Related Therapies
Related Therapies & Student Supports
Supporting the Whole Student
At John F. Kennedy School, related services work alongside classroom instruction to help students communicate, move, participate, develop independence, and prepare for life beyond school.
What Are Related Therapies?
Related therapies are specialized services that help students access their education and make progress toward their Individualized Education Program goals.
Depending on an individual student's needs, these services may address communication, mobility, motor development, sensory regulation, daily living skills, social interaction, emotional expression, and participation in school and community activities.
Related Services Available at JFK
Our multidisciplinary approach allows therapeutic supports to connect directly with classroom learning and everyday life.
Speech & Language Therapy
Speech and language services support students in developing the communication skills they need to participate more independently at school, at home, in the workplace, and throughout the community.
Students may work on:
- Expressing wants, needs, thoughts, and feelings
- Understanding spoken language and directions
- Conversation and social communication
- Vocabulary and functional language
- Speech clarity and intelligibility
- Using communication in real-world situations
- Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), when appropriate
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy supports a student's ability to participate in meaningful school, vocational, self-care, and daily living activities.
Students may work on:
- Fine motor skills
- Hand-eye coordination
- Dressing and personal care skills
- Meal preparation and household tasks
- Using classroom and vocational tools
- Organization and task completion
- Sensory regulation strategies
- Increasing independence with daily routines
Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy helps students improve the movement, mobility, strength, balance, and physical access necessary to participate safely and successfully in their educational environment.
Students may work on:
- Walking and functional mobility
- Balance and coordination
- Strength and endurance
- Posture and body positioning
- Safe transfers
- Stair navigation
- Accessing different school environments
- Using mobility or adaptive equipment when appropriate
Art Therapy
Art-based therapeutic experiences can provide students with additional ways to communicate, express themselves, explore emotions, develop creativity, and engage with others.
Activities may support:
- Self-expression
- Emotional awareness
- Creativity
- Choice-making
- Fine motor development
- Attention and engagement
- Confidence and self-esteem
- Social participation
Music Therapy
Music-based therapeutic experiences provide students with opportunities to communicate, interact, move, make choices, and participate in structured activities through rhythm, sound, and music.
Activities may support:
- Communication
- Social interaction
- Attention and engagement
- Emotional expression
- Movement and coordination
- Turn-taking
- Following directions
- Group participation
Sensory-Motor Supports
Some students benefit from sensory and movement-based strategies that help them regulate their bodies, maintain attention, and participate more successfully throughout the school day.
Supports may include:
- Movement activities
- Touch and tactile experiences
- Structured sensory activities
- Motor activities
- Environmental adaptations
- Strategies for self-regulation
- Classroom sensory supports
- Individualized sensory routines when appropriate
🏊 Aquatic & Hydrotherapy Supports
A Unique On-Site Resource at John F. Kennedy School
John F. Kennedy School has the unique benefit of an on-site swimming pool that can provide students with aquatic experiences and water-based therapeutic opportunities when appropriate.
The water environment can provide students with a different setting for movement, exercise, recreation, physical development, confidence building, and functional participation.
Aquatic activities may help support:
- Movement and mobility
- Strength and endurance
- Balance and coordination
- Body awareness
- Confidence in the water
- Recreation and leisure skills
- Participation in physical activity
- Greater independence
Autism & Sensory Supports
Students within JFK's autism programs may receive instructional and therapeutic supports designed around their individual communication, behavioral, sensory, social, and functional needs.
Classroom instruction may incorporate evidence-based practices such as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Natural Environment Teaching, along with individualized sensory and communication supports.
A Team Approach to Student Success
Therapy at JFK does not exist in isolation. Related service professionals collaborate with teachers, paraprofessionals, families, Child Study Team members, transition staff, and other school professionals.
This collaboration helps students practice important skills across different environments instead of limiting those skills to a therapy session.
Therapy With a Purpose
At John F. Kennedy School, the ultimate purpose of related services is not simply to improve a skill during a therapy session. The goal is to help students use those skills in real life.
A communication skill can help a student advocate for themselves at work. A mobility skill can help a student navigate the community. A daily living skill can increase independence at home. A social skill can help a student build relationships.
This is why related services are an important part of preparing JFK students for adulthood.
Our Goal
Every therapeutic support should move the student toward greater participation, confidence, independence, and quality of life.
Preparing Students for Life Beyond School
Through individualized education, related services, functional academics, daily living instruction, community experiences, and transition programming, John F. Kennedy School works to prepare students for meaningful adult lives.
Caring. Committed. Courageous.