Specialized programs for unique populations of kids
Cajal’s range of fluid Student Growth Catalysts allows us to provide expert, highly-individualized programs for a diverse group of bright and gifted kids, who learn and grow together as a unified community. This includes comprehensive programming that move beyond accommodation to actually remediate challenges that have previously been understood to be immutable “disabilities.”
Across the country, very few schools integrate academic programming appropriate to kids with very high cognitive profiles with specialized instruction, diagnostic and therapeutic services and expertise. Our program was designed by a social entrepreneur and former corporate litigator who is a generalist problem solver and Mom to two kids in this unique cohort, together with an expert, multi-disciplinary team of experienced educators, licensed therapists and a recognized neuropsychologist. Together, they have developed a research-backed program that is proving effective at reducing or even removing the learning and social-emotional challenges holding kids back—not just accommodating them.
As the number of families we serve grows, we are making connections that don’t appear in the literature—and that have led to specialized programs for kids having certain archetypal profiles. The links below will give you an idea of the mix of strategies we integrate into the Student Growth Catalyst for some of the common needs represented within our program.
Connecticut’s outplacement school for twice exceptional kids
Cajal Academy is the only school in Connecticut or Westchester County, NY that offers special education programs combining both the intellectually-stimulating academics and integrated services from licensed therapists that twice exceptional students need. Being doubly-differently-wired means that 2e thinkers tend to bring different perspectives and make novel connections than others around them. This creates both challenges and opportunities unique to this special cohort of kids. Visit our 2e Kids Advocacy Center to learn more about this special cohort of kids.
Preparing teens with complex profiles to thrive independently in college and beyond
Our teen program gives bright and intellectually-gifted teens the opportunity to engage in meaningful, real world learning while giving them a toolbox and scientific understanding they can use in college and beyond to understand and optimize their own learning, social-emotional and physio experiences.
Complex learners and students considered to be in a “cohort of one”
Together with an expert diagnostic and therapeutic team, we have developed a new, data-driven approach leveraging well-established neuroscientific principles to identify and reduce the obstacles holding kids back—no matter how complicated and inter-related they may be. This includes students These programs come together through collaborative project-based learning and social programming, giving all students with multiple learning disabilities, unique social-emotional journeys and/or neurophysiological profiles the opportunity to develop social-emotional and executive function skills that are essential to 21st century success. Learn about the Methodology we use to appreciate and develop individualized Growth Catalysts for students with even the most complex of profiles.
Comprehensive programs for students with dyspraxia, dysgraphia & other motor coordination disorders
Struggles with gross and/or fine motor planning and coordination tend to be underdiagnosed, but can display as a student who “hates” to write, fails to write out the steps in math, avoids athletics or struggles with basic life skills required to get out the door in the morning. Learn more about this challenging learning disability and our specialized program for addressing these needs.
1st of its kind program for kids with chronic medical conditions
Our “Zebras Program” is a first-of-its-kind program empowering super bright kids who have chronic (& often complex) medical conditions that variably impact their learning, social and emotional experiences how to self-monitor, self-manage and self-advocate for their needs. We provide specialized instruction giving children personalized strategies they can use to self-monitor, self-manage and self-advocate for needs driven by complex connective tissue, immunological, neurovascular, musculoskeletal and other disorders, facilitating independence in mainstream environments.
Sensory Processing Disorder
Students with sensory processing disorder are often misdiagnosed with ADHD and/or mood regulation disorders, when in fact they are struggling with an inefficiency in how the brain processes sensory information. Learn more about how to recognize the signs of sensory processing disorder, and our specialized programming to address it.
Pioneering School for EDS Kids
We are proud to be the first school anywhere in the world that provides research-backed programming empowering kids with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and other connective tissue disorders. Learn more about this exciting program, and how it has led to breakthroughs for education as a whole!
One continuous journey from where you are to fully developing your gifts.
Cajal’s unique Catalyst Method is a first of its kind approach to special educational needs that includes the differentiation, accommodation and specialized instruction you would receive in other settings—but then moves beyond them to “rewire” the brain to perform those specific neurocognitive and neurophysio skills that drive those difficulties in the first place. In other words, we don’t just accommodate learning and social differences, we reduce or even remove them, freeing students to access and further develop their strengths. This is an inter-disciplinary and highly-scaffolded process delivered by licensed occupational, physical and language therapists, with data-driven insights from our neuropsychologist. These accommodations and interventions are faded as the targeted skills are developed, and the focus of the student’s program gradually shifts to making the newly-acquired skills more resilient and mastering the skills in our Vision to Voice Curriculum and the benefits of our college-readiness programming for gifted kids.
Immediate, Summer and Fall Placements; Rolling Admissions
