LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Earlier this month, the CDC reported that one in 36 kids has autism spectrum disorder.
To address their needs, the Accelerated Learning Academy is hosting an open house Saturday to introduce parents to their services. The academy, which opened in 2021, is offering inclusive classrooms from Pre-K through 5th grade.
Co-Founder Jennifer Samuel said it’s a needed resource she was inspired to start because she would have liked it for her own son.
“To make sure we added this for the community as the first academy to include speech therapy, occupational therapy, education, adaptive fitness, and early intervention all in one location.”
According to the Clark County School District, around 13% of students are identified as having autism and the district does have resources for those children but some families were looking for more.
Keith McIntyre said he found those resources at the academy and since January he’s had the pleasure of hearing his non-verbal 7-year-old son talk for the first time.
“They come up with programs and plans for us to implement at home so they’re not just teaching him, they’re teaching us how to teach him,” McIntyre said.
The CEO, Gwen Johnson, explained their clinical staff works with teachers. They operate on small class sizes, with no more than 10 students per teacher.
Currently, students are registered as home school students as the academy seeks accreditation as a private school. Tuition is $18,000 a year. The academy is fundraising to establish scholarships for students.
The open house will be at the academy which is located at 5980 S. Durango Drive and will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The community is invited to attend. There will be refreshments and vendors who serve the community living with autism.
