THE TCS CLASSROOM
A School Built for Your Child. Literally.
The environment is not a backdrop to the TCS program. It is part of the program. This 14,000 square foot campus in Irvine was designed from an empty footprint specifically for students with ADHD and ASD.
Every decision, from the two-quad structure to the individual reset spaces to the observation rooms, was made with one question in mind...
"What does this student need right now?"
For many families, walking through the doors is the moment it clicks.
A Campus Designed For Your Child
This is not a repurposed traditional campus.
The school occupies a dedicated 14,000 square foot second-floor space designed specifically for students in grades 3 through 8. From arrival to dismissal, the environment supports predictability and connection.
A warm and friendly reception area opens into learning zones rather than long corridors of closed doors.
Explore The Quads
The school is organized into two primary learning communities.
Each quad has 4 main classrooms attached to a large central commons area. These shared spaces include comfortable seating, bean bags, games, puzzles, and age-appropriate technology. They are designed to support regulation, connection, and structured downtime throughout the day.
Themed Classrooms
Our classrooms are not small, boring and cold. Each classroom is vibrant and large. There is plenty of space for students to work, both individually and in small groups. .
Students come to TCS at different places in their learning. Our classrooms are structured to ensure your child is placed in the room and with the peers that align with where they are.
For that reason, we don't label our classrooms by a specific grade-level. Instead, our students are immersed in a themed room with students at their current learning levels.
This year our classrooms are:
- Geologists
- Marine Biologists
- Paleontologists
- Archeologists
"TCS is a school that advocates for and empowers girls like my daughter."
Heather S. Miethe-Wong, TCS Parent
Built-In Observation
Each classroom was designed with private observation spaces located between classrooms with tinted windows.
These rooms allow teaching teams, interns, parents and support staff a space to watch what is happening in a classroom without distracting the students. They are also used when outside observation is required for IEPs or district collaboration.
These unique features, designed specifically for our school, informs by what is actually happening in the classroom, not assumptions or secondhand reports.
Shared Experiences.
Beyond the quads, the school includes a large multipurpose room (MPR) used for whole school assemblies, group activities, and community events.
Students are frequently in the MPR performing challenges, playing a quick game of Gaga Ball, painting in a whole group art lesson, or just hanging out with their friends and some music.
The multipurpose room is a core space for our students and the perfect environment for our team to assist with social skills and interactions.
A Space to Reset.
Our quads also include is a small, private reset space designed for individual students.
These rooms are intentionally simple. The purpose is not isolation or removal, but relief.
When a student feels overwhelmed or overstimulated, this space allows them to reduce input, settle their nervous system, and regain readiness to rejoin the group.
Students are supported in choosing when and how to use this space.
Outdoor Classrooms
Students have access to a fenced outdoor area that includes lunch tables, basketball hoops, soccer nets, and open space for movement. While part of a shared property, this area functions as a dedicated student space during the school day.
A secure gate opens directly onto the San Diego Creek trail, creating access to a natural learning environment just steps from the school.
We use the trail for science activities, nature walks, and Riding for Focus, the school’s research-based cycling program developed through the Outride initiative.
Experiential Learning
Students who earn Outride certification participate in guided bike rides along the trail and toward the Back Bay for science and social experiences. Bikes are stored onsite in a dedicated container that includes a small maintenance area donated through the Outride grant.
Younger students use the trail for walking-based science exploration and visits to nearby nature and bird sanctuaries.
Movement, nature, and learning are intentionally connected.
Research in Action
At any given time, through our relationship with UC Irvine, UC Riverside, and other local universities, six to fifteen graduate-level interns work at TCS. They choose to come to TCS to experience our innovative program first-hand. They support classrooms, collect data, analyzing outcomes, and collaborate with staff.
This allows research and reflection to happen within the daily life of the school.
Every Room. Every Place. One Goal.
The Craig School was designed to support the full student experience.
Clear structure. Thoughtful observation. Built-in regulation. Room to move. Space to reset. Access to nature. Ongoing learning for staff.
This campus does not ask students to adapt to learn..
It adapts to the students, enabling them to learn in a safe and supportive environment.
Experience It for Yourself
The best way to understand this environment is to see it.
If you would like to learn more about how space, structure, and support come together here, we invite you to start a conversation with our admissions team.
Campus & Experience Frequent Questions
Yes, and we encourage it. Seeing the campus, the classrooms, and the daily pace of the school is often what helps families know if TCS is right for their child. Parent visits are available after their child's document review. Contact our admissions team to get started.
Typical class size is 12–15 students with a credentialed teacher and two trained support staff members in each classroom.
We are a private academic school with integrated executive functioning support built into the day.
We are not a clinical treatment facility.
Students participate in structured daily physical activity, games, and recreation.
We do not currently participate in competitive leagues.
At this time, extracurricular offerings are limited. Our focus is on delivering a strong academic and behavioral program during the school day.