We are blessed with an exceptional team of knowledgable and experienced staff. Our roster includes an executive director, teachers, education assistants, occupational therapists, a psychologist, speech-language pathologists, a home-program coordinator, support workers and a computer specialist.

Teaching Staff At New Heights, the teaching staff take their lead from the children. Having six children per class gives them the opportunity to get to know each child and to discover their strengths and their specific learning styles. The teachers and lead educators are responsible for planning and implementing the day-to-day classroom program. The education assistants support the teachers within the classroom setting, and help them to ensure that each child is engaged as much as possible. In our program, the teaching staff uses each child's strengths to facilitate and create learning opportunities.

Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy (OT) plays a vital role at New Heights. The therapists provide assessment, treatment, consultation and education to children and their families to enhance the sensory and motor development of the children. The occupational therapists focus primarily on fine motor skills (e.g. doing up zippers, drawing, cutting, throwing balls) and sensory-related issues (e.g. over- or under-responsiveness to sights, sounds, touch, tastes, etc.). The "sensorimotor" room, frequently referred to as "the gym" helps us to provide high-quality, intensive sensory-integration treatment as part of the occupational therapy services.

Psychology
The psychologist's role on the New Heights team involves participating in the classroom, providing consultation to the team and offering support and education (e.g. workshops) to families. The psychologist consults with the staff, participates in the program and offers play therapy to the children. In addition, the psychologist offers workshops for understanding individual differences in children, along with extended family and sibling workshops. Familiy and individual counseling is also offered to parents as well as monthly "coffee times" where casual discussions with the psychologist can take place.

Speech-Language Therapy
The primary focus of the speech-language pathologist is classroom-based therapy. Being in the classroom with the children permits the therapist to take advantage of interactions amongst the children to enhance their communication development. The therapists can also help each child build his or her vocabulary, descriptive language understanding of verbal language, turn-taking, imaginative play and problem-solving skills. Since these skills are developed in a natural setting like the classroom, children are better able to generalize them to new environments. The therapists work on building communication and friendship skills among all of the children at New Heights.

Computer Specialist
New Heights is breaking ground in the educational use of technology for young children with autism. The computer specialist's approach is built on the positive aspects of technology, and is individualized and flexible, focused on learning enrichment, exploration, creativity, independence, social interaction and communication. The computer specialist works with individual children as well as small groups. Her vision for New Heights includes two main components: actively using the power of technology to enrich learning and development, and integrating technology into the flow of daily classroom activitites for both the students and the staff.

Home Program Coordinator
The role of the home program coordinator involves supervision of all aspects of the home program. This includes: facilitating discussion concerning FSCD (Family Support for Children with Disabilities) budgetary concerns and contract agreements, identifying and reviewing home and community-based goals, determining appropriate interventions, supervising and training support workers and coordinating specialized services or aide support.

Support Workers
At New Heights, the support workers work closely with families in providing early intervention services through one-on-one activity and play-based therapy in the home and community settings. They organize playdates to promote social skill development, assist families in participating in recreational activities and help students to learn and engage in life-skill-building tasks in the community.

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