Murphy
and Dwyer Academy Inc. (MDA), is a 501(c)(3) non-profit school
that was established to meet the educational, psychological, and
developmental needs of students with Neurointegrative™ Learning
Differences whose cognitive abilities tend to be in the average to
superior range, yet are at risk for regression in some areas of
functioning. These students require educational programming that
integrates research findings with curriculum and program design
while addressing their need to develop nonverbal communication
skills. MDA believes that the development of pragmatic
communication (social) skills is necessary to become a functional
member of society. The failure to develop social skills oftentimes
prevents many of our students from functioning within the norms of
society. This results in many of them being ostracized by their
peers and isolated from their communities. Research has
shown that people who continue to be functionally isolated
frequently become vulnerable to victimization and may become
dependent on family or outside social services throughout their
lives. As a therapeutic day program, MDA allows these children to
remain living with their families rather than enrolling in a more
restrictive, residential program where they sometimes regress
developmentally.
Research
has shown that students with Neurointegrative™ Learning
Differences have impairments in executive functioning. These
difficulties range from difficulties in sustaining attention,
regulation, and self-modulation to higher-level executive function
skills. Our students’
executive function skills are, “often ineffective because of
their difficulties in organizing all facets of an activity
conceptually and integrating it with their student, which may keep
them from carrying out their many intentions” (Lezak). Our
students are frequently hyper-reactive or hypo-reactive to
ordinary sensory stimuli. Consequently, they oftentimes withdraw
socially and retreat into their own world to escape the sensory,
emotional, and extraneous stressors experienced in traditional
schools.
Our students have complicated neurological and
neurodevelopment profiles that often require some individualized
or small group instruction. Their
impairments may affect aspects of several learning systems. For
example, many of our students’ memory systems have an area of
strength and an area of impairment.
Often they have excellent rote memory for basic facts but
may have more difficulty differentiating relevant from irrelevant
information. They
often have fine-motor difficulties (dysgraphia) requiring language
processing and writing tasks to be separated from the perceptual
and motor aspects of writing.
Additionally, our students can have difficulties in the
following areas: dyscalculia, coordination and sensory integration.
The scope of services that students with
NeurointegrativeTM Learning Differences require in a
mainstream classroom frequently makes it difficult or impossible
for school systems to meet their complex needs.
These
students also require a program that weaves non-verbal pragmatic
language and mentoring of social interactions into all aspects of
their education. Many MDA students have a history of difficulty in
establishing and maintaining peer relationships. They are often
socially successful with adults and in 1:1 interactions but have
difficulty being able to read non-verbal, non-direct social
nuances and communication. MDA uses social mentoring,
problem solving, social scripts, drama skits, and videotaping to
help students develop successful peer interactions. The students
learn to negotiate their preferences and to develop reciprocity in
dyads and later, in small groups.
The
educational team,
including the student’s parents and local school district,
develops an individualized plan to ensure that each student
maintains the academic status of the students in his/her community
and is provided with appropriate inclusion opportunities.
To this end, MDA uses a technology based curriculum that is
aligned with
Massachusetts
’ Curriculum Frameworks in language, math, science, social
studies, physical education, and the arts.
The curricula correlate with the cognitive and
social-emotional development of typical peers while accommodating
students with learning disabilities.
In
addition to pragmatic language and social skill communication,
sensory integration is woven into the program.
Staff are trained to support students in improving their
ability to regulate and modulate their sensory systems.
MDA provides students the opportunity to learn water safety
as well as take part in swimming lessons in an indoor heated pool
located in the school. The
indoor pool is utilized as a means for students to not only
improve their endurance and gross motor strength, but as a means
to refuel their engines.
Summary
The
program at Murphy & Dwyer Academy, Inc. is designed to enhance
each student’s intrinsic potential. The Academy serves students
with average to superior cognitive ability who require a
specialized program that integrates social pragmatics into aspects
of the program. The curriculum is individualized to correspond to
the student’s neuropsychological profile. MDA provides students
with an educational environment that enhances their confidence
while minimizing the extraneous stimuli that overwhelms them. MDA
provides a safe and supportive environment that encourages
students to “stay in our world.” By doing so, students are
able to participate in meaningful interpersonal relationships and
community involvement. Research has shown that with an appropriate
educational program, these students are capable of excelling
academically and have the potential to be valuable members of
their community. Historically, people with
Learning Differences have made many meaningful
contributions to art, literature, research, science, and
technology.
Ages
of Students:
6 to 22 years
Notice
of Nondiscriminatory Policy as to Students
Murphy
and Dwyer Academy, Inc., a private school located at
29 Regina Drive
Chelmsford
,
MA
01824
, admits students of any race, color, national, or ethnic origin
to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally
accorded or made available to students at this school. It does not
discriminate on the basis of race, color, national, or ethnic
origin in administration of educational policies, admissions
policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other
school- administered programs.
Murphy
and
Dwyer
Academy
is approved for funding by the Department of Social Services, the
Department of Mental Health, and Chapter 766. While many
students’ tuition is paid by the student’s public school
system in accordance with Chapter 766, some students’ tuition is
funded by the Department of Social Services.
·
MDA
accepts students from other states.
·
MDA can
work with the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health to
coordinate
funding and services.
