the Jamaican Association on Mental Retardation and the Ministry of Education.

The school provides educational services to children with mental retardation through a network of Schools island wide. There are five (5) main schools each with its own principals and satellite units referred to as Learning Centres. The current student population is over 1400 with teachers, teachers’ aides and other resource personnel.

Support Services

Assessment
All school placements are dependent on the psycho educational assessment of the child. Assessment for identification, placement and instructional planning is offered.

Social Work Intervention

The Social Worker works with Guidance Counsellors, Principals and Centre Managers, teachers and parents to improve areas of need of the individual child and his family. Currently there are guidance counselors in only one of the cluster of schools. The other schools refer emergency cases for counselling the Child Guidance Clinics and Children’s Services within the regions in which the schools are located.

Transition

This programme prepares students for the transition from school to work. Parents are expected to work closely with the transition officer or the senior teacher assigned to the position. The programme facilitates the establishment of linkages the community and business enterprises and works closely with teachers to provide career education and work experience for students.

Students are also exposed to entrepreneurial experiences to encourage self employment upon leaving school.

Library

The five schools have established library collections to meet the needs of the schools within their cluster. There is a team of professional school librarians on staff who lend support to schools on a needs basis. The Library functions as a multi-media centre which provides valuable resources for students, staff and members of the public.

Curriculum

The schools utilize two curricula:

• The Ministry of Education National Primary Curriculum.
• A competency based curriculum specifically geared toward the needs of children with Mental Retardation

• Home Management
• Art & Craft
• Child Care
• Agriculture
• Horticulture and Landscaping
• Woodwork
• Ceramics

Resource Programme

This programme provides intensive individualized remedial instruction for students at risk in primary and secondary students, in Language Arts and Mathematics on a pull out basis. Teachers target areas of weakness, enhance strengths and build independence in specific learning strategies and study skills.

The programme is currently available at the Llandilo and Greater Portmore schools but will be replicated in the other schools based on available resources.

Cultural Programme

Network of Schools Islandwide