Our schools offer the highest quality of autism education through teaching strategies catered to each student and a program-wide desire to implement whatever is necessary to help each student be successful. Gersh Autism Academy strives to meet every need of the students–socially, emotionally, academically, and vocationally–in order to allow our students to thrive both inside and outside of our building.

A core Gersh philosophy is that if a necessary program or service doesn’t exist, we’ll make one. The full portfolio of Gersh programs cover the full spectrum of age ranges, development levels and needs of individuals in their community. In order to bring the highest quality of life to all of our students, we develop plans to support our individual students throughout their lives, whether they stay with Gersh or move on to higher levels of independence.

Graduation or leaving school is an exciting milestone, but it can also feel uncertain and overwhelming. At Gersh, we believe our commitment to students extends far beyond their time in our classrooms. From the moment of diagnosis through graduation and into the next chapter of life, we partner closely with each student and family to help prepare for a successful future. Through our school programs, partnerships with employers and colleges, and Gersh’s own transitional offerings, we work to create a thoughtful, supportive path forward tailored to each student’s goals.

Occupational therapy, available at select schools as part of our program, is designed to help students build the skills needed for success in all areas of life. Our team of occupational therapists brings specialized expertise to support students in adapting to their learning environment and participating meaningfully in the academic setting. Through individualized support, students can work on developing gross motor, sensory motor, fine motor, and executive functioning skills that are essential for growth both in and out of the classroom.

At Gersh, we are always looking to give back and serve the wonderful communities that open their doors to us. With that in mind, we regularly create and sponsor events that bring our community together and give our students a chance to engage in new and exciting activities.

The Gersh family is, first and foremost, a family. When a student graduates out of our programs and achieves the highest level of independence aimed for, the student can still expect to be a part of our strong community. Gersh staff and leaders work to support all of our students, both current and former. Many graduates even go on to mentor younger students or become part of the staff themselves.

Gersh wants every child to graduate as independent, confident, and prepared for the real world as possible. For that reason, vocational training is a core component of our school program. Each student is trained in job skills, starting with responsibilities within the school and eventually leading to internships and job training placements at well-known national brands and local businesses. Upon graduation, our students are ready to enter the workforce and/or college with the tools necessary to thrive.

ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy has been widely recognized as one of the most effective therapies for individuals on the autism spectrum. For that reason, Gersh incorporates ABA therapy as a core component of our school offerings. We are proud to be a trusted source of quality services in order to meet the unique needs of all of our students.

Preparing our students for life beyond Gersh is one of the main goals of all of our programs. We want to not only set up students to succeed within our programs, but outside of them as well. Through our life skills, vocational skills, and social skills programs, students learn how to communicate, travel, build a career, and live on their own. We want each student to leave our programs as independent as possible.

Gersh believes all the students of all skills levels should learn independent living skills, including self-care, how to manage a home, how to build a career, travel training, and AOL skills. As a core part of all of our programs, and the focus of our post-secondary program for young adults, students are taught to feel comfortable on their own and as part of a community. These lessons are instructed both in the classroom and in the greater community in order to ensure mastery and generalization.

Physical therapy, available at select schools as part of our program, is designed to help students reach their fullest potential so they can function as independently and safely as possible. Gersh physical therapists work with students to improve gross motor and functional mobility skills, while also offering strategies to enhance classroom participation—supporting students in becoming active, engaged members of their school community. Our physical therapists collaborate closely with other related service providers to ensure that the skills being developed are reinforced across environments.

The earlier support begins, the greater the opportunity for growth and success. At Gersh, our early intervention programs are designed to set students up for lifelong success, beginning as early as the initial diagnosis. Early intervention is widely recognized as one of the most effective ways to help individuals on the autism spectrum build the foundational skills, confidence, and behaviors needed to thrive in school, relationships, and everyday life.

At Gersh, one of our primary focuses is the development and advancement of social skills. These skills, challenging at first for many of our students, are routinely practiced and honed in a variety of ways. Students participate in social skills classes, attend community outings, join clubs, and engage in real-world interactions, all chances to work on forming connections through communication.