Frequently Asked Questions

Is Maitland Academy right for my child?

Our pioneering plan for whole body/whole mind development embraces all children.  It is founded in sensory integrative theory and practice and enhanced with time tested approaches to maximize a child’s ability to cope with and follow through on age appropriate daily tasks, master new skills, and prepare for the demands of elementary school, middle school, and life long learning. 

1. Note:  Our Middle School Program began on the 2008-2009 Academic Year.
   

Our current programs benefit:

1. Children with Typical and Delayed Development
   

2. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Related Disabilities
   

3. Children with a Hearing Impairment that utilize a cochlear implant or hearing aids to support speech as their primary method of communication
   

4. Children with Sensory Integration Dysfunction resulting in:
   

5. Difficulties with in Learning
   

6. Difficulties with Praxis (decreased ability to conceive, plan, initiate, motor plan, follow through, and end a way of “doing” a task)
   

7. Difficulties with visual perception and visual motor integration (impacts reading and writing)
   

8. Poor form and space perception (visual and tactile)
   

9. Decreased speech and language skills impacting adaptive communication
   

10. Poor eye-hand coordination and whole body coordination
    

11. Tactile and Auditory defensiveness
    

12. Hypotonia with associated poor postural stability
    

13. Decreased coping mechanisms and frustration tolerance
    

14. Decreased social-emotional skills
    

15. Decreased fine motor and self-care/self-help skills
    

16. Decreased selective attention to visual and auditory cues
    

17. Decreased body awareness, position sense, spatial orientation, and graded manipulation of objects
    

Note:  Currently our staff is not trained to educate students with visual impairments as their primary disability nor students with profound hearing impairments who utilize sign-language as their primary method of communication.

What is a Sensory Integrative and Therapeutically Enhanced Classroom?

Definition: “Sensory integration is the neurological process that organizes sensation from one’s own body and from the environment and makes it possible to use the body efficiently with the environment.  The spatial and temporal aspects of inputs from different sensory modalities are interpreted, associated, and unified.  Sensory integration is information processing….the brain must select, enhance, inhibit, compare, and associate the sensory information in a flexible, constantly changing pattern, in other words, the brain must integrate it”.  Ayres (1989)   

Your child’s day at school will in many ways, will reflect a typical elementary and middle school agenda (with scheduled classes in math, science, reading and phonics, social studies, language arts, art, music, physical education, snack/lunch, and self-care/self-help activities) for a rounded education.

In order to facilitate global sensory modulation throughout the school day, it is essential to provide whole body sensory experiences routinely to facilitate increased selective attention tasks, prevent shutdown behaviors, and promote a balanced level of alertness throughout day.  In order to facilitate skill development it is often necessary to make environmental and tool adaptations to compensate for low muscle tone, decreased ocular motility and visual information processing, decreased hand development, and decreased tactile & proprioceptive processing in the hands, and global sensory modulation issues.

Maitland Academy’s curriculum combines our clinical experience and specialized education techniques that emphasize sensory integration for solid foundational skills versus the accumulation of splinter skills.  We carefully combine and sequence activities that are provided in both an individual and small group basis and tailor them to specifically meet the needs of each individual student. 

How are sensory integrative methods combined with behavioral approaches to maximize my child’s ability to succeed in the classroom setting?

Sensory integration approaches target the systems that support functional performance and adaptive responses.  When you combine sensory supports that balance a child’s arousal state for increased coping mechanisms throughout the day with Positive Behavioral Support (PBS) that shape adaptive behaviors it results in improved functional, adaptive performance in all areas.

Positive Behavior Support is a technique for changing a child’s behavior through a holistic approach that considers all the factors that impact a child and his/her subsequent behaviors. Identification of the root of a child’s challenging behaviors is key in teaching new skills that will support more positive behaviors.   Consistent modeling of positive behaviors, use of sensory supports to change the environment during predictable stressors (as indicated by their current sensory processing level), identifying positive reinforcers and using them consistently to increase their motivation and success during each required activity of the day, and appropriately adapting the level of demand in order to help the child experience success. 

1. For a Fact Sheet on Positive Behavior Support (PBS), please email us at administration@maitlandacademy.com.
   

2. For more information on PBS, visit http://pbs.fsu.edu
   

What are the Admission Requirements?

It is our responsibility to our current and future students to provide them with the most appropriate educational and therapeutic experience.  We have designed an interview process and a global development evaluation that will help us determine if our school is the best place for your child.  The Maitland Academy will enroll children who have reached the age of 5 by September 1st   for Elementary school and Middle School-aged children.   Children will be enrolled regardless of race, color, sex, religion or national origin. Enrollment will be based upon your child’s developmental needs, as assessed by the Evaluation Team comprised of at least 3 of the following disciplines:  ESE Educator, Occupational Therapist, Speech-Language Pathologist, Physical Therapist, and/or Certified Positive Behavioral Support staff. 

What is the Admissions Process?

For complete information on our admission process, please visit our Enrollment and Forms page.

What is the school year calendar?

Maitland Academy will follow the Seminole County School District School Year Calendar.  For a copy of our school year calendar, just email us at administration@maitlandacademy.com.

What is the cost of tuition?

All of your child’s tuition may be covered through the McKay scholarship program.  Payment plans are available to assist you with the most affordable payment options if needed.  Please refer to the attached Tuition and Payment Schedule or email us at administration@maitlandacademy.com.

What is the McKay Scholarship Program? How do I apply?

The McKay Scholarship for Students with Disabilities Program is available for eligible students with disabilities to attend private schools of their choice.  Any parent of a public school student with a disability and a current Individual Education Plan (IEP) who is unhappy with their child’s progress may receive a scholarship.  For more detail on McKay eligibility, visit http://www.floridaschoolchoice.org/Information/McKay/faqs.asp

Once you are registered with Maitland Academy, our staff will guide you through the simple application process. 

Does my child receive therapy services as part of their education?

Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech-Language Therapy, and Behavior Therapy are all included in your child’s education program.  Therapists will be in your child’s classroom weekly to observe, interact with, and incorporate appropriate therapeutic approaches into each activity of your child’s day.  Our board certified therapists will work with your child’s classroom staff to develop activities and strategies to ensure that the therapeutic approaches your child needs, are incorporated throughout each daily activity.

1. Additional private therapy services are also available for a separate fee.  Please visit alltherapyconnection.com for more information.
   

What kinds of therapy are available at Maitland Academy?

Pediatric Occupational Therapy (OT): A health care profession that provides evaluation and treatment of various disorders that interfere with a child’s ability to perform age appropriate fine motor, gross motor, self-care, and psychosocial activities.  O.T. emphasizes the use of  “purposeful activities” -- those of relevance and meaning to the family and child, in order to facilitate a child’s ability to acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to achieve optimal performance in their daily “occupations”, i.e. self-care, academics, play, and peer interactions. Our therapists use a foundational sensory integrative approach, combined with other time-tested approaches to maximize a child’s ability to:  cope, actively participate in age appropriate daily tasks, master new skills, restore function, compensate for a functional disability, prevent further dysfunction, and maintain health.

Pediatric Physical Therapy (PT): A health care profession that provides evaluation and treatment of various disorders that interfere with a child’s ability to perform age appropriate gross motor and sensorimotor activities.  P.T. provides services to children with impairments, disabilities, functional limitations, and/or quality of life concerns, resulting from injury, disease, or developmental deficits.  Our therapists combine a sensory integrative perspective and use of time-tested approaches in the treatment of various problem areas in:  strength, endurance, postural stability, balance, gait pattern (walking), orthopedic abnormalities, range of motion, muscle tone, reflex integration, motor skill development/restoration, motor planning, pain management, and coordination.

Speech-Language Pathology (SLP):  A health care profession that provides evaluation and treatment of various disorders in:  language, oral motor, articulation, swallowing, motor speech and auditory processing. Our therapists combine a sensory integrative perspective and time-tested approaches to facilitate a child’s ability to communicate his/her needs in all situations.   We use whole body and multi-sensory activities to facilitate speech and language development. Through movement activities, the child is able to experience rhythm, timing, and develop motor maps essential for effective use of speech and language. Multi-sensory activities also facilitate selective attention necessary for the specific demands of communication. SLP address socio-communicative disorders, oral motor disorders, auditory processing disorders.

What is the student to staff ratio?

The staff to student ratio will be no less than 1:3.  During activities that involve your child’s therapist(s), the ratio may be as high as 1:2.

What age students can attend Maitland Academy?

We are currently accepting students for K-12 School Programs.  We hope to expand our program in the future to incorporate high school and post-high school vocational programs.  Persons interested in a high school program please contact us at administration@maitlandacademy.com.  For children younger than  kindergarten age, please contact A.LL Therapy Connection to learn more about their PowerMeKIDS! Academic Preparatory Program (ages 2-5 yrs).

My child has a Functional Behavior Plan, are they eligible for enrollment at Maitland Academy?

Absolutely. Our staff is trained and/or educated in Exceptional Student Education, certified and/or skilled in Prevention and Crisis Management and trained in Positive Behavior Support.  We are trained and experienced in management of aggressive, self-injurious, property destruction, and tantrum behaviors.

1. Note:  If the intensity, frequency, and duration of these types of behaviors escalate to necessitate 1:1 interventions for at least 40% of their day, we feel these students would not fully benefit from our program.
   

Is there an before/after school program available?

Our before & after school program is available to students that attend Maitland Academy as well as non-students who wish to join our afternoon fun.  Please visit HERE for more information. 

Our after school program integrates outdoor and indoor fun! The children will have the opportunity to participate in a variety outdoor sports and play activities, including field games, multi-sensory/multi-media activities (music, art, tactile exploration etc.), and interactive board games. There will also be time for homework if needed.

Tutoring will be available for an additional fee.    

What curriculum will Maitland Academy be using to educate my child?

Our curriculum is aligned with Sunshine State Standards, National Education Standards, and Head Start Standards. Assessments and educational plans are developed by our team of trained professionals to assess each area of your child’s development and foster mastery of new skills for life long learning. In addition, students may participate in State and District Wide assessments if eligible.

I hope to mainstream my child in the future into a regular classroom.  How can Maitland Academy assist my child with possibly achieving this?

Ultimately, our goal is for your child to have the skills required for a “regular classroom”.  Our team will work to develop a unique education program to nurture your child’s learning style in order to maximize his/her academic abilities. Your child will receive instruction in small and large groups. They will receive instruction in all domains of their educational plan: Curriculum and Learning, Independent Functioning, Social/Emotional Behavior, and Communication through a unique approach rich in sensory integration.

How will I be able to communicate with my child’s classroom teacher/team?

Your child will receive a daily communication log, and newsletters describing the activities, themes and lessons your child will be engaged in.  A daily log of how your child participated in each activity and a report on their behavior will be sent home each day.

Your child’s teacher will have an email address for parent correspondence.

Parent/teacher conferences will be available with an appointment.

Will I be able to observe my child in their classroom and participate in activities?

Parent participation is an integral part of your child’s education.  We plan to offer a variety of activities that will encourage parent participation.  

Classroom observations will be available with an appointment.  Please wait until after the first 4 weeks of school to schedule your child’s observation so that they have the opportunity to adjust to their new classroom and environment.

Will my child need to wear a school uniform?

Yes. Currently, your child’s uniform will consist of a solid colored polo shirt and khaki pants.  In order to keep the cost of uniforms at a minimum, we encourage you to purchase khaki pants and solid colored polo shirts from your local Target.  The brand they sell is “Cherokee”.

How do I enroll my child in Maitland Academy?

Please visit our Enrollment page for complete information on application and tuition.