About Us At

The Gersh Academy

Our History

Gersh Academy, Inc. has been providing superior customized educational services to individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Related Neurobiological Disorders since 1999. At this time, Mr. Kevin Gersh identified a void within the special education com munity for students who learned differently and needed to be approached in a different manner.

Our Philosophy

Our philosophy is that children do well if they can. When they are not doing well, we work collaboratively with them to identify and remove the obstacles to their success. Imposing our will and expectations on a child, or using incentives and consequences (i.e. the carrot or the stick approach) with a child who has an emotional, social, or academic skill deficit will not work because that child does not currently have the skills to meet those expectations.

Our staff works with the students to develop the skills that are lagging to not only alleviate current problems but to prevent them from happening in the future. As a result, maladaptive behavior, frustration and stress all decrease and the child is more successful in meeting expectations.

Our Approach

Gersh Academy’s programs are unlike anything your child has previously experienced. We create a team that incorporates educators, aides, and certified specialists working in concert to surround your child with a consistent, positive and supportive environment. Parents and siblings also play an essential role in their child’s support team.

Every Gersh program adheres to State learning standards and offers ancillary opportunities that accommodate each child’s learning pace and style. We customize our approach and the curriculum to meet every student’s individual social, emotional, physical, and intellectual needs, and work to establish an Individual Educational Plan in coordination with the student’s home school district and their Committee on Special Education as it applies.

We at Gersh Academy have expanded the traditional definition of a learning disability to include the development of the whole person. Learning challenges are not limited to the classroom; they can also include other, nonacademic areas. For example, just as a child with dyslexia will have difficulty reading, a child with social skill deficit will have difficulty interacting with his or her peers.