In every school community, there are moments that quietly remind us why we do what we do. They may not take place in auditoriums or on sports fields, but in rooms filled with medical equipment, laughter, and graduation banners. Moments like these stay with us.
On Thursday, May 8, we had the privilege of celebrating a ceremony that may have looked different in setting, but carried all the meaning of any graduation. Inside Pediatric Specialty Care (PSC), three students, two high school seniors and one kindergartener were honored for their growth, their determination, and the relationships that helped guide them along the way.
“These students are just like any of our other students,” said Special Education Administrator Harrison Ruetiman. “They’ve spent their school years growing with us learning, achieving, and preparing for what’s next. Today is about honoring that.”
Different setting, same milestone
PSC serves students with complex medical needs who receive care around the clock. Some students rely on ventilators. Some are non-verbal. All require round-the-clock support. But they are, first and foremost, students. Students who learn, who grow, who participate in lessons and routines, who laugh and connect. Students who belong
Education at PSC is built around Pennsylvania’s Alternate Academic Standards. Each lesson is adapted to the individual learner rooted in care and possibility using sensory engagement, visuals, and consistent support to create accessible, meaningful instruction. School days are filled with academic content, therapy, moments of discovery, and joy accumulating not in dramatic leaps, but in small, steady progress.
“These students are just like any of our others,” said Harrison Ruetiman. “They begin with us in kindergarten, participate in the same instructional processes through our multiple disabilities and life skills programming, and they graduate just like their peers. That’s what inclusion looks like.
That picture came into focus during the celebration. Staff, family members, and peers filled the room with joy, stories, and pride. One sibling, Jayden Garcia, a Reynolds Middle School student, shared, “I’m proud of my brother. I love him and miss him all the time. I think his next chapter is going to be a really good one.”
What graduation means here
At PSC, progress doesn’t always look like a finished essay or a test score. Sometimes it’s the ability to engage in a group activity. Sometimes it’s reaching for a communication device. Sometimes it’s simply being present and connected. These are the kinds of milestones that are easy to overlook from the outside, but they hold deep meaning for the people who witness them daily.
“For parents and caregivers, graduation is more than a milestone, it’s a marker of time and transition,” said one staff member. “It represents all the quiet, daily steps that have added up to something much bigger.”
One parent reflected on the journey of moving her son from in-home care to PSC. “I remember being afraid,” she said. “Will he be safe? Will he be understood?” But that uncertainty gave way to trust and that trust, over time, turned into joy.
A longtime teacher shared a full-circle moment: “I used to visit his home to provide instruction. Then one day, I saw his family touring PSC. They asked me, ‘Will he be with you?’ and I said yes. Now I come here and he came to me. That moment still stays with me.”
The team behind every student
None of this happens in isolation. Every student at PSC is surrounded by a team: educators, therapists, aides, nurses, administrators, and family members. They work across roles and responsibilities to ensure each child has what they need.
“We counted it out, 720 days of school,” said Faith. “And on average, seven activities a day. That’s over 5,000 opportunities to grow, try something new, and connect. It’s easy to overlook that when you’re focused on one day at a time, but when you zoom out, it’s powerful.”
Faith’s classroom is a place where learning happens alongside breathing treatments, mobility exercises, and medical monitoring. A space where lessons are built not only around curriculum, but also around care, patience, and trust. On graduation day, her colleagues described her as someone who “shows up in every way that matters.” One staff member handed her a handmade gift created with the students’ painted handprints, a symbol of the countless lives she’s touched.
Assistant Superintendent Chris Lopez, who also attended the ceremony, said:
“This day reminds us that every child, regardless of their medical needs or the setting they learn in, deserves to be seen, celebrated, and included. Their education may happen in a different environment, but it’s no less meaningful. Today is theirs to celebrate.”
Looking Forward
Students at PSC often remain enrolled until age 21. After that, they begin transitioning into adult care and living programs, a process that comes with many decisions, changes in providers, and new routines. While that future brings uncertainty, graduation gave everyone in the room a moment to pause and reflect on what has already been achieved.
“We hope every one of our students finds a setting that continues to meet their needs and honors who they are,” said a staff member. “Our goal has always been to prepare them, not just academically, but emotionally and socially, for whatever comes next.”
For families, this moment marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. It represents years of advocacy, late nights, and holding on to hope when the way forward wasn’t always clear. Graduation is a celebration of everything it took to get here and all the people who made it possible.
To the families who have entrusted us with your children: thank you. Your love and strength shine through everything you do. To our educators and staff: your work may not always be seen by the public, but it matters deeply. You are the reason these students are able to thrive.
Congratulations to the 2025 graduates of Pediatric Specialty Care. Your path is your own and we’re honored to be a part of it. For more photos, visit us on Facebook.