MAAPS (Massachusetts Association of Approved Private Schools)

Gifford is a founding member of MAAPS, a non-profit association of approved private schools dedicated to providing educational programming and services to students with special needs throughout Massachusetts. Membership in MAAPS signifies a commitment to excellence and ethical integrity. MAAPS is concerned that all children with special needs have access to appropriate, high quality educational experiences and that children and their families have knowledge of the rights, policies, procedures and program options which make the educational process a productive reality for special needs children.

Gifford's Executive Director sits on the MAAPS Board of Directors. Staff from Gifford attend and present at the annual MAAPS training conference held each spring.

Brainstormers

Gifford's Executive Director is both the convener and one of the original founders of the Brainstormers group. The Brainstormers is made up of almost 60 special education administrators from public and private educational institutions who have met as a group for the past 10 years with a focus on collaborative problem solving. The group has brought together many people with wide-ranging experience in the field to generate ideas for improving special education service delivery systems in Massachusetts.

Colleges & Universities

Gifford has an ongoing relationship with several area colleges and universities through our intern training program. This includes Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern Universiity, Simmons College, Lesley College, Regis College, and the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology. Each year approximately seven interns come to Gifford's campus to gain hands-on experience. With a model of collaborative training and shared supervision between the college and Gifford, individuals interested in working with special needs children gain a broad perspective on the educational and clinical process.