Therapy


Therapy focuses on what each student can do, building on their strengths and interests

to boost confidence and celebrate progress - big and small.

Our goal through therapy is to enhance students’ quality of life, promote independence, and support their ability to participate in school and daily life activities.


We provide strength-based evaluations and personalized therapy in the following areas at Fairhaven School:

  • Speech Therapy
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Physical Therapy
  • Vision and Mobility Therapy.

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) play a vital role in helping students develop the communication skills they need for learning, social interaction, and greater independence.


We provide strength-based evaluations and personalized therapy in the following areas:


  • Speech sound production
  • Understanding and using language
  • Social communication and interaction
  • Voice and fluency
  • Feeding and swallowing
  • Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), such as picture systems, communication boards, and speech-generating devices

Our goal is to ensure every student has a way to express themselves. Therapy focuses on what each student can do, building on their strengths and interests to boost confidence and celebrate progress—big or small.


We collaborate closely with teachers, aides, occupational and physical therapists, and families to support communication across all environments. This includes sharing strategies, training staff, and incorporating communication goals into daily routines and classroom activities.


We believe every student has the right to communicate—whether through spoken words, signs, pictures, AAC devices, or gestures. Communication is essential to learning, relationships, and quality of life.

At Fairhaven School, the Occupational Therapist plays a key role in supporting students’ ability to participate meaningfully in all aspects of school life. This includes addressing sensory, motor, self-care, and social-emotional needs that may impact learning and daily functioning.


The Occupational Therapist conducts individual assessments to identify strengths and challenges, and develops tailored therapy plans focused on improving independence, regulation, and school participation. Intervention may be delivered through direct therapy, group work, or embedded strategies within the classroom.


Collaboration is central to the role. The Occupational Therapist works closely with teachers, learning support staff, Speech and Language Therapists, Physical Therapists, and Educational Psychologists to ensure a coordinated, student-centered approach. They also contribute to environmental adaptations and staff training to help create inclusive, supportive learning spaces that enable all students to thrive.

Through physical therapy, our ultimate goal is to enhance students’ quality of life, promote independence, and support their ability to participate in school and daily life activities. We accomplish this by evaluating each child’s strength, balance, coordination, posture, and motor skills to develop individualized therapy plans. 


We focus our therapy plans on promoting and facilitating functional mobility while helping students participate in their school setting here at Fairhaven to the best of their ability. We recommend and help adjust adaptive equipment like wheelchairs, walkers, standers, or supportive seating to ensure safety and participation in school activities. 


We work closely with teachers, aides, occupational and speech therapists, and parents to integrate therapy goals into daily routines.