NYC Autism Charter School Solves for Complex Learners with Intense Dedication & Commitment — Personalized Learning at Its Best
August 3, 2018
By: Robin Lake
Source: The 74
My day at the NYC Autism Charter School began by joining the staff to help welcome each of the 33 students into the school with smiles, high-fives, and big hellos. Despite their profound autism, nearly all the students (their ages range from 5 to 21) ride buses provided by the New York City Department of Education to school each day and walk independently to their classrooms. That might not seem remarkable, but consider that most of these students are significantly verbally and cognitively impaired, and many deal with severe anxiety and frustration from trying to navigate a world that overwhelms and confounds them. To help their students succeed each morning and afternoon, staff dot the stairwell and occasionally ride the buses to provide guardrails for them, standing back as much as possible to encourage independence.
The success stories I heard were moving.