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Bridgeway Academy is a central Ohio non-profit organization with a mission to meet the educational and therapeutic needs of children with autism and other developmental disabilities. Bridgeway Academy’s unique learning environment has a joyful atmosphere where developmental distinctions do not exist. Each student is celebrated as their own special individual in an atmosphere that is loving and compassionate.

Organization Background
Bridgeway Academy was founded by Abigail S. David and Erin K. Nealy in 2005 as Helping Hands Center for Special Needs, providing individualized educational and therapeutic services for children in early-intervention/preschool and Kindergarten. Over the past 12 years, the organization has grown exponentially, and now has 155 students enrolled in its Education Center, from early-intervention/preschool through 10^th grade. Therapy Center services include Physical, Occupational, Speech and Music therapies and Psychological services for all students in the Education Center as well as other clients in the community receiving therapies only. Camp Bridgeway is the organization’s summer program, providing 8-weeks of recreational and academic programming.

Organizational Growth and Opportunities
The Centers for Disease Control now estimate that 1 in every 63^rd child both in the U.S. will receive an autism diagnosis. Bridgeway Academy has responded to this growing need for services, by expanding its programs and population served.  As a result, the organization’s families and staff have faced a number of challenges, including:

• limited programming space for our growing middle and high school classrooms
• inadequate therapy treatment space; and,
• maintaining the safety and welfare of all our students

In response to these concerns, Bridgeway Academy will open the Bridgeway Academy Secondary School and Therapy Center in August 2017. The Secondary School will be housed in a former Columbus City School building located at 2155 Fenton Street, Columbus 43224. The Secondary School allows for the expansion of Bridgeway Academy’s current program on Medary Avenue, and will serve students 4^th grade and above. In addition, the Secondary School will house the organization’s Life Skills and Vocational Skills Centers. These programs provide middle and high-school aged students the opportunity to practice and master daily living and vocational skills, preparing them for independence, employment or post-secondary educational opportunities after Bridgeway Academy. The current location on Medary Avenue will be known as Bridgeway Academy Primary School and Therapy Center. The expansion will allow for additional children, early-intervention through third grade, to be served by this organization’s comprehensive educational and therapeutic programs.

Opening the Secondary School allows Bridgeway Academy to serve more students and families in the community, expands educational and therapeutic opportunities and ensures a safe and effective learning environment for all students. This expansion also alleviates issues of overcrowding at its current location on Medary Avenue, providing staff at both locations with a comfortable, effective and efficient work environment and fostering leadership and growth opportunities.

Bridgeway Academy has a vision to be the established and preferred organization for all services related to autism and other developmental disabilities. The opening of the Secondary School and Therapy Center is a small step in accomplishing this vision, which includes re-joining the Primary and Secondary Schools on one campus. Bridgeway Academy receives oversight from its Board of Trustees and its work is guided by its Strategic Plan. To learn more, please visit: www.bridgewayohio.org or call 614-2627520.

For a Social Story to share with your students, please click here.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. When will the Secondary School open?
   At the start of the 2017-18 academic year, August 15, 2017.
2. Who will attend the Secondary School?
   Students in classrooms 4^th grade and above will move to the Secondary School. The Therapy Center and all current programs offered at Bridgeway Academy will continue to be provided at the Primary School.
3. What is happening to the Medary Avenue location?
   The Medary Avenue location will become known as the Primary School and will house students in the early-intervention through 3^rd grade classrooms. The Therapy Center and all current programs offered at Bridgeway Academy will continue to be provided at the Primary School.
4. Why make this change now?
   Bridgeway Academy’s program expansion has coincided with the expansion of autism diagnosis in the United States, now at 1 in every 63^rd child born. As a result, Bridgeway Academy now serves middle and high school students, offers family partnership programs and life and vocational skill centers. To execute its programs efficiently and effectively, additional space is required.
5. Why move to the Fenton Street location?
   The Fenton St. building was closed by Columbus City Schools (CCS) when the Spanish Immersion School opened its new campus on Maize Rd. leaving this building empty and available for use by Bridgeway Academy. The building is a manageable size, ADA accessible and reasonably close to the Medary Avenue site allowing Bridgeway Academy to continue its excellent programs while continuing its dedication to staff collaboration and individualized services for all students.
6. Where will the Secondary School be located?
   Bridgeway Academy’s Secondary School will be located in the Morse Road area at 2155 Fenton Street, Columbus 43224: east of Karl Rd., West of Cleveland Ave., South of Morse Rd. and North of Cooke Rd. The most direct way to access this location is from Cooke Road. The Secondary School is a 14 minute drive from the Primary School.
7. Where will I go for Therapy Services?
   All Therapy Services will be available at both the Secondary and Primary School locations. For students enrolled in the Education Center, therapy services will continue at their school location. For individuals receiving therapy or psychological services ONLY, your location may change. Your therapy team will be in contact with you directly as this schedule is confirmed.

8. Will there still be a staggered drop-off and pick-up?
   Drop off and pick up will still be staggered as we wish to maintain consistency for students and families. This will also allow families with students attending both locations to successfully drop off and pick up with no scheduling conflicts.

9. Where will summer camp take place?
   Summer Camp 2017 remains at the Medary Avenue location. Summer Camp 2018 will take place in the location of the child’s placement of the prior academic year (2017-18). A rich and age-appropriate summer camp experience will continue to be provided for students in both the Primary and Secondary School location.
10. How will Bridgeway Academy’s staff be configured to serve both locations
    Bridgeway Academy’s Executive Directors, Business Operations, HR and Development Directors, Psychologists, Therapists, Family Partnership Services and Facilities Director will spend time in both buildings. Additional facilities staff will be hired to manage physical operations at the Secondary School.

    Program and Behavior Specialists and Assistant Program and Behavior Specialists will be assigned to specific buildings, as will floater staff.

11. Will there be before- and after-care available in both locations?
    Yes.
12. Will the Secondary School have the same educational and therapy resources as the Primary School?
    Yes, both locations will have the same educational and therapeutic resources (e.g. SMARTboards^TM and other technology, PT and therapy equipment). Resources will be age-appropriate and meet the needs of each location’s student populations.
13. How will Bridgeway Academy assist its students with this change?
    Bridgeway Academy will have Social Stories available to share with students both at Bridgeway Academy and at home. Opportunities for students to visit the Secondary School will occur during Camp Bridgeway. Bridgeway Academy is planning a mid-summer family carnival at the Secondary School location.

 

At Bridgeway Academy, we have designed a Physical Education program that encourages our students to develop healthy bodies and positive attitudesabout physical activity. Weekly lessons include fitness and active leisure skills. We want our students to acquire the skills they need to make healthy lifestyle choices that positively impact his or her well-being. Throughout the school year we have promoted monthly themes including: soccer, basketball, volleyball, track and field, kick ball and baseball.  As well as directly impacting each student’s physical well-being, there are many opportunities for positive social interaction, too.

During our weekly classes, we have accomplished some amazing goals!  This school year alone, Bridgeway Academy students have run a collective 739 miles. Each week, we participate in regular warm-up activities including running five (5) laps around the gym and two (2) sprints across the gym. When averaged out across our entire student body, this means each student will have run 5.69 miles over the course of the year!

In addition to our fitness successes, we work hard at being part of a team and encouraging friends and peers. During the baseball unit, students were excited to cheer for their friends as they ran the bases. During basketball we practiced passing and throwing to other members of the team.  We have even had students leading games like Redlight/Greenlight!

As our first full year of the Bridgeway Academy Physical Education program comes to a close, we are excited to continue to grow and learn with our students; after all… this is just the beginning!

National Autism Awareness Month has been celebrated each April since the 1970s. On December 18, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly declared April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day to shine a bright light on autism, increase world knowledge and impart information regarding the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention. World Autism Awareness Day also celebrates the unique talents and skills of persons with autism, brings together autism organizations all around the world, and gives a voice to the million worldwide affected by autism spectrum disorders. Recently, World Autism Day has been linked to Autism Speaks “Light It Up Blue,” campaign intended to raise international autism awareness and support of both World Autism Awareness Day and Autism Awareness month in the United States.

During the month of April, Bridgeway Academy will participate in and/or host several events in conjunction with National Autism Awareness Month. In partnership with Autism Speaks Columbus, we’ll host a kid’s activity at the Columbus Blue Jackets game on Sunday, April 2^nd; and, we’ll purchase and enjoy delicious puzzle-piece cookies from Panera.

The weekend of April 6 – 9^th, Bridgeway Academy with partner with Jazz Arts Group (JAG) to commemorate National Autism Awareness Month and Jazz Appreciation Month. The Columbus Jazz Orchestra will perform, “Soul Session: From Ray Charles to Whitney Houston,” in the Southern Theatre and Bridgeway Academy will be present in the theatre lobby to share information about the organization and autism awareness. On Friday, April 7, 2017, Bridgeway Academy’s Co-Founder’s will join JAG Artistic Director Byron Stripling on stage for a brief discussion around autism and the programs of Bridgeway Academy. Listen to Co-Founder Erin Nealy and Byron Stripling as they discussed this partnership opportunity on All Sides Weekend with Christopher Purdy. Discounted tickets are available for Bridgeway Academy’s friends and family  using the discount code SOUL5.

Finally, the month conclude with Bridgeway Academy’s premier fundraising event, “Raise Your Glass to Raise Awareness,” on Friday, April 21 at the Ohio History Center. This event, raising important funds for the children, families, staff and programs of Bridgeway Academy, features delicious wines selected by Vintage Wines, craft beers from MadTree Brewing, cocktails with Watershed Distillery including a special Bridgeway Bourbon Mule, wonderful food from local restaurants and great entertainment from Colin Lazarksi and POPGUN. More information and tickets are available on Bridgeway Academy’s website or by calling 614-262-7520. Special thanks to our Signature Sponsors, Huntington and Resch, Root & Philipps, and to everyone who has already purchased their tickets for this wonderful event.

From your Family Partnership Services team

With a little bit of planning and preparation and the strategies below, you and your child(ren) can have a more fun and relaxed Spring Break!

Social Stories: Social Stories are a fun and easy way to let your child know what to expect! They are written from your child’s perspective and use positive and simple language.

Here is an example of a social story about Spring Break. Customize it to make it your own! http://www.positivelyautism.com/downloads/SpringBreakSocialStory.pdf

First/Then Boards: First/Then Boards teach a two-step sequence of events in a clear and simple way. The “first” picture is an activity you want your child to engage in. The “then” picture reinforces the “first” activity by being an activity or item your child enjoys.

*You can take actual pictures of activities and items, use google images to represent activities and items, or write words if your child is able to read.

Visual Schedules: Visual Schedules teach a long sequence in a clear and simple way. The events of the day are listed in order so your child knows what to expect. Schedules can be created for an entire day or broken up into smaller amounts of time (i.e. morning and afternoon).

*You can take actual pictures of activities and items, use google images to represent activities and items, or write words if your child is able to read.

Plan Activities Around Columbus:
http://columbusoh.about.com/od/oldactvitiesarticles/a/15-Places-For-Kids-In-Central-Ohio.htm
http://www.scarymommy.com/10-things-to-do-with-kids-in-columbus/
Bridgeway Academy’s PTA has some planned events happening over Spring Break! Please email PTA@bridgewayohio.org for information on how to register for these events.

• March 26^th from 5:30-7:30pm- Private swim at Westerville Community Center
• March 29^th at 11:00am- Private showing of Rock Dog movie (AMC Dublin)
• March 31^st  11:00-12:00pm- Private hour at The Bounce Club

Additional Resources:

• http://www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com/examples-of-autism-social-stories.html
• https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/using-visual-schedules-a-guide-for-parents
• http://www.behaviorbabe.com

Bridgeway Academy’s Family Partnership Consultants will be leading a Parent Training on how to use Visual Support Strategies in the home and community on May 9^th from 6:00-7:30pm. They’ll also offer a hands-on Parent Workshop on Visual Support Strategies on May 15^th from 4:00-5:00pm at Bridgeway Academy.
https://bridgewayohio.org/programs-services/education-center/family-partnership-services/

On Thursday, February 9, 2017, Bridgeway Academy hosted its very first after-school dance, due in large part to the hard work of ten young female students and four women community mentors, all who participate in the program, “ABILITY.”

Thanks to the generosity of our funding partner, Huntington, Bridgeway Academy was able to spend some dedicated time with these ten girls, grades 4 – 10, working on social, communication and daily living skills – skills they will need as they transition into adulthood. “ABILITY,” included a mentorship program that connected the girls with professional women from the community. Four women mentors agreed to be a part of the program and worked with the girls once a month to conceive of, plan and implement the school dance, themed “Winter Wonderland.” In these last few weeks before the dance, the girls and their mentors shopped for decorations, prepared refreshments and designed and sent invitations to their classmates.

In addition to the mentorship program, the girls participated in a variety of vocational and daily skill building sessions, including identifying and applying methods of payment such as debit/credit cards, cash, gift cards and check writing. Other areas of instruction included budgeting, social and communication skills. The girls put all of these lessons to work in real life as they have planned their dance, “Winter Wonderland.” The program was implemented by Bridgeway Academy’s Community Resource Consultant, Tiffany Landefeld-Mostafa who states about the program, “The financial literacy lessons made an impact on the girls. They had fun, were eager to see each other and to work as a team on group activities. The group bonded, empowered each other and demonstrated respect for one another. I look forward to future opportunities for these girls to continue to meet and participate while developing independence and self-advocacy.”

All of the hard work came together on February 9^th, when thirty-five (35) Bridgeway Academy students remained after school to participate in “Winter Wonderland.” The girls and their mentors spent the afternoon decorating the gym, laying out refreshments and preparing for the dance. A former Bridgeway Academy student returned to be the dance DJ and Bridgeway Academy’s teaching and therapy staff watched in proud amazement as their students danced, sang and engaged with each other in this social setting. Erin Nealy, Co-Founder/Co-Executive Director of Bridgeway Academy states, “What a joy it was to see female students plan and produce our first dance, and then watch all of the students enjoy their time together, some who have been with us since elementary school. It was a proud moment for all of us at Bridgeway Academy.”

Sheri Weithman, Director of Field Development-Columbus, OH for Autism Speaks and program mentor, states about this opportunity, “I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to see first-hand what our service providers, teachers and teens on the spectrum face every day. It has opened my eyes to how hard these teens work to develop the skills necessary to contribute in today’s society. I am beyond impressed with the dedication, passion and professionalism of the staff at Bridgeway Academy and I hope that my participation had a positive impact on these amazing young women.”

According to the Autism Society, 3.5+ million Americans live with autism and nationally, 35% of young adults with autism have hot had a job or received any education after learning high school. In June 2014, only 16.8% of the population with disabilities was employed. Further, a report in the Equity Resource Center’s Gender & Disability Digest reports, “Women and girls with disabilities … are subjected to double discrimination: sexism as well as disability bias … women with disabilities are significantly poorer than men and women without disabilities: they are more likely to be unemployed and if employed, receive lower wages than men with disabilities.” Bridgeway Academy is working hard to ensure a positive and productive future for all of its students and is grateful to Huntington for its support of this program.