Therapeutic Day School in Chicago IL area

Acacia Academy Private Special Education / Therapeutic School:
Acacia Academy is a private special education / therapeutic school with locations in La Grange and Burr Ridge, IL. We offer accredited programs for Elementary (Grades 1-8), High School (Grades 9-12), and a Transition Program (Ages 18-22) for students with a variety of unique and special needs including: All learning disabilities such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, autism, attention deficit disorders (ADD/ADHD), executive functioning, and auditory/visual processing needs, anxiety, school phobia, school refusal, emotional and social needs, students not performing at appropriate grade levels, and the general education students to meet their academic goals and potential. Instruction is designed to strengthen skills in reading, math, writing, spelling, language skills, fine motor skills, processing abilities, speech/language, and social skills.

Accreditation by AdvancED North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Accreditation means that students have:
Qualified teachers who are continually working to improve their practices and teaching methods
Access to a rich, diverse, and sound curriculum
Access to a range of student activities and support services
Transferability of credits from school to school
Greater access to federal loans, scholarships, post secondary education, and military programs that require accreditation

We are also approved by the Illinois State Board of Education for Out-of-District placement.

The goal of Acacia Academy’s Transition Program is to maximize a student’s opportunity for independence.  The Transition Program (ages 18-22) is designed for students who have completed their high school requirements and wish to further develop skills in academics, job training, and independent living skills while obtaining services such as social work counseling, speech therapy and occupational therapy if needed. The instruction is individualized based on each student’s needs, goals, employment and postsecondary aspirations. 

La Grange Campus is home to elementary and high school students in grades 1 – 12. The facility provides both indoor and outdoor instruction as well as modern technology devices, laptops and computer labs for student use. Our grounds feature 3 acres of wooded lands highlighted by our Nature Center that is a Certified Wildlife Habitat. The wealth of educational and cultural opportunities of the Chicagoland metropolitan area are only a short ride away.

Burr Ridge Campus is home to Acacia Academy’s Transition Program. The facility provides large, spacious classrooms, related service areas, athletic room, offices, and open floor plan for appropriate social distancing. The Burr Ridge Campus is conveniently located within a five minute drive to the La Grange Campus and provides easy access to student work sites, community outings, postsecondary programs, and other community related opportunities.  Students benefit from on-the-job training at a variety of participating businesses in the Burr Ridge and surrounding communities. 

Since 1995, The Nature Center, a Certified Wildlife Habitat, has been designed and built by students, families, members of the community, volunteers, community groups, and the faculty of Acacia Academy. Growth continues as new projects are conceived. Students who attend Acacia Academy have the opportunity to use a two acre school Nature Center for outdoor activities and instruction.  Our outdoor classrooms, a midst forest and natural surroundings, provide a unique educational setting, helping our students to focus and enjoy learning.

Acacia teachers are flexible in their approach to teaching and will individualize the curriculum to adhere to the student learning needs, as opposed to the student modifying themselves for the curriculum. Differentiated Instruction (DI) is a systematic approach to planning curriculum and instruction for an academically diverse learner through responsive teaching.  Responsive teaching is focusing on who we teach, what we teach, where we teach, and how we are teaching.  Teachers consider student characteristics of readiness, interests and learning styles while planning curriculum.

The Wilson Reading Program is a structured literacy program based on phonological-coding research and Orton-Gillingham principals. The program directly and systematically teaches the structure of the English language. Through the program, students learn fluent decoding and encoding skills to the level of mastery. Acacia Academy students receive individualized instruction from our Certified Wilson Reading Specialists.

The school social worker plays a vital role working with school staff, students, families and community agencies in addressing the barriers that limit a student from receiving full benefits from their educational experience. Social work services are provided on a classroom, small group and individual basis. The goal of the social work program is to enhance the acquisition of social thinking and social skills. Individual sessions are tailored to the specific needs of the student. Small group sessions address areas such as anxiety, self-regulation, friendships building and problem solving.

Our licensed occupational therapists work with students in a number of areas to promote functional independence in the classroom and school setting.  The goal is to improve the student’s ability to perform tasks requiring visual perceptual skills, fine motor skills, gross motor skills, sensory processing skills, organization, and self care. Our therapists aim to give students the tools they need to successfully participate in a school and community setting

Speech language pathology services that provide for the intervention and treatment of a variety of communication disorders, including cognitive aspects of communication (attention, memory, problem solving, executive functions), speech (articulation, voice, and fluency), receptive and expressive language skills, as well as pragmatic (social) language skills.