Residential Program

Our Residential Program provides a home-like atmosphere for Schermerhorn students to live on-campus in dormitories and interact with supportive and knowledgeable staff who work closely with students families and caregivers to develop goals for each student.

This partnership is important as to ensure students progress, as new skills learned must be used when students return home on the weekends and for holidays.

Extending learning into after-school hours, students in the program receive help with their homework in addition to having access to our Tutoring Program. Students are also involved in shopping, meal planning, food preparation, and care of their living area.

Residential Program Photo Collage of Students

Skill Development

Activities of Daily Living (ADL), including housekeeping, food prep, clothing care, money management, personal safety, and telephone use.

Personal Care Habits, including dressing, hygiene and appearance, eating, and table manners.

Recreation and Leisure Skills, including the ability to play and participate in activities with and without the support of adult intervention.

Self-advocacy Skills, including identifying and communicating knowledge of individual needs.
Social Interaction Skills, including emotional awareness, self-concept, working with adults and peers, courteous behavior, problem-solving, decision-making, planning, and receiving constructive feedback.
Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication Skills, including talking with peers in-person and reading verbal and non-verbal social cues

Residential Activities

Designed with IEP goals in mind, our Residential and Recreational Program staff create a Recreation Calendar of activities for students each month.

Taking place after school and during the evenings, activities include

Arts and Crafts
Board and Card Games, including Apples to Apples, Connect Four, Dominoes, Jenga, Mad Libs, Jeopardy, Trouble, and Bingo
Celebrations for birthdays, holidays, and sporting events
Cooperative Games, including Air Hockey, Family Feud, Trivia Night
Community, Nature, and Beach Walks
Debate Club, Chat Time, Movie Nights
Field Trips to Broadway shows, Sporting Events, Arcades, Restaurants, Apple Orchards, Pumpkin Farms, Movie Theaters, Climbing Gyms, and Ice Skating Rinks
Food Shopping, Cooking, Baking, Meal Planning and Preparation
Homework help, in addition to access to our Tutoring Program
Seasonal Scavenger Hunts and activities, including bonfire s’mores, gingerbread, and holiday cookie decorating
Swimming, Bowling, Weight Lifting, Basketball, Cardio and Exercise Drills, Indoor and Outdoor Free Play, Tandem Cycling, and Mini-Golf

Residential Program Brochure

2025 Residential Brochure_April 2025

Stay Connected

A group of female students and a few teachers are sitting at a table in a dorm common room, doing crafts on a table

2 boys are sitting in a kitchen at the prep table, cooking and eating in aprons

A group of students and teachers are on a playground wearing masks

3 girls are cooking at a kitchen prep table

three boys are posing for the camera at a table in a dorm

A boy is standing at the end of a dining hall cafeteria table

a female teacher and three girls are sitting in a dorm common room at a table making arts and crafts