The Winston Knolls School, at Hoffman Estates Campus

Winston Knolls Education Group’s educational facility, The Winston Knolls School at Hoffman Estates Campus is a non-public special education Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade high school approved by the Illinois State Board of Education. Here we provide school-based services to children (ages 3-19) diagnosed with autism spectrum and related disorders such as emotional / behavioral disorders, developmental disabilities and other health impairments.

The Winston Knolls School at Hoffman Estates Campus administration will review the student’s records (including the current IEP, the most recent multidisciplinary conference reports, the case study evaluation, and any additional psychiatric or psychological reports.)Most students are referred to us by their local school districts. At a student’s IEP, the team decides that the most appropriate placement for a student may not be in district. The district then sends us a formal request for placement letter and current IEP. The Winston Knolls School at Hoffman Estates Campus will then learn about the student through parent and teacher interviews and observations in the current placement. If the intake team decides that we are an appropriate placement for the student, the student then is placed on our waiting list. The district and the parents are notified via certified letter.

The Winston Knolls School provides a comprehensive and distinctive learning environment for students with autism and related challenges. Through effective teaching, personalized curriculum and behavioral services, we help our students and their families achieve the highest quality of life.

The classrooms at The Winston Knolls School at Hoffman Estates Campus are all self-contained. In order to provide a safe, structured and predictable learning environment for the students, the classroom team remains with the same students throughout the school day. Students enrolled at The Winston Knolls School at Hoffman Estates Campus have gone through an admissions process that includes review of special education eligibility and related paperwork, a parent interview, and a student observation and/or interview. In order to be considered for placement at The Winston Knolls School at Hoffman Estates Campus regardless of disability, students must require significant behavioral support.

Evidence-based methodologies, techniques and programs are utilized as the foundation of individual program development. Individual Education Programs (IEPs) are developed based on the student's present levels of performance and their educational needs, which are determined using norm-referenced assessments, data collected by classroom staff, and parent and professional input. Goals and objectives are measured on an ongoing basis through comprehensive data collection. Assessments like the Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills, Revised (ABLLS-R, Partington, J. and Sundberg, M.), the Assessment of Functional Living Skills, the Verbal Behavior Milestone Assessment & Placement Program (VB-MAPP, Sundberg, M.) is used to determine student progress.

The Winston Knolls School at Hoffman Estates Campus uses the Unique Learning Systems curriculum, an online, interactive, standards-based curriculum specifically designed for students with special needs. Students are screened by teachers to determine the appropriate level within the curriculum. The program includes principles of universal curriculum design and is aligned to the Common Core State Standards. Students will receive instruction in large group, small group, and one-to-one setting. For example, the introduction of a topic may be given to the entire class, but students will then be grouped with one to two peers based on ability.