Academic Excellence

The Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District is a fully accredited public school District educating approximately 3,000 students in PreK to 12th grade. HWRSD maintains six school buildings: one elementary/middle school in Hampden, and three elementary, one middle and the regional high school in Wilbraham. The District is driven by a strong vision that shapes the development of school and district-wide mprovement goals and improvement plans. Students, parents and staff work together as a true “community of learners” dedicated to a tradition of educational excellence. HWRSD students regularly demonstrate high levels of achievement and accomplishments in academics, athletics, community service and the arts. HWRSD parents and the wider community are actively involved in the educational process. HWRSD employees provide our students with a range of academic experiences and services, a well-coordinated and aligned program of curriculum and instruction and a firm commitment to maintaining healthy and safe learning environments. HWRSD is committed to working with all stakeholders to provide educational excellence in a cost-effective ,efficient manner.

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Program of Study

What is Amplify CKLA?

Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) is a language arts program for grades PreK–5 that combines a multi-sensory approach to phonics with rich texts carefully sequenced to build content knowledge—so that students learn to read and read to learn at the same time.

Every day in grades PreK–2, students complete one full lesson that builds foundational reading skills, as well as one full lesson that builds background knowledge. In grades 3–5, students start to master the skills of reading, further opening up their worlds.

Illustrative Mathematics Curriculum

Driven by student discourse, IM Certified™ curricula are rich, engaging core programs built around focus, coherence, and rigor. The curricula are trusted, expert-authored materials developed to equip all students to thrive in mathematics.

In-District Specialized Classrooms

  • Specialized Services Program (SSP) - Grades PreK-2

    This classroom is designed for children with intensive disabilities, which affect all areas of their development including cognition, communication, physical, social-emotional, and self-care skills. An educator certified in intensive special needs leads this full-day program with related service providers to target all domains of development. Paraprofessionals, trained and supervised by the lead teacher, provide carryover and direct instruction throughout the full-day program.

  • Intensive Resource Room (IRR1) - Grades PreK-2 (morning session only)

    Students receive discrete trial instruction and social skills intervention in this specialized classroom. Instructional methodology is primarily based on, but not limited to, the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA). Principles of ABA may include the use of positive behavior interventions, systematic instruction of skills across all domains of learning, and instructional plans that break down skills into manageable increments. Paraprofessional support is provided to support students when generalizing skills in regular classrooms.

  • Intensive Resource Room (IRR2) - Grades PreK-1

    Students receive discrete trial instruction and social skills intervention in this specialized classroom. Instructional methodology is primarily based on, but not limited to, the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA). Principles of ABA may include the use of positive behavior interventions, systematic instruction of skills across all domains of learning, and instructional plans that break down skills into manageable increments. Paraprofessional support is provided to support students when generalizing skills in regular classrooms.

  • Intensive Learning Classroom (ILC-1) - Grades 2-3

    This classroom services students with developmental profiles who require more time in a specialized classroom in order to make effective progress in school. Integration into the general education setting is determined by the student’s IEP. A greater emphasis is placed on the acquisition of basic reading, language and math skills. Students receive a modified curriculum in various subjects in these small specialized classrooms. Some students in this classroom may receive discrete trial instruction to continue to develop their skills.

  • Intensive Learning Classroom (ILC-2) - Grades 4-5

    This classroom services students with developmental profiles who require more time in a specialized classroom in order to make effective progress in school. Integration into the general education setting is determined by the student’s IEP. A greater emphasis is placed on the acquisition of basic reading, language and math skills. Students receive a modified curriculum in various subjects in these small specialized classrooms.

  • Structured Learning Classroom (SLC) - Grades 6-8

    Self-contained classroom designed to support and assist students who have had difficulty being successful in the regular school setting. Students in this classroom have shown behavioral and/or emotional challenges that greatly impacted their ability to reach their full potential, both academically and socially. This classroom provides students the opportunity to learn and demonstrate coping skills prior to transitioning back to mainstream classrooms.

  • Intensive Learning Classroom (ILC-3) - Grades 6-8

    This classroom services students with developmental profiles who require more time in a specialized classroom in order to make effective progress in school. Integration into the general education setting is determined by the student’s IEP. A greater emphasis is placed on the acquisition of basic reading, language and math skills. Students receive a modified curriculum in various subjects in these small specialized classrooms.

  • Education, Life Skills, & Transition (ELT 1 & 2) - Grades 9-12

    These classrooms implement a curriculum that is tailored to the needs and functioning of each student. The Life Skills component focuses on following directions, communication, self-management/ monitoring, organization, attention/focus, self-advocacy. The transition component is designed to help prepare students to transition to a post secondary setting focusing on educational options, vocational skills, community resources and independent living skills. ELT 1 has students with more intensive needs than ELT 2.

  • Structured Learning Classroom (SLC) - Grades 9-12

    Resource Classroom designed to support and assist students who have had difficulty being successful in the regular school setting. Students in this classroom have shown behavioral and/or emotional challenges This classroom provides students the opportunity to learn and demonstrate coping skills prior to transitioning back to mainstream classrooms.