Attunement
Therapeutic
Learning Center LLC
learning with mental health in mind
A holistic, mixed ability setting
for students ages 4-21
We are a secular, neurodivergent, disability informed program within a LGTBQ+ affirming setting
Individualized instruction
1:1 academic lessons
developmentally appropriate practices
Montessori, interest based learning
low demand, engage at their own pace
movement based
trauma informed principles
nervous system regulation informed framework
embedded and pullout support from a mental health therapist
open access expressive arts materials
open access sensory gym
executive functioning, social, and life skills support
social emotional learning electives
What we offer:
Embedded accommodations and modifications
In public schools, 504s and IEPs can be challenging to get and even harder to assess if they're actually being implemented. Our program naturally embeds practices that benefit many different types of learners. If your student has additional needs, we are more than happy to meet with you to discuss implementation.
A relational, nervous system regulation approach
Behaviors are based in stress responses that fluctuate due to physiological feedback, not intentional reactions. As a program we don't assume to know exactly why a student is doing something; people are far too complex and multi-faceted to think that.
Our role as teachers is to assist in co-regulation by modeling the skills we want student to use and internalize. Strategies used by teachers include active listening skills, validation, and reflective statements, and declarative language. When recurrent patterns arise, we assess various factors that may be impacting a student's ability to succeed and incorporate the student, family, and support providers into these conversations.
The nervous systems regulates itself through movement, not through directives to "calm down". Therefore, we have a large movement room which students can use freely to help regulate during times of stress. This room is compromised of various equipment such as weights, exercise bike, mini trampoline, punching bag, sensory swing, and more.
We believe in modifications to the environment, not the student. There are 3 offices available for students to work in break out rooms, away from the main group area. We utilize flexible seating and working stations. Floor tables, lap pads, rugs, couches and arm chairs, yoga balls, wobble cushions, standing desks, and traditional table and chairs are options available to each student.
Embedded food exploration
Food can mean many things. For some people, food can be overwhelming. Food exploration in the form of group preparation of family style food offerings is available every day. Students can practice functional life skills and interact with new foods at their own level of comfortability. Examples are preparing no bake cookies, fresh squeezed juices, fruit or veggie trays, and salads.
Entrepreneurship
Students have the opportunity to engage in economies, practicing life skills and practical math application by making, selling, and purchasing food items at the student led cafe.
Native plants, fruit and vegetable gardens
Outdoor and Indoor Recreation Area
Montessori Influence:
2 1/2-3 hour time blocks
Frequent transitioning between random subjects at preset time lengths is challenging for many students. Extended time blocks allow students to engage in their subjects of interest intensely and at their own pacing.This honors neurodivergent tendencies to fluctuate between times of intense focus on one subject, to divided attention across multiple interests.
This intentional design encourages: executive functioning skills, independence, self-advocacy, and self-agency
Self directed learning
Many children have special interests. Special interests are areas where the child has an extensive amount of knowledge on a particular topic.
Special interests drive self directed learning. When interests are the base of learning, learning quickly becomes interdisciplinary and concepts are picked up easily.
For students recovering from burnout or school refusal, self directed learning offers a space to decompress and reconnect with their interests in a low pressure environment
Multi-age groupings
Children develop at different paces, especially so for neurodivergent children who may display "splinter skills". Splinter skills are high levels of performance and understanding in some subject areas and lower than typical comprehension in other areas.
By grouping children in age groupings, students learn according to skill level instead of chronological age level. This approach facilities opportunities for peer based learning interactions, social skill practice, and for every child to be able to assume the role of teacher, enhancing self confidence and self efficacy.
Grouping is flexible. There are separations of 3 different partitioned rooms( 12 ftx20-25 ft) within the main learning area. This allows for students to have separation between ages, but they can also interact and collaborate as desired.
Ages: 4-21 for students with continued educational needs
Younger: 4-7
Middle: 8-12
Older: 13+
Teachers and ratios
Each age grouping is led by a main teacher and paraprofessional. Main teachers are certified FL teachers and a paraprofessionals who have experience working with children and may have higher education, such as a Bachelor's degree.
The maximum amount of students per each grouping is 10-12 students so a 1:5-6 ratio. We are currently at a lesser ratio. For students with additional support needs requiring 1:1 assistance, families can utilize an insurance provided RBT or an individual paraprofessional will be provided at an additional program cost.
Schedule:
The homeschool drop off program runs Tuesday-Thursday. Families have to the choice to enroll in 1, 2, 3 day options. All days offer the same classes offering consistency and security in knowing they are not "missing out" if they don't attend a certain day. Families who need extended hours can utilize our affordable after school electives running hourly from 2-5 pm. These are $15/1 elective, $25/2 electives, $35/3 electives. Extended coverage can be discussed on an individual basis.
Our program runs August 11th-May 27th 2027. We follow the Pinellas County school calendar only for all major holiday breaks: Thanksgiving, Winter, and Spring Break. We are not off for additional bank holidays, as these frequently fall on Monday and Fridays, which are days we aren't in session.
Pricing:
Homeschool Program:
9-12 pm or 9-2 pm
9 am-12 pm
Self directed learning period (language arts, math, science, social studies)
*snack available
12-1 pm
Food exploration
Student led cafe
Lunch
1-2 pm
Gross motor activity, open access arts, and sensory time
Afternoon Electives:
2-5 pm
2-3 pm
In My Feelings through Media
A class designed for students to identify, reflect, and engage in social emotional development topics through student selected media (movies, TV shows, anime, books, manga/graphic novels)
3-4 pm
My Create Space
A course for creatives of all kinds. Students have the opportunity to create and engage in self directed topics of art, music, fashion design, construction, engineering, and coding.
4-5 pm
Power Up Gaming
A class designed to foster team building, problem solving, frustration tolerance, and sportsmanship through supervised online gaming, tabletop games, and board games.
The homeschool program from 9am-2 pm is $90 per day. There is a morning only option form 9am-12 pm for $60 per day. Afternoon electives are $15 for one class, $25 for 2, and $35 for 3 classes. The homeschool program and afternoon electives are FES-UA and PEP covered programs.
On Site Therapies:
For students that qualify, therapies of various disciplines will available.
Mental health therapy through Attunement Child and Family Therapy offering Safe and Sound Protocol, play therapy, ARFID treatment
Speech, occupational, music, and pet therapy coming soon.
Common Questions:
Can children with learning disabilities, giftedness, ADHD, autism, etc do well in this environment?
YES! Every child has innate interests, preferred activities, and curiosity. Children who may be more naturally withdrawn or to themselves benefit when they have to the opportunity to participate via watching or listening to others before attempting things themselves. Peers provide scaffolding to one another in low pressure interactions while teachers provide an additional tier of support as needed.
How do we know if they're learning?
Florida learning standards are easily met through intentional preparation of the classroom environment. Real life materials and activities are provided as invitations for students to explore and further connect to their own interests. Teachers assist in additional in the moment, direct teaching instruction tailored to the individual student.
Portfolios are created for each student to document learning through informal assessments such as observations. Teachers maintain a continuous log of of subject areas students have engaged in weekly. These notes can be used to identify areas where students may need additional support or encouragement to overcome initial hesitations towards a subject.
What diagnoses do you accept?
We accept children with a variety of diagnoses. Example are: autism diagnoses of all levels, children with mobility aides, learning disabilities, giftedness/2E, mental health diagnoses such as ODD, ADHD, OCD, mood disorders and other conduct disorders.
For children with complex needs demonstrated by a matrix scores of 254 or 255 may require additional pricing of $40 per day attended to provide additional 1:1 support through an assigned paraprofessional. Matrix score only does not guarantee this need, an assessment including shadow day in the setting and interview with family, will determine if the student requires a 1:1 paraprofessional. Some children with a higher matrix score are not charged an additional fee as they do not meet the level of need or they provide their own private care in the form of private nursing, RBT, or other support.