The classes here at Achievement Center of Texas are designed with special needs in mind. Students are assigned to classes based on age level, ability level and behavioral goals. We have group activities, but we also have a number of individual activities for each student to match their ability level.
These individual activities are designed to shine a light on what our students can accomplish – not what they can’t. We find that focusing on personal goals over broad, clinical academics make for much happier students.
Day Care
Our Day Care center, known as the “Peanut Gallery,” is a licensed facility that specializes in serving children with special needs. Each day is structured with a soothing, reliable routine, which includes:
- Breakfast
- Two to three sessions of indoor recess
- One outdoor recess session
- Several bathroom breaks that serve each student’s individual needs
- Snack time
- Art projects
- Academic activities
Kimono Dragons
Kimono Dragons is our highest functioning, most independent group of students at ACT. In this class, we focus on forming social skills, having appropriate conversations and daily living skills. We help this group of students obtain part-time work in the area and implement other inclusion efforts. This class also enjoys group activities, such as:
- Karaoke
- Gardening
- Bingo
- Much more!
Shining Stars
Shining Stars is our second highest functioning classroom, so many of the students enjoy a number of independence-exercising activities. This class has a mix of students, in terms of ability level, so the more independent students are able to help the less independent ones achieve more.
Shining Stars are welcome to join Kimono Dragons in all the group activities that they enjoy.
Chameleons
Chameleons is our third highest functioning classroom at ACT. In this class, we have students who are working on communicating their wants and needs effectively and implementing more socially acceptable behaviors by discouraging loud vocalizing, wandering, inappropriate hand placement, etc.
We focus on socially acceptable stimming or visual stimming over tactile stimming.
TLC – Tender Loving Care
TLC is filled with students with eclectic ability levels. In this class, we have students with vision impairment, hearing impairment, physical disabilities and intellectual disabilities.
The commonality for students in this class are their behavioral or aggressive outbursts. We help students more effectively communicate their wants and needs, which can help reduce their frustration levels.
We also keep our students busy with ability-based activities, such as music, arts and crafts and puzzles. Happy students are also much less likely to react aggressively.
Sunshine Club
Sunshine Club includes students who require the greatest amount of hands-on care. In this group, our students can expect full-service assistance with
- Feeding
- Changing
- Personal hygiene
- Personal goals
Students also get to engage in one-on-one sensory activities and crafts that meet and celebrate their ability level. Teachers in this class work on finding the right verbal prompts and activities for each student’s ability level.
Rockin’ Robbins
Rockin' Robbins is similar to Sunshine Club in terms of ability level, but the students in this class have higher living skills than those in Sunshine Club. The students in this class receive full-service care that includes assistance with feeding, changing and personal hygiene, and they enjoy individual needs-based sensory activities.
However, these students need less hand-over-hand attention in these activities. The main discerning point for this group involves working on communication skills.
