Perseus House, Inc. Residential Education Programs
The Perseus House, Inc. Residential Educational Programming is designed to meet the needs of both the regular and special education students in grades 6-12. Our Residential Educational Programming provides for the behavioral, emotional, and educational needs of students that are being served in our care. The residential educational program serves the following residential facilities:
- Boys Residential Treatment Facility (RTF)
- Boys Enhanced Residential Treatment Facility (ERTF)
- Girls Enhanced Residential Treatment Facility (ERTF)
- Andromeda House Intensive Treatment Unit (ITU)
- Andromeda House (RTF)
- Brighter Horizon’s (BH)
- Shelter
- Transitional Living Program
Curriculum
The focus of the education at the educational programs is on providing the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in an educational setting. All students (6-12) are provided the core content academic areas, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies as well as electives such as Health and Wellness. The students are educated by different Pennsylvania certified teachers. These teachers are special education certified as well as Pennsylvania certified in different content areas. The teachers rotate into the various residential unit classrooms to provide instruction in each of their certified content areas.
All of the Perseus House, Inc. residential students are given the Classroom Diagnostic Tool (CDT) tests to establish a baseline of academic performance and then post-test for progress data. The teachers use the data from the CDT results to drive instruction for the students. Through the use of small group academic instruction, one-to-one instruction, technology enhancement, and textbook recourses, each student’s individualized academic and behavioral needs will be addressed.
In addition to traditional brick and mortar education, students are exposed to the following academic tools/assessments:
- CDT (Classroom Diagnostic Tools)
- Edgenuity Online Curriculum
- PSSA/Keystone Testing
- Choices 360.com (Career and Post-Secondary transition options)
- ASVAB Career Interest Inventory
- IXL (Additional support/education with Math and Language Arts skills)
Students can receive a variety of services dependent upon their program and/or location. All outcomes with students and families strive to promote pro-social behaviors and lifestyles. We have a contractual agreement with a “Prevention Education Specialist” from the Erie County Crime Victim Center (CVC) that provides monthly educational school-wide programs for the students.
School Sites
Erie’s Public Schools are considered to be the Local Educational Agency (LEA) for the following Perseus House classrooms/programs at the Collaborative Learning Center (Shelter Classroom operates within the facility):
- Boys Residential Treatment Facility (RTF)
- Boys Enhanced Residential Treatment Facility (ERTF)
- Girls Enhanced Residential Treatment Facility (ERTF)
- Shelter
- Andromeda House (RTF)
- Andromeda House (ITU)
Erie’s Public School District contracts with Perseus House Inc. to employ the teachers and support staff for the educational setting.
Brighter Horizon’s Educational Programming is overseen by the General McLane School District who contracts with the Northwest Tri-County Intermediate Unit #5. The BH classroom is located in the CLC building.
- Brighter Horizons (RTF)
Perseus House, Inc. school sites operate on a 180-day student calendar. Additional instructional opportunities are offered within a summer academic program, Summer Stretch, to supplement and continue comprehension and understanding. The “Summer Stretch” program is typically a 6-8-week session.
Staffing
Each Perseus House, Inc. residential classroom is staffed with a certified teacher and a teacher aide. The teacher assumes the role of not only an educator but case manager. The teacher is responsible for tracking attendance, grades, and any other behavioral, emotional, and/or academic trends. There are additional staff members that are split between the sites which include, but are not limited to the following:
- Building Principal
- Mental Health Therapist
- Intervention Coordinator
All Perseus House, Inc. staff members are trained in Life Space Crisis Intervention® (LSCI), Aggression Replacement Training® (ART) and the Sanctuary® model within the first year of their employment. These interventions and strategies are to be utilized by the staff to improve the number of successful interventions that are provided to the students.
