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About Our School-
We offer classes for children from 18 months through first grade. We also provide specialized, academic support services to help children grow and develop in all areas of learning. We are open enrollment and offer playgroup before and after school.
Full-Inclusion Model-
We are a therapeutic school with a full-inclusion model led by a staff of highly trained teachers and therapists. Our special education teachers, early childhood educators, speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, and psychologists work as a team to best serve the needs of each child in our school setting.
All Ability Levels-
Our specialized team of teachers and therapists are equipped to educate young children at any ability level. Whether your child is nonverbal, unable to walk, or simply struggles with emotional regulation, we will work with your family to provide a curriculum that meets your child’s needs. Our goal is provide early and intensive intervention during the prime developmental years so that children are better prepared for their next educational environment.
Supportive Community-
Raising young children with special needs lends itself to high levels of parental distress and isolation. We provide a place where families can feel supported and part of a community while creating lifelong bonds with other parents, teachers, and therapists.
Business Review
"Our son transferred to Black Bear after struggling at a "traditional" preschool. Words cannot describe the difference this school has made in all our lives! They have helped our son significantly with emotional regulation, frustration tolerance, social skills, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and we love the parent coaching. Our son is thriving and we believe because of Black Bear he will be able to succeed as he transfers to Kindergarten. Every person who works at this school is kind, loving, and passionate. I know that they truly care about my son and they rejoice in his strengths and differences. Even better our son LOVES his school. Black Bear gives us peace of mind and we know he is being taken care of." - Parent of former student
"We love Black Bear. Our son has been there 6 months and he has really thrived. The teachers are very nurturing, truly understand child development, and really know my son and his needs. I appreciate that the info shared with us each week is focused on progress on the specific goals my son is working on, not just what activities the class is doing as was the case with our prior preschool. I can't imagine a better place for my child."- Parent of former student
"We transferred mid-year to Black Bear Academy after our daughter struggled with behavior issues at a previous school after starting kindergarten -- essentially kicked out due to behavior. So grateful to have found a school that can help our daughter build the skills she needs to be successful for mainstream school. Her teachers, Miss Moss and Miss Lauren, are wonderful empathetic people who understand our daughter's struggles and how to help her build a toolbox of strategies to control her emotions, build social skills, and stretch her attention span. Also grateful for all the services built in house. Having her psychologist in-house and part of a team with her teachers allows for seamless observations and a better understanding of our child and accurate diagnoses. Thank you BBA!" -Parent of former student
"We are thrilled with our experience at BBA. Our daughter started in the 3 hour 2s class and is now in the Introduction to Kindergarten Ideas classroom. The teachers and staff are exceptional and communicate equally well with the children and the parents (a rare combination). The developmental assessments and feedback on our daughter's progression have been so helpful and unlike anything we've heard about from friends with similar aged children at other schools. The weekly curriculum updates allow us to ask our daughter questions about her day in a more personal way and reinforce key learnings at home. We'd recommend BBA to anyone looking for a nurturing, but academic/child development focused learning environment in the city." - Parent of former student
