School Readiness

Helping Kids Transition to School

Starting school is a big deal for kids and autism and developmental delays don’t have to slow them down. Let us help get your child off on the right foot by setting them up for their maximum potential in preschool, kindergarten and beyond.

How Pediatric Therapy Can Open Possibilities

At 15 months old, 3 years old, and even for some at 5 years old, school may seem lightyears away if you have a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or differing abilities. At Hopebridge, we believe it’s never too early to think about school. If classroom academics are important to your family, we want to help you get excited about sending your child off on his or her first day. Our center-based model gives us the resources to help your child tap into a broad range of skills and achieve their goals.

Through applied behavior analysis (ABA therapy), occupational therapy and speech therapy, Hopebridge focuses on the skills outside of academics that your child needs to thrive.

Our clinicians have the time, tools, environment, structure, multidisciplinary experience and data to dedicate to this special kind of learning even before he or she steps foot in preschool. From craft spaces and bathrooms, to circle time areas and mock classrooms, Hopebridge facilities are designed with school and other natural environments in mind. Our team is prepared to successfully transition learners in a way that is not possible from inside the home.

Research shows that children receiving ABA-based intervention in preschool-like settings similar to ours made significantly more gains in both intellectual and adaptive functioning skills, as compared to children who underwent the standard approach (Eldevik 2011). Let our center-based, Hopebridge 360 Care therapy model* provide your child with the same benefits.

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Risks of Entering the Classroom without Therapy

As much as we adore all our kids here at Hopebridge, our best days are those in which they graduate onto school. We do not want to take the place of school, but rather help children adequately prepare for it.

We’ve seen too many cases where children are admitted to preschool or kindergarten, but once they get there, not much interaction or learning occurs. Often, a child is sequestered in a separate classroom because no one in a general education classroom knows how to manage him or her. Other times a kid is ostracized because she doesn’t have the appropriate skills or behaviors to stay on task.

We’re here to tell you: It’s ok if your child isn’t yet ready for school! Our comprehensive 360 Care therapy programs aid in increasing functional skills and decreasing challenging behaviors that lead to better progress in school. Our behavior analysts are highly trained in identifying and developing the pivotal skills our kids need to reach their maximum potential, ultimately opening new doors of opportunity.

For signs your child may not be ready for the classroom, visit our blog.

Read About the Signs

Necessary School-Ready Skills

The benefits of ABA therapy and other complementary services in preparing children for school are exponential. Our trained professionals are experienced in developing age-appropriate skills in children no matter where they lie on the spectrum.

Here is a quick peek at some of the essential skills required for the classroom that we are uniquely equipped to work on within our center environments:

Staying seated in a chair and/or at circle time
Following instructions and completing tasks
Paying attention and responding to teachers
Learning in a group setting
Lining up
Being aware of personal space and body awareness
Self-care skills (e.g. using the restroom, washing hands, feeding self)
Eating lunch around others
Playing cooperatively and interacting with peers
Leaving the home to attend a new place with new people

How Screening for Autism May Increase Chance of Success

Will My Child be in ABA Forever?

How 360 Care Prepares Kids for the Classroom

It's Ok if Your Child isn't Ready for School

Circle Time Curriculum

Our centers are filled with books, stories and songs, and while we get excited to see the joy they bring to our kids, there is more to these imagination-filled moments than fun. Hopebridge designed a standardized Circle Time Curriculum to facilitate early childhood education during our ABA therapy sessions.

This program pairs stories we already know and love, like those you’ll find on our Circle Time Playlist, with accompanying lesson plans, art projects and group activities. By creating an inviting and educational environment, our circle time encourages children to acquire many new skills that set children up for success as they transition to a school setting.

To learn more about the goals of our circle time curriculum and the skills our patients build alongside it, check out our blog.

More About Circle Time

Kiddo Success Story

Meet Aurora. Hear her story of going from non-verbal to counting to 10!

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Clinical Outcomes Show Success in School

When our children graduate from Hopebridge’s and transition onto other life experiences, we keep up with our families. The continued success of our children and families is a part of why we do what we do.

Data from follow-up caregiver surveys indicate that after transitioning out of Hopebridge’s intensive ABA therapy programs, our patients maintain progress and still attend school with minimal support1:

95% of caregivers stated their child is still attending school after receiving services Hopebridge
82% of caregivers stated their child maintained or continued to progress and acquire important developmental skills
At the time of the survey, only 5% of caregivers reported their child required re-enrollment in intensive therapy services

From this research, we can glean that autistic children who participate in ABA therapy at Hopebridge are highly likely to succeed in classroom settings when they have the support they need.

Want to learn more about Hopebridge’s clinical outcomes that make a meaningful impact?

More Clinical Outcomes