Overview

Who succeeds at Kaplan Career Academy?

  • Students who need a program that works in partnership with your district to provide a more supportive, therapeutic, educational opportunity.

  • Students who have struggled with conventional school programs, falling further and further behind each year.

  • Students with anxiety who actively avoid school because of its size, the over-stimulation, fear, or a need for more supportive attention.

  • Students with psychiatric issues, who have been hospitalized once or multiple times and need a more therapeutic environment.

  • Students who need a program with an emphasis on preparation for life beyond high school: ACCES-VR registration, life skills, job skills, structured internships, etc...

Who are we?

Kaplan Career Academy is a trauma-sensitive NYS Public middle/ high school serving students ages 9-21 (4th grade - 12th grade) who need additional academic and emotional support.  We provide the full NYS Curriculum, offering Regents and Local Diplomas, Career and Occupational Studies (CDOS) credentials, as well as the Skills Achievement Commencement Credential (SACC) curriculum for students who are alternately assessed. We tailor instruction, supports, and services to the unique strengths and needs of our students.

With a smaller population of around 100 students, we are able to provide an individualized learning environment designed for our students’ needs.  Our class ratio for core academics is 8:1:1 and for electives is 12:1:1.  Our core academic teachers are dually certified, both in their content area and in special education.

What sets us apart from other programs?

We are a NYS approved, trauma-sensitive public school, providing intensive therapeutic support and individualized targeted instruction.

School Culture

An intensive Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program focuses expectations and outcomes on the core Kaplan tenets of Academics, Conduct and Teamwork (A.C.T.) and allows ample opportunity for students to demonstrate safe and respectful behavior, leading to school trips and other rewards.

Academic Programs

The Kaplan Career Academy offers a wide array of academic programs and course offerings, including:

  • Curriculum supported by NYS Next Generation Learning Standards

  • Individualized Diagnostic Reading and Math Assessments to monitor progress and guide instruction throughout the school year

  • Web-based credit recovery-Edgenuity

  • A rich selection of elective courses

Therapeutic Supports

Students have access to a robust clinical team including two school psychologists, a school social worker, and a school counselor.  Students are able to meet with their assigned clinicians not only according to IEP mandates, but on an “as needed” basis. Our clinical team uses an array of different strategies and techniques for de-escalation through Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) tenets in order to teach students to cope with obstacles such as anxiety, PTSD, anger, and any other triggers that may impede on their achievement.  

Preparing students for life is Kaplan's driving principle. We strive to provide students not only with a comprehensive academic base, but also teach the career and social/emotional skills needed for lifelong success.

Transition Services

Kaplan offers dedicated transition specialists who work intensively with students on planning for their future beyond school. Services include but are not limited to:

  • ACCES-VR and OPWDD Registration

  • School- and Community-Based Internships

  • Life Skills Curriculum 

  • Pre-Vocation & Vocation Curriculum

  • Drivers Education

  • College and Trade School Visits

What is DBT?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a type of therapy that is adapted for those who are prone to feeling emotions especially intensely. DBT focuses on and teaches mindfulness, interpersonal efficacy, distress tolerance, and emotional regulation. When we understand our own emotions, we are able to process and express them appropriately. With extensive training in DBT methods, our clinicians are able to integrate these approaches in assisting students to adapt coping skills and strategies that will serve them well beyond their school careers. For additional information, please refer to this comprehensive article on DBT Skills.