The Seguin ISD Matador Special Services Department is the recipient of the 2018-2019 Services to Students with Autism grant.

Halcy Dean, director of Special Education for Seguin ISD, said that the grant, totaling $779,050.00, will be used to develop the Whole Child Learning Center (WCLC).

“This program will take an innovative approach to early learning and engagement for our three to five-year-old students with autism. It will be a full day yet flexible program designed to provide center based, outdoor classroom and community based intervention for preschool children facing developmental disabilities. The WCLC concept also incorporates 10 non- disabled students to serve as peers for those with autism,” she said.

Seguin ISD expects serve approximately 50 students and families in year one which begins this fall. Four classrooms at Ball Early Childhood Center will be dedicated as learning space along with adjacent rooms in the school for a parent/community center to accommodate parents, guardians and families.

The grant goes even further, offering all families of children with autism ages 6 to 9 and enrolled in the district to be involved with activities designed to increase understanding, skills and capacity to serve children with autism. “The top priority will be to foster a culture of acceptance and integration of all children with differences and to develop the valuable resources and experiences they can contribute to the community as a whole,” she said.

Seguin ISD applied for the grant through the Texas Education Agency and has the option to extend the grant one year.

“Over the summer months we will prepare our staff and dedicate resources so that the program, which will provide safe and actively engaging learning opportunities, is serving students this fall,” she said.