Heartspring is a private, not-for-profit, residential and day school serving children, ages 5 through 21 from across the country. Students may have developmental disabilties such as: Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Down syndrome, cognitive impairments, and various other disabilities.
In addition to the developmental disability or diagnosis that our students may have, the majority of our students also have challenging behaviors that interfere with their academic progress at school, as well as interfering with home life and community access.
Heartsprings school program is a unique educational setting that encompasses all areas of a students life, including education, residential living, psychological and medical care, as well as therapies such as, speech language pathology and occupational therapy.
When working with students, Heartspring utilizes evidence-based and emerging practices, based on the National Standards Project as developed by the National Autism Center. This includes the use of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and structured teaching along with relying upon the professional expertise of Heartspring staff.
While implementing each students Individualized Education Program (IEP), Heartspring focuses on decreasing inappropriate behaviors by following a consistent Student Support Plan (also known as a Behavior Intervention Plan). This individually developed plan guides all staff, in a consistent manner across all settings, to address inappropriate behaviors and teach replacement behaviors.
Increasing communication skills is also a vital part of each students program. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is used with students who have limited functional communication to help them learn and participate in their educational program and in their community, with minimal behavioral disruptions.
In addition, Heartspring focuses on increasing each students independence with his or her activities of daily living, such as hygiene, household chores, meal preparation, etc. This increased independence offers students a better quality of life, as they transition from school to adult life.
.jpg)
