The hunt for the right school for your teen can feel exhausting, leaving parents and caregivers feeling like they’ll never find any place that’s right for them or that they have to decide between their child’s physical or emotional safety. Fortunately, schools that specialize in serving exceptional children with special learning or socialization needs offer a bright light at the end of the tunnel.
Specialized schools, like Legacy High School, offer you a place to safely land – in body, mind, and spirit. From an incredible team of administrators, teachers, and staff, to our carefully designed learning environments and comprehensive program offerings, there’s no better place for your child – and family – to call Home.
What’s So Different About a Specialized High School For Neuridivergent Students?
All the IEPs in the world, and advertisements about how a local school serves neurodivergent populations, mean nothing if their administration, teachers, and staff lack the understanding and training required to serve children with special needs like ASD, ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dysmorphia, twice-exceptional students, and so on. And, because those needs often involve specialized environments and individualized teaching/learning strategies, they can never be met in the traditional classroom setting or by teachers already taxed by overly full classroom sizes.
At Legacy High School (LHS), the entire school environment – curriculum, culture, and daily life routines – is dedicated to honoring the needs of our students first. The best part about creating an environment for high-functioning neurodivergent students to thrive is that the same system nurtures success for neurotypical students, too! Here, students discover a place where they not only feel safe, but also learn in a way that suits them – often for the first time in their lives.
1. We Create Healing Learning Environments
Our teachers and staff put student well-being first, because we know that foundation is essential for them to achieve their personal and academic best. To achieve that:
- LHS classrooms feel like comfortable offices rather than schoolrooms. This focus on soothing lighting, physical and emotional comfort, and sound-minimizing materials shifts the paradigm from the traditional classroom model, which is a powerful experiential “shake-up” that helps your child reset and be more open to a new academic adventure.
- Maintaining a 10:1 student-to-teacher ratio means your child is truly seen, so they can be met right where they’re at. From there, we can facilitate the steps and goals required to get them where they want to go – and to achieve all they’re capable of.
- IEPs are far more than just a piece of paper with well-intentioned (but often boilerplate) “accommodations.” Our IEPs are designed with each child’s needs in mind and rooted in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), which genuinely supports individuals with cognitive, behavioral, and developmental challenges.
- Neurotypical and high-functioning neurodivergent students are often paired in workspaces, which has proven to accelerate learning for both students.
Most importantly, our employees consider this their vocation. Working at LHS stems from a calling, and while academics are certainly valuable – as are college prep and work experience pathways – our teachers consider themselves mentors, cheerleaders, and guides. This level of care is tangible to our students, enabling them to believe in themselves truly.
2. Exceptionally Innovative Training For Faculty & Staff
When working with neurodivergent teens is your passion, you can’t help but continue growing your understanding and developing innovative approaches that continue enhancing the students’ experience. We’re constantly inspired and excited to learn more, stretch further, and apply the latest research-driven strategies that help our students thrive.
To that end, Legacy High School faculty and staff consistently participate in training, conferences, and CEU opportunities to ensure we offer the very best to our student body. That level of passion and dedication on our part culminates in unrivaled, personalized learning journeys for each one of our students.
3. A Place to Finally Relax Into the Social Norm
Life is not easy for any teenager. And nobody knows the pain of watching social anxiety, fueled by bullying or simply “not fitting in,” like a parent/caregiver. It’s absolutely excruciating.
So, what a difference it is when your child finally lands in a place where they can relax and blossom in the midst of their social norm. Now, your child’s expressions, behaviors, and preferences are seen by their peers as “normal” rather than something different:
- Parallel play or studying? No problem. That works for me!
- Need to wear sound-canceling headphones? Me too! Which ones do you like the best?
- Need to talk it out before you can write it out? Tell me your story, I’ll listen.
- Your nerves are anxious today, so you’re (stimming, stony silent, fidgety, can’t find your words, etc.)? I get it. When I’m nervous, I (fill-in-the-blank).
- People said/did that to you at your old school? I had the same experience; it was hard, wasn’t it? Thank goodness we’re at LHS now!
There is something truly remarkable about seeing a group of teens (neurodivergent and neurotypical alike) in a space designed specifically for their learning experience and held by caring and expert staff. All of a sudden, a deeper, more secure, and richer social life blossoms right before your very eyes.
4. Long-View Curriculum That Builds Academic & Life Skills
Every student has his or her own path. Some are university-bound, others are heading to junior college, trade school, or are interested in transitioning directly into the workforce. For this reason, we offer a few different academic and college or career preparatory paths:
- Standard
- Honors
- Dual Enrollment (see #5)
Regardless of the path your child takes, Legacy High School recognizes that optimal autonomy is a crucial component of individual empowerment and a sense of self-worth.
We also know that a diploma only goes so far, and has very little to do with how well a student can:
- Make critical decisions.
- Regulate their emotions.
- Have a sense of the day-to-day (and long-term) planning around financial responsibility.
- Know how to problem solve.
- Self-advocate.
- Time management.
- And so on.
That’s why our specialized high school integrates real-life skills, including home skills, into the overall curriculum.
5. Year-Round Schedule That Cultivates Consistent Learning & Personal Growth
We all have a hard time with change and transitions. By maintaining a year-round school schedule, our students thrive with schedules that remain consistent.
Our students and families notice a significant difference both at home and at school because this level of consistency, combined with the routine of a complete 8:00 to 4:00 school day, develops the foundation for forward momentum, a positive growth mindset, and resiliency.
NOTE about dual enrollment: Some of our students excel in all of their subjects, or have a particular subject in which they are leagues ahead of their age or grade level. And, students should always be challenged at the edge of their learning curve, or educators are doing them a disservice. That means, by the time many students reach LHS, they may be ready to take one or more college-level courses (for transferable college credit) while still completing Florida’s graduation requirements.
For that reason, our specialized high school offers a dual enrollment pathway that allows students to be met where they are, intellectually, and develop their passion for learning and their areas of expertise.
Experience Why Legacy High School Is the Best Fit For Your Unique Teen
The team at Legacy High School, located in Melbourne, FL, is here to alleviate your stress about which high school is the best one for your neurodivergent child.
Get in touch with us to schedule a tour or to learn more about how our unique, personalized teaching and mentoring styles encourage children like yours to thrive. We promise you’ll be welcomed with open arms, and we can’t wait to show you what makes us so different.