A Life Like Yours - Where We Learn

Education....White Oak School

The Arc of Southside operates a school program, White Oak School, for students with developmental disabilities who have not been successful in other schools. Academic services are provided for elementary, middle school and high school students.

The program allows children to receive educational and therapeutic service during school hours to help them succeed. All programs are designed to meet the individual needs of each student. For students who have health needs, White Oak School provides a registered nurse on site to administer medications and coordinate their health needs.

White Oak School has two programs to offer to our students. First, we have our standard academic program which includes vocational training that serves students with Learning Disabilities, Emotional Disorders, or Other Health Impairments. Our second program is The Special Design Program which serves students with Autism and Intellectual Disabilities. The staff work directly with each individual to develop, retain or improve the skills necessary to encourage and promote their self-empowerment and individual growth. Both programs offer students the option of an individual assistant.

To ensure that we are offering the best...

• We have certified teachers to meet the educational needs of students and student aides to support any other developmental needs a student may have.
• White Oak School is licensed by the Virginia State Department of Education and accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Specialized Education Facilities.

Philosophy:

We believe that all children can learn and that all children desire to learn. Learning is a process that embraces all aspects of a child’s environment, experience, curiosity and intellect. At White Oak School we know that individual attention is a key factor in educational success. We provide a school environment that is conductive to learning and accommodates the learning process for the “whole” child; mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually.

Staff:

We have four classroom teachers who are fully certified or seeking a teachers license to become fully certified to teach in Virginia. Our staff also includes a job-coach, 16 teaching assistants, a computer technician, a student services coordinator, a secretarial assistant, a chef and an administrator.