Open Doors Program

The Archdiocese of Atlanta recognizes the gifts and talents inherent within each of its students.  We recognize that each child is an individual of great worth and blessed by God uniquely and with great love. We embrace the belief that all are welcome and strive to create a vibrant, Catholic community that celebrates the God-given potential of every student.

To foster these beliefs, we welcome the opportunity to provide assistance and programs to serve the different ways all students learn according to the resources available in each of our Catholic schools. We strive to instill compassion, empathy, and generosity in our learners.

The purpose of the Open Doors program is to meet the needs of students of families whose first desire is to keep their children in a Catholic school for the continued formation of their faith. This program is designed to provide an inclusive educational experience for students with intellectual disabilities that meet the definition of disability set forth by IDEA. Inclusive education brings all students together in one classroom and community, regardless of their strengths or weaknesses in any area, and seeks to maximize the potential of all students.

Open Doors students benefit from inclusion opportunities in a variety of academic and elective courses for 80-100% of the school day. Students in the Open Doors Program receive more individualized instruction as needed to facilitate their continued academic progress. In most cases, the high school students participating in the Open Doors Program will receive a “Certificate of Achievement” upon the completion of the program. Open Doors will not change or diminish any child’s learning experience, but it will enrich their life experience.