Accotink Academy

Accotink Academy opened in 1964 for children with specific learning disabilities, and over the years we widened the program to meet our students' psychosocial needs as well. Today we are a language-based, literacy-rich K-12 therapeutic day school in Springfield for students ages 5 to 21 with emotional disabilities, developmental disabilities including receptive and expressive language disorders, and specific learning disabilities in reading, math and written expression. Students come to us through referrals from school districts in Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Classes average six students with two instructors and never exceed nine students with three. Teachers use multi-sensory, differentiated instruction and structured behavior management, and every student's individualized plan works toward a return to a less restrictive setting. Psychologists provide weekly individual therapy and group therapy, and our team includes art therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists who run pragmatic language groups using the Social Thinking curriculum.

Older students prepare for work through vocational training, job coaching and community internships, including our Panther Closet thrift store and Panther Den school store. Students can also play on Accotink sports teams.