Children's Services
St. John's Community Services (SJCS) began as an organization providing services for and advocating on behalf of children. This tradition continues as SJCS prepares children and youth with developmental and other disabilities to learn in public school settings, to develop relationships with children without disabilities, and to enter young adulthood with vocational and functional life skills that will enable them to succeed and pursue their own dreams.
The core of SJCS Children’s Services, as with all of our services, is inclusion within community-based settings. Located in the community, and with the appropriate support of SJCS staff, children and youth can grow, learn alongside their peers, and develop to their fullest potential and become contributing members of the community. SJCS currently provides services to children and youth and their families in the District of Columbia.
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES (District of Columbia)
The Educational Services program, provided by highly trained SJCS-DC staff within public schools, is offered to children with disabilities, between the ages of 4 to 22. We serve children with intellectual disabilities (mental retardation), autism, learning disabilities, visual and hearing impairments, emotional disturbance, cerebral palsy and other health impairments. We provide a safe and nurturing environment that fosters cognitive, social and psychological growth, with maximum opportunities for inclusion with peers without disabilities.
Each student is taught utilizing a functional and community based curriculum that stresses practical life and vocational skills along with traditional academic subjects, such as writing, reading and mathematics. To better equip each student to succeed in life, classroom and school-based instruction is supplemented with learning activities that are conducted in the community. All students learn how to access and use local stores, banks, libraries, and other community resources. Additionally, older students participate in a work study program with local businesses to gain employment skills and develop work habits that will enable them to secure and retain paid jobs, as well as pursue careers of their choosing.
District of Columbia
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