Dickson Academy

🌟 Key Highlights: Dickson Academy

Dickson Academy is a private, co-educational therapeutic day school in Burns, Tennessee, specializing in serving students who require a highly supportive and therapeutic educational environment. It is committed to providing intensive, individualized academics and integrated mental health support for students facing emotional, behavioral, and academic challenges that prevent them from succeeding in traditional public school settings.

🏫 Overview

• Type: Private / Special Purpose / Therapeutic Day School

• Location: Burns, Tennessee (Dickson County)

• Grades Served: Typically Elementary – High School (Ages 6–18, depending on the specific program/referral).

• Enrollment: Varies, serving a specialized population with a focus on a very low student-to-staff ratio.

• Core Mission: To provide a safe, therapeutic, and structured environment where students can overcome significant emotional and behavioral barriers to learning, enabling them to achieve academic success and positive personal growth.

• Affiliation: Independent private school; often contracts with local public school systems (LEAs) to provide services outlined in a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).

• Accreditation: Operates as a Licensed Non-Public School in the State of Tennessee, adhering to standards set by the Department of Education.

• Focus: Intensive, individualized education coupled with integrated behavior modification and therapeutic supports for students with significant emotional and behavioral disorders.

✅ What Makes the School Unique?

Dickson Academy is defined by its integrated therapeutic model, individualized instruction, and focus on transition:

• Therapeutic Educational Model: The entire classroom environment is therapeutic and highly structured. Instruction is delivered by licensed teachers and supported by behavior specialists and mental health professionals to manage crises and teach coping skills.

• IEP-Driven Instruction: Academic programs are intensely individualized and tailored to meet the specific academic and behavioral goals outlined in each student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).

• Focus on Credit Recovery: The High School program specializes in credit recovery and remedial academics, ensuring students who have faced setbacks due to behavioral challenges can get back on track for graduation and successfully transfer credits.

• Behavior Modification: Employs positive behavior supports and specific interventions designed to teach students emotional regulation, conflict resolution, and appropriate classroom behavior, with the ultimate goal of reintegration into a less restrictive setting.

• Small Class Sizes: Maintains an extremely low student-to-staff ratio, providing the intensive supervision and individualized attention necessary for students with significant emotional and behavioral needs.

• Comprehensive Support: Academic instruction is paired with other services like counseling, life skills training, and social skills development to address the holistic needs of the student.

• Reintegration Goal: The ultimate aim is to equip students with the necessary skills and stability to transition back to their public school setting (or a less restrictive environment) and succeed there.

📞 Contact Information