Academic Programs at The Gateway School
Our academic program is aligned to New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS) and incorporates social, emotional, behavioral, and functional learning in addition to the core content areas of language arts, math, science including STEM, and social studies. Our students also partake in courses in health and physical education, art, and music to complement the whole student.
Differentiated instructional strategies is practiced at Gateway School. Instruction is delivered through multiple approaches including audibly, visually, tactfully, and kinesthetically. We recognize that all students learn in multiple and various ways.
Gateway School uses multiple online learning resources which allow families to participate in the learning process by following up and reinforcing learning at home. You will have access from home to the same programs your children use here at school.
Language Arts Literacy
Our language arts literacy program focuses on highly engaging, research based best practices to meet the learner where they are at and develop their skills. Reading A-Z, part of the Learning A-Z instructional platform, is utilized and targets reading skills deficiencies. Teachers are able to develop a specific plan for each learner to build needed skills such as phonics, fluency, and word recognition. Resources which further supplement the program such as Explode the Code, News 2 You, and the Unique Learning System are used as well.
Mathematics
Mathematics instruction is delivered through multi-sensory, hands-on, and technology driven methods. Functional mathematics such as number and value recognition, basic operations, monetary skills and financial management are learned through class instruction and practiced through real-life application. Students have the opportunity to apply their learned skills during community-based instruction. Learned skills are practiced during trips such as local dining and shopping.
Science
Our students take part in highly-engaging, hands-on learning activities. Our STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) Lab incorporates project-based learning activities where students explore their creativity to solve and answer problems. STEM instruction includes lessons on media and graphic design, coding, in addition to biology, chemistry, and general science.
Social Studies
Social Studies instruction incorporates literacy practice through engaging, relevant, current event resources through the curricula from Scholastic, News 2 You, and the Unique Learning System. Students have been introduced to high interest learning opportunities such as the Summer Olympics and Presidential Election in 2016. Learning materials are differentiated and tailored to the specific academic levels of the individual student.