Esperanza School

Program Description

Esperanza School is a day school which is open September through July. The curriculum represents the diverse student population served. It is student-centered and designed to be full and diversified, addressing the needs of the whole child. Five and one-half hours of daily instruction are carefully planned and incorporated into the learning process. During their first few weeks of attendance, new students are assessed in order to determine levels of functioning in all areas of the curriculum, including academic performance, communication, social-emotional needs and vocational skills.

Students are grouped according to age in the classrooms. A typical day includes instruction in academic subjects, daily living skills, vocational skills, peer socialization and social skills training, special therapies, physical education and other special lessons. A hot, home-cooked lunch is served every day. The students and teachers eat together family-style, offering further opportunities for socialization and daily living skills development.

The school curriculum combines state educational goals with adaptations from the Waldorf educational philosophy. Throughout the curriculum emphasis is placed on the Arts, primarily painting, music, drama, manual arts, poetry and eurythmy. Eurythmy is a unique artistic discipline that combines movement, language and rhythm. Teachers and students derive a special sense of community by opening the school week with a Monday morning gathering, in which seasonal songs and verses are shared, and by closing the week with a Friday afternoon festival of students' plays, classroom accomplishments and presentations by teachers and outside guests. The students also benefit from participation in Special Olympics and extra-curricular activities, as well as field trips to area attractions.

Target Areas

The school serves students primarily from the south and near west sides of Chicago and, to a lesser extent, from the north side and some neighboring suburbs of Chicago.

Students Served

The school serves students with mild mental retardation to severe/profound mental retardation. Some students also have autism, emotional/behavioral disorders, speech/language impairment, or physical handicaps. All students are ambulatory.

List of Services

• Academic instruction and tutoring
• Instruction in daily living and independent functioning skills
• Vocational skills training
• Speech Therapy
• Social work counseling and social skills training
• Occupational Therapy
• Nursing
• Physical Therapy
• Behavior Management Program
• Instruction in the Arts
• Physical Education
• Extra-curricular Activities

General Information

Contact:
Joe Gorgol, Principal
E-mail: jgorgol@esperanzacommunity.org