School is an environment that is supposed to enable choices, accessibility, and options to all persons in search of quality of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Unfortunately, this inalienable right has all but been abolished for people with disabilities. Out of this inequality, The Movement School was established.
It is our mission to provide children living with non-degenerative disabilities the necessary tools to maximize their potential by improving their maturity and strength of character, developing lifetime learners and innovative thinkers while preventing further movement dysfunction and complications due to immobility.
Numerous studies confirm that physical activity has a positive impact on cognitive function. In other words, exercise is the single most powerful tool you have to optimize your brain function. While most schools provide physically disabled children with two 30-minute sessions of physical activity per week, The Movement School incorporates physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy into all daily classroom activities, giving children more than the necessary 15 hours of therapy a week needed to make progress towards independence.
The daily routine provides students with structure and continuity. Students arrive at school and leave their wheelchair at the door. They’re active participation in toilet training, transfers and walking are just as integral part of their day as the academics.
By observing the children’s cognitive and developmental needs regularly, we can prepare better guidelines to develop the appropriate tasks to meet the needs of the individual child. We work with your children rigorously five days a week but we always encourage parents to continue the progress at home. We will provide you with the necessary information so your child can succeed and have a greater quality of life in and outside of the classroom.
Many consider therapy to be more of an extracurricular activity when in fact therapy for children with disabilities is the core foundation to which all other movement and learning stems from. The act of eating, feeding, sitting, walking and talking are made possible by the integration of all body systems working together but those skills are only achievable by the inclusion of muscle and nerves coordinating to link together to make the skill feasible. Ultimately, it is not the disability that is the culprit of movement dysfunction but rather the act of non-movement itself.
The Movement School is the first K-12 school to incorporate multiple aspects of therapy and academics based on the science of movement development. We recognize that all children and their disabilities are different therefore every chosen exercise, activity and academic curriculum is specifically designed for the individual child. We utilize a multitude of techniques and equipment including the Therasuit and Universal Exercise Unit, NDT techniques, E-Stim and other modalities. The school day fully incorporates the child as a whole with the focus on achieving the greatest possible functional outcome.
