Quality Education, Encouraging Student Success
Providing each student with a quality education that is engaging, interesting and helpful to meet educational goals.
Most young individuals who have experienced trauma have unique challenges in their educational experience. Challenges can range from loss of credits due to school moves, challenging school environments, a lack of commitment to education, and various other challenges that are a priority at that time. The Day Treatment Program is an alternative to Residential Treatment and is suited for individuals who can function with lower amounts of structure when school is dismissed.
We offer specialized instruction for students on IEP and 504 plans in grades three through 12. We focus on offering our clients the best possible education through an individualized school program and academic testing.
Our Commitment
At Griffith Centers, J. Wilkins Opportunity School provides each student with a quality education that is engaging, interesting, and will help meet educational goals. We offer an alternative therapeutic, educational experience for students struggling with emotional, family, other related issues and whose needs are not being served in their current educational environment.
Now more than ever before, you need to know where your students are & how you can best support them. i-Ready gives us the tools to track progress effectively.
The students at Griffith Centers J. Wilkins Opportunity School are given the attention and support needed to overcome obstacles, thus getting back on the road to success and graduation.
Day Treatment services provide special education classrooms for students referred by school districts or who are placed in our Residential Programs. We offer specialized instruction for students from 3rd through 12th grade by providing an individualized school program design and academic and behavioral testing. Our desire is for the best possible education for our clients.
The education team provides a responsive student-to-staff ratio to assure quality in care and education. Individualized Title I programming improves reading skills for students who have fallen behind on reading and comprehension. We utilize tools, such as i-Ready to assess and improve the learning experience and meet our students where they’re at.
- Classes are separated by age groups, skill levels, and other special needs
- Low student-to-teacher ratio
- Students receive individual math and reading intervention to increase achievements every week
- General Equivalency Diploma (GED) program offered to students who qualify
- Students receive clinical services through individual, family, and group therapy.
- Support students’ progress who are going to public school in our area
- Transition services for students returning to public school
- i-Ready assessments show advancement in credits and content by more than 1 1/2 years of grade level for every 180 school days at Griffith Centers
- Support for higher-risk students
Credit Recovery
We offer year-round classes to assist in credit recovery. Our innovative program is helping students gain the credits they need to get their high school diplomas. Our Credit Recovery program gives students the ability to work at their own pace, providing them the opportunity to complete the learning materials necessary to get back on track.
C.B.C.A.
Our Curriculum Based Community Activities offer various instructional methods and programs that we use to connect what is being taught in schools to their surrounding communities, including local institutions, history, literature, cultural heritage, and natural environments. Community-based learning is inspired by the belief that all communities have intrinsic educational assets and resources that educators can use to enhance learning experiences for students. By using the “community as a classroom,” teachers can improve knowledge retention, skill acquisition, and preparation for adult life because students are given opportunities to apply learning in practical, real-life settings—for example, researching a local ecosystem, or by volunteering at a nonprofit organization.
Experiential Education
Experiential Education is a hands-on initiative to learning that starts with concrete experience. Once a problem is solved, the students can reflect on the process and are able to apply the lessons more broadly to their lives. Adventure and challenge are at the heart of experiential learning, as this approach pushes the students out of their comfort zones, often times facing fears, and working through these challenges, where the greatest education gains can occur. These activities are carefully crafted to provide a healthy level of challenge for the group or individual.
A.C.E.
We offer Alternative Cooperative Education (ACE) Career & Technical Education (CTE) programming, introducing a multi-occupational pathway that facilitates individualized, developmentally appropriate programming necessary to support CTE students, including students identified as Special Populations. ACE CTE students are prepared to demonstrate competency in Postsecondary Workforce Readiness (PWR) that lead to technical skill development in any chosen occupation occupations or high demand industries that promote self-sufficiency.
Culinary Arts
Our Griffith’s Kitchen program utilizes culinary arts as a way for our kids and their families to express themselves directly in the kitchen, all the while providing an innovative outlet to help kids showcase their talent, learn skills, and serve their peers.
In late 2022, we launched a new Culinary Arts curriculum that informs the practical skills necessary in the kitchen and fosters creativity, decision-making, and patience. Cooking is an essential life skill. Culinary Arts also presents an abundance of opportunities for cross-curricular integration.
“An excellent education is not possible without the strong partnership of students, parents, and staff. We encourage these positive collaborations so that we can continue to give our children an opportunity to become self-motivated learners and productive citizens.”
— William Sanders, Clinical Residential Director
Program Benefits & Services
Classes
Each classroom is strategically structured for the success of students. With a low student to staff ratio, lessons can be tailored to each child’s psychological and education level. Classes are arranged by age groups, skill level, mental capacity, and other special needs.
GED
Students have two options for graduation through J. Wilkins Opportunity School. General Education Development (GED) program or Credit Recovery where students work at their own pace to get back on track to graduate high school, both offered for students who qualify.
Therapy
To help students achieve personal and academic goals, therapy from a licensed professional is available. The treatments provided during therapy sessions help guide students’ individualized education plans. Students receive individual, family, and group therapeutic clinical services.
i-Ready
i-Ready is an online program for reading and mathematics that will help your student’s teachers determine your student’s needs, personalize their learning, and monitor progress throughout the school year. Program assessments show advancement in credits and content by more than 1.5 years of grade levels for every 180 school days at Griffith Centers.
Location: 10 Farragut Ave
Colorado Springs, CO 80909
Telephone: 719.640.1719
Email: info@griffithcenters.org
Hours: M-F: 8am – 4pm
The Colorado Department of Education regularly monitors and evaluates our program to ensure its high quality. J. Wilkins Opportunity School is accredited by AdvancEd, North Central Association of School, and the Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children, Inc.