311 North Orange Street, New Smyrna Beach, Florida 32168, United States
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this just a school for Autism?
No! We do service and love students who are on the Autism spectrum, but that is not our primary caseload. Many of our students have learning disabilities, such as dyslexia or ADHD. We offer different pathways for the diverse needs that may come along with each diagnosis.
Will my child lose their IEP?
When a student leaves the public school system and enters a private school system, they are eligible for scholarships/funding based on the matrix number on their most recent IEP. Private schools are not authorized to make changes/update an IEP document. If a student leaves private school and goes back to the public school system, the student's previous IEP will immediately continue and will be updated soon after.
What are the qualifications of the other employees?
All of our employees are required to have the registered behavior technician (RBT) training. A bachelor's degree is preferred for school-based staff and required of our lead teachers. Leadership will provide intensive training in the beginning and will provide ongoing supervision and training to ensure the fidelity and integrity of all instructional programs.
What are your class sizes?
We have small teacher/student ratios to focus on our students and explicitly program for their unique and individual needs. Our ratios vary from 1:3 to 1:10, depending on the needs of the student. We also offer 1:1 services for those that require it.
Who will design programs for my child?
Co-founders Amy and Lindsay have valuable experience that will add to the instructional design process. They will design, implement, and provide oversight for other staff working with our students. Learn more about their background...
How will parents be communicated with?
As parents/guardians, you are the most important stakeholder in your child's life. We want you to be part of the process from start to finish. We will begin with an educational assessment, which will include a parent interview. Also, we will have an initial meeting to discuss areas to work on and goals. We will update these goals as they reach mastery, and goal reports will be sent home monthly. For those that may not have the verbal repertoire to discuss their day, daily reports will be sent home. Conferences are always welcome, and yearly reviews will be conducted. Your feedback is important to us, and feedback forms are readily available so we can modify our services as needed.
How will my student be graded?
The goals designed for your student will be analyzed and updated on a monthly basis. Reports will be sent home monthly to indicate what goals have been mastered and what goals are being continued. Though we do not follow a traditional grading system, the goals your child is demonstrating progress towards should be celebrated at home. Your child is working extremely hard to master these concepts and is being pushed to achieve in an area in which they have not been successful before. At Upward Trend Academy, we are looking for progress, not perfection. It is vital for your child’s social and emotional health that we focus on the successes and teach them that the hard work they are putting into making progress is more important than any “grade” they may receive.
How do you prevent staff turnover?
Staff retention is a priority at Upward Trend Academy, and it will begin with our unique interview process. We value our staff and know they are essential to the success of our organization. We also have the benefit of understanding human behavior and how to increase desired behaviors. We have created a systemic staff reinforcement system so we can make sure our staff always feel heard, appreciated, and valued. We are proud to have most of our staff stay with us at least one year before outgrowing us and going on to new ventures.
How much 1:1 time will my student receive?
Research shows students make more growth in a small group setting compared to a 1:1 setting (Kilpatrick, 2015). To align with our priority to utilize evidence-based procedures, we want to ensure our instructional design creates the best environment for learning and aligns with what research shows is effective. Our team works hard to group students together with similar ages and needs. Sometimes students need some 1:1 support throughout the day, and of course, we will work that in throughout the day as needed and depending on the activity.
Do you separate the classes by grade level?
Students are grouped together by similar ages and maturity levels. However, they are not grouped by grade. . Students are placed into various learning groups throughout the day based on skill level, instructional needs, and age. They will progress by grade on paper, but it will not be the focus of their day.
Will my child still need to participate in state testing?
No. Our students will not need to participate in state assessments such as the FSAA or FSA.
Does your program offer opportunities for inclusion?
Inclusion simply means being included. We value the importance of inclusion and are always working on skills that will help our students feel included in areas beyond the school setting. Special education needs to be more than sitting near peers in a lunch room, because as long as our students do not feel confident with their skills, they will never fully feel included among peers. Hallahan & Cohen (2008) states," students with learning disabilities are not receiving special education in schools, which is built upon the core principles of intensive, relentless, structured, appropriately placed instruction in small groups with frequent monitoring of each student’s progress. We believe that the diminution of special education for students with learning disabilities has occurred because of the well-meaning, but misinformed, overly zealous adoption of the inclusive educational practices (p. 3)."