Elementary School

Douglas Penfield School is located in east Ventura and serves students from kindergarten to fifth grade with moderate to severe disabilities. Staff use evidenced-based instructional strategies to teach the functional skills that will maximize independence for the students. Classroom instruction is aligned to the California Standards and 21st Century skills. Establishing a functional means of communication for each student is an important focus of the program. 

Each classroom benefits from smaller class sizes, increase in staff to student ratio and structured educational expectations. Instruction is designed to meet individual needs of each student throughout the school day, including recess and lunch periods.

Instruction is based upon the following curricular skills: functional academics, communication, social-emotional/behavioral functioning, and motor skills so our students can maximize their independence in the domains of vocation,, community, independent living skills and recreation/leisure activities.  

A functional mobility component to the curriculum is utilized for students with physical disabilities to develop the skills of sitting, standing and walking while participating in their school activities. 

Students may have the opportunity to participate in integrated activities with students from the partnering comprehensive campus. These activities may be in one of the general education classrooms, or during lunch, recess and school-wide activities.  

As a learning community, we believe that professional expertise, supported by collaboration between parents, students, teachers, specialists, paraprofessionals, and administration leads to a safe learning environment and positive student outcomes.