By Anthony KaDarrell Thigpen Email: Anthony_Thigpen@aol.com AUTISM ACADEMY – Hiring positive teachers and showing them appreciation is what defines the culture of most schools. Jenny Sevier has been the academic middle school teacher at the Autism Academy in Tempe for three years. “I piloted the program,” she said. She helped rollout classroom rotations, small group…

By Anthony KaDarrell Thigpen Email: Anthony_Thigpen@aol.com AUTISM ACADEMY – Teachers and principals seldom get the accolades and appreciation most agree they deserve, but at the Autism Academy, a school for children with autism, employees sing to a different tune. This school for autism has a trademark of high morale that transfers from administrators to teachers…

By Anthony KaDarrell Thigpen E-mail: Anthony_Thigpen@aol.com AUTISM ACADEMY – Receiving a diploma is a life defining accomplishment, especially when you beat the odds. That’s why the Autism Academy, a school for children with autism, is planning a huge celebration for Joshua Butcher and Bradley Lentz. They are officially members of the graduating class of 2017!…

By Anthony KaDarrell Thigpen Email: Anthony_Thigpen@aol.com AUTISM ACADEMY – At the Autism Academy, we pride ourselves on celebrating holidays such as Cinco de Mayo. By celebrating Cinco de Mayo, our students with autism can have a better overall education on cultures that may differ from their own. This year Principal Shawn Davis reminisced about difficult…

By Anthony KaDarrell Thigpen E-mail: Anthony_Thigpen@aol.com AUTISM ACADEMY – Four-years-ago, Laura Newcomb, and Shannon Mitchell worked side-by-side opening the Autism Academy, an autism school in Gilbert, AZ, with only about 20 students. Now, the specialty autism school enrolls nearly 300 students between three campuses located in Gilbert, Tempe, and Peoria. The school’s leadership team is…

By Anthony KaDarell Thigpen Email: Anthony_Thigpen@aol.com AUTISM ACADEMY – The Autism Academy isn’t only focused on the education for children with autism, we also want to share information about autism education. In today’s blog, we’ll go over the correlation between autism and the diet. Diet is just as important for you as it is for…

By Anthony KaDarrell Thigpen Email: Anthony_Thigpen@aol.com AUTISM ACADEMY – Kneeling in the bedroom, pounding her fist on the floor, crying aloud, and repeatedly echoing, “I want my son back.” Consoled by her husband, John and Kimberly Baltzley heard similar diagnoses on the autism spectrum one-by-one for three different children. An indescribable puzzlement penetrates many parents…

By Anthony KaDarrell Thigpen E-mail: Anthony_Thigpen@aol.com AUTISM ACADEMY – Rebecca Pawlowski is the behavior specialist and teacher at the Autism Academy for Education and Development in Tempe, Gilbert, and Peoria. Her one-on-one experience, passion, energy, and education enables her to help advance the mission of the school for children with autism. “Behavioral excellence is part…

AUTISM ACADEMY – When you’re a school for children with autism you need to make sure they have the life skills for once they graduate. Leslie Dille is tracking individual progress of students with autism who participate in the life skills class at the Autism Academy in Tempe. During campus involvement, the students rotate through…

By Anthony KaDarrell Thigpen E-mail: Anthony_Thigpen@aol.com AUTISM ACADEMY – As a school for children with autism, we find it important to share all stories to help others empathize with our children. Whatever your story is, it’s important to find some similarities to show compassion and understanding toward children with autism or people who are different.…