SINAI Schools is an organization based in the

New York metropolitan area The New York metropolitan area, also commonly referred to as the Tri-State area, is the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban area, urban landmass, at , and one of the list of most populous metropolitan areas, most populous urban agg ...

that provides education for children and young adults with special needs. SINAI is the only Jewish

day school A day school — as opposed to a boarding school — is an educational institution where children and adolescents are given instructions during the day, after which the students return to their homes. A day school has full-day programs when compar ...

for children with special needs that has received

accreditation Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...

from the

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (Middle States Association or MSA) was a voluntary, peer-based, non-profit association that performed peer evaluation and regional educational accreditation, accreditation of public and priva ...

. "SINAI's Accreditation"
'' sinaischools.org'', accessed August 1, 2019.

Individualized special education

SINAI's student-to-professional ratio is greater than 1:2. This allows SINAI to create, implement, closely monitor, and, as needed, regularly modify an individualized program for each child. SINAI provides speech, language,

occupational Employment is a relationship between two party (law), parties Regulation, regulating the provision of paid Labour (human activity), labour services. Usually based on a employment contract, contract, one party, the employer, which might be a co ...

psychological Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries between t ...

, and

behavioral Behavior (American English) or behaviour (British English) is the range of actions and mannerisms made by individuals, organisms, systems or artificial entities in some environment. These systems can include other systems or organisms as well ...

therapies. SINAI also provides mainstreaming opportunities in academic, social, and vocational settings.

Schools and programs

Elementary schools

SINAI includes elementary divisions partnered with

SAR Academy Salanter Akiba Riverdale Academy, better known by the acronym, SAR Academy, is a coeducational, private Modern Orthodox Jewish day school. The school is located in the Riverdale section of the New York City borough of the Bronx. Its name de ...

in Riverdale, SINAI at RYNJ in

River Edge River Edge is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the borough’s population was 12,049, reflecting a 6.3% increase from the 11,340 enumerated at the 2010 U.S. Census,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, and SINAI at JKHA in

Livingston Livingston may refer to: Businesses * Livingston Energy Flight, an Italian airline (2003–2010) * Livingston Compagnia Aerea, an Italian airline (2011–2014), also known as Livingston Airline * Livingston International, a North American custom ...

, New Jersey, and SINAI at Yeshiva of Central Queens (YCQ) in

Queens Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

. SINAI

elementary schools A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ed ...

serve children with a wide range of special needs, including complex

learning disabilities Learning disability, learning disorder, or learning difficulty (British English) is a condition in the brain that causes difficulties comprehending or processing information and can be caused by several different factors. Given the "difficult ...

, social and neurological conditions such as

Autism Spectrum The autism spectrum, often referred to as just autism or in the context of a professional diagnosis autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental condition (or conditions) characterized by difficulti ...

and

anxiety disorders Anxiety disorders are a cluster of mental disorders characterized by significant and uncontrollable feelings of anxiety and fear such that a person's social, occupational, and personal function are significantly impaired. Anxiety may cause physi ...

, and

developmental disabilities Developmental disability is a diverse group of chronic conditions, comprising mental or physical impairments that arise before adulthood. Developmental disabilities cause individuals living with them many difficulties in certain areas of life, espe ...

. Students are placed into social and academic age groups based on their individual needs.

High schools

Depending on their needs, students will be placed either in an academically rigorous program, designed for children with academic and/or social challenges including complex learning disabilities and

Aspergers Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger's, is a former neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavio ...

, or into a functionally academic program, designed for children with developmental disabilities. Students who are ready for an academically rigorous program but who face learning disabilities or

social skills A social skill is any competence facilitating interaction and communication with others where social rules and relations are created, communicated, and changed in verbal and nonverbal ways. The process of learning these skills is called social ...

challenges benefit from SINAI's Maor High School at Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School in Livingston, New Jersey. Many students at Maor fall into a "gray area" where they might otherwise attend a mainstream

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

but would struggle academically or socially as a result. At Maor, these same children are able to take advantage of everything that Kushner has to offer them socially while learning in small classes tailored to their specific needs, and attending selected mainstream classes with the support they need to succeed. Students with intellectual or developmental disabilities attend SINAI's Karasick Shalem High Schools at TABC (in Teaneck, New Jersey), Ma'ayanot (in Teaneck, New Jersey), and Heichal HaTorah (in Teaneck, New Jersey). The functional academic program at Shalem provides students with the skills they need to succeed as they move into adulthood within the inclusive environment of their partner schools. Karasick Shalem High School at Heichal HaTorah serves boys aged 18–21 who have graduated from Shalem at TABC.

Adult programming

SINAI also offers an adult transitional program with the Nathan Miller SHELI (Supported Home Environment for Learning Independence) residence for men. SHELI is designed to meet the social, recreational, and emotional needs of young adults with developmental disabilities in the context of a supervised housing facility. This program guides young adults through their transitions to group living while promoting their independence as adults.

References

External links

SINAI Schools
{{authority control 1982 establishments in the United States Educational institutions established in 1982 Modern Orthodox Jewish day schools in the United States Private elementary schools in New Jersey Private high schools in Bergen County, New Jersey Private middle schools in New Jersey Special schools in the United States