For many of our students, a learning disability goes hand in hand with fine motor, social-emotional, social skill, and speech and language deficits, delays, and differences.  To address these differences, Chelsea School provides assistance through our related services program.  The related services program is designed to enhance our students’ abilities in the classroom.  Our related service providers work closely with students, teachers, and parents/guardians to make sure our students can access learning and are successful.  To further these aims, all related service providers possess licensure and certification required by state law and approved by the Maryland State Department of Education.  We provide the following related services described below:  Counseling, Occupational Therapy, and Speech and Language.

Counseling
involves individual and group sessions as needed and in accordance with a student’s IEP.  Sessions focus upon issues related to a student’s social-emotional concerns that may impact his or her education.  Using such activities as active listening, delineating alternatives, helping to articulate goals, and providing needed information, our counselors work to help students reach their highest potential within the classroom and community.

Occupational Therapy
involves individual and group sessions in accordance with a student’s IEP.  Sessions promote a variety of functional activities to help improve and advance skills that students need in the classroom.  Sessions address fine motor skill development, eye-hand coordination, motor planning, sensory regulation, and organizational skill.

Social Skills
Middle Division groups address self-awareness and self-esteem, improving critical thinking skills and facilitating the importance of interacting with others in a positive and respectful manner.  Sessions work on enhancement of social skills as an aspect of a student’s personal growth.  All middle school students participate in social skills groups which culminate in exciting outdoor education activities such as camping, caving, traversing obstacle courses, etc.

Speech and Language Therapy
Involves individual and group sessions in accordance with a student’s IEP.  Sessions focus upon students’ difficulties with articulation, pragmatic skills, and auditory processing skills.  Sessions address receptive and expressive language skills, phonological processing, and memory skills.