New School for Children With Autism To Open In 2009

Business Wire,  June 11, 2008  

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Chicago-Area School to Host Fundraising Gala On June 29, 2008

CHICAGO -- The founders of Soaring Eagle Academy announced today that the new school for Children with Autism will open its doors in 2009. Soaring Eagle Academy brings new hope to Chicago-area families who dream of a happy future for their children with Autism.

In order to open the school by 2009, Soaring Eagle is hosting a fundraising Gala on Sunday, June 29th at Venuti's Restaurant in Addison, Illinois.

The school will specialize in educational strategies proven to help children with Autism develop the social, emotional, cognitive and communication skills they need to live successful lives. The school also brings hope to parents who fear that their child will never develop these abilities. Soaring Eagle Academy will be the first school in the Midwest to offer a program based on the DIR[R]/Floortime[TM] method developed by renowned child psychiatrist Stanley Greenspan.

The DIR/Floortime method is considered a "best practice" therapy method among professionals in the field of Autism and is widely embraced at therapy clinics across the country. At the heart of the program is the belief that the emotional development of children and their ability to relate and interact with others is the critical foundation for all learning.

"I see the Soaring Eagle Academy meeting crucial needs in the Chicago area and becoming a model program," said Dr. Serena Wieder, Director of the DIR[R] Institute. "It has been 11 years since we assumed the mission to educate parents, educators and other professionals in the use of the DIR/Floortime model. Our follow-up studies indicate children can make significant gains and reach the intellectual, educational, emotional and social levels of typical children."

"I am amazed at the increase in my son's ability to communicate and build relationships with people when he works with a therapist who uses the DIR/Floortime approach. He completely opens up and is able to learn and develop real friendships for the first time in his life," said Catie Lee, a parent of a child on Soaring Eagle's waiting list. "Our family dreams of him attending a school that uses these strategies every day."

The founders of Soaring Eagle Academy are Linda Cervenka, Michele Ricamato and Deanna Tyrpak, three leading Chicago-area speech therapists who are DIR/Floortime experts. The "Let the Eagle Soar" Gala will be a festive evening of music, dancing and dining, along with a silent auction to raise money for the school. For more information, visit the Soaring Eagle website at www.SoaringEagleAcademy.org or call 312-683-5151.

About Soaring Eagle Academy

Soaring Eagle Academy will provide a safe and nurturing school environment for students, age 5 to 21, diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and related disorders. As the first school in the Midwest whose philosophy and methodology reflect a DIR/Floortime model, Soaring Eagle Academy strives to revolutionize the way our students are viewed and educated. We believe that by defying current misconceptions regarding the potential of students with Autism, we can change their lives.

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