Joseph E. Fisher School Therapeutic Program

Joseph E. Fisher School Therapeutic program is an intensive, structured, therapeutic treatment program for students who were having difficulty functioning in the general education environment following supportive interventions. The Therapeutic program is designed to meet the needs of students with behavioral and emotional disorders with a focus on providing a structured and safe environment that facilitates the remediation of behaviors that inhibit a student’s academic and social growth. The student population is composed of students from Kindergarten thru 8th grade who exhibit a wide range of social/emotional disorders, psychiatric disabilities and behavior disorders.  The comprehensive academic program is aligned with the Illinois Learning Standards and is modified to meet the needs of students with academic IEP goals.  Individual, group, and crisis therapy are provided to address the emotional and behavioral issues of students. Faculty members include special education teachers, certified classroom assistants, speech therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, psychologists, behavior specialists, art instruction, a gym instructor, and a principal.

The Therapeutic Milieu of the program is intended to provide:

• A supportive atmosphere that builds a sense of physical and emotional safety.
• Positive reinforcement for socially appropriate choices and decisions.
• Opportunities and reinforcement for students taking personal responsibility for actions and accomplishments.
• Teaching of skills to support management of emotions and identification of personal feelings.
• Development of positive interpersonal communication skills.
• Social Skills, Anger Management, Problem Solving and Conflict Resolution Skill Training.
• Accountability for academic task/activity participation and completion.
• Parental and community service support.
• Multiple layers of therapeutic support services.