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Second Start is a nonprofit organization that provides specialized academic, transitional,
and/or therapeutic services to disadvantaged, at risk children and young adults who are challenged
by learning and social or emotional differences.
Second Start is committed to helping children become successful.
At Pine Hill School, for example, both individual and group counseling are provided
to support students while they learn. This helps them become more receptive to their
educational surroundings so that they can benefit the most from their experience here.
Through counseling, children learn to recognize how they react when problems arise
so they can modify their own behavior or ask for help.
As each milestone is reached, a new goal is created to challenge and gradually move
the student forward toward preferred behavior.
Overall, we work to help our school children:
- increase their coping skills.
- develop appropriate social skills.
- develop skills that help them succeed in school.
We gauge the success of our counseling program by the visible achievement and progress of each child.
Ultimately, our goal is to teach through positive example that reinforces correct behavior,
as opposed to punishing a child who has behaved inappropriately.
Two new press releases concerning Pine Hill School:
 
A San Jose Special Education Program Has Been Honored With International Recognition
San Jose, California -- May 12, 2009
Pine Hill School, a 35-year-old special education non-public school received Peter Batten from Australia's "The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust" last week. Mr. Batten, a Churchill Fellow, is tasked with finding the best Autistic programs in the World. After detailed and extensive research for which he received his fellowship, he scheduled an in-person visit to those schools and programs across the globe that he found to be most effective in helping moderate- to high-functioning Autistic children.
Pine Hill School was one of two schools he discovered (the other is in Brighton, England) which warranted a personal visit. He was particularly interested in the "Newton Learning Method" of Social Thinking Class structure and application, curriculum individually and uniquely tailored which engages students to excel in learning, reading programs, integrated counseling services throughout the school day and several other programs.
In the same vein, Mr. Batten found Pine Hill's staff to be uniquely effective. Some on the staff are Asperger's Adults, giving the program a genuinely personal identification and connection of staff and student.
Pine Hill School's excellence has been commended by the State of California Department of Education and recognized nationally, but this is the first International Recognition.
Australia's "The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust" is administered by Her Majesty the Queen's representative to Australia: Sir Michael Jeffery and can be reached at: www.churchilltrust.com.au
Pine Hill School is operated by Second Start Learning Disabilities Programs Inc., a 501c3 California Nonprofit organization. Second Start has been helping children with disabilities in the San Jose /South Bay area for 35 years.
Pine Hill School, San Jose’s 35 year old Nonprofit, Non Public Special Education school has been selected as a NASET School of Excellence
San Jose, California -- April 14, 2009
Selection as a School of Excellence by The National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) is one of the highest honors a private special education school can achieve through any professional association. The recognition is bestowed on private special education schools that meet rigorous professional criteria and have demonstrated truly exceptional dedication, commitment and achievement in the field of special education.
In addition the California Department of Education recently gave Pine Hill School commendations for several of its innovate programs for children on the high end of the Autism Spectrum and/or children with Asperger’s syndrome.
A few of commendations given included: Pine Hill School’s Social Thinking Class, after school academic support, curriculum uniquely tailored which engages students to excel in learning, reading programs, integrated counseling services through out the school day and several other programs.
As evidence of Pine Hill’s excellence, the California Department of Education specially brought attention to a former student of Pine Hill School who was the recipient of the “Every Child Succeeding Award” presented by the Herman Intermediate School in recognition of her high academic and social achievement.
Pine Hill School is operated by Second Start Learning Disabilities Programs Inc. a 501c3 California Nonprofit organization. Second Start has been helping children in the San Jose /South Bay area, with disabilities for 35 years.
In Northern California, Esther B. Clark School (related to Children Health Council in Palo Alto) was the only other special education school to receive the School of Excellence recognition.
The National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) is a national membership organization dedicated to rendering all possible support and assistance to those preparing for or teaching in the field of special education. NASET was founded to promote the profession of special education teachers and to provide a national forum for their ideas.
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