Name of Site: The Joseph Sams School, Inc.

Contact Persons: Marie Sams,  Administrative Director 

Address: 280 Brandywine Boulevard, Fayetteville, GA 30214

Phone: (770) 461-5894

Fax: (770) 461-5223

Emails: 

marie@josephsamsschool.org 

Web Site: http://www.josephsams.org

Designation Date as a MOVE Model Site: October 3, 2002

MOVE International Trainers:

          Robin Edwards, Special Education Teacher
          Shannon Daniell Ferrell, Special Education Teacher
          Mary Katherine Franklin, Special Education Teacher
          Grace Gutierrez, Special Education Teacher
          Amy Murray, Special Education Teacher
          Marie Sams, Administrative Director
          Zachary Stutts, Special Education Teacher
     

Mission Statement:

The Joseph Sams School, founded in 1984, is a private non-profit fully accredited school that provides educational and therapeutic services to children with mild to severe intellectual, physical and developmental challenges ages 18 months through 15 years of age. A function based curriculum is used incorporating pre-writing, reading and math skills along with community and recreational activities as it complements the assets of the child and relates to improving life skills tasks. The Sams School provides an educational environment where the child can move and engage in activities with as much independence as possible. It also provides a nurturing environment that will enhance the child's social skills and involvement in his or her surrounding community. Pre-vocational opportunities are also addressed within the educational setting. The school provides family support through the communication of important therapeutic interventions that can allow family life to be less stressful. Innovative speech therapy, consultative occupational therapy and MOVE are built into the daily program. Our staff of special education teachers, paraprofessionals and therapists addresses the needs of students each day. The staff is responsible for assessment and development of individualized educational programs for each student, the instruction of students and communicating and working with families, and assisting with the coordination of services with other agencies. Individual goals and objectives are developed for each student in the areas of cognition and language and communication, motor skills, and social and self-help skills. The Sams School has no geographic restrictions for attendance and enjoys children from eight metropolitan and north central Georgia counties.

Number of students enrolled in school: 32

Number of students using the MOVE Program: 7

Age range of students using the MOVE Program: 5 - 14

Number of classrooms using the MOVE Program: 3

Student/staff ratio: 2:1 in Early Intervention. 3:1 in PreK/Transition, Elementary and Middle/High.

EP Exceptional Parent Magazine Article: MOVE at The Joseph Sams School September 2005, volume 35, issue 9, pages 26-27

Other notes of Interest:

Financial support for The Sams School is garnered through successful fundraising efforts, which has allowed the school to operate without a deficit since its founding in 1984. The school relies on grants from foundations and corporations and donations from civic organizations, businesses and individuals. Several major fundraising events are held throughout the year.

Directions to the School:

From Atlanta travel south on I-75/85. Stay on I-75. Travel past Hartsfield and the Ford Plant. Take the Riverdale (State Road 85) exit. It is Exit number 237A and is immediately after the I-285 ramps. Stay on SR 85 for 13.1 miles from the exit to Fayetteville's Town Square. Turn right at the light onto Lanier Street. Travel through one traffic light and continue on approximately 1/2 mile. Turn right on Yorktown Drive. Remain on Yorktown until you get to the stop sign. Directly across from the stop sign is our school parking lot. The school is red brick and has the name on the building.