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Our Mission
To provide an academic and social learning environment for students with special needs that supports their individual strengths and learning styles, and integrates learning and interaction within a Developmental Individual-Difference (DIR®) based approach.
Our Vision
Soaring Eagle Academy is a safe and nurturing environment where each student and family, teacher and therapist, and other professionals from the community have the opportunity to work together to honor the abilities of the whole child. Together we respect, embrace and empower students as we guide, learn and teach. Students are cared for physically, intellectually, socially and emotionally while engaged in meaningful learning.
Our learning environment reflects the unique interests of each child and integrates their thoughts and ideas into the educational curriculum to nurture their joy for learning.
- Students need for emotional support is recognized and supported for maximum learning
- Spontaneous, developmentally appropriate interactions are facilitated throughout the day
- Student directed learning is supported and expanded by the school staff
- Learning experiences support sensory/motor, auditory and visual spatial skill development
- Semi-structured problem solving experiences are facilitated and supported in both academic and social situations
- Assistive technology tools are embedded within the learning environment to facilitate communicative and academic success
- Support treatments including Therapeutic Listening®, Samonas Auditory Intervention® and Interactive Metronome® are utilized to support learning
Our school philosophy and methodology reflect a DIR® based approach by which students move through developmental levels for relating, communicating, thinking and learning. Student's educational goals incorporate the student's developmental levels, individual learning/sensory profile and Illinois Learning Standards.
- Students develop and practice the ability for
regulation and shared attention which is needed
as the foundation of relationships and learning
- Students develop and practice engagement and
trust which are needed for building relationships
and learning
- Students develop and practice two-way purposeful
verbal and gestural communication which is
needed for relationships, problem solving and
learning
- Students develop and practice communicating and
problem solving to create a continuous flow of
interaction, which is needed for relationships,
problem solving and learning
- Students develop and practice the ability to
functionally use ideas to create and expand
learning and relationships
- Students develop and practice building bridges in
order to connect ideas and learning logically. This
facilitates problem solving, imagination, learning
and relationships
Our students are respected for their individual profile of strengths and weaknesses in 1-on-1, small group and classroom environments.
- Students emotions are respected, verbally
acknowledged and validated
- Students are encouraged to develop and use
strategies for coping and self-regulation
- Students emotional capacities are developed,
expanded and modulated for a range of emotions
- Students ideas and learning choices are viewed as
sacred while respecting and maximizing each
child's potential
- Students learning opportunities encourage self-
expression, creativity, self- image and an
excitement for the school experience
- Students social interactions with peers and staff
are facilitated and supported in all learning
environments
Our school staff is a comprehensive team of professionals working together to facilitate and support student learning.
- Our staff is a dedicated, caring and
compassionate group of individuals who
appreciate and respect each child's challenges
and accomplishments
- Teacher to student ratio is closely monitored to
maximize each student's learning
- A core team of related professionals including a
Speech/Language Pathologist, Occupational
Therapist, Social Worker, Psychologist, DIR®
consultant, Music Therapist, Art Therapist and
Program Facilitator support all classroom
teachers and assistants
- All staff participate in initial and ongoing training
in the DIR® approach
Parents are respected as active partners in their child's education through observation, training, support and classroom visits.
- Parents become knowledgeable in the DIR®
based approach utilized in our school
- Parents are empowered by learning skills for
advocacy for successful participation in their
child's educational plan
- Parents are given opportunities for continued
training and coaching in the DIR® based
approach implemented in our school
- Parents are encouraged to be involved in
scheduled weekly classroom activities
- Parents are given opportunities to learn about
community resources through the school.
Soaring Eagle Academy expands individual student growth by creating additional opportunities for learning.
- Students have opportunities for interactions with
typically developing peers through reverse
mainstreaming
- Students have the opportunity to continue in an
DIRŪ based educational program through high
school or vocational school
Our program serves as a model school in our community for implementing the DIRŪ based approach in an academic environment.
- Our program serves as a training site for
parents, professionals and school districts
searching for knowledge in the DIR® approach
- Our program has developed a DIR® based
curriculum to be utilized within our school and
shared with other interested programs
- Our program gathers information regarding
implementation and results of DIR based
educational interventions for research purposes
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