Story of the Week!

Charlie is a playful four year old eager to learn. He hasn’t always been happy in the classroom - when he first came to SouthSIde, he had little to no communication skills and he was also unable to control his impulses in the classroom. He was unable to engage in activities without one on one support. As we do with all our kids, we screened him using a best practice assessment which showed potential delays in cognitive, motor and language skills. We enrolled him in our Bright Futures program – through Bright Futures, a para-professional gives one-one support to Charlie within the classroom so that he can learn routines and be part of the daily learning activities. Bright Futures is funded by the St. Louis Mental Health Board.

Belle Children’s Services of the St. Louis Arc stepped in to provide therapeutic services, and teachers and specialists worked to get him an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) through St. Louis Public Schools.

Charlie’s mom has also become really involved with the teachers and his educational goals. He has been in the program for one year and is now not only communicating but engaged in the classroom. Soon he will not need the para-professional support. He has made big gains in terms of focus and behavior – essential skills for kindergarten readiness!