Students walk by the classes every day. However they usually aren’t paying any attention to them. If they do, they generally just think, “That’s where the kids with intellectual disabilities learn how to read, write, and count money.” That is part of it, however there is a lot more going on in those classrooms that most students are unaware of. Abigail Schaaf is an English teacher in the Special Education program at the school.

“We currently have twenty-seven students enrolled in our program. Each of them has four core classes where we actually have to teach them SOL curriculum only theirs is adapted to be easier for them to comprehend,” Schaaf said.

It is Schaaf’s second year as a Special Education English teacher at the school.

“I love working here; we have such a great program and it offers a lot more then what you would find at other schools with other programs,” Schaff said. “For example, our students actually have a high school schedule; they have periods and go to different classrooms just like everyone else. Other schools generally keep them in one classroom for all of their classes.”  Schaff said.

The school also provides students an opportunity to learn how to succeed in their futures in the Work Awareness and Transition program or (WAT). Most students know this classroom as the balloon room.

“WAT is a great program for the students because they don’t just learn how to be in a workplace; they actually go to different businesses around throughout the community and get the learning experience that will benefit them the most.”, Schaaf said.

In all, more goes on in those classrooms then what most students think, and perhaps the general population will think differently when the take a look inside the Special Education Department.