© Pathways of Maine All Rights Reserved| 2022 Notice of Privacy Practices |
Pathways Early Learning Center
Pathways Early Learning Center serves children between the ages of 2.5 and 5 years in Preschool groupings. Our programs emphasize growth in all developmental domains: cognitive, physical, social-emotional, communicative, and adaptive.
Special Education Services
Specially designed instruction, speech and language services, physical therapy and/or occupational therapy are provided to young children who have specialized developmental or behavioral challenges. Learning activities are individualized and embedded into the daily educational curriculum; guided by the child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP); and designed to promote skill acquisition in a variety of developmental areas, including physical, cognitive, social-emotional, communicative and behavioral. Services occur in the child’s least restrictive educational environment in a special education classroom at Pathways Early Learning Center. These services are delivered by Educational Technicians, Certified Special Education Teachers, Licensed Speech-Language Pathologists, Licensed Occupational Therapists.
Program Philosophy
All services provided by Pathways value safety, confidentiality, and respect for the unique experiences of the children and families we serve. We strive to be informed of children’s and families’ values and beliefs and to implement services in a culturally and linguistically sensitive manner. Within Pathways Early Learning Center, we also advocate that all children are welcome, valued, and deserving of high-quality care, supervision, and educational services in a safe and nurturing environment. Therefore, Pathways Early Learning Center provides a continuum of services that are specialized, with the flexibility to adapt the curriculum and environment to meet individual learning needs.
Our philosophy of care is that all children deserve to learn and grow in an enriching environment that is nurturing, structured, safe, supervised, developmentally appropriate, and responsive to the individualized needs of young children. We believe that appropriate care also involves implementing effective curriculum to meet each child’s learning needs and therefore teach in accordance with the Maine Early Learning Standards. We also believe that parent/caregiver input and involvement promote optimal outcomes for children.
Enrollment Procedures
All children with developmental delays or behavioral challenges who are referred under an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) are eligible for specially designed instruction and related services such as Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy. Speech and Language Therapy, Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy are provided by a contracted/employed CDS provider when written into child plans and is set up by CDS. Funding sources include state funds through Child Development Services and MaineCare.
Prior to a child’s enrollment at Pathways Early Learning Center, parents may expect to participate in an initial visit during which the Program Director and/or Lead Special Education Teacher offers a tour of the facility, a summary of the program philosophy and curriculum, and an overview of policies, procedures, and licensing regulations, including but not limited to review of the following:
Situations that may result in dismissal from the program
Classroom rules and expectations
Opportunities for caregiver participation in the program
Parental rights
Mandated reporting
Grievance procedures
Program closure procedures
Wait list systems (as applicable)
Caregivers also will complete an initial registration packet to provide emergency contact information, treatment authorizations, and other essential information for care. At the end of the visit, copies of Pathways Early Learning Center Parent Handbook and Maine’s Rules for the Licensing of Child Care Facilities will be provided.
PATHWAYS SCHOOL BASED PROGRAMS
Pathways Merrymeeting Center
Pathways Merrymeeting Center is a school-based program offering early intervention and behavioral health day treatment for children and adolescents, in grades PreK-12, who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, developmental disabilities, and/or co-occurring social-emotional disabilities. Pathways' school-based programs offer the following:
- Provision of integrated Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) programming
- Supervision by onsite BCBA
- Provision of integrated social work services
- Provision of comprehensive behavioral, academic, and therapeutic services for students
- Provision of the acquisition of skills needed for successful reintegration into public school
- Practice of social skills necessary for success in community settings.
- Multi-disciplinary teams consisting of: Certified teaching staff, Educational Technicians, Behavioral Health
Professionals, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Board Certified Behavior Analysts, an Occupational Therapist,
Speech and Language Pathologist and School Psychologist.
Pathways Merrymeeting Center utilizes:
- Evidence-based practices of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to promote academic, behavioral, communication,
self-sufficiency and social skills.
- A token economy and skill point system for students for whom those interventions are appropriate.
- Individual Education Programs (IEPs), Individualized Treatment Plans (ITPs) and Positive Behavior Support
Plans, which are developed on the results of individualized assessment data and family input.
These program components are supplemented by individualized academic and behavioral interventions that build on children’s and adolescents’ unique strengths. Program staff implement these interventions while collecting meaningful data, which is analyzed to guide decision-making about programmatic modifications.
The goal of Pathways Merrymeeting Center is to successfully reintegrate children and adolescents into their local public schools and/or communities by using proactive, evidence-based strategies that recognize the diverse range of environmental, interpersonal, and individual variables that impact behavior and learning. Accordingly, program staff work collaboratively with families, host school professionals, and outside mental health providers to assess needs, develop individualized treatment plans and deliver services that are intended to support healthy functioning in local schools and communities. These services may be provided in day treatment or public school classrooms, throughout the entire school day or episodically when intensive support is needed.