About the Academy

The programs at The Academy are uniquely designed to meet each child's needs. Your child's program is created based on the result of the Individual Developmental and Educational Assessment (I.D.E.A.) or "report card". Each of the steps below is tailored specifically for your child.

1. Individual Assessment

   The child's Individual Developmental and Educational Assessment incorporates:

   • Information and interview session with parents;
   • Review of developmental, medical, educational, and social history
   • Observation and data from The Academy's faculty.
   • Specifically designed programs from Academy directors.

2. Individualized Developmental Educational Program and
   Differentiated Education

   Based on the I.D.E.A., a specific and differentiated Developmental-Educational Program is designed for each child and implemented throughout the day. Teaching techniques are unique, specific, and differentiated, based on:

   • Receptive learning: how each child receives and processes information;
   • Expressive learning: how each child outputs information
   Each child participates in many one-to-one and small group learning and play while learning activities throughout the day. See Love-to-Learn Curriculum to get a picture of your child's day.

3. Tools For Parents

   The Academy strongly believes that parents know their children best! We want parents to understand how to be their child's advocate throughout their lives, and how you and The Academy can work as partners to achieve a common goal—reaching the child's potential. Parent communication and education include:

   • Back-to-school nights
   • The I.D.E.A. (Comprehensive "report cards")
   • Daily and monthly activities which enable you to discuss your child's day
   • Private parent conferences
   • Daily, weekly, and monthly communication as needed. The Academy maintains an "open door" policy and parents are always invited to discuss their child needs and progress.
   • Monthly Fun Calendar See This Month's Activities

4. Positive Environment

   A positive environment is defined as one in which the ratio of positive responses far outweighs every neutral or negative response the child receives. The Academy faculty is specifically trained to foster and maintain a positive environment at all times.

   • Eliminating negative behavior: The Academy will work with you to collect data about the child's behavior to create a baseline. A specific program with corrective direction toward changing the behavior is then designed. The Academy's design of a positive environment uses structured play and DRO (differential positive other reinforcement).
   • Recognizing differences in learning styles: The Academy teaches tolerance and appreciation for these differences. Program design and activities for children of all learning styles are incorporated within an inclusive environment.
   • Rewards: A reward is a response to a behavior that increases the frequency of that behavior. Primary (stickers, awards) and/or secondary (praise) rewards are presented to children throughout the day.
   • Discipline: The Academy's discipline program is based on "opposite positive" modeling and reinforcement. When children make mistakes and are corrected negatively, their attention shifts away from what they are doing and learning, and instead they learn to feel bad about themselves or their peers. The Academy provides positive environmental supports while teaching and focusing on the alternative positive behavior to be learned. Parents and teachers should refocus verbal responses to the positive. Children learn what they are told to Be. 
     
     

     Instead of saying:	Say:
     "No, that's all wrong", or "Why don't you ever remember that?"	"That was a good try" or "Great, look at it this way"
     "I know you can color better than that"	"You finished and did a really good job with that!"
     "Please hurry and finish up"	"It's great you kept trying 'til you got it!"

     
     
   • "Peer Bonding ": praise and encouragement among each child within
     a group
   • Consistency: Results from planning, team work, and cooperation between family members, parents, and teachers working together to develop a positive learning environment.

   Children strive to achieve positive behavior to obtain more praise and attention when that is the focus of your day.