Admissions

Initial Contact
Districts and parents should call Soaring Eagle Academy for a description of classroom availability to determine if their student's age and ability is a match. If it is determined that SEA may have an appropriate classroom available for the student, then districts are asked to send a formal referral packet including a copy of the student's most recent IEP. If there is an opening available, parents seeking private pay placement will be able to schedule a formal observation of the facility.

Formal Observation
After the home school district has sent a referral for the student, SEA will contact the parent to schedule a time for them to come in and observe our program. Districts staff are encouraged to attend also. When the district packet is received and the parent(s) have visited the program, the initial intake application process set forth below will be initiated. Parents and districts are encouraged to contact SEA with questions or concerns at any time throughout the intake process.

Application Process
The intake process is a multi-step procedure once a student is referred to SEA. Our program plans to serve as a model school implementing a Developmental Individual-Difference Relationship (DIR®) Based Approach. Therefore, our application and intake process is to insure that the student families at the Academy join in supporting these efforts. The steps are as follows:

1. The SEA team will review the referral packet from the district. If SEA determines that the Academy may be an appropriate placement for the student, parents are requested to submit a formal application. Parents should complete the application for admission and return it along with a 30-minute video of their child at home and a 30-minute video of his or her current educational placement. At this time, parents are asked to complete SEA's medical and developmental history form and submit all previous educational, medical, speech/language, occupational, mental health and any other relevant reports from the previous two years and submit a signed release of information for SEA staff to speak to designated current school, medical team and/or therapeutic team.
2. The SEA team will conduct a second review of all above submitted information. If SEA continues to believe that the Academy may be an appropriate placement for the student, the appointed staff member will schedule a home, school and/or therapy visit with the potential student's family.
3. The SEA team will conduct a third review of all above information and determine which of the following steps will be required for student placement:
   • SEA will begin the process of supporting the potential student's family in understanding the educational model of the program.
   • SEA and the potential student's family will engage in a collaborative process where the family is encouraged and supported to use the model outside the student's school day.
4. Developing a series of school visits for the purpose of parent education, bridging home school programming and collaboration between family and SEA staff.
5. All families must sign the Student Contract prior to enrollment at the Academy.

IEP Meeting for Change in Placement
If it is determined that SEA is an appropriate placement for a student by the educational team, SEA and family, the district will hold an IEP to note a change in educational placement to SEA. This meeting is conducted at the home school or at SEA, depending on the district. SEA may or may not be requested to attend.

Initial Placement Period
The following steps must take place during the initial enrollment period.

1. Prior to the first day of enrollment the family of the student will accompany the student to SEA for a visit to the school.
2. The family will be provided pictures of the school via email to review with the student supporting the transition into SEA.
3. Parents will complete the initial forms including Student Application, All About Me, Emergency Contact, and Photo/Video Release Form.
4. Parents will provide the supplies requested in the Parent Handbook on the first day of enrollment.
5. The initial day of student enrollment must occur on a day the DIR Classroom Therapist is available. Parents will attend with student on the initial day of placement with the appropriate length of time parent's staying on site determined that day in collaboration between DIR Classroom Therapist and parents.
6. After the initial two weeks of placement, a meeting between appropriate SEA staff and parents will be conducted on site, to develop a plan that may include areas such as developing student goals, expanding parent understanding of the student's profile and/or student's strengths and challenges and SEA educational model.

IEP Meeting for Review of Goals
Six weeks after a student begins at SEA an IEP review meeting is held to update the student's goals and to add new student goals. At this time Speech and Occupational therapy minutes will be finalized for the school year. There will be opportunity for parents to share strengths and weaknesses as well as concerns for educational programming. Also, information regarding the child's profile, environmental modifications and all other educational modifications will be listed in the modifications section of the IEP.

Wait List
Children who are not offered immediate placement at Soaring Eagle Academy (most likely due to availability) will remain on our active wait list for one year. After this, parents or districts can renew their wait list status through additional intake procedures.

Selection
Only children who are on the active waiting list are considered when the appropriate opening becomes available.

Our program plans to serve as a model school implementing a Developmental Individual-Difference Relationship (DIR®) Based Approach.