How We Help Our Employees Grow!
At Oak Hill School, our goal is to help our staff grow into confident and empowered special education practitioners. We help our staff reach their career goals through strategic relationships with local colleges and universities, tuition stipends, and structured Career Pathways.
Tuition Stipends
We encourage our staff to pursue higher education, whether it’s an LPN program, an Associate’s degree, or a Master’s (to name just a few). We reimburse you $1,200 per course for your Master’s and $1,200 annually for all other classes. If your program requires fieldwork or student teaching hours, we work with your institution to ensure that you earn credit for the work you do for Oak Hill.
For Aspiring Educators, Nurses, and Therapists
Are you a college student, or a mid-career professional looking to make a change? Through our partnerships with the University of Hartford and Charter Oak State College you may be qualified to be hired for a position and be paid to complete your student teaching at Oak Hill. If qualified and eligible for a DSAP (Durational Shortage Area Permit), we may be able to hire you as a Teaching in Training. As a Teacher in Training, you earn course credits toward your degree while you work. When you graduate and fulfill your State licensing requirements, you may be promoted to Certified Special Education Teacher.
If you’re considering going back to school to earn your education, nursing, or other human service degree, the University of Hartford and Charter Oak State College meet you where you’re at (i.e.- you don’t need to retake classes you’ve already taken, or take classes that aren’t directly relevant to your career goals). Oak Hill wants earning your degree to be as flexible and personalized as possible. Upon entering their programs, these institutions work with you directly to create the degree program you need to prepare you for success as an Oak Hill employee. To top it off, our employees get a 10% discount on their coursework at either of these institutions.
Thinking about going back for your Master’s?
Staff interested in pursuing a Master’s degree in Education are eligible for a 10% discount in addition to the $1,200 per course from the joint program administered by Goodwin University and the University of Bridgeport. Learn more here.
Career Pathways
Through our Career Pathways, you can begin your career as an Assistant Teacher 1 (we don’t require any classroom experience, just a high school diploma or GED). As you gain experience, we work with you to refine your career goals. Below, you will find examples of paths our staff have taken.
- Pathway to Teacher
Assistant Teacher 1 > Assistant Teacher 2 > Special Education Teaching in Training > Certified Teacher
- Pathway to Therapeutic Clinician
Assistant Teacher 1 > Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA), Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA), Speech and Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) > Licensed OT, PT, SLP
- Pathway to Administrator
Certified Teacher > Administrator