Soaring Eagle Academy Takes Students With Autism to New Heights

Since 1987, Deanna Tyrpak has worked with special needs children to evaluate and treat speech and language disorders. Tyrpak's own 20-year-old daughter has autism, which is what inspired Tyrpak to open a school in specifically to meet the needs of students with autism spectrum disorders.

“[Dominique] took me on this journey ... When she was younger, people would often misinterpret what they saw as behaviors that should be changed,” said Tyrpak. “They were actually her way of communicating; she just couldn’t process the incoming information.”

After hearing about a new model for treating Autism, known as the Developmental, Individual-Difference, Relationship-Based model, Tyrpak read a book by Dr. Stanley Greenspan, called The Child with Special Needs. She said it became clear to her that Dominique would benefit from the DIR method.

“I started to seek out therapists and schools that supported the model, and I found that no schools in Illinois used it, so when Dominique was ten, with the support of our school district, we provided all of her instruction at home,” Tyrpak said, “and she just started to blossom and feel good about herself.”

Dominique is now in the high school program at the , a school specifically for children dealing with Autism Spectrum disorders that uses the DIR approach.

Back in 2004, Tyrpak and co-founders Michele Ricamato and Linda Cervenka, all speech and language pathologists, saw a need for an academic setting where developmental learning and the DIR model could be implemented. Soaring Eagle is now the first school in the Midwest to use it.

“We found it to be a successful approach in our individual practices, but knew there was no school around that offered it,” Tyrpak said.

“We wanted to provide an option to families who wanted a relationship-based and whole-child model of education for their children,” said Tyrpak. “And we opened Soaring Eagle in Burr Ridge because the building was already outfitted as a school, and we were happy to get involved with a friendly and supportive community.”

The DIR model is often seen in a therapeutic setting, but the founders thought it would be beneficial to use in a full-time academic setting.

“Being able to use the model all day long was our dream,” Ricamato said. “Our academics are based on what is meaningful to students.”

The specific DIR approach is one way the school fosters growth of students.

“We know that new learning has to be tied to something the student already knows,” Cervenka said. “By engaging students and creating meaning for them, we’re able to ‘woo’ them into learning and socializing.”

Cervenka said that teachers at Soaring Eagle strive to take a look at the child as a whole, and don't just look at cognition. They take into account factors such as motor and emotional development.

“Having a foundation of trust and respect with the child helps us support them throughout the day,” said Cervenka.

Cervenka said the most important piece of the model is the “individual differences,” and that this aspect focuses on how students take in information from their environment—be it through vision, hearing, or their
bodies.

“If one student is oversensitive to noise, they could wear a noise-dampening headset,” Cervenka said. “We find out what triggers students, and then train staff with how to accommodate that.”

Staff members at Soaring Eagle work closely with students, getting to know their individual characteristics and needs.

“We become well-versed with all the children, which helps them become more social with each other,” Angela Grant, a teacher’s assistant from Westchester, said.

Jenna Thiele, another teacher's assistant said a student's main relationship is with his or her teacher's assistant.

“We welcome them each day and help them get regulated to a calm state so they can learn,” said Thiele, who commutes to work from Wheaton. “The school is an incredible gift to families, and I feel blessed to be a part of it.”

Socialization is an important aspect of the appeal Soaring Eagle has for families dealing with some of the challenges associated with autism spectrum disorders.

“My son, Jackson, was diagnosed with autism at age three,” Glen Ellyn-resident Melyssa Bloom said.

She said her son Jackson spoke very little, so she enrolled him in intensive speech therapy.

“After several years of unsuccessful speech therapy, we saw improvements after just a few sessions with the DIR model,” Bloom said. “Before, he would speak more outside of therapy than inside, but the DIR approached helped him feel more relaxed.”

Bloom enrolled Jackson, who is now eight, as a first grader at Soaring Eagle when it opened, and says she continues to see him improve.

“We’ve seen not only improvements in speech, but an increase in cognition, his self esteem, and problem solving. Speech is still tough, but he is definitely more outgoing and social. He has become more a part of everyone’s life,” she said. “He had had the same Individualized Education Plan goals for years, and this year he met all of his goals and added new ones.”

The school, soon to start its third year in Burr Ridge, hosted an open house on Saturday morning with tours, refreshments, and a raffle drawing for a new Ford Focus, donated by McCarthy Ford in Chicago. Families, students, and staff members were present at the open house and took part in the activities. About 100 people attended.

"I think the open house served two purposes," said Catie Lee, one of the parents at Soaring Eagle who helped organize the day. “It was an opportunity to showcase the school and let our supporters tour and meet the founders, as well as enjoy the car raffle.”

Lee said the car raffle was the result of a brainstorm by a group of parents.

“The LeFevour family, members of the school, manages McCarthy Ford and offered to help donate the car,” said Lee.

Tyrpak said that the school has never advertised in the community, but that it is approved by the Illinois State Board of Education, which helps parents and school districts place students at the academy.

“In September 2010 we opened with five students and a staff of 15,” said Tyrpak. “At the end of our second school year, we had 32 students ages five to 21 and a staff of 60. Next year we’re hoping to reach 40 students.”

Burr Ridge mayor Gary Grasso drew the winner of the raffle at the open house and shared his thoughts on the school.

“I think it’s a mixed blessing having the school here,” Grasso said. “It’s sad that so many people need a resource like this, but it’s wonderful to know it is being provided for within our community and beyond, and we’re lucky to have the organization serving our children.”

In his speech before pulling the winning raffle ticket, Grasso thanked the parents present.

“I have great respect for the things parents here do for their children, and I applaud your dedication to them,” he said.

Soaring Eagle recently renewed its lease for its building located on Madison Street for an additional two years. The school hopes to open a second high school classroom for the coming school year to accommodate a growing
number of students.

“I used to think no one would want to be friends with a boy who didn’t talk, but Jackson made friends this year. We just had our first play date at the pool. He got invited to a birthday party and carried the invitation around all day,” Bloom said. “He’s been able to grow academically because of his socialization. Now when people meet Jackson, they think he’s special. He’s moved to become a child people are touched by.”

“He is special,” said Grant, who is Jackson's teaching assistant. “Every morning I look at him and say ‘Hi, handsome!’ and he kind of turns his head and smiles as if to say, ‘yeah, I know'.”