High Road School of Harford County is a private, nonpublic special education day school operated by SESI Schools (Specialized Education Services, Inc., part of FullBloom). It serves students in grades 1 through 12, plus an Adult Prep Program, who have academic, emotional, and behavioral needs and come in on Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Most students are placed by their home districts when a typical classroom is not the right fit, including learners impacted by trauma or unstable home environments and those navigating school avoidance, anxiety, or juvenile justice involvement. The school runs Monday through Friday, roughly 9:30 a.m. to 4:10 p.m. Instruction happens in smaller, structured classrooms so teachers, therapists, and staff can build close relationships with each student. The academic program is evidence-based and data-driven, aligned to each student's IEP goals and to district curriculum requirements, and it is organized around two learning pathways. The Spark pathway is built for students with solid academic potential alongside behavioral or emotional challenges, focusing on regulation, peer relationships, and trust-building. The Spring pathway is built for students with learning disabilities, autism, or communication delays who benefit from structured routines, repetition, and visuals, and it folds in life-skills instruction for students preparing for adulthood. The school frames its model as SESI's Integrated Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, where supports are tiered to the student rather than tiering the student. Related services delivered on site include speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, social work services, sensory rooms, and a transition and life-skills program. Behavioral support is woven into the day to encourage prosocial behavior inside and outside the classroom. On the postsecondary side, the school works toward graduation, vocational school, or job training, and it supports transitions to less restrictive settings or to a certificate of completion depending on each student's path. The current school director is Anthony Aiello, who holds an advanced professional license in special education in Maryland and previously led High Road programs in Philadelphia and Baltimore. The school is listed among Maryland's approved nonpublic special education schools serving Harford County.
