Conductor Teacher Training at Aquinas College

Conductor Teacher Training at Aquinas College

Are you looking for a fulfilling career in the field of special education?

In 2001, Aquinas College (AQ) launched the first and only conductive education teacher training program in North America offering internationally recognized conductive education teacher certification concurrent with nationally accredited and Michigan Department of Education recognized special education teacher preparation.

This program remains the only program in North America approved by the Semmelweis University András Petö Faculty in Budapest Hungary to prepare conductor teachers. Candidates in this program accrue over 2,000 hours of hands-on experience at the Conductive Learning Center of North America (CLC) laboratory school. Graduates from this program are in high demand in the United States and internationally.

Three program options are available:

  1. Michigan Teacher Certification Option Candidates interested in earning a Bachelor of Arts degree with teacher certification in special education, focused on Physically and Otherwise Health-Impaired (POHI) students, can pursue a 63 credit major in Elementary Education along with the 59 credit POHI major. Candidates in this five-year program complete over 2,500 hours of clinical fieldwork beginning in their first semester at AQ.
  2. International and Out-of-State Candidate Option Candidates from abroad or from out-of-state who are not interested in Michigan teacher certification may choose to complete a Bachelor of Arts program with the 59 credit POHI major. Candidates in this program qualify for international conductor certification from the Semmelweis University András Petö Faculty.
  3. Degree-holding Candidate Option Candidates who already hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, may complete just the 59 credit POHI major leading toward international conductor certification from the Semmelweis University András Petö Faculty.

Admission Requirements 

Prior to full admission into the program, candidates must successfully complete a 40 hour observation/experience at the Conductive Learning Center of North America, course work in anatomy and physiology, and maintain a minimum college-level 3.0 grade point average.

Career Paths for POHI/Conductor Teachers

Conductive education is a growing field in the profession in the United States and throughout the world. A holistic approach to learning, conductive education addresses all aspects of an individual with motor disorders: motor, social, and cognitive development. Trained POHI/conductor teachers may work in a traditional school setting or with a specialized services program. Embracing an integrated program of educational and rehabilitative services, POHI/Conductor teachers work closely with other medical and educational professionals to ensure continuity of programming that will lead to self-confidence and functional independence.

Contact Info

For more information, please visit the Aquinas College website, contact Aquinas College Admissions or reach out to the staff at the Conductive Learning Center of North America. An exciting and fulfilling future awaits!

Lindsey Hansen, AQ Admissions
ljh001@aquinas.edu
616.632.2878

Dr. Andrea Benyovszky, AQ Adjunct
benyoand@aquinas.edu
616.389.4651

Start Planning for Summer 2021

Start Planning for Summer 2021

It’s never too early to start planning for our upcoming 2021 summer intervention programs!

2021 Camp Dates:

  • Wauseon: June 01-25
  • Springfield: July 06-30

Sara’s Garden offers amazing summer intervention programs for children with disabilities. These month-long programs deliver inclusive therapies that provide interventions for individuals with a variety of conditions and disabilities.

Our caring and experienced staff of licensed therapists, conductors and paraprofessionals create unique, intensive therapy-based programs that are tailored to the needs of each participant and are designed to enhance your child’s developmental skills. This approach not only helps your child to work towards greater independence, it also keeps the regression of skills and development that typically occurs over the summer months at bay.

Goals of these programs include:

Improving Interpersonal Skills:
  • Relationship building
  • Responding to his/her name
  • Learning the names of peers
  • Basic conversation skills
  • Behavioral skill development
Improving Fine and Gross Motor Skills:
  • Range of motion
  • Sitting and standing
  • Walking and transfers
  • Self feeding
  • Independent living skills
Improving Language Skills:
  • Vocabulary knowledge and understanding
  • Basic concepts
  • Following verbally presented directions
  • Improving story comprehension
  • Improve Reading/Writing Skills
Improving Social Skills:
  • Greetings
  • Turn Taking
  • Initiating communication
  • Informing and directing others
  • Requesting

Our summer intervention programs also provide support for children who use augmentative communication systems (low tech or high tech) who have language and literacy skills and need more experience with peer to peer social skills.

We serve clients with (but not limited to): ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, CDKL5, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Near Drowning, Seizure Disorders, Sensory Processing Disorders, Spina Bifida, Stroke and Traumatic Brain Injury.

Additional information is being compiled on potential funding and grant options for families in need of financial support.

For more information, please contact Ronda Rupp at 833.668.7272 or via email at rondar@sarasgarden.org.

Special Grounds Project Update ~ Oct. 2020

Special Grounds Project Update ~ Oct. 2020

We wanted to update everyone on the status of our exciting new project, Special Grounds Coffee Shop.

Complications due to the COVID-19 pandemic have made this a challenging project. While these unforeseen factors have caused delays in our progress, we are still excited beyond belief at the amazing opportunities this facility will provide to our students and individuals with disabilities in our community. Walls are starting to go up and equipment is starting to arrive.

In the near future we hope to begin our roasting process which will allow us to master our roasting profiles and provide our customers with amazing blends and recipes.

Please continue to keep an eye out for our Special Grounds Coffee Shop Grand Opening invitation and announcement. We look forward to seeing you and serving you there!

We Need Your Support Now, More Than Ever!

We Need Your Support Now, More Than Ever!

During these uncertain times, we need your support now, more than ever! Sara’s Garden and New Horizons Academy are doing everything we can to meet federal, state, and local health and safety guidelines so we can stay open and accessible to serve our special needs children and their families.

We are so grateful to the dedication of our staff, who really pitched in and helped get our special needs Summer Camp up and running with just six days’ notice from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. They also revised our hyperbaric oxygen therapy protocols and office and lobby procedures to serve our clients while keeping them safe from coronavirus exposure. We can’t thank our nurses, therapists, and staff enough!

Many of our clients are those least able to navigate this new normal. They are under intense financial, emotional, and physical stress, and they need our services now more than ever which is why we need your support. Because of COVID-19, we were forced to cancel our Purse Bingo and Golf Outing, two annual fundraisers that we rely and count upon to fund operations. The Ohio Department of Education also informed us that all of our Autism and Jon Peterson Scholarships will be reduced due to the governor’s budget cuts. When our special needs children and their families need the services the most, funding is the tightest.

If you have the means or are able to help, please consider making a donation to Sara’s Garden and New Horizons Academy. Our special needs children and their families need your support and our services now more than ever! Please consider donating today. Log onto https://sarasgarden.org/support/ to make a credit card donation or send your check or money order to Sara’s Garden, P.O. Box 150, Wauseon, OH 43567.

Thank you for your continued support of Sara’s Garden and New Horizons Academy! We hope you and your loved ones stay safe and well.

Summer Camps Are ON!

Summer Camps Are ON!

Sara’s Garden Is NOW accepting registrations for its special needs summer intervention programs. Call NOW!

Governor Mike DeWine’s announcements last week paved the way for us to open our summer intervention camps. Sara’s Garden is now accepting registrations for its programs in:

  • Wauseon (June 1-26)
  • Holland (July 6-31).

Availability will be based upon staffing, so it is important to call as soon as possible to secure a spot. Only by calling and registering can the appropriate staffing be lined up in order to meet the needs of the kids.

We ask the parents of our students at each campus to please focus on attending the camp at your home campus. This will allow us the ability to serve as many students as possible and better manage travel expectations for our families. If you have interest in attending both camps, please let us know and we can put you on a waiting list for the alternate campus if space and staffing allows.

The Summer Camps will run weekdays with a morning session from 8-11:00 a.m. and an afternoon session from 12-3:00 p.m.

Services being offered in these summer intervention programs are Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Conductive Education, Occupational Therapy, Sensory Integration and Speech and Language Pathology. These services will be available for preschool to high school youth. They will be offered one-on-one and through small groups by licensed therapists, teachers, intervention specialists, paraprofessionals, and trained interns.

To maintain health and safety, Sara’s Garden will strive to comply with all orders from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, health mandates from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and our local health departments, and guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The health and safety of your children are our top priorities, and we will do everything possible to keep them safe and healthy. As we are notified of any new recommendations, guidelines or requirements, we will do our best to keep you updated and informed.

For more information on the summer intervention services or to register for the camps being offered, please call or email Ronda Rupp at 419-335-7272 or rondar@sarasgarden.org.

Family Funding Resources

Family Funding Resources

Obtaining crucial funding for summer camps, equipment, respite and just about everything else you need to support your child or loved one can be challenging and overwhelming? We’ve compiled a list of resources to help families in this process. Below are various organizations and foundations, broken down by condition, that provide funding and grants to families in need of services and equipment not covered by insurance.

Start Planning for Summer 2020

Start Planning for Summer 2020

It’s never too early to start planning for our upcoming 2020 summer intervention programs!

2020 Camp Dates:

  • Wauseon: June 01-26
  • Springfield: July 06-31

Sara’s Garden offers amazing summer intervention programs for children with disabilities. These month-long programs deliver inclusive therapies that provide interventions for individuals with a variety of conditions and disabilities.

Our caring and experienced staff of licensed therapists, conductors and paraprofessionals create unique, intensive therapy-based programs that are tailored to the needs of each participant and are designed to enhance your child’s developmental skills. This approach not only helps your child to work towards greater independence, it also keeps the regression of skills and development that typically occurs over the summer months at bay.

Goals of these programs include:

Improving Interpersonal Skills:
  • Relationship building
  • Responding to his/her name
  • Learning the names of peers
  • Basic conversation skills
  • Behavioral skill development
Improving Fine and Gross Motor Skills:
  • Range of motion
  • Sitting and standing
  • Walking and transfers
  • Self feeding
  • Independent living skills
Improving Language Skills:
  • Vocabulary knowledge and understanding
  • Basic concepts
  • Following verbally presented directions
  • Improving story comprehension
  • Improve Reading/Writing Skills
Improving Social Skills:
  • Greetings
  • Turn Taking
  • Initiating communication
  • Informing and directing others
  • Requesting

Our summer intervention programs also provide support for children who use augmentative communication systems (low tech or high tech) who have language and literacy skills and need more experience with peer to peer social skills.

We serve clients with (but not limited to): ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, CDKL5, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Near Drowning, Seizure Disorders, Sensory Processing Disorders, Spina Bifida, Stroke and Traumatic Brain Injury.

Additional information is being compiled on potential funding and grant options for families in need of financial support.

For more information, please contact Ronda Rupp at 833.668.7272 or via email at rondar@sarasgarden.org.

2019 Summer Intervention Programs

2019 Summer Intervention Programs

As summer approaches we want to invite you to consider the summer intervention program opportunities for your student. These summer programs help with structure and retention of skills between school years.

June Program

  • The June program runs from June 3 – 28.
    • The Autism Intervention program runs from 8:00-11:00.
    • The Conductive Education program runs from 8:00-12:00.
  • With either the Autism or CE interventions, you can choose either a 2 day (Tues/Thurs), 3 day (Mon/Wed/Fri) or 5 day program.

July Program

  • The July program runs from July 8 – August 2.
    • The “Early Childhood” Conductive Education program runs from 8:00-10:00.
    • The “Young Walkers” Conductive Education program runs from 10:30-12:00.
  • Both July CE programs run 3 day a week (Mon/Wed/Fri).

Our group-based summer interventions schedule delivers inclusive programs that provide opportunities and interventions for individuals with a variety of conditions and disabilities. We serve clients with (but not limited to): ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), CDKL5, Cerebral Palsy (CP), Down Syndrome, Near Drowning, Sensory Processing Disorders (SPD), Spina Bifida and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Our caring and experienced staff of licensed therapists, conductors, and paraprofessionals create intensive therapy-based programs designed to enhance your child’s developmental skills. This approach not only helps your child to work towards increased independence, it also keeps the regression of skills that typically occurs over the summer months at bay.

Our programs provide education, fun, intervention, and socialization, in a safe, accepting and understanding environment while creating new opportunities for development for individuals with disabilities.

These month-long programs are designed to expand each child’s fine motor, gross motor and/or communication skills. As well as improving behaviors, increasing eye contact, socialization, self-care and/or emotional skills. Based on the needs of the child, time may be spent on ABA programs, academics, relationship building, conductive education, sensory activities, special activities of swimming, music, arts and crafts, outdoor projects and physical activities. This group-based program is designed for children ages 3 through 18.

We openly welcome any interested families regardless of diagnosis, or the absence of a diagnosis. If you have questions or would like any additional information regarding our summer camp program, please please call us as soon as possible at 419-335-7272 and speak with Matt Rychener or Ronda Rupp. Be sure to ask us about our sponsorship fundraising program! Registrations are due by May 20th.

Our staff would love to work with your student this June!

Recognizing Julian Giovarelli

Recognizing Julian Giovarelli

At our annual appreciation dinner for the members of the Sara’s Garden and New Horizons Academy boards, we recognized the dedicated service of Julian Giovarelli.

Julian has selflessly served as the Sara’s Garden Treasurer for the past 11 years. The time, talents and effort he has poured into this organization is beyond imagination and we could not be more grateful for him.

Julian is stepping down from his duties as Treasurer this year but will remain an active member of the Sara’s Garden board. Thank you Julian!

Summer Intervention Programs

Summer Intervention Programs

Sara’s Garden will once again be offering summer interventions programs for children with disabilities. This year’s group camp will begin on Monday, June 4th and run five days a week for four weeks. Come experience a summer camp program like no other and meet families from all across the country.

Our group-based summer interventions schedule delivers inclusive programs that provide opportunities and interventions for individuals with a variety of conditions and disabilities. We serve clients with (but not limited to): ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), CDKL5, Cerebral Palsy (CP), Down Syndrome, Near Drowning, Sensory Processing Disorders (SPD), Spina Bifida and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Our caring and experienced staff of licensed therapists, conductors, and paraprofessionals create intensive therapy-based programs designed to enhance your child’s developmental skills. This approach not only helps your child to work towards increased independence, it also keeps the regression of skills that typically occurs over the summer months at bay.

Our programs provide education, fun, intervention, and socialization, in a safe, accepting and understanding environment while creating new opportunities for development for individuals with disabilities.

This month-long program is designed to expand each child’s fine motor, gross motor and/or communication skills. As well as improving behaviors, increasing eye contact, socialization, self-care and/or emotional skills. Based on the needs of the child, time may be spent on ABA programs, academics, relationship building, conductive education, sensory activities, special activities of swimming, music, arts and crafts, outdoor projects and physical activities. This group-based program is designed for children ages 3 through 18.

Our July programs will once again feature individualized interventions designed to target each child’s specific goals and is tailored to the needs of each child and family. We work with families to determine what their goals are for their child to focus on.

We openly welcome any interested families regardless of diagnosis, or the absence of a diagnosis. If you have questions or would like any additional information regarding our summer camp program, please contact Val at 419-335-7272 or via email at valn@sarasgarden.org. Be sure to ask us about our sponsorship fundraising program!