The Academy at Quakertown (TAQ), located at 100 Commerce Drive, is a unique program designed to provide services within the district to students who have had minimal success in the traditional educational environment due to attendance/truancy issues, emotional difficulties, or behavioral concerns. The program currently serves students in grades eight through twelve.
Profiles of the students referred to this program are varied. Many have been observed as at-risk, discouraged or unmotivated, with documented histories of poor attendance or multiple failures despite a range of instruction and attempted interventions.
The low student/teacher ratio allows for a specialized, structured educational environment that focuses on individualized behavioral support, consistent expectations and clear boundaries. The staff includes an experienced team of professionals including an administrator, a teacher on special assignment, a certified Special Education Teacher, a certified regular education teacher, a full-time school counselor, and a part-time nurse. This team works closely with students, their families, and related service agencies to effectively address the complex needs of this student population. Individual and group counseling are provided to each student to address serious issues that interfere with learning.
The program provides organizational and study skills development as part of an interdisciplinary approach to the curriculum. The curriculum offered by The Academy at Quakertown program is designed to meet the academic needs of the individual student with a focus on blended learning. Integrated into the program are community service activities and community interaction experiences that stress the connections to "real life". QCSD graduation requirements and district-wide exit standards are addressed through the curriculum of TAQ. Students who successfully complete the requirements for graduation through The Academy at Quakertown will receive a Quakertown Senior High School Diploma.
For most students, TAQ is designed to be a relatively short-term placement that encourages transition back to the mainstream. The main focus of the staff's effort is to provide each individual student with an opportunity to explore and modify behaviors, attitudes, and skills deficits that have deterred academic and personal success in the traditional education setting. Students who commit themselves to the principles of the program and demonstrate adequate progress will be recommended to rejoin the mainstream as soon as is deemed appropriate. We hope to facilitate change by providing instruction, guidance and support that will impact their actions and decision-making processes. It is our goal to offer Quakertown students an alternative educational placement designed to facilitate improvement in school adjustment and stimulate success in school performance.