The Gifford School is a special education school located on Route 20, in Weston, Massachusetts. In total, it has approximately 100 students. The school takes students ages 8 and up, and is separated into a lower school, a middle school, and a high school departments, each with their own principal, social worker, and head teacher.
Program
Gifford has three schools designed to meet the needs of each age group. Lower School Lower School academic classes are self-contained with a licensed teacher and an assistant for no more than eight students per classroom. Classes are grouped based on students' learning styles, social development, and academic strengths and needs. Activity-based learning is emphasized, particularly in science and social studies. Students attend daily enrichment classes throughout the campus and participate in group meetings and recreational activities on a regular basis. Middle School Middle School classes have a 4 to 1 student-to-staff ratio, and students are grouped with peers who are learning at their academic level in each subject area. Students transition from room to room for each academic subject as well as for enrichment courses. Routine and structure are integral components of this program. Instruction is delivered in small groups with opportunities for review, cooperative learning and focus on executive functioning skill building. High School The High School offers a strong academic program with required course selections in English, math, social studies and science. Students earn an accredited high school diploma and are guided to appropriate post-secondary opportunities through our Transition Program. In addition, high school students may choose to participate in Gifford's Career and Technical Education program which offers vocational experience in Computer Technology, Construction Skills, Fine Arts and Culinary Arts.
Campus
The Gifford School's campus consists of an administration building, a high school building, a middle school and lower school building, The Fenn Center, a woodshop building and a woodshed. The Fenn Center consists of the science room, computer lab, gymnasium with a stage, nurse's office, and Multi Media Arts Studio. The gymnasium is also used as an auditorium and lunch room.
Fire
On Wednesday, December 23, 2009 at 6:04 am, The Fenn Center was involved in a 4-Alarm fire and was severely damaged. The fire was determined to be accidental. Backup was called in from the surrounding towns of Lexington, Waltham, Natick, Newton, Sudbury, and Wellesley. The fire caused Route 20 and the on-ramp to Route 128 to be closed during the morning commute.
