Building Blocks Pre-School

The Martin C. Barell School, run by Nassau Suffolk Services for Autism (NSSA), opened in January 1993 and provides a full-day, twelve-month program for school-age children with autism, ages five to twenty-one. The school enrolls a maximum of twenty-five students with an instructor-to-student ratio of 1 to 1.5, and its small size and high staffing levels allow a significant degree of individualization for each student. The highly structured program is based on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis, in which each child has behaviorally defined and measurable goals. Progress is reviewed regularly so teaching procedures can be adapted immediately, and each student's program is designed to teach pre-academic and academic skills, communication, recreation, socialization, and daily living skills. Instruction takes place across multiple settings, including the classroom, the home, and the community, with careful attention to generalizing skills. Parents play an integral role and receive extensive training in behavioral theory and teaching techniques so they can support their child's progress at home and in the community.

Robert Williams School is a Nassau BOCES middle school program providing an academic setting with a multidisciplinary team for students with learning, behavioral, emotional, and developmental disabilities. Instruction is aligned to New York State standards and includes opportunities toward a Regents diploma or other state-approved diplomas, along with CDOS-aligned work-based learning where appropriate. School-wide PBIS and explicit pro-social skill instruction are integrated to support social-emotional growth and independence. Key programs include academics aligned to New York State standards tailored to students' cognitive levels and learning styles. The school offers pathways toward a NYS Regents diploma or other approved diplomas with CDOS-related instructional and work-based learning opportunities. The Therapeutic Learning Collaborative (TLC) provides two specialized programs: the Intensive Support Program (ISP) offering counseling partnership with North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center for individual, group, family counseling and psychiatric care; and the Transitional Support Program (TSP) supporting transition to less restrictive settings with counseling from BOCES psychologists, social workers, and guidance counselors. Guidance services include transitional planning beginning at age 14 and assistance with working papers. Placement is through the home district's Committee on Special Education (CSE) as part of the student's IEP process.