Our Philosophy

The Right Environment

At The Burkard School, we believe the right environment can transform a child’s experience of school. Many of our students come to us after struggling in traditional — or even specialized — settings that simply weren’t built for the level of support they need. Some have been told the only way they can succeed is with a one-on-one aide. In our program, that kind of support isn’t necessary — because the entire school is designed around what neurodiverse students need to thrive.

We provide a safe, supportive, and structured environment that allows every child to feel capable, connected, and successful.

With our level of support, students are able to be engaged, on-task, and regulated for the majority of each school day. That support includes:

• Small class sizes (no more than 10 students per class through 5th grade and 12 in middle school)
• A dedicated, experienced Behavior Specialist in every classroom
• Daily, explicit instruction in social-emotional learning

Please note that while we provide high levels of in-the-moment behavioral and emotional support, we do not offer psychological or occupational therapies on site.

The Right Resources

We know that learning only happens when students feel emotionally safe and can trust the adults around them. That’s why our first priority is building meaningful, respectful relationships with each child. We meet students where they are — emotionally, behaviorally, and academically — and provide the right balance of structure, support, and encouragement to help them thrive.

Our school day is intentionally designed for student success:

• A low student-to-teacher ratio
• Clear visual schedules and frequent use of front-loading and prompting
• Ample opportunities for movement and access to calm-corner breaks
• Sensory supports embedded throughout the day
• Evidence-based behavioral supports, including ABA-informed strategies like token economies and reinforcement systems
• A multisensory, hands-on curriculum that keeps students engaged and excited about learning

A highly-trained educator and behavioral specialist instruct each classroom, ensuring that academics can be taught effectively and that social-emotional learning is happening when it’s needed most – in the moment. And because we know kids learn best when they’re having fun, we make sure joy is a regular part of the school day.

At The Burkard School, students feel welcomed, understood, supported, and capable. There is no need for your child to feel different, excluded, or left behind. Together, we can make school a happy, successful place.

The Benefits of a Specialized School Setting

What Kind of Environment Is Right for Your Child?

One of the biggest questions parents face is whether their child will be best served in a specialized school setting or an inclusive “mainstream” environment. The answer depends on the child’s unique profile — what their strengths are, where they need support, and what the family hopes for their educational journey.

Inclusive classrooms can offer valuable opportunities to observe and interact with neurotypical peers. In the best-case scenario, a child feels welcomed and included, and their needs are seamlessly supported.

But for many neurodivergent students, the reality is more complicated. Mainstream settings often aren’t designed with sensory sensitivities, anxiety, or executive functioning challenges in mind. Class sizes may be overwhelming. Transitions and expectations may feel unmanageable. Even with the help of a one-to-one aide, students can end up feeling isolated, misunderstood, or “othered”— especially when pulled out of class or missing instruction due to dysregulation.

This can create a frustrating cycle of missed learning, social struggle, and declining self-esteem.

An environment tailor-made for your child.

At The Burkard School, every child is struggling with their own particular challenges. Being in our classroom may be the first time in your child’s life that they feel completely typical – just like their peers. All the students are front-loaded. All the students are given visual tools. And all the students are gently coached to be good friends and student citizens.

Just as importantly, all the students learn the tools they need to ultimately be happy and successful in any school setting, and in real life. Our intensive social-emotional curriculum teaches such topics as Flexibility, Perspective Taking, Character Building, Relationship Building, Personal Responsibility, and Caring about the Community. Of course, all students can benefit from learning these important tenets, but our students often need explicit, comprehensive, and in-depth instruction in order to master these concepts. We devote the time necessary to delve deeply into these topics in our daily curriculum.

Here at The Burkard School, we see it as the difference between your child surviving in school and thriving in school. Everything we do at TBS is geared towards your child’s success. From the size of the classroom to the outpouring of positive reinforcement, to the frequent movement breaks, to the focused social-emotional curriculum – we specialize in making your child shine!

A Setting Designed Around Your Child

At The Burkard School, students don’t have to feel different — they just get to be themselves.

All of our students receive proactive support, visual tools, and gentle coaching to navigate social and academic life. Because our entire program is built around the needs of neurodivergent learners, your child is surrounded by peers who also benefit from the same types of support. For many families, this is the first time their child feels truly understood — and truly successful — at school.

Our specialized setting allows us to go beyond “managing behavior” to teaching the skills students need to thrive in school and in life. Our daily, explicit social-emotional curriculum explores topics like:

• Flexibility
• Perspective taking
• Relationship building
• Character development
• • Personal responsibility
• • Community care

These are critical life skills that all children need — but that neurodivergent students often need to be taught with greater intention, clarity, and depth. At The Burkard School, we make space for that learning every single day.

Because we don’t believe school should be a place where your child merely survives.

It should be a place where they shine.