Step By Step Academy Continues Partnership with Morrow County School District to Provide In-school Programs to Support Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Worthington, OH (PRWEB) July 19, 2012 - Step By Step Academy, a highly regarded nonprofit autism treatment center in Worthington, Ohio, today announced that is continuing its partnership with the Morrow County School District for the 2012-13 school year to provide in-classroom education and support to individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities.

In recognizing the importance of teaching children within their home communities, Step By Step developed this highly successful partnership with the district to bring behavioral intervention group instruction to Cardington Lincoln High School and Park View Elementary in 2010.

The goal of each program is to successfully integrate students into the least-restrictive school placement; this is accomplished through utilizing one-to-one, one-to-two and small group behavioral intervention sessions.

The Park View Elementary program serves children with ASD from kindergarten to fifth grade, Monday through Friday, following the school’s class calendar. The Cardington Lincoln High program serves students from sixth through 10th grades, Monday through Friday, following the school’s class schedule.

“Step By Step’s partnership with the Morrow County School District provides countless benefits to both the students we serve and to the district itself,” said Michele LaMarche, executive director of Step By Step. “We’re able to directly interact with students in their daily setting where they face challenges, accomplish goals and learn to navigate daily opportunities and obstacles, and we’re able to support the district by providing a needed resource that we are specifically trained to fill.”

Instruction within each school program is provided using the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA). Instruction goals are developed according to each student’s need through the development of an individualized treatment plan, which is then implemented across the student’s day. Skills including language, communication, daily living, play and social skills are taught, all of which foster a student’s independence.

In addition to individualized instruction, students are provided opportunities in which they can interact with peers during school lunch and recess times, as well as during “specials,” such as physical education and art or music education.

Instructors provide assistance to facilitate appropriate participation in larger group instructional settings, as well as in natural social opportunities. The classroom sessions provide for a supportive, energetic and understanding environment for students to grow and thrive, said LaMarche.

For more information about either school program, contact John Solomon, Step By Step’s Business Manager at 614-436-7837 or via email at jsolomon@stepbystepacademy.org

For more information about the program or Step By Step, visit http://www.stepbystepacademy.org.

About Step By Step

Founded in 2002 by Michele LaMarche, Step By Step is a private, nonprofit treatment center for children, teenagers and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In addition to center-based treatment, Step By Step provides several services designed to support the ongoing needs of the community including assessment services by a psychologist or licensed social workers, center-based intensive behavioral intervention treatment services, parent advocacy and case management services. Step By Step is based in Columbus, Ohio. Follow Step By Step on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/stepbystepacademy, and Twitter, https://twitter.com/SBSA_Ohio.