At Burlington County Special Services School District (BCSSSD), Discover Your Potential is more than just a tagline; it describes the district’s personalized support of each student. Established in 1972, BCSSSD serves students with special needs, ages 3 to 21, from across Burlington County and beyond. Three campuses provide comprehensive, individualized educational and therapeutic programs to help ensure that each student reaches his or her full potential as a self-sufficient, active member of the community.
BCSSSD assists students with meeting their individual goals
Programs for All
The district offers a variety of programs that tailor the educational experience to student populations, including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Multiple Disabilities, Emotional Regulation Impairment, Severe Cognitive Disabilities (known as Sensory), and young adults from 18 to 21 who are transitioning out of the structured environment of school into adulthood.
The Westampton Main Campus is divided into three wings: South, East, and North. South Campus serves students pre-K through eighth grade in programs such as Preschool, Emotional Regulation Impairment, Multiple Disabilities, Sensory and Autism Spectrum Disorder. East Campus serves students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in middle and high school. North Campus serves high school students in the following programs: Emotional Regulation Impairment, Multiple Disabilities, and Sensory.
On the East Campus, students work on job skills first on campus and then through project-based community outings.
Each wing has case managers/counselors as well as nurses and related service providers, that are centrally located in an area with private classrooms and a gym devoted to delivering services to students. All career and technical education (CTE) shops are located on the Westampton Campus, as well as a pool that is used to enhance strength and coordination as well as sensory integration and social interaction and communication.
Communication boards are located at the pool and on each floating device, to give nonverbal students a voice.
The Transition Campus assists young adults, ages 18 to 21 in moving from a school setting to greater independence in their daily lives. The program utilizes a multi-tiered skills development framework that takes into account each individual’s goals, needs, and interests. On-campus work experiences help foster employability skills through outsourced production and assembly projects from local businesses and organizations. These activities focus on refining skills that students can transfer to off-site work environments.
The Transition Campus participates in a number of initiatives that provide opportunities for young adults. For example, the Resources for Independent Living program, funded by a grant from the New Jersey Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, offers pre-vocational training, internships, and paid employment. For the past two years, young adults have also participated in the New Jersey Travel Independence Program (NJTIP), which empowers young adults in the program to use the public transit system safely and independently. Young adults benefit from the 17 (and growing) current business partnerships, which help them secure employment, in both paid and unpaid opportunities. Currently 60 students are placed at work sites, and 18 have secured paid positions within their home communities. The Transition Campus also has a college preparation program called ACHIEVE that prepares students to take college-level classes on the campus of Rowan College at Burlington County (RCBC) during the school day. Another initiative gives eligible students in the Transition Campus program the opportunity to also attend the Adult Education program at Burlington County Institute of Technology (BCIT) and take courses toward a professional certification. Young adults on this campus also participate in the CTE programs at the Westampton Main Campus that align with employment skills such as horticulture, food service, auto shop and child care.
Transition Campus students engage in college life experiences while attending classes led by Transition teachers on the college campus to help them acclimate to college expectations.
Two new partnerships are in the works. One with Project Search, which will offer an internship program with the goal of gaining competitive employment within a local hospital, government, or business setting. And an opportunity with the Burlington County Library’s main branch in Westampton has opened – a work-based learning cafe. Students are running the storefront operation with food items that are prepared through an on-campus culinary program and brought over for sale at the cafe. This location serves as the main hub for the entire library system, and hosts guests in its storytelling room and auditorium, in addition to those who visit the library.
Burlington County Alternative School (BCAS) is the only proficiency-based credit remediation and recovery school in the county. BCAS serves both general education and special education students in middle and high school. This unique approach allows students to graduate once they have completed all the state’s graduation requirements. Students meet or exceed state graduation requirements and earn diplomas from their sending schools. BCAS teaches skills beyond academics, evidenced by the National and State School of Character designations in both 2017 and 2022. The school is outfitted with something for everyone, including technology, a Zen Den where students can regroup, and a wellness center that features a wide variety of workout equipment. Students enrolled at BCAS have access to 30 college courses per year, free of charge, thanks to a partnership with RCBC.
BCAS students look forward to visits from Say It With Clay.
In addition to the campus-based services, BCSSSD also has the Educational Services Unit (ESU), a professional team of service providers who provide high-quality services on-site to students in public and nonpublic school districts throughout the county. ESU offers professional development for staff members around the county through the Burlington County Professional Development Institute as well as support to districts in need through the Burlington County School Crisis Response Team.
Related service providers integrate their lessons with curriculum in the classroom.
Innovative Technology Use
BCSSSD’s integration of technology is among the district’s strengths. While the district has offered Augmentative Assistive Communication (AAC) devices to students for years, this year the initiative took on a new mission: ensuring that every student has a voice. To accomplish this goal, BCSSSD offers free AAC evaluations with support from specialized Speech Language Therapists who help the family determine the most appropriate device for their student and then aid in navigating next steps with the family’s insurance carrier. The district has purchased AAC devices to lend students for trial before they decide which is appropriate and it provides training and consultation to parents/guardians and classroom staff on how to use them. The campus has access to a 3D printer, which is used to create “key guards” and other adaptive equipment for each device. The key guard is a grid system that is used to help students new to AAC devices learn to navigate them by isolating the buttons they need.
Innovative technology allows students to communicate with AAC devices that are guided by their eyes.
Interactive technology is incorporated into the building to benefit students who are participating in related services activities or as a fun reward for appropriate behavior. The interactive wall and floor display images on these surfaces that students can also use to help with socialization and interaction with staff members and peers. Milo the Robot is a tool that is used to engage students in learning and helps generalize and improve social skills for students with autism. Activities with Milo are overseen by a Speech Language Pathologist in consultation with classroom teachers. Promethean boards are located in classrooms to enhance lessons and increase engagement for students.
Cutting Edge Initiatives & Programs
Mental Health
The mental health and well-being of both staff and students are a large focus at BCSSSD. A partnership with Care Solace, a complimentary and confidential care coordination service, quickly connects students, staff members, and their families to treatment options for mental health and substance abuse. BCSSSD also collaborates with InSite Health to refer students in need of medication management. The case managers are able to refer students via an electronic referral system, and then InSite reaches out directly to the parent/guardian to schedule a telehealth meeting within 72 hours.
Zen dens are a tool used by Reset Teams to help de-escalate students who are in need of a break.
BCSSSD participated in the Developing Resiliency with Engaging Approaches to Maximize Success (DREAMS) initiative last school year. This program is designed to enhance implementation of trauma-informed and healing-centered practices as well as the Nurtured Heart Approach (NHA). Case managers received training to be certified trainers of NHA and then shared the information with other staff members.
BCSSSD also has a partnership with the New Jersey Department of Education and the Rutgers Center for Comprehensive School Mental Health to support the development and implementation of a comprehensive school mental health system. The system will promote a positive school climate, social-emotional learning, well-being, and mental health supports and services. As part of this program, BCSSSD will receive assistance in conducting a formal assessment of the current school mental health system, obtain free intensive technical assistance and training, gain access to a collaborative peer community, build internal capacity and expertise to support the implementation and sustainability of a comprehensive school mental health system, and receive assistance administering school mental health screenings to identify student strengths and needs.
Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid has been implemented through a partnership with the Mental Health Association of NJ. This training is primarily designed for adults who regularly interact with young people as an introduction to common mental health challenges for youth. BCSSSD receives free training and resources, which reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a five-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations.
BCSSSD participated in a grant opportunity that provided training on Preventing Adverse Childhood Experience (ACES), trauma-informed practices, and healing centered-engagement. The training included three virtual sessions and the partnership with the Tri-State Canine Response Team, which provides an animal-based therapeutic interaction for students and staff members. During sessions with the dog teams, students work on social skills, safety skills, communication, and other practical skills while experiencing the inherent benefits of spending time with animals. In addition to this partnership, BCSSSD also has an on-campus support canine who visits the students to offer comfort and help them develop social skills.
Visits from Tri-State Canine have a variety of benefits for students.
BCAS has a partnership with Say It With Clay, a local nonprofit organization, whose mission is to help people benefit from the therapeutic power of clay. BCAS welcomes Say It With Clay instructors to the campus several times throughout the school year to help create a level of relaxation, pride, success and motivation for healing through the process of working with clay. Working with clay also offers an effective alternative channel for communication and fosters inclusion and peer to peer encouragement.
An on-campus support canine provides a calming presence for students and staff members.
To support students with positive, encouraging techniques, BCSSSD participates in the New Jersey Positive Behavior Support in Schools (NJ PBSIS) initiative. The mission of this initiative is to build a multi-tiered system of support for behavior, conduct, and social-emotional wellness that promotes equity for all students. As one of the districts selected for participation in the NJ PBSIS Network, BCSSSD receives comprehensive professional development (training and coaching) at no cost.
Security
CrisisGo, an app focused on increased security and communications, has been implemented in collaboration with district security and IT. When a crisis arises in the district, alerts are set up on classroom computers, as well as emails and text messages for immediate reach. The app also streamlines other communication and security-related functions, such as hallway notifications, sharing student contact information, in-place attendance, and student sign-outs.
Something for Everyone
BCSSSD offers many different activities that give students the opportunity to explore and find their passions and interests. Clubs meet every Friday, such as Girls Club, Dance, Weight Room, and Movie Club. There are CTE shops where students gain hands-on experience working with things like wood shop, bake shop, music/band/chorus, daycare, horticulture, floriculture, automotive shop, computers, and functional living skills.
The Westampton Campus Bake Shop has been expanded to include a storefront and features items prepared by students.
Auto Shop students helped to modify this donated car with switches and a custom paint job to make it fully accessible to all students (and look great).
BCSSSD has recently implemented an adapted physical education program, which is a modified version to meet the individual needs of students with special needs. This program complements each student’s goals and individual education plan, while strengthening motor skills, physical fitness, wellness, and social skills as well as developing leisure, recreation, and sports skills. Additionally, students have access to a fully accessible playground.
The accessible playground was built in 2023, and was dedicated to former Board of Education President Robert C. Silcox.
Students have the option to participate in a variety of Special Olympics sports like track, basketball, swimming, bowling, and volleyball. This year, the wood shop is in partnership with the Special Olympics of New Jersey. Students will work to craft wooden podiums for the ceremony this spring. The wood was donated by the Special Olympics and all labor will be donated by the students and staff members who work on this project during class time.
Students had the opportunity to participate in NFL PLAY 60, a youth health and wellness initiative that the National Football League sponsors and created to encourage a healthy lifestyle. PLAY 60 empowers youth to get physically active for at least 60 minutes a day, and through this program, BCSSSD received a visit from former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning. He interacted with students and helped them understand the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
Learn More
Those interested in BCSSSD can visit the district website or watch this video to learn more about the variety of services offered.