THE PROGRAM
“The Avalon Academy provides much more than a consistent, safe, and supportive environment for children and youth with a wide range of diagnoses and high support needs. A systematic and evidence-based curriculum addresses not only the academic but also the motor, social, and communication needs of the individuals they serve. Additionally, Avalon has become a community of learning not only for the children, but for the families, professionals and training programs throughout the Bay Area which consistently place interns or attend trainings for access to exemplary practices. ”
Core Program: The Avalon Academy is a full-time educational option. The school year begins in late August and ends in June. The school day runs from 9AM to 3PM, Monday through Friday.
Summer Program: The program takes place Monday through Friday for 6 weeks (July - August). It follows a similar format to the core program but with additional recreational activities. Special events take place frequently, such as dance workshops, visits from local petting zoos, swimming parties, etc.
Academics: The Avalon Academy prides itself on providing its students with experiential learning opportunities. Our curriculum is interactive, individualized, and incorporates multi-sensory supports to promote concept development and engagement. Avalon’s teaching team is committed to utilizing research-based curricula. Additionally, we incorporate highly motivating teacher-made, individualized materials into our academic program.
Reverse Mainstreaming: The Avalon Academy has maintained a vibrant reverse mainstreaming program with a variety of local schools for the last decade.
Collective Wellness: At the Avalon academy, we believe in utilizing the present moment as an opportunity for learning, exploration, community-building, and connection. Through the use of our multisensory curriculum and mindfulness tools, students are guided to explore the environment, curricular themes, emotions, and sensations. The staff at Avalon also have the opportunity to participate in mindfulness and yoga practices for staff. Research shows that the benefits of mindfulness practices are many including a decrease in stress and anxiety, improved attention, and greater compassion toward oneself and others. We aim to foster an environment that provides staff with the tools that they need in order to respond to the demands of the school day and to regulate their nervous systems. In caring for ourselves, we are, in turn, able to utilize these tools to support our students when they are dysregulated.
Students also participate in daily mid-day chair yoga to connect with their bodies and breath. Students are guided to turn their attention inward to explore their bodies, emotions and sensations with gentle curiosity. Our yoga practice aims to increase body awareness and the opportunity to demonstrate bodily autonomy by selecting the body parts they want to move and the poses they want to explore. Yoga also provides students the opportunity to explore the breath and the sensations and temperature of the inhalation and exhalation.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
The Avalon Academy strives to create intentional and meaningful experiences for our students. Every team member at Avalon seeks to know each student deeply in terms of their likes, dislikes, and how they can best access the curriculum. A multisensory approach is utilized to engage our students in a more holistic manner. Lessons and materials are adapted to be appropriate for our students’ unique sensory needs and preferences.
The following services are integrated into the students daily schedules.
AMBIENCE
The environment at Avalon has been purposely designed to be calming and spacious. Children with disorders such as cerebral palsy are extremely sensitive to their surroundings as over-stimulation can cause uncomfortable involuntary movements or aggravate behavioral challenges, both of which can lead to distress. Visual clutter is minimal, which allows students with visual impairment to focus and use their vision efficiently. The ambience created is upbeat yet soothing which promotes good morale, emotional well-being and learning.
Movement
Unique to Avalon is the integration of movement education into all classroom activities, which enhances their motor-abilities in the real-world. A floor-based, group movement program is provided daily to facilitate motor-skill development. Whenever appropriate, students are provided with adapted seating during classroom activities. They are given numerous opportunities to be out of their wheelchair, with transitions that include using canes, walkers, standers, power wheelchairs, body scooters, and rolling techniques. Additionally, students routinely benefit from assisted bike rides along the neighboring Bayshore Trail on adapted tricycles. The ultimate goal is for students to reach their full potential in moving as independently and safely as possible.
MEAL-TIMES
While motor-skill development is central to improved education, health and quality of life, socialization and recreation are also considered essential components for our students to thrive. In particular, meal-times are social occasions during which staff and students eat together as a community. Many of the students have had challenges with eating and drinking, and Avalon staff are extremely adept at oral-motor and positioning techniques which ensures that meal-times are relaxed and fun. This in turn leads to healthy nutrition and promotes well-being.