By Colleen Janssen
Orange County residents can take pride in the specialized services offered by the Speech and Language Development Center. Located at 8699 Holder Street, Buena Park, the non-profit organization offers an educational curriculum with the added feature of clinical services in one location.
By Colleen Janssen
Orange County residents can take pride in the specialized services offered by the Speech and Language Development Center. Located at 8699 Holder Street, Buena Park, the non-profit organization offers an educational curriculum with the added feature of clinical services in one location.
“We offer services for children as young as three months through age 22,” said Dawn O’Connor, Director of Education/Principal. “Our students come from the counties of Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino. We have bus service for students who need it.”
The school staff work with students on the Autism Spectrum, Aspergers Syndrome, speech and language disorders, developmental disabilities, learning disabilities and multiple disabilities. Children may also have hearing issues or other challenges that can be helped with the more specialized services offered at the school.
“Our daycare for children under age three is fee-based and open to the public,” said O’Connor. “Children may have disabilities or be neurotypical. We are open 8:00 am to 2:30 pm, but will be expanding our hours.”
“Our preschool program is for children ages three-to-five years,” continued O’Connor. “Our teacher has an Early Childhood and Special Education credential. This is unusual in that it is the credential found in schools for older children.” The preschool program is also open to the public with blended and inclusive education for all students, disabled or not.The school has students in middle school and high school. These students do volunteer work to gain job skills. Students volunteer to do mailings, landscaping, composting and pruning.
The program for older students is a transitional program. Transitional students are ages 18 to 22, who learn independent-living skills such as money management and job skills. “We offer functional and practical applications including balancing a check book, using a computer and more,” said O’Connor. These students are then transitioned into paid jobs in the community. Participating businesses offer a place for the student to work, accompanied by a job coach. The student’s wages are paid through a program called Workability, and the insurance is covered by the school. Students work up to five days a week, two hours each day.
The student’s services are free to the businesses. Some of the companies currently offering job training opportunities include the post office, Pep Boys, Jo-Ann’s, TJ Maxx, Smart N’ Final, Martinez Nursery on La Palma, Buena Park Library and a local car wash.
“Working gives our students a sense of purpose and value,” said Adrienne Kessler, Chief Executive Office. “More business locations are needed.” Some of the types of businesses needed include a hardware store, grocery stores, senior center, and a pet store. Other types of businesses would be considered, should they be interested in offering this opportunity to students. It is helpful if a business has predictable noise levels.
Speech and Language Development Center was founded in 1955 in Orange County. At one point, Centralia School District approached the agency to ask them to expand from offering only clinical services, to become a full-fledged school to help students in all aspects of education. O’Connor has been with the Speech and Language Development Center for 50 years, starting as a speech therapist. As the program grew, her credential offered her the opportunity to become a teacher for the first three students. These three had behavior problems that made it difficult to keep them in a regular public school.
The students ages six through eight were aggressive and showing extreme behavior. O’Connor discovered that one was autistic, while the other two were undiagnosed as deaf. With special education and help of therapists, they made it through school.
This success is repeated every school year. Currently, 237 students attend the program, with some students able to attend classes at Cypress College.
“In addition to regular school subjects,” said Kessler, “We offer adapted physical education, occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy. Autistic students receive applied behavioral analysis. We also offer social and emotional support through counseling.”
As part of a STEAM, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math program, the students use technology every day. Special technology helps with communication and interactive learning. Additionally, a music teacher comes in a few times each week to teach keyboarding, flute and more.
Over the holidays, classes offer a performance of skits, dancing and music. A campus group called Hi-Tops offers dance performances by members who are current students or alumni. Much of their music includes inspirational pieces by artists such as Josh Groban and Celine Dion. The group has performed as far away as the Lincoln Memorial, Canada, and on cruises. So, how can residents help this important program? Although the organization is a non-profit, they receive funds from the home school districts of their students, however, this is not enough to fund the needs of the school.
Their wish list includes: art supplies, soil, food seeds and flower seeds for the gardening program, drought-tolerant plants, new or gently-used Legos, puzzles, new books, computer paper, colored construction paper, large rolls of butcher paper, rolls of Velcro, laminating packets, colored markers, colored pencils, regular and mega crayons, #2 pencils, notebooks, lined notebook paper, disinfecting wipes, all school supplies and backpacks.
They also need playground balls including: large handballs, basketballs, footballs, softballs and dodgeballs. To expand their STEAM program, they need Dash and Dots for robotics classes. New and gently-used bicycles are welcomed.
Volunteers are needed to help with events such as Prom, Graduation, fundraisers and more. The volunteers must be at least 16 years old and will need to fill out an application and pass a fingerprint-background check.
A fundraising walk is being held at Knott’s Berry Farm on March 12. Individuals and groups of walkers are needed. Registration is on the Speech and Language Development Center’s website. For more information about the programs, making a cash donation, wish list, volunteering, fundraisers or more,call the school at 714-821-3620 or check online at www.sldc.net. Email before donating items to make sure they are needed at info@sldc.net.
