About The Pathway School
A nonprofit special education school, Pathway builds academic, social, and life skills
The Pathway School is a nonprofit special education school licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Founded in 1961, Pathway serves students with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Intellectual Disabilities, serious emotional disturbances and other neurological impairments. Pathway’s programs are licensed by the Pennsylvania State Board of Private Academic Schools and approved by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Special Education to serve students ages 5–22.
Mission: Promote success and independence
The mission of The Pathway School is to build academic, social, and life skills in students with special needs to promote their success and independence after Pathway.
History: Among the first schools of its kind
At its founding in 1961, Pathway was among very few schools in the Greater Philadelphia area designed exclusively for learning disabled children by unifying the disciplines of psychology, psychiatry, medicine and social work with education. Since then, Pathway has increased enrollment and staff who support the students, developed a vibrant learning environment on a 12-acre campus in Montgomery County, and solidified its reputation as a leader in innovative, high-quality programs and services.
A Message from Pathway's President & CEO
Dear Pathway School Community:
Perhaps it’s just me, but this summer seems to have flown by!
It was a busy spring on The Pathway School campus. We were able to take advantage of the nice weather and have our students outside and off campus more this year than in the past few years. Our students were able to participate in traditional school activities such as the junior/senior prom, the annual Lower School Fishing trip and the school play. I even made a cameo appearance in the school play!
In mid-June, we said goodbye to our graduating seniors. This class of 20 remarkable young men and women was our largest graduating class in recent memory and our most diverse. Each accomplished a great deal while at Pathway, and we look forward to hearing of their accomplishments in the coming years!
While we kept busy educating and engaging our students, we also made substantial progress on renovating the Valley Forge and Anthony Wayne buildings. I am happy to report this project is now complete and these two buildings are now fully operational for the 2023-2024 school year!
There is a rhythm to operating a school. After years of upheaval due to the COVID pandemic, it feels as though the rhythm of the school year is returning to something that seems familiar. I am grateful to the faculty, staff, and families of The Pathway School for their perseverance over the past several years. I do hope that we, as a school community, have been supportive and helpful in return. We look forward to the future of our school with great enthusiasm and are excited to have students back on campus for the 2023-2024 school year. Thank you for helping to make The Pathway School the excellent place that it is.
Yours Sincerely,
David J. Schultheis
President & CEO
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