The Craig School Lookbook

HIST&ORY
MISSION

FOUNDED IN 1980, The Craig School is an independent school with an adaptive and responsive approach to educating
students with language-based learning differences in grades 2-12. For more than 40 years, The Craig School has provided
an evidence-based school program centered on whole child development, multi-sensory learning, organizational skill development,
Orton-Gillingham instructional methodology, and parent-school partnerships. The Craig School provides a safe, nurturing learning
environment with small, structured classrooms and positive student-teacher interactions.
The Craig School is accredited by the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges and the National Association of
Independent Schools.

STATEMENT OF CORE VALUES

1. All students can and will learn if the right environment and opportunities are provided.
2. Learning disabilities and learning styles should be acknowledged, understood, and provided for.
3. In addition to supporting a student’s academic development, a school should nurture their social, emotional, and moral growth.

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of The Craig School is to provide to our students a strategy-based, comprehensive, and challenging school
experience that acknowledges their learning disabilities, builds on their aptitudes, and strengthens their self-awareness and
self-esteem. We help our parents assess their child’s true potential and understand the nature of learning disabilities, and
provide our families an internal support network within the Craig community.

THE CRAIG SCHOOL WAY

ORTON GILLINGHAM STRUCTURED climate, (b) mindfulness integration in the lower and middle
LITERACY INTERVENTION schools to help students learn self-regulation and self-awareness
along with reducing anxiety, (c) a focus on self-advocacy and
ORTON GILLINGHAM STRUCTURED LITERACY INTERVENTION, becoming an independent learner through the unique “Self”
a signature program at The Craig School, takes on core program in the high school division, (d) time for physical
weaknesses in phonological skills, decoding, and spelling, through education and creative play, which opens up the mind for
explicit, systematic, and sequential instruction on phonemes, letter- learning, and (e) a full spectrum of related services, such as
sound relationships, syllable patterns, morphemes, vocabulary, occupational therapists, social clinicians, and speech and language
sentence structure, paragraph structure, and text structure. pathologists. This well-rounded educational experience fosters a
Additionally, this approach has been described as a multisensory sense of community, encourages interpersonal skills, autonomy, and
teaching method with direct instruction, a high level of student- greater independence, by providing pathways for students to develop
teacher interaction, carefully selected, decodable words and a sense of belonging, a sense of themselves, and an awareness of
nonsense words, text at the instructional level, rather than the their place in the world around them.
frustrational level, and prompt, corrective feedback. At The Craig
School, teachers are highly skilled and trained in the science of PARENT-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS
reading and understand a vast array of instructional strategies,
approaches, and practices that align to the best available research THE CRAIG SCHOOL INCORPORATES A SUPPORT SYSTEM
on teaching students with dyslexia how to read, write, and spell. to provide opportunities to share as parents of students with
learning differences, and to partner together as The Craig
MULTISENSORY LEARNING School provides an educational environment primed for student
growth and achievement. Parent-school partnerships are child-
DIVERSE LEARNERS NEED DIVERSE TEACHING STRATEGIES. focused approaches wherein families and educators cooperate,
Teachers at The Craig School, whether in the science lab or the coordinate, and collaborate to enhance opportunities for success
mathematics classroom, use multisensory instruction, that is, for students across social, emotional, behavioral, and academic
instruction using two or more senses, to move content domains. Moreover, parent and family input is invaluable as parents
knowledge from remembering and understanding to analysis support student learning, model lifelong learning, encourage
and application. Students who learn using two or more senses, character development and determination, and advocate for the
cement their learning in their long-term memory, allowing them educational needs of their child. Through structural elements such
to access more successfully retrieval cues to trigger memory, as whole-team collaboration with parents, parent input for
which in turn helps their learning “stick.” educational programming and planning, parent-teacher
conferences, membership in Parents’ Association (PACS), or
INTEGRATED ORGANIZATIONAL volunteering at school, parents are recognized as important
SYSTEM AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT members of The Craig School’s community.

SETTING GOALS, TIME MANAGEMENT, TASK INITIATION,
prioritization and planning, responsible decision making, and
self-regulation are all elements under the umbrella of
“organization.” An emphasis on these essential skills begins in
2nd grade and continues until, as graduates, they cross the
stage and receive their high school diploma. Through direct
strategy instruction, modeling, reinforcement, and positive
feedback, The Craig School’s organizational system is woven
through students’ academic day and customized to each
student’s needs allowing for optimum learning and functioning.

WHOLE-CHILD DEVELOPMENT

THE CRAIG SCHOOL’S ACADEMIC DAY IS FURTHER ENHANCED
through the incorporation of (a) social and emotional supports
and services, to promote a safe and supportive, positive school

LOWER/MIDDLE SCHOOL

HIGHLIGHTS

READING MATH

• Orton Gillingham • Practical Math - Everyday Applications
• Project Read • Multisensory Instruction
• Mnemonics Strategy
— Linguistics • IXL Online Program
— Story Form • Orton Gillingham Based Math
— Report Form • Domain Specific Vocabulary
• Diagnostic and Prescriptive Instruction
• Notice & Note SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES
• Read Naturally
• Lexia Strategies • Curriculum is based on state standards
— Core 5 • Foundational vocabulary, concepts, and academic
— Power up
• Linda Mood-Bell vocabulary focus
• Morphology • Multi-sensory approach
• Novel Specific Vocabulary • STEM program across all grade levels
• Lower School approach is hands-on
WRITING • Middle School incorporates executive

• Technology Assisted Writing Process functioning skills:
• Project Read Written Expression — note-taking strategies
• Lindamood Bell Visualizing and verbalizing — test-taking strategies
• Vocabulary Development — long-term assignment planning
• IXL and Quill for reinforcement (online programs) — time management and prioritizing

INTERDISCIPLINARY DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT

• RACE - reading/writing connection • Reading Fluency Assessment - 3x a year
• Project Read Report Form/Written Expression • TOWL-4 (Test of Written Language) - 1x a year
• Morphology • GMADE & GRADE - 2x a year
• Following multi-sensory principal of instruction • Scholastic Reading Inventory for Lexile levels - 2x a year
• WIAT-3 - Incoming students
TECHNOLOGY • Woodcock Reading Mastery
• GORT-5
• One-to-one laptops
— Google G Suite for Education RELATED SERVICES

• Google Chrome • Speech and Language therapy: individual, small group
— Read and Write Premium • Occupational therapy: individual, small group, consult
— Comprehensive reading & writing support • Physical Therapy: individual, small group, consult
for Docs, Web pages, PDF’s • Counseling
— Text-to-Speech
— Speech to text PARENT/TEACHER PARTNERSHIP
— Simplify websites
— Vocabulary enhancement • Progress Report - 3x a year
— Fluency practice • Parent-Teacher Conferences - 2x a year
• Communication Ladder
• Mindomo - Web-based graphic organizer • Weekly Newsletter
• Grammarly • Parent Webinars
• 3D printer for STEM lab • Parent-to-Parent Coffee Gatherings
• Interactive Whiteboards in every classroom
• Front Row FM System in every classroom WHOLE CHILD DEVELOPMENT
• Learning Ally - Providing support through extensive
Both in and out of the classroom, our social thinking programs
library of human read audiobooks allow students to explore issues of self-identity, develop and
practice social interaction skills, and understand their changing
ORGANIZATION roles and responsibilities through:

• Reference sheets • On-Staff Social Clinicians
• Every strategy taught at The Craig School has a • Weekly Social thinking classes
• Social coaching – group and individual
reference sheet, graphic organizer and checklist • Homeroom mentoring
detailing how it is performed. Students are • Peer Leader program (7th and 8th grade)
encouraged to use these reference sheets for all • School wide incentive program
classwork and homework assignments until they • School wide mindfulness program
master the strategies. Reference sheets can be found
in the Organizational binder and on Google Classroom. STUDENT LIFE AND TRADITIONS
• Google Suite for Education
• School-wide binder system • Friday electives: art, drama, fishing, hiking, newspaper,
• Weekly organizational checks STEM, swim
• Reference sheets and checklists for visual reminders
• Badger Homework Support to foster independence
• Frost Valley Environmental Camp (7th & 8th Grade)
• Ski Program
• Culminating educational trip for graduates
• Summer Academics & Enrichment Programs
• Art Show / Performing Arts
• Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM)

EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

• Interschool Athletics - Soccer, Basketball, Lacrosse,
Cross Country

• Other: Art, Fencing

HIGH SCHOOL

HIGHLIGHTS

THE COLLEGE PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL

The college-prep program at The Craig School School addresses the development of the whole student with the goals
of creating independent learners, building a greater sense of self, and guiding students in being an active part of future
decision making. The curriculum is cross curricular, integrated, and designed to facilitate active teaching and learning.
Within The Craig School’s curriculum are a series of learning strategies and executive functioning skills allowing students
to manage their learning, and build the social and self-advocacy skills, all vital to success both in and out of the classroom.
The Craig School’s curriculum is also aligned with the core standards for secondary education and the graduation
requirements set by the State of New Jersey.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

WRITING LITERATURE

● Development of vocabulary and writing skills through ● Exploration of a variety of literary genres including

a series of strategies and related techniques that short stories, poetry, graphic novels, novels, and plays
● Focus on plot, character, and theme
develop clear sentence and paragraph structure ● Incorporation of a series of reading strategies
● Grammar building and reinforcement focuses on
including Paraphrasing and Summarizing, Visual
usage, mechanics and editing
● Focus on writer's purpose, audience and task Imagery, and Word Mapping
● Writing Portfolio to assess progress and growth ● Introduction to Inferencing strategies

MATH SCHOOL PARENT PARTNERSHIP
• Dynamic Student Learning Profile shared with parents
• Math reference sheets are incorporated across the and teachers
entire math curriculum and includes student note taking • Weekly Student Roundtables for focused discussions
skills following a “Sample-Example” format. Active on individual students
role in creating and building student resources for • Parent communication includes Mid-Marking Period
independent work both in class and at home Progress Narratives and Trimester Reports Cards
• Academic Portfolios
• Emphasis on math reasoning and problem-solving skills • Weekly student newsletter
• Practical and real world scenarios and applications • Weekly parent newsletter
• Through the creation of a math binder along with
WHOLE STUDENT DEVELOPMENT
reference sheets, students take an active role in
building academic and organizational resources for Both in and out of the classroom, The Craig School’s Social
independent work Thinking programs allow students to explore issues of self-
identity, develop and practice social interaction skills, and
HISTORY understand their changing roles and responsibilities through:

• Focus on text book navigation, extracting and ON-SITE SOCIAL CLINICIANS
interpreting historical information • Weekly Social Thinking classes
• Social coaching – group and individual
• Note taking and study skills • Homeroom mentoring
• Geographical knowledge and map skills reinforced • School wide incentive program
• School wide mindfulness program
SCIENCE
THE CRAIG SCHOOL’S “SELF” PROGRAM
• Note taking focus • Freshmen Foundations
• Science reference sheets are incorporated across all • Career Awareness and Preparation
• College Awareness and Strategies
science courses • Life after High School
• Basic knowledge of how science is used to explore
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
the world we live in • One-to-one Laptops
• Hands-on experiments using high tech measuring devices • IXL (individualized skill based focus in Math and English)
• Emphasis on data gathering and visual representation • Kami (speech to text, text to speech
• Grammarly
of results • Learning Ally
• Google G Suite for Education
RELATED SERVICES • Google Chrome extensions individualized to the needs of
each learner, including Read & Write Premium
• Art and PE/Health • Interactive Whiteboards in every class
• Drivers Education • Front Row System
• Financial Literacy and Business
• One-to-one Orton-Gillingham Structured Literacy STUDENT LIFE AND TRADITIONS
• Sports programs, such as cross country, basketball,
instruction and bowling
• Speech Language Pathology • Intramural leagues, including volleyball, soccer, and softball
• Occupational Therapy • Stepping Out weekend program
• Individual and small group speech and social • National Honor Society
• National Art Honor Society
pragmatics • Culminating educational trip for graduates
• C.O.A.C.H Program • Summer academic programs
• Fine arts and performing arts showcases

DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT
• The Career Interests, Preferences, and Strengths Inventory (CIPSI)
• Self-Regulation Questionnaire
• Slosson Oral Reading Test - Revised (SORT-R3), 2x per year
• Gray Oral Reading Test (GORT-5), 2x per year
• PSAT / SAT / ACT
• GRADE/GMADE/TOWL-4, 2x per year

COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES

2004-2021

WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE OUR CURRENT

COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE LIST

Adelphi University Capri Institute Daemen College
American University Case Western Reserve University Dean College
Anna Maria College Cazenovia College Delaware State University
Anthem Institute Centenary College Drew University
Atlantic Cape Community College Champlain College Dover Business College
Beacon College Clarkson University Eastern Kentucky University
Becker College College Internship Program Eastern University
Bergen Community College Eckerd College
Bergen County Technical School at the Berkshire Center Emerson College
Berkeley College College of St. Joseph Endicott College
Bowling Green State University Colorado Mountain College Essex County College
Bryant University Concordia College Fairfield University
Caldwell College County College of Morris Fairleigh Dickinson University
Curry College

COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE LIST 2004-2021

Felician College Montclair State University Roger Williams University
Ferrum College Moravian College Russell Sage College
Gannon University Mount Ida College Rutgers University
Green Mountain College Mount St. Mary’s University Sacred Heart University
Hartwick College Muhlenberg College Saint Michael's College
High Point University New England College Salisbury University
Hofstra University New Jersey City University Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Iona College New Jersey Institute of Technology Seton Hall University
Ithaca College New York Institute of Technology - VIP Southern Vermont College
Johnson & Wales University Nova Southeastern University Stevenson University
Johnson State College Pace University Stonehill College
Keuka College Suffolk University
Kings College Paul Smith’s College SUNY Cobleskill
Kutztown University Penn State University SUNY Delhi
Landmark College Pennsylvania College of Technology SUNY Potsdam
Lebanon Valley College Quinnipiac University Susquehanna University
Lees-McRae College Ramapo College Syracuse University
LeMoyne College Raritan Valley College TCNJ - Community and Career Studies
Lesley University Richard Stockton College of NJ The College of New Jersey
Lincoln College of New England Rochester Institute of Technology Trident Technical College
Lincoln Technical Institute Union County College
Lipscomb University University of Arizona
Livingstone College University of Connecticut
Long Island University - C.W. Post University of Hartford
Loyola University University of Maine
Lyndon State College University of Maine at Farmington
Lynn University University of New Hampshire
Manhattanville College University of New Haven
Maplebrook School C.AP.S. University of North Carolina
Marian University University of Oregon
Marietta College University of Southern Maine
Marist College University of Tampa
Marshall University University of Vermont
Marywood University Ursinus College
Massachusetts Maritime Academy Vermont Technical College
Mercyhurst College Washington College
Middlesex County College Western State College of Colorado
Misericordia University Widener University
Mitchell College William Paterson University
Monmouth University

Locations LOWER/MIDDLE SCHOOL
15 Tower Hill Rd
Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046

CRAIG HIGH SCHOOL
24 Changebridge Road
Montville, NJ 07045

ADMINISTRATION
10 Tower Hill Road
Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046

973-334-1234
www.craigschool.org