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North Shore Academy

We are a public therapeutic day school that is designed to support students who have identified emotional or behavioral disabilities, autism, anxiety, depression and other health impairments. We are an educational community that embraces and supports students who are currently struggling to engage within the  general education environment.

Our focus is providing students with skills they need to feel a sense of belonging, independence and mastery through a focus on the Circle of Courage and recognize that behaviors are connected with building skill. For many students, this includes meeting the goal of returning to their home school as successful learners and for others it is building the skills they will need to be successful for life after high school

Focused on creating partnership with families to support the family system with the student at the center of the work, NSA has a variety of resources that connect families to therapy, community and pathways that foster growth in an effort to support the learner. This includes creating healthy goals and working to support systems and pathways to get the learner there.

The skilled and educated staff at North Shore Academy partner with families, students, school districts, and community agencies to foster the dreams and hopes of students and families whose lives often feel derailed by the challenges of school. Our elementary school serves students K-5 at our Revere Drive, Northbrook campus and our middle and high schools are located on Red Oak Lane in Highland Park.

What is the process for having my child attend NSA?

Typically, a team of people, including parents, home school staff and district representatives meet to determine what kind of program the student needs. If the IEP team agrees that a therapeutic day placement is the least restrictive placement for a student, the district representative will make a referral to North Shore Academy. Before making a decision, parents often will visit NSA and meet with an administrator who will describe the program and give a tour of the school. If the family decides that NSA is the best placement for their child, an intake meeting will be scheduled. At the intake meeting, parents and the student will meet the staff who will be members of the classroom team to better understand the concerns that led to placement at NSA and develop an initial plan for the transition. A start date is then agreed upon (generally within a week after the intake meeting).