Community School

The Community School is located in at 75 Abington St., Hingham, as well as 70 Memorial Parkway, Randolph.

Community School Contact:

Hannah Emery
Interim Program Director
Community School

75 Abington Street, Hingham, MA 02043

781-740-1808 x1108

70 Memorial Parkway, Randolph, MA 02368

857-991-9302

Robert Holloway
Program Coordinator
Community School

75 Abington Street, Hingham, MA 02043 &

70 Memorial Parkway, Randolph, MA 02368
781-506-3365

Colleen Overstreet
Administrative Assistant
781-740-1808 x1107

Community School Information:

Community School Program hours from August/September to June are 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Half days are prescheduled and occur throughout the school year on Mondays. Half day dismissal is at 12:00 PM. These provide time for staff to engage in professional development.

See the 2023-2024 Half day schedule here.

The Community School offers a 6-week summer program that runs Monday through Thursday, 9:00 AM to 2:45 PM. Participation in the summer program is determined through the team process.

The Community School is a day school that provides educational services to students ages 3-21 with severe and multiple disabilities who may also have complex medical needs and require behavioral support. The Community School supports the diverse needs of each student using adapted curricula with an emphasis on functional academics. Additional areas of focus include communication, activities of daily living, social/emotional development, self-determination, adaptive behavior, vocation and leisure/recreation skills. Individualized accommodations and modifications are identified based on student assessment and data analysis and include an extensive use of assistive technology to improve access, engagement and understanding. Content is individualized as appropriate and presented utilizing a variety of methodologies.

Services Offered

Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Speech & Language Pathology
Music Therapy (Group)
Vision & Orientation & Mobility Services
Deafblind Accommodations
Adapted Physical Education (Group)
Behavioral Supports
Community Based Instruction & Vocational Development
Recreation Activities (e.g. Field Trips, Therapeutic Riding, Yoga, Access Sail)
Assistive Technology
Home Based Consultation
Equipment clinics with a variety of vendors including: wheelchair repair, splinting, equipment evaluation & trial

Preschools (ages 3-5): The pre-school classrooms are language/ communication based and use monthly thematic units to meet the early childhood standards set forth in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. By teaching a unit on animals, the students are listening to stories, sharing ideas, taking turns, counting, categorizing, using manipulatives, learning new vocabulary and content, listening to animal sounds and related music, creating artwork and using technology to access information or to participate in the activities.

Functional Academic (ages 7-10): These classrooms work on skills related to pre-academic and academic areas. This includes but is not limited to: color identification and matching, number recognition, quantity, exchange, letter recognition, name recognition, writing/scribbling, etc. Skills are embedded in functional activities and routines throughout the day. This is a highly structured classroom with a strong focus in the development of communication skills. There are opportunities for both independent and facilitated social interactions to encourage play and friendships. Opportunities to learn and practice daily living skills are an essential part of this classroom.

Transitional Classrooms (ages 7-10): These are highly specialized classrooms for students who need a much quieter and slower paced setting. There are higher levels of therapeutic support, specialized positioning equipment including a waterbed and opportunities to have a very individualized schedule which would include frequent breaks for rest, medical interventions or repositioning. There is a strong focus on the development of communication skills using pictures/objects/tangible symbols and electronic supports.

Functional Academic (ages 14-17): These classrooms continue to have a strong communication focus. Facilitator support strategies are used to promote incidental as well as structured interactions between peers and students/staff. Assistive technology is integrated throughout the routines both in terms of access to the curriculum as well as a supplemental activity to reinforce content and skills. There is consistent exposure to print/objects/pictures through the use of thematic units to support greater content knowledge and concept formation. Daily living skills are addressed as a function of naturally occurring routines.

Vocational (ages 17-21): Classrooms focus on basic to increasingly complex skill acquisition to support vocational development. There are opportunities to practice work related skills within the program as well as community based instruction. In addition to vocational development, this part of the program works on social competencies to support full community participation. Leisure/recreation skills are addressed both on a group and individual basis. Self-help and independent living skills are addressed on a daily basis to support overall independence.

AIM (Achieve, Inspire, Motivate): The AIM program is a hybrid program model between the South Shore Educational Collaborative’s Community School and Quest Programs. This model was introduced at the start of the 2015-2016 school year and has now grown from a single classroom to four classrooms serving students from both the Community School and the Quest School. The AIM program focuses on higher level academic content for students who would typically attend the Community School and more individualized modifications for the students who would typically attend the Quest school. AIM seeks to serve students who need a higher level of support within the classroom setting. Students in these classrooms receive increased individualized attention for social, emotional, and academic needs.