Portland, OR
"Well done is better than well said."
Benjamin Franklin
"Hell, there are no rules here - we're trying to accomplish something." Thomas Edison
The preschool program was so successful and because of parent demand,
School of Autism expanded it's program to include kindergarten June 2007. Since School of Autism is a year round school, students receive over 1000 in-session hours per year, compared to public kindergarten's 400 hours per year. The kindergarten program uses Oregon State standards and benchmarks to track the progress of the students, and both programs are taught by a teacher with a BA in early childhood education and a certified registered nurse.
For the 2008-2009 school year, School of Autism is adding 2200 additional square feet and a mixed 1st/2nd grade classroom. At that time, we will be hiring 2 additional teachers with bachelor's degrees in education and 1 addtional assistant. All staff must have hands on experience with children with autism.
The goal of School of Autism is to keep expanding, keep improving, keep learning--so the best educational environment and experience is provided to local children with autism. Some of SOA parents aim to have their child mainstreamed into public school and simply need a little longer to prepare their child--we can do that! Some of SOA parents want to provide their child with a completely alternative education and we can do that!
School of Autism is a designated Tax Exempt Organization from the IRS and designated as an Alternative Private Special Education for Preschool from the Oregon Department of Education. SOA has 2 remaining requirements and then it will be designated an Alternative Private Special Education Elementary School. We expect this to happen no later than June 2008.
The School of Autism is a place that families with children with autism can go to get therapy, support and education. Through play, sensory immersion and guidance by people who actually have been through the same process, families and children with autism can be treated AND educated in one place.
Normally, a child with autism will have to be taken to different offices for speech therapy, occupational therapy, and preschool classes. Families sometimes feel like they are alone and they don't know what to do or how to help their child. 
We have speech, occupational and physical therapy integrated into all of our daily activites. Each child receives what they need in each area.We evaluate each child in the areas of sensory sensitivities, nutrition, social, cognitive and language development, and start teaching them from where ever they are at.We care about every child we work with. The children receive praise and positive reinforcement for every accomplishment. We truly celebrate every small step forward with the child and their parents.
...because
every step, every day adds up. We will make it, we can get there, one day at a time.
We know what you are going through.
You may feel alone.
We are here and we can help. Just call.
503-283-9603