ACADEMICS
post-high school transition
grow at riverview
Riverview School’s Post High School Transition Program for young adults, ages 18–21, is called GROW—Getting Ready for the Outside World. Focused on independent living skills and functional academic and life skills, the GROW curriculum provides students who have completed high school with the social, vocational, and independent living skills they need to thrive and be as independent as possible.
Real Learning,
Real Experience,
Real Growth
Structured like a college campus, GROW students live in dorms, take classes, and gain real-world work experience through internships. They learn to self-advocate, make responsible choices, and take ownership of daily life, including planning their own social activities.
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Curriculum
The GROW curriculum gives students the tools they need to navigate life with confidence. With classes like Reading, Writing, Personal Finance, Consumer Math, and Travel Training, students build practical skills for independence. Students explore real-world topics like budgeting, time management, relationships, and communication. Every lesson is backed by modern teaching methods and adaptive technology to support different learning styles.
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Vocational
GROW students gain meaningful hands-on experience by working with local businesses on the Cape. Riverview has partnerships in a number of different fields, such as food service, retail, office/business, facilities maintenance, hospitality, and healthcare. This ensures that students explore their interests, build confidence, and develop real-world job skills.
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Independent Living
Independent living instruction at GROW is thoughtfully personalized to meet each student’s needs and goals. From cooking and budgeting to hygiene, fitness, transportation, and stress management, students build everyday skills that foster confidence and self-reliance. GROW’s inclusive, community-based environment empowers students to confidently conquer real-life roadblocks in order to strengthen their independence.
Inclusive Support Services
Specialized services such as speech and language therapy, targeted reading instruction, and social skills training are embedded throughout the curriculum. All students receive these services at no additional cost to the family.
Every student and family is supplied with integrated Transition Services. Through family workshops, strategic planning, and an annual three-day conference called “Transition Weekend”, families are given tools to help guide their student to a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life.
In GROW, Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) provide support through cross-departmental services designed to promote independence and real-world communication. Students do not receive individual 1:1 services; they benefit from an in-class, team-based approach where SLPs work closely with teachers, residential staff, and community mentors to embed communication strategies across environments. SLPs consult with staff to modify individual supports, such as cueing techniques or visual aids, and provide practical tools that help students transfer classroom skills into functional, everyday use. This integrated approach ensures students are supported in the least restrictive environment while developing independence and lifelong learning skills.
One-on-one reading assessments are conducted two times a year to inform instruction and guide class placement. Our Reading Specialists are certified dyslexia instructors following the Wilson Reading System, and work with all students to empower them to be active readers as well as staff to ensure skill development is happening across all levels of GROW.
Riverview’s reading program is designed to meet each student at their current level, providing personalized instruction to support growth across all stages of reading development. Our readers build essential foundational skills, while deepening their understanding through text analysis and independent thinking. Students read age-appropriate, adapted texts, giving them the ability to have the same educational experience as neurotypical students their age.
Each GROW student is supported by an advisor who helps build self-advocacy, social skills, and problem-solving abilities. The goal is to empower them to pursue their passions, form meaningful relationships, and thrive in both school and work settings. Advisors collaborate with leadership, academic staff, residential teams, and SLPs to provide individualized support across classroom and dorm environments. Students are expected to take greater ownership of the skills they have learned by initiating advisor appointments and navigating challenges independently before a staff member steps in, reflecting increased autonomy and preparing them for the support structures they may encounter in college or the workplace.
Nurturing Strengths,
Building Futures
Unique vocational opportunities and local partnerships.
GROW graduates that go on to find employment in a competitive work environment.
Alumni employed within a year of graduating.
Recent alumni who reside outside their family home.
Stats based on recent alumni survey
flagship programs
Project Forward
At Project Forward, students have the opportunity to take vocational courses at Cape Cod Community College, gaining valuable job readiness experience in a supportive environment. This program helps students build confidence, develop independence, and prepare for future employment or continued education.
Café Riverview and Second View Thrift Store
Café Riverview and Second View Thrift Store are Riverview-owned businesses that serve as hands-on classrooms for students. Students gain experience in both customer-facing roles as well as behind-the-scenes operations.
Project SEARCH
Project SEARCH is an internationally recognized program for final year students that provides vocational training in local hospitals for students and adults with learning differences. Through Riverview’s partnership with Cape Cod Healthcare, students gain hands-on experience across a variety of hospital roles, with many going on to work in similar positions after graduation.
Boardwalk Program
Boardwalk is a final year program that allows students to fully immerse themselves in vocational experiences that are tailored to their individual interests. It provides the opportunity for every student to focus on meaningful work and gain relevant, hands-on experience that supports their job search after graduation.
Get to know grow
Download sample schedules and watch the video to meet Miles, a GROW student loving his independence.
