DREXEL PROGRAM

Under the auspices of the Department of Special Education of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the Drexel Program of Learning Strategies is a further development of the programs conducted in some elementary schools for students diagnosed with a specific learning disability.  The goal of the program is to have students recognize and accept their disability, and, with the aid of the skills learned in the program, meet the challenges and opportunities of the future successfully.

Admission Requirements
Parents may contact the Special Education Department (215-587-3586) for an application.  Students must also present a recent psycho-educational evaluation that diagnoses him/her with a specific learning disability.  A personal interview is then scheduled with the prospective students and parent(s), at which time ability, achievement levels, motivation and emotional factors are explored.  Students must also meet entrance requirements for the high school.  After these requirements have been met, invitations for enrollment to the program may then be extended.  As fulltime students of the high school, program members are expected to comply with all rules and requirements of the high school during the time of enrollment.

General Information
Students are rostered into regular high school classes for every period each day except for one.  During the resource period, the program teacher meets with the students in the Drexel Center.  Students have a full academic schedule; modification and adaptations are developed through consultation between the Center teachers and the subject-area teachers. These adaptations are specified on the student's Individualized Education Plans (IEPs).

Special Curriculum
In the Drexel Centers, a learning strategies approach is used.  The goal is for the students with learning disabilities to develop study skills, which will generalize across curricular areas. The topics include attention/concentration, organization, note taking, memorizing and test-taking techniques.

Staff
For each period, there is one fulltime teacher who has background in special education, reading specialist, or study skills curriculum.  Teacher assistants also staff the centers.  The typical teacher to student ratio each period is 1:3.

Individualized Education Plans (IEPs)
IEPs specify long-term goals and short-term objectives.  They are developed annually for each student, typically, in early June for implementation in September.  The center teacher does annual assessments preliminary to preparation of the IEP.

Accommodations
Based on individual student need, necessary accommodations for the learning disability will be specified on the IEP. This information is shared with each of the student's teachers.

 

Ms. Alexandra Capone
Program Coordinator
Extension: 2389/1296
E-Mail: capone@prendergasthigh.com

Name	Extension	E-Mail
Mr. Michael Coyne	2388
Sr. Joseph Marion Gallagher, I.H.M.	1229
Mrs. Carole Kirwan	1296
Ms. Kathleen Richers	2378
Mr. Joe Steven

 

The Drexel Program's course offerings can be found in PDF format by clicking here.