Bridges Program

What is Bridges ?

Bridges is an instructional program for students with mild learning disabilities designed to meet the unique educational needs of students who have difficulty working independently and who require additional academic support in the basic areas of English, Spanish, and Math. New enrollment in the program is only available for elementary school students (grades 1 through 6). Once in the program, students may continue until 11th grade. High school students already in Cupeyville may also enroll in the program if they comply with the program requirements, depending on space availability. The program runs during regular school hours. In order to provide the service, the student’s program needs to match the Bridges program schedule. This service is also limited to the Bridges faculty available, and the number of students enrolled.

Parents play a major role in this program and will be required to follow through on the recommendations for enhancing the education of their children.

How does Bridges work ?

Students remain integrated with their peers in a regular classroom except for the subjects English, Spanish, or Math, in which the student requires additional support. Students will go to a resource room daily for the duration of the school year (It is a one-school-year commitment). Trained and/or licensed teachers will provide small group instruction.
The course syllabus, available through PlusPortals, will be the educational resource to follow for English, Spanish and Math. The syllabus will contain the course’s description, objectives, content, and evaluation strategies. The college preparatory curriculum standards of Cupeyville School will continue to serve as the framework for instruction.
In the event of a national emergency in which the school must close for a prolonged time, Cupeyville School will provide small groups virtual teaching for the students enrolled in the Bridges Program.

Who Is Eligible?

Bridges program will serve students in grades 1-11 who have been identified as having a mild learning disability, and/or a mild attention deficit disorder. Enrollment is limited and Cupeyville School reserves the right to accept applicants for whom the program is best suited.

Starting the 2024-2025 school year, only new students who enroll in 1st through 6th grade will be able to join the program. If an elementary school new student enrolls in the regular program, he/she can only change to the bridges program for the next school year. 

New students coming to Cupeyville for high school are not eligible to participate in the program.

 Requirements

 Admission Requirements - 1st to 6th Grade
Candidates for the program must comply with general admission requirements:
  • Copy of psycho-educational evaluation that includes the diagnosis.
  • All other evaluations/recommendations by any support professionals who have evaluated/or seen the student (i.e. Speech therapist, occupational therapist, neurologist).
  • New students diagnosed with a condition must mark the placement for Special Ed when completing the Pre-Admission Application.
  • Priority will be given to students presently enrolled in Cupeyville School.
  • Courses will be offered if we have an enrollment of 5  (five) students or more.
        Program Requirements
        • Children who are accepted to the program must be seen regularly by a mental health professional, not only to monitor medications, but also to help the child handle the interpersonal, social and, self-esteem challenges that are experienced by children with learning difficulties.
        • The child’s mental health professional must be willing to work closely with staff, by sharing helpful information by letter or phone with the Bridges Coordinator or Counselor.
        • Parents must be willing to make arrangements for the mental health professional to come to school when needed to explore strategies and recommendations with staff, coordinator, and counselor.
        • All medication and/or treatment plan changes must be immediately reported by parents to the coordinator or counselor.
        • Parents must commit to provide any service/therapies recommended by the health professionals and/or by Bridges Coordinator.
        • A student registered in the program must remain in it for the entire school year.
        • Parents are responsible for the monthly school payment and the Bridges program fee.
        • Students requesting and/or receiving benefits from the Department of Education:
        • Cupeyville School and the Bridges program will not have any contact or make any transactions with the Department of Education. Parents are responsible for claiming the benefits directly to the Department of Education.

        Program Regulations

        Cupeyville School and the Bridges Program reserve the right to deny registration to, or to expel any student at any given time during the school year for the following reasons:

        • A student is verbally, physically and/or psychologically aggressive toward another student, a staff member or him or herself (i.e. student is actively suicidal).
        • A student has been referred by the school or by an outside mental health professional for a mental health intervention (i.e. medication or treatment), but the parent/guardian refuses to comply or withdraws the student from treatment before the school determines any significant change/improvement has been achieved.
        • A student is actively participating in treatment but the school determines that no significant change/improvement has been made and the school is not the appropriate placement for the student.
        • That it becomes apparent, after the child has been accepted into the program, that his learning/conduct/emotional challenges are greater than the program can work with.

        Reasonable Accommodations for Students with learning disabilities.
        Accommodation is any change in the learning environment, or in the way things are customarily done, that enables an individual with a qualifying disability to have access to education or to perform the duties or tasks required by the school. (The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, ADA)

        All students who need reasonable accommodations during the school year must provide a complete psychoeducational evaluation and other certifications from a mental health professional (psychologist, neurologist, or psychiatrist) stating the diagnosis of the learning disability that justifies the services.  

        To provide the accommodations, parents must:
        1. Fill out the Accommodation Request Form at the Bridges Program office.
        2. Include a copy of the diagnosis of the student’s disability and the required accommodations from the Mental Health Professional.
        3. Provide the above information every school year, even if the condition has not changed.
        These are examples of possible accommodations available for the benefit of the students diagnosed with a learning disability:
        • Extended time for work, tests, or quizzes. For tests, the teacher will provide 50% extra time or time and 1/2 of the test time.
        • Special projects
        • Oral tests
        • Preferential seating arrangement
        • Use of personal computer
        • Test readers or proctors
        • All other possible accommodations (*) will be evaluated and considered for approval by the school administration.
        *All accommodations will be based on each student’s individual needs and must have approval of school administration.

        Accommodations must be requested at the beginning of the school year and must be informed prior to the assigned testing dates. This will give the teacher the time to make arrangements before the test in order to provide the accommodations requested.

        The Bridges program is designed for students with mild learning disabilities. Therefore, students who require reasonable accommodations such as T1 support or shadow aides will not be allowed to enroll in our school.
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