About
OROT is a special education initiative in the Jewish day schools of the Greater Philadelphia region, offering support to those children whose needs are greater than a resource room can provide. OROT is a collaborative venture among the day schools, setting policy, creating and supervising programs and advocating for the services provided to children with special needs. The target population is elementary and middle school aged children with severe learning disabilities, Down syndrome, Autistic Spectrum Disorders including Asperger’s syndrome and PDD, significant behavioral disorders, ADD-ADHD and brain injuries.
OROT makes it possible for all children to receive a Jewish day school education. OROT’s philosophy is to build our educational program in a day school setting that meets the needs of the individual child. Most of the OROT classes integrate concepts of self-contained academic curricula with inclusion into mainstream classes for social interaction. OROT teachers forge bonds with mainstream teachers to help maximize the potential of each OROT student. Typical children and those with special needs playing and learning together has fostered a feeling of mutual respect.
Thanks to OROT, an important segment of the Jewish population is now able to learn and live their Jewish heritage.