In 2014 my son was diagnosed with high functioning autism. In 2017 my son attended kindergarten in Conway public schools. Before the school year I reached out to the principal to inform her that my child needed to be in resource classes that he was autistic and he needed to be in a smaller environment to learn.
When the school year started he was placed in a regular classroom with 25 or so other students. I would get phone calls about my son being disruptive and them not being able to contain him. I informed them that he was autistic and needed to be in a smaller classroom.
The particular school he attended did not have such accommodations for my son. Instead we had meetings upon meetings upon meetings because they couldn’t handle my child — mind you my special needs child that needed to be in a smaller environment. They wrote him off as a behavior child instead of taking in consideration that he did have a disability. They sent him to alternative school for his behavior problems which I believe was unfair because the behavior came from being a sensory overload.
At the end of the 2017 school year, I was to my wits end with public school and them not taking into consideration of my child’s disability. Also in 2017 I received information about a school in Conway that focuses on the needs of special children. It’s a nonprofit school, which usually means it’s kind of costly.
Being a single mother of two kids one having autism, without the scholarship I would not be able to afford the proper learning environment that my son needs to be able to succeed. We have been with the Compass Academy for three years now, and each year my son improves more and more — whether it be people skills, motor skills. Without the scholarship that wouldn’t be possible. Thank you for your time.
– Emily, parent