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RFK Academy

A Community of Learners

A small school by design, Robert F. Kennedy Academy (RFKA) is a therapeutic day school that serves students ages 10-21 with diverse abilities and unique needs, including social, emotional, and learning challenges. RFKA creates individualized learning opportunities while establishing a community of learners.

RFK Academy’s program goes beyond the four walls of its classrooms. Students experience regular opportunities outside the school building in their community and in nature, where they discover who they are and what they care about with support from our dedicated staff. Our name reflects our belief in high expectations for our students, who have the potential to succeed in all facets of their education.

Who We Serve

We proudly serve students with significant social, emotional, and behavioral disabilities using a trauma-responsive approach. Our team focuses on developing student attitudes and actions that promote problem-solving, independence, and academic achievement.


Our team recognizes that out-of-district placement decisions are difficult ones, and we want families to know that we consider our approved 766 special education schools to be extensions of a local school district’s services. We work collaboratively with nearly 100 school districts across New England to provide specialized educational and therapeutic services for our students to enable them to become connected, capable, and healthy.


We are able to serve many different students well, but we have special expertise in these profiles or histories:

  • Anxiety Disorders (e.g., Generalized Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Panic Disorder)

  • Bipolar Disorders

  • Depressive Disorders (e.g., Disruptive Mood Dysregulation, Major Depressive, Persistent Depressive)

  • Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders (e.g., Post-Traumatic Stress, Reactive Attachment, Disinhibited Social Engagement)

  • Executive Dysfunction Disorder

  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders (e.g., Specific Learning, Attention-Deficit Disorder, Social or Pragmatic Communication, High-functioning Autism Spectrum)

  • Capacity to express thoughts and emotions verbally, process and reflect on feelings and events

More Than Just a School

To read more about how we serve students in each of our schools, click here.

• Located In Springfield In Western Massachusetts

• Small Class Sizes

• Low Student-staff Ratios

• 12-month Educational Program

• 45-day Extended Evaluations

Highlights

• Credit Recovery Options

• Community-based Experiential Learning

• Transition Services, Internships, and Job Readiness

• Elective courses that include Art, PE, Culinary, Study Skills, and Social Emotional Learning

• Serving Grades 8-Age 22

• Clinical Services

We're here for you.

RFK Academy
1 Federal St Bldg 102-1
Springfield, MA 01105

For current families and caregivers:

Shakayla Lawrence-Mohamed (she/her/hers)

Director

(413) 507-2024

Email


For families or districts interested in learning more about RFK Academy, contact our admissions team:

Deanna King (she/her/hers)
Jennifer McGrail (she/her/hers)

Email Admissions

A Learning Mindset

Like those we serve, we seek to learn on a daily basis, from best practices, real time experiences, and each other.