Clinical Director

Kassi Foleno
(815) 439-5521

The mission of the Therapeutic Education Program is to help students who are struggling with emotional and social challenges to achieve their potential academically and adaptively so they may become healthy, responsible and productive adults.

This is achieved in a highly structured and consistent environment in which expectations are taught and positively reinforced through-out the program day.

By utilizing both verbal and visual feedback, the students take ownership of their progress and responsibility for their actions.

Group and individual counseling serve to strengthen coping and problem-solving skills that are reinforced in the program.

All of this is combined with a challenging curriculum ensuring growth in the academic, emotional and social domains.

TAP serves students who are unable to be successful in traditional school settings due to a deficit in emotional self-regulation. When these students experience overwhelming feelings they tend to cope in ways that are harmful to themselves. As a group they have more identifiable psychiatric disorders than the general student population and may have a history of psychiatric hospitalization and treatment. These students have been unsuccessful in district special education classes and need a smaller therapeutic setting that teaches coping skills and allows for breaks and processing with clinical staff.

Students receive direct social work services thru individual and group counseling weekly. Additionally, students are seen on a crisis basis at any time. Brief time out of the classroom for a cool down and reflection is encouraged when a student is angry or upset. If they are unable to deescalate, the student may be referred to their social worker and may utilize the quiet area in the social work office. At this point coping skills are taught and reviewed and students are encouraged to return to class when ready.

Most behaviors that would otherwise result in a referral in the traditional setting are handled as part of the program and are tracked on the student’s daily progress card. Daily progress in the program is measured by achieving the maximum points for each of a student’s four goals and by the amount of time spent out of class for purposes of coping and calming. Suspension from the program is seldom used and only for safety reasons.

Students have the option of transitioning to their home school once they have demonstrated consistency in behavior and minimal need for time out of class to cool down.

TAP High School – 1st shift  7:45 a.m. – 1:17 p.m.

TAP High School – 2nd shift 8:37 a.m. – 2:09 p.m. 

TAP Middle School -  7:45 a.m. – 1:35 p.m.

• Students being dropped off or picked up at the regularly scheduled arrival/dismissal times may enter thru Door D on the north side of the building near the gym.

• If your student is being dropped off late or picked up early must access the building through Door A on the south side of the building across from the bank.

• Lunch orders are taken first thing in the morning. Lunches are $2.40 and extra milk is $.50. We do not make change but will keep track of any balances. Students may bring a non-perishable lunch. All drinks and water bottles must have original seal. Late arriving students are encouraged to bring a lunch.

• Please call the front desk by 10:00am to report any unplanned absence. The number is (815) 439-5521. Please use the pre-arranged absence form when appropriate. Per the Illinois State Board of Education, family vacations will be recorded as excused absences.

• Progress reports including current grades and progress on IEP goals are mailed home every quarter. Final semester grades are posted at 18 weeks. Progress can be monitored from home on the Home Access Center.

As a component of the TAP program, our Social Workers are available to provide consultation and referrals to parents & guardians as another way to support your student’s progress on academic and personal life goals.

This service is provided at no cost to you.

Please contact your student’s social worker:

Lisa Baker
(815) 439-5521

Susan Hipp
(815) 439-5521 x8920

We appreciate your cooperation.