Our Sites - Meadowood Program

The Meadowood Program is a specialized program in the Red Clay Consolidated School District that serves students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in kindergarten through age 22.

Kindergarten - 5th Grade

Students in the Meadowood Program attend Forest Oak Elementary School or Mote Elementary School for their elementary years. The elementary program strives to enhance the beginning acquisition skills that were developed in preschool into a set of well-learned abilities for students to take into middle school. Students learn in the areas of personal, social and academics through lessons adapted to their individual learning level with same-age peers.

Students who attend the Meadowood Program at Forest Oak have the opportunity to participate in Adapted PE, swimming, Best Buddies, Special Olympics Unified Bocce and Soccer tournaments, MTSS supports, inclusive homerooms, Unified Arts, music therapy, experiential learning opportunities, and field trips.

6th-8th Grade

The middle school program for Meadowood students is located at H. B. duPont Middle School. During the middle school years, students begin to utilize their skill set across a greater variety of settings. Areas of focus during the middle school years include the development of money skills, personal planning, social interactions, and preparing students for their high school years.

Students attending the Meadowood Program at HB Middle School have the opportunity to participate in Adapted PE, Unified Champions, Special Olympics Unified Bocce and Soccer tournaments, MTSS supports, music therapy, experiential learning opportunities, extra-curricular activities, field trips, school dances, and inclusive Activity Blocks.

student playing golf with help of teacher

group of students at big football stadium

9th-12th Grade

Thomas McKean High School hosts Meadowood Program students for their high school years. High school is a time for students to broaden their skill sets across multiple settings, enhance their functional independent living skills, as well as have increased involvement in vocational experiences that help create a better pathway to future paid employment.

Students attending the Meadowood Program at McKean High School have the opportunity to participate in Unified Adapted PE, Best Buddies, Special Olympics Unified Bocce and Soccer tournaments, MTSS supports, music therapy, experiential learning opportunities, extra-curricular activities, year round unified sports, field trips, school dances, and inclusive Career Pathways.

student holding torch with police officers

group of football players and cheerleaders smiling

Meadowood Market

18-22 year old

The Meadowood Transition Program (MTP) is a functional life skills program for students, age 18-22, with moderate to severe disabilities, based at the Meadowood campus. The purpose of the Meadowood Transition Program is to assist students in gaining skills and experiences that will benefit them as adults. It is also an aim of the program to connect the students and their families with post-22 employment and agencies that will assist them after they leave the program. Programming is based upon individual needs and preferences in domestic, communication, personal management, and vocational areas.

The students start their day at the MTP site on the Meadowood School campus. They then travel to various community destinations during the day with paraeducators, who have been grouped into teams to work with specific students. Job sites include Goldey Beacom, El Diablo, SPCA, Sugar Rush Bakery (from baking to selling). Students also have the opportunity to participate in Adapted PE at UD, Special Olympics Unified Bocce and Soccer tournaments, MTSS supports, music therapy, and experiential learning opportunities.

The Meadowood Program uses a transdisciplinary approach to learning that involves professionals from different disciplines and families, to collaborate to support a student's needs and share skills and expertise to create an integrated approach to education and therapy. In other words, team members learn from each other and work collaboratively to achieve common goals for students. Related services are meaningful activities that take place in the classroom and natural setting.

For example, during lunch in the cafeteria, the speech-language pathologist can work with a child on his or her communication goals, such as verbalizing or signing a request for milk or another item, as well as on social exchanges with peers. The physical therapist can provide input on the child's ambulation to the table, and the occupational therapist may provide recommendations for proper positioning of the child while eating. This way, the child is not pulled out of the classroom for isolated therapy and can participate in the regular routines. The teacher can implement the therapists' suggestions during the everyday activities and parents and other caregivers can do the same at home or in the community.

Assistive Technology & SLP working together during Sugar Rush Bakery

SLP & OT working together during a classroom activity

SLP & PT working together during the Special Olympics Bocce Tournament

Inclusion is a philosophy that supports the full participation and engagement of all students in education. It is not just an instructional strategy or about placing children with disabilities or special needs in the same classroom as their peers, but creating an environment that values and respects diversity, and provides opportunities for all children to learn and grow together. Inclusion is not a one-size-fits-all approach, but rather it requires individualized planning, accommodations, and modifications to meet the unique needs of each child. The Meadowood Program believes in inclusion and the education of students in the context of the natural environment. More than that, we are a proponent of doing what is best based on individual students needs.