Autism
The Autism Program has been part of the Benjamin E. Mays school community since before 2000. Our staff has a broad range of experience working with children who have Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). We have four self-contained classrooms which enhance student learning in grades K-5.
Focus of Study
Students receive differentiated instruction in:
- Readers Workshop
- Writers Workshop
- Math
- Primary Years Programme Units
- Social Skills Instruction
- Personal Care Skills
- Functional Skills
Additional services may include: Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language, Adaptive Physical Education, Social Work, and Music Therapy.
Program Highlights
- Curriculum designed to fit the needs of each individual student and focus on their strengths based on Individual Education Plans (IEP's) using the general education curriculum with differentiation.
- A strong team approach between the classrooms to offer enriching and meaningful activities for students at their own level.
- Collaboration with regular education classrooms for instruction and mainstreaming opportunities providing a wide range of services that can be flexible around changing student needs.
- Daily music therapy, adaptive gym class and art therapy.
- Daily sensory opportunities.
- Daily social skills lessons.
- Opportunities for occupational therapy and speech services based upon student needs.
- Integration of technology into daily instruction including laptops, smart boards, iPad and more.
- Community interaction opportunities for students to apply social skills in real-life settings (grocery store, public library, restaurants, field trips, etc.)
Additional Parent Resources
Related Service Providers
- Darla Dassow, Art Therapist, darla.dassow@spps.org 651-325-2400
- David Woolf, Developmental Adaptive Physical Education (DAPE) teacher, david.woolf@spps.org 651-325-2400
- Emily Rotegard, Music Therapist, emily.rotegard@spps.org 651-325-2400
- Mary Andres, Speech Therapist, mary.andres@spps.org 651-325-2400
- Leah Peterson, Speech Therapist, leah.peterson@spps.org 651-325-2400
- Lacey Olson, Occupational Therapist, lacey.olson@spps.org 651-325-2400
- Emma Conway, Social Worker, Emma.conway@spps.org 651 325-2400
- Allen Moe, Social Worker, allen.moe@spps.org, 651-325-2400