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Eagle Academy soars at Sierra Enterprise
By Torreyana Johnson - Special to the Citizen
In August 2009, the Eagle Academy opened its doors and welcomed its first students on the campus of Sierra Enterprise Elementary School. The “school within a school” academy addresses the needs of students currently diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).
“The addition of the Eagle Academy will allow Elk Grove Unified to provide a free, appropriate public education to all of the diverse students that the district serves,” said Bill Tollestrup, the director of special education for the district. “It will enhance the education experience for students with autism while providing a quality education with fiscal prudence.”
Historically, some students with ASD had been sent to private schools because of the severity of their disability or associated behaviors. The addition of the Eagle Academy allows these students to return to the district.
Created using funds from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), ARRA Pre-K Grant Part B and ARRA Pre-K Entitlement funds, the Eagle Academy is a cost-effective program.
The Eagle Academy uses an intensive educational setting that utilizes research-based methodologies and curriculum to address the specific needs of children with ASD.
Classrooms are designed to provide an educational setting within Elk Grove Unified. This results in long-term savings for the district – saving as many jobs as possible and decreasing the district’s reliance on non-public schools and agencies.
“With this comprehensive program, we are meeting the unique needs of students on the autism spectrum while providing them the opportunity to integrate with same age peers,” said Nancy Lucia, the associate superintendent of education services. “EGUSD is committed to providing the highest quality education for all of our students and the development of the Eagle Academy increases our capacity to serve students with severe disabilities. The feedback we have received from parents, school employees and the community at large has been overwhelmingly positive.”
The Eagle Academy is considered to be a “language-immersion” program, meaning every chance to encourage vocal and non-vocal language is utilized. Opportunities to develop appropriate social skills and independence are built into the school day.
“A typical day at the Eagle Academy includes both individual and small group work, circle time, work on basic functioning skills, lunch in the cafeteria with their classmates and recess on the playground,” said Brooke Warren, a program specialist in the Special Education Department at Elk Grove Unified. “Sensory issues are addressed with activities specific to each child’s needs. All programming is based on ‘best practice’ models for children with ASD.”
Eagle Academy students learn in a small class environment, with small class sizes to enhance each student’s educational experience. Each classroom has a credentialed teacher with Autism-specific training and experience, as well as three full-time para-educators.
In addition to classroom staff, there are speech therapists, school psychologists, an occupational therapist and an adaptive PE teacher that work within the program on a weekly basis.
“Many of these students attending the Eagle Academy have never attended class at a school site and have never been exposed to the opportunities that are available in a district-provided program,” Warren said. “In the academy, each student has the opportunity for integration with typically-developing peers as appropriate for their individual needs.”
The staff at the Eagle Academy is supported by board certified behavior analysts and Warren at the district level. All members of the Eagle Academy staff attend regular team meetings to address the specific needs of children and to share strategies and ideas.
Elk Grove Unified also has a core group of teachers who teach children with autism that meet on a monthly basis.
“We also have to thank the teachers and administration at Sierra Enterprise,” Warren said. “They have played an active role in welcoming the teachers, students and parents of the Eagle Academy to the campus and they are responsible for naming the program. It truly has been a collaborative process.”
Torreyana Johnson is a senior communications specialist for the Elk Grove Unified School District.
“The addition of the Eagle Academy will allow Elk Grove Unified to provide a free, appropriate public education to all of the diverse students that the district serves,” said Bill Tollestrup, the director of special education for the district. “It will enhance the education experience for students with autism while providing a quality education with fiscal prudence.”
Historically, some students with ASD had been sent to private schools because of the severity of their disability or associated behaviors. The addition of the Eagle Academy allows these students to return to the district.
Created using funds from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), ARRA Pre-K Grant Part B and ARRA Pre-K Entitlement funds, the Eagle Academy is a cost-effective program.
The Eagle Academy uses an intensive educational setting that utilizes research-based methodologies and curriculum to address the specific needs of children with ASD.
Classrooms are designed to provide an educational setting within Elk Grove Unified. This results in long-term savings for the district – saving as many jobs as possible and decreasing the district’s reliance on non-public schools and agencies.
“With this comprehensive program, we are meeting the unique needs of students on the autism spectrum while providing them the opportunity to integrate with same age peers,” said Nancy Lucia, the associate superintendent of education services. “EGUSD is committed to providing the highest quality education for all of our students and the development of the Eagle Academy increases our capacity to serve students with severe disabilities. The feedback we have received from parents, school employees and the community at large has been overwhelmingly positive.”
The Eagle Academy is considered to be a “language-immersion” program, meaning every chance to encourage vocal and non-vocal language is utilized. Opportunities to develop appropriate social skills and independence are built into the school day.
“A typical day at the Eagle Academy includes both individual and small group work, circle time, work on basic functioning skills, lunch in the cafeteria with their classmates and recess on the playground,” said Brooke Warren, a program specialist in the Special Education Department at Elk Grove Unified. “Sensory issues are addressed with activities specific to each child’s needs. All programming is based on ‘best practice’ models for children with ASD.”
Eagle Academy students learn in a small class environment, with small class sizes to enhance each student’s educational experience. Each classroom has a credentialed teacher with Autism-specific training and experience, as well as three full-time para-educators.
In addition to classroom staff, there are speech therapists, school psychologists, an occupational therapist and an adaptive PE teacher that work within the program on a weekly basis.
“Many of these students attending the Eagle Academy have never attended class at a school site and have never been exposed to the opportunities that are available in a district-provided program,” Warren said. “In the academy, each student has the opportunity for integration with typically-developing peers as appropriate for their individual needs.”
The staff at the Eagle Academy is supported by board certified behavior analysts and Warren at the district level. All members of the Eagle Academy staff attend regular team meetings to address the specific needs of children and to share strategies and ideas.
Elk Grove Unified also has a core group of teachers who teach children with autism that meet on a monthly basis.
“We also have to thank the teachers and administration at Sierra Enterprise,” Warren said. “They have played an active role in welcoming the teachers, students and parents of the Eagle Academy to the campus and they are responsible for naming the program. It truly has been a collaborative process.”
Torreyana Johnson is a senior communications specialist for the Elk Grove Unified School District.
