About Our School

Oak Park School is the Sarasota County District School serving students with a broad range of special needs, ages 3 to 22 years. Oak Park is located on the shores of beautiful Lake Sarasota.

We are the only school in the district with an in-school scouting program. Scouting is just one of the many tools we use to help our exceptional students to better integrate with the general population. It is also an apporach to provide character education and vocational training.

Our school is divided into a number of teams, which are assistive in helping us determine appropriate placements for students. Our student population includes:

Profoundly Mentally Handicapped: Some of these students require specialized care and many will require assisted living after leaving school. Occupational, physical, and/ or speech therapy, with instruction in the use of augmentative communication devices are available to these students when appropriate.

Trainably and Educably Mentally Handicapped: Included in this group are physically and/or mentally handicapped, as well as autistic students. Some of these students may require supported living and employment after exiting school. The major emphasis of this department's curriculum is Community Based Instruction (CBI). Through CBI, students work towards achieving maximum independence as they prepare for adulthood.

Behaviorally and Emotionally Disabled : These students are staffed into the most structured classroom settings in the district. Our system of behavior modification utilizes a sophisticated point system coupled with frequent positive reinforcers. In addition, a social/personal curriculum is used to help these students learn replacement behaviors, and to help them understand their emotions and how to express them in positive and appropriate ways. Our goal for these students is to identify and modify behaviorial difficulties, while encouraging individual success, Ultimately, we work with these students in ways that will help them be successful when mainstreamed back into their districted schools.

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	Oak Park School is the Sarasota County District School serving students with a broad range of special needs, ages 3 to 22 years. Oak Park is located on the shores of beautiful Lake Sarasota. We are the only school in the district with an in-school scouting program. Scouting is just one of the many tools we use to help our exceptional students to better integrate with the general population. It is also an apporach to provide character education and vocational training. Our school is divided into a number of teams, which are assistive in helping us determine appropriate placements for students. Our student population includes: Profoundly Mentally Handicapped: Some of these students require specialized care and many will require assisted living after leaving school. Occupational, physical, and/ or speech therapy, with instruction in the use of augmentative communication devices are available to these students when appropriate. Trainably and Educably Mentally Handicapped: Included in this group are physically and/or mentally handicapped, as well as autistic students. Some of these students may require supported living and employment after exiting school. The major emphasis of this department's curriculum is Community Based Instruction (CBI). Through CBI, students work towards achieving maximum independence as they prepare for adulthood. Behaviorally and Emotionally Disabled : These students are staffed into the most structured classroom settings in the district. Our system of behavior modification utilizes a sophisticated point system coupled with frequent positive reinforcers. In addition, a social/personal curriculum is used to help these students learn replacement behaviors, and to help them understand their emotions and how to express them in positive and appropriate ways. Our goal for these students is to identify and modify behaviorial difficulties, while encouraging individual success, Ultimately, we work with these students in ways that will help them be successful when mainstreamed back into their districted schools.