Our Program
Randolph Academy supports, empowers and educates students with emotional and mental health disabilities to live safely, behave responsibly and respectfully, advance toward their goals and succeed in the classroom. We offer therapy, counseling and behavior management, as well as a 12-month academic program.
Randolph Academy serves students from grades K-12 who are struggling academically stemming from a variety of behavioral concerns and learning / mental health disabilities.
We have served students from dozens of districts across all eight counties of Western New York and throughout the state. Some students join us as traditional day school students, while others join us in-residence for a more immersive experience. Our day-students get bused from local schools ranging anywhere from two minutes to two hours, away, while our residential students can be enrolled from any of the 11 regions throughout New York State, including the Adirondack region, Hudson Valley, Central New York, the North Country, Southern Tier, Mohawk Valley, New York City and Long Island.
Each student has an individualized education plan (IEP) and a safety support plan (ISSP). We offer classes in the 8:1:1 setting (eight students to one teacher and one teacher’s aide). Counseling services are available to all students as well, and our curriculum follows a New York State Regents Diploma track, with options for Career Technical Education.
Academic Excellence
Academic success is our priority. Our students consistently pass their Regents exams at a much higher rate than the state’s averages for students with disabilities. In nearly every subject, our passing rates are at least 25% better!
We also offer Career Technical Education (CTE), providing vocational training in the food service, cosmetology and barbery industries. This gives many students rewarding careers as self-sustaining adults.
Our small class sizes and individual attention help our students to perform better, and our counselors have low caseloads, so they can provide support in classrooms as well as individual sessions. Students also receive transitional support as they move on to college life or begin their careers.
Restorative Justice Experts
Randolph Academy is WNY’s expert in Restorative Justice, an effective alternative to punishment-based discipline. This approach not only results in better behaving students and lower rates of absenteeism, it creates a culture of mutual respect.
Beyond a Regents Diploma
In addition to following a New York State Regents Diploma curriculum, we also give students the option of pursuing technical careers in the culinary arts, cosmetology and barbering. These classes allow students to explore these industries and understand the paths needed in order to pursue careers in these professions.
Students in our culinary program are not only educated on hygienic food preparation and presentation, they also learn about nutritional information, so they not only know how to create delicious and beautiful-looking food, but also meals that are good for them and their future families and/or customers. They learn how to work in commercial kitchens — and even operate the campus’ very own food truck!
Our cosmetology students receive a similarly comprehensive educational experience, going well beyond hair cutting and styling into such areas as infection control, anatomy and physiology, and how their work contributes to people’s personal health and self-esteem. Plus, their training counts toward the hours needed to obtain NYS certification for barber and cosmetologist licenses.
Best of all, all of our CTE students learn about the many life skills involved in these professions, including goal setting, time management, professional attire, financial literacy, communication skills and ethics.
Community Involvement
We’re also committed to our neighbors, and to educating them about who our students are – and who they are not. Our students come to us at a time in their lives when they’ve been dealt challenging circumstances. They’ve chosen us to help them through these rough times. Usually, they long for friendship and simple acts of kindness — and our neighbors can play an important role in their success.
Randolph Academy also plays an important role in our communities. Our students and staff volunteer regularly, giving back to various nonprofits such as parks, nursing homes, community centers and the SPCA. We also conduct field trips, so that our students learn about our region and the importance of respecting and supporting our neighbors and our history.