Our Approach

The Orchid Way: Your Path to Life-Changing Outcomes

“The Orchid Way” is more than a philosophy; it is a commitment to you and your family.

At Orchid Academy, we understand the challenges of an autism diagnosis and manage various therapies. The "Orchid Way" is our dedicated approach to supporting not just your child but your entire family.

Our team is here to guide you, ensuring life-changing outcomes by listening to your insights and tailoring our programs to fit your family dynamics. We create an environment where your child can thrive and fully engage in family life and the community.

"The Orchid Way" encompasses the following core values: utilizing Today’s ABA, providing Trauma-Informed Care, creating welcoming environments, sparking joy, empowering relationships, teaching the family, equipping you with tools, building a reliable team, and growing continuously and consistently, all supported by caring owners.

The Orchid Promise

At Orchid Academy, we believe in providing personalized, transparent, and empowering care for children with autism and their families. Our approach, grounded in The Orchid Way, ensures that every child's unique needs are met with compassion and expertise. Join us as we partner with you to create a brighter future for your loved one.

Our Promise:

  • We tailor our approach to your child’s unique needs for optimal development and growth.

  • We keep you informed every step of the way, fostering trust and collaboration.

  • We equip you with knowledge and resources to support your child effectively at home and in community settings.

  • We partner with you in every decision, respecting your input and preferences.

  • We commit to ongoing evaluation and enhancement of our services, ensuring the highest quality of care.

Our Services

  • Full-Time

    Dive into our Full-Day Program for an immersive educational experience designed to maximize learning and development through intensive support and a broad curriculum, accelerating progress toward transformative outcomes.

  • Part-Time

    The perfect starting point for families new to our approach, offering a flexible educational experience. As families witness the life-changing outcomes, many choose to transition to our Full-Day Program, confident in the greater benefits that await.

  • In-Home

    Ideal for clients beginning their journey with us, our In-Home/Community Services provide a comfortable and familiar setting to start building foundational skills. Tailored to each learner's individual needs, this option focuses on direct skill development.

  • After School

    Enrich your child’s after-school hours with our program focusing on social skills, academic support, and recreational activities, fostering a well-rounded development in a structured yet fun environment.

Choose Your Perfect Fit Program

Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA)

We like to think of ABA as a toolbox, and we have extensive experience knowing which tools to use and when. The good news is that many parents and skilled teachers are already using utilizing ABA strategies. Have you ever

  • Told a child to do something before earning a reward?

  • Waited for a child to say “please” before giving them what they wanted?

  • Written out a schedule for your child’s morning or daily routine?

These are all ABA strategies.

At Orchid, we have a team of experts ready to help you and your child achieve greatness through out strategic programs. We will work together to:

  1. Set GOALS

  2. Track progress daily

  3. Celebrate victories

  4. Quickly move on to the next goal

  5. Teach parents all about our tools and strategies

 

What makes Orchid Academy different?

While many ABA service providers focus on behavior, Orchid Academy focuses on all behaviors such as literacy, communication, fine motor, math and social skills.

We have seen how academic goals lead to improvements in problem behavior as children can better engage in school and community settings. ​We believe in blending the most researched-based strategies and curriculum to improve outcomes for all of our students.

 

  • Traditional literacy approaches are often linear, moving from letter identification to letter sounds, etc. We believe in exposing all of our clients to many aspects of literacy, from letters to phonemic awareness to beginner-level books.

    We have found that each child accesses literacy differently, and we support and work hard to build upon their interests. We have had clients with severe problem behavior make huge gains once they were able to read. ​

  • The key to preventing problem behavior is to give children the ability to communicate. We use a mix of Picture Exchange Communicate System (PECS) and an iPad program called Proloqo2Go to promote communication skills.

  • We have frequently been called into classrooms to observe problem behavior in typically developing children. Teachers have often said that math was the child's "trigger." Upon observation, we have frequently discovered that it wasn't math that caused the problem, but when students were asked to write out how they came to a solution that the behavior erupted.

    Writing is challenging for children with autism who often have low muscle tone. We prioritize helping children develop fine motor skills that allow them to zip their coat, correctly grasp a writing utensil and so much more.

  • We are always pushing children to develop math skills, as many of our clients enjoy math and it's an area where they can feel successful.

    For example, while not exactly math, telling time is critical to preventing problem behavior. We teach children as young as three to tell time because they then have a better understanding of when work is done and play begins.

    Children with autism (and typically developing children) do well with schedules and routines, so we give them the keys to the kingdom when they can tell time.

What might an ABA session look like?

A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) who has gone through extensive behavioral education, training and testing will meet with your family, and evaluate your child's strengths and areas for growth. They will then collaborate with you and other providers to write a behavior plan that increases your child’s adaptability in their current environments as well as teach skills that will allow them to function in less-restrictive environments. A Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) will work with your child throughout the week in teaching skills while receiving supervision from the BCBA.

ABA will look different for every family based on specific needs, the child’s age and the setting in which services are provided. Your therapist may work with your child at home, at school, or in the community. Therapists may work at a table or on the floor, teach age-appropriate chores around the home, provide academic support at school, or accompany you to community outings in which difficult behavior occurs.

 

Is ABA for you?

Some things to consider to determine if ABA and Orchid Academy is a good choice for your family:

  • Do you ever avoid going to places or events because you’re worried it might be too difficult?

  • Is your child falling behind developmentally in the areas of communication, social and/or emotional skills, adaptive or academic skills?

  • Are you experiencing difficulty in your family life due to your child’s behaviors?

  • Is your child’s behavior impacting their ability to learn at school?