Mission, Philosophy & Vision

Autism Oasis for Kids, Inc. is a non-profit corporation dedicated to educating and supporting children on the autism spectrum and their families. We employ multiple teaching and therapy modalities ranging from relational training and sensory integration work to animal/equestrian therapies.

Autism Oasis for Kids, Inc., in High Springs, FL, was founded in March of 2010 by concerned parents and therapists. We are in our first year bringing new hope to families affected by autism, families who needed and wanted more for their children.

Mission Statement

We are dedicated to addressing the challenge of Autism using child-centered, effective and diverse methodologies, both research-based and leading edge. We facilitate children on the autism spectrum to become successful in a loving environment that is profoundly respectful and nurturing.

Philosophy

Our staff, composed of certified teachers and coached by autism experts, takes great care to develop a personal relationship with each child.  Through our partnership with long-time practitioner and researcher, Kat Houghton, of Relate to Autism, we utilize the latest research and development in autism education.

We work closely with the parents, who are respected as the experts on their own child.  Our teachers are naturally loving, have deep respect and patience toward autistic children, and are able to empower their students by believing in their true potential. We believe in the possibilities and gifts these children have to offer, and refuse to place limits on their futures.  Our center offers a safe, respectful, and nurturing environment best suited to their needs, allowing them to flourish.

Vision

Our vision is a world where children with autism receive the best chance to attain the highest quality of life.  We continue to review and try promising interventions, to offer new possibilities to families affected by autism spectrum disorders. We hope to expand our capacity and knowledge base, to better serve a greater range of challenges. We will actively reach out to the community, to educate others, in order to remove barriers that limit growth, and that stand in the way of autistic people’s developmental potential and full participation in society.

A Word From Marie, Executive Director

As a parent, I witnessed the inability of the public school system to provide an appropriate learning environment. Like so many children with autism, my son was not making adequate social, emotional, and academic progress in the public school, which was unwilling and unable to make necessary classroom accommodations to support his learning, or provide appropriate strategies to access his abilities and strengths. And, like so many parents’, we found that educators focus on the autism rather than on the whole child, and are quick to impose artificial limits on their potentials. They recommended a self-contained ESE class- to put him on track for a special diploma. This was not an acceptable placement. As his parents, we knew our child was capable of so much more; we determined to give him a fair chance, and not to foreclose on his future. At this point, I realized that I had to become the main coordinator of my son’s education and future.

Over a period of three years, I received extensive training at workshops in autism centers. These ranged from play-therapy, coaching, family & marriage counseling, and a new, research-based, relationship-centered teaching modality designed especially to connect with children on the autistic spectrum. With the application of these cutting edge interventions, currently unavailable in most schools, our son made rapid progress; we were determined to share what we had learned with other families affected by autism.  We currently serve students from five counties, and are the only school of its kind in rural, Alachua County, near Gainesville, FL.

A Word From Rob Cecil, Curriculum Coordinator

We heard many comments from both parents and educators that public school offerings were not sufficient to accommodate the special needs of their children affected by autism. We encountered the same problem again and again. Things are tough out there for these children. Teachers, even when ESE trained, are often not prepared for students with autism. Children with autism and asperger’s syndrome learn differently, they cope differently, and they approach the world differently. When they encounter large class sizes, high sensory environments, or typical students, parents, or even teachers that don’t understand autism, they cannot realize their highest potentials.

Autism is variously defined and its etiology is even more mysterious. Its symptoms range widely among different individuals. At Autism Oasis For Kids we recognize and respect the unique qualities and natures of our students and design an environment and a curriculum that is customized for maximum achievement.