The Elementary Program is a program for students in Kindergarten through fifth grade.  We offer specialized teaching for children who are blind/visually impaired as well as for those students who have additional disabilities.  The program provides a highly structured routine with instruction using the learning media appropriate for each student (braille, large print, speech output) that emphasizes academic achievement, functional and developmental skills, activities of daily living, communication skills, assistive technology, leisure and recreation skills, and orientation and mobility.  

The Elementary Classes follow monthly themes that provide the students with fun, hands-on experiences allowing the children to develop meaningful and accurate concepts of the world we live in. Some of our themes for this school year are Pennsylvania History, The 7 Continents, Weights and Measures and Life Cycles.  We offer small class sizes of 5 to 7 students in a class with a teacher and 2 teacher aides.  Our students participate in Phys. Ed., Music, Library, and Pre-Vocational classes throughout the week.  The Elementary teachers, teacher aides, therapeutic support staff and families work together as a team to develop and implement high quality and individualized educational programs to meet the unique needs of each of our students.  Coordinator: Jo Ann McNamee, ext. 218, and e-mail: joann@obs.org.