Our goal is to help our students be successful

Jim Tangeman Center is a therapeutic day treatment school, which focuses on teaching students self-regulation and coping skills so they can better navigate challenging social situations. We teach academics, social skills, and self-regulation skills, while also providing weekly one-to-one mental health check-ins for all students.

At Jim Tangeman Center, we believe that each student is an individual, and therefore, the level and type of supports provided for each student are unique. We take pride in meeting each student and family at their engagement level, with the level of intervention and support necessary.

We wrap supports around by providing:
• High quality academics
• Social skills instruction and behavior management support
• Low student-to-staff ratio
• Mental health professionals on staff
Family-Community Resource Center support
• Fresh food pantry for families

There are seven classrooms at Jim Tangeman Center. Typically, this breaks down to three elementary classrooms (K-5), two middle school classrooms (6-8) and two high school classrooms (9-12). The breakdown of classrooms can change based on student enrollment. Most students typically spend between nine to 15 months at Jim Tangeman Center before returning to their home school.

Jim Tangeman community pillars

Our community pillars are safety, respect and responsibility. In our work with students, our goal is to increase their ability to be self-directed learners, who demonstrate safe, respectful and responsible decisions in all area of their lives.

Our classrooms start the day with a community-building circle, where students and classroom staff work together to build and sustain a community of learners. Our circles help each student hold one another accountable to classroom and building norms of behavior and interaction.

We use a restorative justice lens if our community norms are violated. This lens allows students to restore to their classroom or school community what was broken or damaged by their actions. This helps to build accountability and student responsibility within the school community, and reduce time that students are out of school and missing academic instruction.

Stages of self-directed learners

  • I can identify how to be a self-directed learner and can identify the basic expectations and routines of my school day.
  • I have a plan to help me manage my day and follow school-wide expectations.
  • I have achieved 70 percent daily percentage for 10 cumulative days.

Core expectations

Privileges: Must be on trust

  • Wear my hat on Friday
  • Participate in Friday activities

Evolving

  • I can learn how to be a self-directed learner and follow the basic expectations and routines during my school day.
  • I can learn to use my plan to help me manage my day and follow school-wide expectations.
  • I have achieved 80 percent daily percentage for 15 cumulative days.

Core expectations: All expectations from previous stage(s) apply to current stage

Privileges: Must be on trust

  • Wear my hat on Friday
  • Participate in Friday activities
  • Lunch helper

Achieving

  • I can learn how to be a self-directed learner and follow the basic expectations and routines during my school day.
  • I practice my plan throughout the day to prevent problems and keep my cool when I get upset.
  • I have achieved 85 percent daily percentage for 10 cumulative days (part A), and 10 consecutive days (part B).

Core expectations: All expectations from previous stage(s) apply to current stage

Privileges: Part A
10 cumulative days

  • Lunch helper
  • Wear my hat on Friday
  • Participate in Friday activities
  • Use my music device at my desk

Privileges: Part B
10 cumulative days

  • Lunch helper
  • Wear my hat on Friday
  • Participate in Friday activities
  • Use my music device at my desk
  • Move unescorted within the school
  • Mentor student/TA
  • Can have cellphone in pocket with phone features off

Transition

  • I am a self-directed learner and generalize basic expectations and routines during my school day and other school environments.
  • I maintain my plan and am flexible with my plan throughout the day to fit the environment.
  • I have a transition plan for my new school to help me maintain expectations of my new school.
  • I achieve 90 percent daily percentage.

Core expectations: All expectations from previous stage(s) apply to current stage

Privileges: Must be on trust

  • Lunch helper
  • Wear my hat on Friday.
  • Participate in Friday activities.
  • Participate fully in classroom activities
  • Use my music device at my desk
  • Move unsupervised within the school
  • Mentor student/TA
  • Can have cellphone in pocket with phone features off
  • Transition to comprehensive setting