Charleston's Independent School Directory 2018-19

www.CharlestonsPrivateSchools.com | www.CharlestonSchoolDirectory.com | www.ed.sc.gov ISD INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS O pened in 2010, Pattison’s Academy for Comprehensive Education (PACE) in West Ashley is a public charter school serving children ages 5 through 21 with multiple severe disabilities. “Most of our kids don’t walk so they use wheelchairs, strollers or walkers,” explained PACE Principal Laura Del Duca. “Most of our students are nonverbal. And many are medically fragile.” A majority of students suffer from some combination of a neurological disability and an orthopedic condition, according to PACE Executive Director Paige Knowlson. Disabilities include everything from seizure disorders, cerebral palsy and traumatic brain injuries to genetic conditions. Within PACE is an umbrella of services that include the charter school, a summer camp and therapy and family-support services. PACE was initially launched in 2006 as a summer camp offering learning opportunities, life-skills development and therapy. Because the families saw so much success, the decision was made to open a charter school based on the same model of education and intensive therapy. “We’re unique in that we combine rehab,” said Del Duca, who started her career in physical therapy and later earned her master’s in education administration and leadership. “We really believe that for our students to make progress in their educational program, they have to have all the support of the therapies.” (For example, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy). PACE is the only special education-specific charter school in Charleston and the only program of its kind in the state. It adheres to the standards established by the South Carolina Department of Education through a modified curriculum called Unique Learning Systems. ULS is a special-education model linked to state standards tailored for kids with significant disabilities. However, teachers may also create their own lessons based on a student’s unique needs. ULS is designed to structure the student’s academic learning, then PACE integrates therapy into this instruction, according to Knowlson. Among other things, therapists help the children express themselves to teachers and communicate their comprehension. Currently PACE serves anywhere from 35 to 40 children, Knowlson said, and growth has been slow but steady since 2010. Local demand is such that she anticipates the school increasing enrollment by five to seven children per year as long as transportation is available and the expansion doesn’t adversely affect the integrity of service. AOne-of-a-Kind LearningProgram: Pattison’s Academy for Comprehensive Education (PACE) By Colin McCandless Photo courtesy of PACE. A student swimming session during PACE’s summer camp.