Celandine Life Prep Academy

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For My William

While pursuing a Bachelors degree in Psychology, I worked full time with developmentally disabled adults with varying exceptionalities, for the Long Island Developmentally Disabled Services Office. In 1998, I received a Bachelors degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from St. Josephs College in Patchogue, New York. I planned to pursue a career upon relocation with my son, William, from Long Island, New York to Orlando, Florida, in social work.

Like many parents of children who are diagnosed with autism, I began to notice behavioral changes and loss of speech in my son at age 15 months. After repeated insistence that something was “wrong” with my baby boy, my pediatrician agreed to refer him for an evaluation. In the year 2000, my son William was diagnosed with severe autism. The psychologist told me that he would never speak. After the shock and disbelief subsided (and a really deep breath) I decided that the doctor’s were wrong. My son would speak and much more and I was determined to do what ever I had to do to make that happen. I began researching autism and decided that the best way to help my son was to change careers from social work to teaching students with special needs. To further my education, I also returned to school and in 2001, received a MS degree in Exceptional Student Education.

After teaching for 3 years in the public school system, I began working as a Curriculum and Resource Specialist. In constant pursuit of the latest research, educational and assessment methods, I also returned to school to pursue an EdS degree in Curriculum Instruction and Management. My experience as a teacher, continuing education student, and curriculum and resource specialist taught me a great deal about education and assessment. It also taught me that the majority of curricula and assessment available for my students’ was not designed to meet their individual needs and learning styles. I began developing individualized curricula, assessment programs, and education workshops to better meet the needs of my son, and my students.

In 2004, I decided that it was time for my dream of an optimal learning environment for my son and other students with special needs to come true. I began working diligently with friends who were educators and parents of children with autism.

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