WATCH ABOVE: Barrie couple is crowdfunding to expand a learning centre for people with autism.
TORONTO – A couple from Barrie, Ont. is looking for funding to build and expand a school for teens and adults living with severe autism.
Greg and Tammy Kliewer opened the new school a week ago after the Renaissance Academy, a private school in Utopia, Ont. suddenly closed last month. Their 14-year-old Tavish Kliewer has severe autism, is non verbal and was thriving in the program.
“Tavish was only here from January of this year until it closed at the end of April, three months,” said his father Greg Kliewer. “That period of time completely transformed his life, he was miserable and stir crazy and we were feeling pretty dangerous to live with him, even as as a family and these days he is serene and happy.”
WATCH: Stamping out discrimination against autism
Like many other parents, the Kliewers were left in the lurch. They refuse to put him back in a public school where they say he was becoming aggressive and self-injurious.
They felt they had to act immediately and hired a Board certified teacher and some support workers, including a behavioural therapist to continue with the specialized education program. It focuses on important life skills and provides the physical and occupational therapy Tavish needs.
“The education system is an academic system,” his father said, “Tavish needs to be challenged in different ways, not about ABCs and 123s but about self care, basic things that everybody takes for granted like brushing your teeth.”
READ MORE:Pilot makes emergency landing to kick autistic girl off plane
They want to clarify that the initiative isn’t a school in the “traditional sense.” The goal is to develop functional life skills, not academics.
“In fact, we are not planning to ever offer academic based learning,” Tammy said. “Our focus and eventual goal will be to provide services and opportunities to older kids and adults on the autism spectrum for lifelong learning, growth and achievement through access to meaningful learning, training and employment opportunities.”
The Kliewers are fundraising and reaching out to the community to help establish a more permanent location for both Tavish and other children like him.
“If you had asked 6 months ago if Tavish would have a job I would say no, never,” said Greg. “but now I see the potential.”
Comments