In the News

Autism Center Slated in North Branford

July 12th, 2010

Published: Friday, June 11, 2010
By Susan Misur, Register Staff

NORTH BRANFORD — After 14 years in the Northford section, the Collaborative Alternative Magnet School for Leadership will hold its last graduation ceremony this month and end its middle and high school programs.

But its building won’t be quiet for long.

The 26 Old Post Road facility will soon be home to the Center for Autism Spectrum and Developmental Disorders, which is governed by Area Cooperative Educational Services.

ACES, a nonprofit group serving local students at its magnet and special education schools, also oversees CAMS and decided to expand its autism program in the Northford building since the facility would soon be vacant.

Because of a lack of funding and a growing deficit, ACES’ board of directors voted in January to discontinue the CAMS curriculum, which serves 101 students from eight school districts and employs 20.

Youths who were unsuccessful in their home districts, behind in classes or needing extra attention have attended the school in grades 7 through 12.

But the autism center, which will serve youths ages 11 through 21 on the autism spectrum, is badly needed, said Donn Sottolano, director of ACES’ behavioral service center.

“We did surveys with school districts under the concept of a strategic plan to try and find out what school districts need because that’s what we’re here for. One of the emerging themes was the need for a program for kids with autism once they reach adolescence,” Sottolano said.

There is a growing population of adolescent students with autism, for which many school systems are not prepared, according to ACES spokesman Robert Parker.

ACES runs the Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention Services curriculum at Village School in North Haven for children who are 3 to 12 and have autism, a developmental brain disorder.  Participants have gone back to their home districts or another private school after EIBI, according to Parker.

But starting in July, older students can continue ACES classes in Northford. EIBI will remain at Village School, but it may eventually be in the same facility as the program for older kids, Parker said.

The Northford school’s curriculum will offer two instructional tracks: one for those with moderate symptoms of autism and one for those with severe affects. Projected enrollment of the new program is 30 students.

ACES will staff the school with teachers trained to work with children on the autism spectrum, while it will try to place CAMS teachers in other ACES schools, according to Parker.

CAMS students will go back to their home districts or attend other alternative schools.

While CAMS fell into financial distress because the state put a cap on how much tuition could be charged, the Center for Autism Spectrum and Developmental Disorders should be fully funded, as there is no cap on special education school tuition, Parker said.

Nancy Lappie, a member of ACES board of directors, said she is confident the new autism program for older students will be a success and added that the North Branford food bank will still be located in the building.

“Whatever program ACES does with autism will have to be wonderful because they do wonderful programming,” she said. “I’m happy they’re using the (CAMS) building. It would be a shame if not used for some kind of special program.”