OFFERING A PLACE IN CHATTANOOGA FOR STUDENTS WITH MORE COMPLEX NEEDS
in collaboration with SISKIN CHILDREN’S INSTITUTE and THE SPEECH & HEARING CENTER
TRULY INDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION | with a 3-to-1 Student-to-Teacher Ratio The Learning Center is a collaborative program for older students (sixth grade through age 22) who have more significant needs. Our low student-to-staff ratio ensures we’re able to identify and implement meaningful, inclusive opportunities, customized schedules, and effective learning strategies for up to 36 students. COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMS | with Community Partnerships We create individualized academic plans with input from multidisciplinary teams and the family, while Siskin Children’s Institute and The Speech & Hearing Center offer consultation and integrated therapy services. Students receive the right amount of therapy—including occupational, speech-language, and physical—according to areas of need for targeted development. We integrate these strategies into daily learning activities or in private settings. YEAR-ROUND CARE | with Summer Camps & Extended Care The Learning Center knows childcare options can be limited for students with complex needs. That’s why we provide care for students well beyond the school day. From afternoon Extended Care to Summer Care, we offer full-time focused attention in a safe and secure environment so parents can work year-round and families have the flexibility they need.
INNOVATIVE FACILITIES | with Simulated Home & Work Environments The Learning Center teaches independent living skills including budgeting, grocery shopping, meal planning, and housekeeping so students can practice independent living. Our goal is to work with students to determine their skills and interests so they can find meaningful employment that promotes the uniqueness and dignity of the individual. Whether it’s a small business venture, service industry work, or an IT job, we have campus facilities and community connections to help students reach their goals. THE LEARNING CENTER | 2
We treat each student uniquely, creating a customized plan that best suits their abilities, talents, intellect, and interests.
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Parents are always welcome. With frequent communications and an open-door policy for families, so they can rest at ease.
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INCREASING THE NUMBER OF SEATS OFFERING CARE Chattanooga currently lacks enough secondary schools that educate and care for students with complex needs. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the demand for safe facilities for our students, many of whom have compromised immune systems or underlying health conditions. PROVIDING A CONTINUUM OF CARE AND ACCESS TO CARE Many families that have a child with significant needs face limited choices once their child begins middle school. The Learning Center offers more options and ongoing support as their child grows. ALLOWING PARENTS TO WORK Lack of affordable, year-round student care forces some parents to make difficult decisions about employment that can have substantial financial repercussions for their family. We seek to close this gap by offering year-round care from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.—a lifeline for many families. BRINGING A NEW LEVEL OF CUSTOMIZATION TO CARE The level of individualized care is significant compared to a traditional classroom with a single teacher and limited facilities.
OFFERING COLLABORATIVE SUPPORT Bringing therapies, education, consultations and pre-vocational partnerships all under one roof greatly benefits students and parents.
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Often, those with disabilities are placed in programs with such a mix of students that it is difficult to recognize and therefore address individual students’ needs. At The Learning Center, CCS provides a tailor-made approach to educating each student, offering a more effective model than the self-contained classroom. Here’s how it’s done.
LOW STUDENT-TO-STAFF RATIO Approximately 3 to 1 to ensure each student is engaged as an individual
SPECIALIZED CURRICULUM Access to general education classes with modifications as needed
POST-SECONDARY OPPORTUNITIES Individual assessment with early planning based on interests and skills toward work, training, or school placements
ACADEMIC HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA We modify courses for those sutdents who desire to meet the critera for a high school diploma
INTEGRATED THERAPY Occupational, speech-language, and physical therapy in both daily learning and private settings
INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS Functional life skills such as finances and meal planning are explicitly taught and then generalized across real-world environments.
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COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMMING All programming is in the The Learning Center.
HYBRID PROGRAMMING Students spend a significant portion of class and therapy in The Learning Center.
MINIMAL PROGRAMMING Students have check-ins, therapies, and specialized instruction in The Learning Center.
A CARING STAFF
FRONT ROW: (From left) Sara Fayson, Paraprofessional; Council Copeny, Paraprofessional; Kaley Givens, Paraprofessional; BACK ROW: Kristina Richard, Coordinator; and Jacob Jarvis, Teacher 7 | THE LEARNING CENTER
SHONDA & JACK’S STORY
In designing The Learning Center at CCS, Shonda Caines drew from her own family’s unexpected journey. Shonda gave birth to her son, Jack, in 2000. At birth, Jack was diagnosed with Down syndrome, and at the age of three, Jack was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. In order to provide her son with the best possible care, Shonda began devouring information about Jack’s diagnoses. Through this process, she discovered a personal passion for education and an immense joy in working with students with disabilities. The lack of options for families like hers also became apparent, and while Jack’s early experience with Siskin Children’s Institute (SCI) was inspirational, the exceptional care given by SCI ended when he was six years old. CCS recognized that meeting this need in the community allowed them to better care for entire families and invited Shonda to use her expertise and personal experience to create a place and programs that would fill that void. What began as discussions with parents around meeting the needs of the CCS community eventually blossomed into The Learning Center, which opened its doors in 2020. Today, CCS supports whole families like Shonda’s with a customized program designed to meet students like Jack exactly where they are. “The fact that we can customize therapy for him has been huge,” Shonda said. “The Learning Center is not a one-size-fits all program. While all students may benefit from certain therapies, no approach is the same. The low student-to-staff ratio allows us to give a lot to the kids in a way that we can plan programs that are really specific for each student.” THE LEARNING CENTER | 8
JASON AT CCS
As a paraprofessional in the Lower School at CCS, Jason Rogers exemplifies the school’s commitment to diversity of students and employees as image-bearers of God. We believe God made us distinctive on purpose, and we invite others to join our community and share their gifts and talents to further the mission of CCS. Jason was born with Down syndrome, but like all CCS employees, he plays an essential role in helping CCS do the work God has called us to do. In 2019, he applied for a position at CCS with a desire to work in education. “It would have been difficult to not hire Jason,” Director of Exceptional Education & Head of Lower School Shonda Caines said. “He’s very qualified for the jobs he does here at CCS. Jason specifically studied in his post-secondary training to learn the skills to become a paraprofessional in an early childhood setting so he’s very well prepared.” Now in his third year at CCS, Jason works as a paraprofessional in a kindergarten classroom where he helps five- and six-year-old students with math and reading skills. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Jason helps with Lower School administrative tasks. During the summer, he joins graduates of the Exceptional Education program who return to CCS as employees to share their enthusiasm with kids in the Summer Camp programs. “What a shame it would be if you didn’t give a chance to a qualified person simply because of a diagnosis or a label,” Shonda said. “An employee who also had a diagnosis is going to give you a perspective to serve your clients, your students, and others that you wouldn’t have if you didn’t have a diverse employment population as well.” 9 | THE LEARNING CENTER
HOW YOU CAN HELP! Many times, families that have students with more complex needs also have more significant financial needs. Their financial need intersects with a program that costs approximately $25,000 per year. While some families are able to pay full price with supplemental aid from the State of TN ($7,200 per year), others struggle because of unique costs associated with their children. CCS desires The Learning Center to be just as diverse as the overall campus and is establishing a separate fund for Need-Based Aid just for The Learning Center students. This will ensure diversity similar to the main campus. Over the next year, CCS is seeking to raise $1.1 million for this new fund. The $1.1 million will meet the year-round needs for The Learning Center students for the next five years. Other comprehensive campaigns will cover needbased aid moving forward. Upfront help is needed to fill in the gap for the early years. Your gift now will allow CCS to take 24 students for the 2022/23 school year and reach full capacity of 36 students for the 2023/24 school year.
WAYS TO GIVE CASH
-BY MAIL Enclose a check made payable to: Chattanooga Christian School 3354 Charger Drive Chattanooga TN 37409 Designate for: The Learning Center Scholarship
-THROUGH OUR WEBSITE Go to ccsk12.com/donate for options of monthly or one-time gifts
SECURITIES If you are interested in making a stock gift, please use the following information. -Account Name: Chattanooga Christian School -Account Number: 2244-8006 -DTC Participant Number: 0164 -CCS Tax ID #: 62-0840156 -Contact: Charles Schwab & Company (800.654.2593) Please ask your broker to notify the CCS Development Office (423.362.4065) of the stock and number of shares once the transfer has taken place. This information will help us identify your gift.
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(PLEASE AD SLOTS FOR CARDS)
MARLEA & CHARLIE Marlea Kent shared a special bond with Charlie DeMars after years of working with him as his physical therapist. When Charlie’s parents heard Marlea would be working in The Learning Center, they considered something they hadn’t in years—enrolling Charlie in school. While he started with just a few hours a week, Charlie now receives comprehensive programming at The Learning Center. Today, Charlie is thriving thanks in part to his continued work with Marlea and a customized education program that meets his specific needs.
CHATTANOOGA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 3354 Charger Drive, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37409 PH: 423.265.6411 | W: ccsk12.com
in collaboration with SISKIN CHILDREN’S INSTITUTE and THE SPEECH & HEARING CENTER