About West Metro
With a passion for increasing opportunities for students to learn and practice reciprocal communication and interaction skills and a background as a specialist in autism spectrum and emotional behavioral disorders, Debra Schipper started West Metro Learning Connections in June of 2001.
She began by teaching classes in Asperger Syndrome awareness, social skills for students identified with ASD and ADHD, ADHD management, and Anxiety management for children identified as "gifted and talented" in the great room of her home. Twelve students enrolled in the first six-week session. After this first session, parents encouraged Debra to add a next session immediately, and when that session ended, they asked for a next session. By August, West Metro Learning Connections was evolving into a center, primarily for children identified with ASD and ADHD, but also open to any children with social, emotional, and behavioral needs.
On March 1, 2002, West Metro Learning Connections moved to its own home at 5875 Division Street in Shorewood, Minnesota, about four miles from its original home. With a commitment to teaching in a "home" setting, the school's new location is in one half of a duplex, tucked into a wooded residential area. Children learn and play in a welcoming, warm naturalistic setting, which in itself promotes more natural and successful generalization of their new skills to other settings.
West Metro Learning Connections continues to offer classes in Asperger Syndrome Awareness, Social Skills Training, Emotional skills, and Self-Management strategies for both small groups and individuals. Components added in June of 2002 and currently held during the school year are classes and tutoring in reading, math, and other subjects with a focus on facilitating and teaching organizational skills and raising skill levels and grades. Staff communicates extensively with school staff and parents as needed and desired and works with students 1-5 times a week to complete work at their ability levels. All classes are designed around children's specific developmental levels and their individual needs. All strategies support and expand students' learning styles and skills and employ a wide variety of visual and manipulative supports and organizers.
In the spring of 2003, WMLC added facilitated outings to the curriculum. Goals included ordering, eating, tipping, and paying at restaurants, manners and behavior for bowling, pet store visits, visits to one another's homes, and above all communicating and interacting with peers in a variety of social settings. The outings expanded to day camps and "Excellent Adventures" in the summer of 2003. Just a few of the activities participants enjoyed and learned through were boating, water sports, picnics, birdhouse building, a reptile experience, horseback riding, picnics, and swimming. The summer of 2003 also brought the addition of teaching independent living and coping skills to young adults preparing for college life. This endeavor promotes the social, functional, organizational, self-advocacy, and communication skills that young adults need to maximize their successful independent living.
September 1, 2003 West Metro Learning Connections once again opened new doors, this time into 6000 square feet of the Tonka Building at 355 Second Street in Excelsior, Minnesota. With a multitude of classrooms, therapy rooms, an observation room adjoining a therapy room, a seminar area, a separate sensory room, a teaching kitchen and dining area, and lots of wonderful space for students and parents West Metro Learning Connections looks forward to collaborating with and sharing space with other professional specialists to serve students and families. For this beautiful space, Debra and her staff thank Joe Froehling, who owns the building, believes in their mission, and made this space possible for the students and families they serve.
On April 10, 2006, Debra opened a new facility in Bloomington, Minnesota providing another convenient location through which more children and young adults could
be reached. With the same passion that sparked the opening of the first center,
the Bloomington facility extended WMLC's
mission to a broader metro area enabling more individuals to reach their
potential. Jill Kuzma, Speech-Language Pathologist and ASD Specialist was the
first Director of this center. Lynn Hopwood, School Psychologist and ASD
Specialist took over for several terms, then Peggy Locke, ASD Specialist was
Interim Director. Final Director, Mark McCaghy, ASD Specialist took over
responsibility on August 27, 2007 and was at the helm until the Bloomington site
closed at the end of August 2008.
When the Bloomington site closed, we moved
the furnishings to a peaceful satellite location at a home in Savage
which is nestled in the trees on a seven acre lot. Debra
Jensen and Mark Balcerak are the lead teachers at that location.
As of December 2008,
West Metro Learning Connections' clients currently represent 22 metro area school districts
and 7 counties. Several school districts contract for extended school year
services, and county social services agencies refer clients for a variety of services. Clients currently number over
70 with over 500 clients having been served since 2001.
Debra Schipper has provided training and informational presentations to local districts and to state and national professional groups. She frequently attends IEP meetings and advocates for students needs, both for the school year and for extended school year instruction. Several well-known medical doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and other experts in autism spectrum disorders in and around the metro area recommend West Metro Learning Connections to their patients and clients.
West Metro Learning Connections is very, very thankful for all of
the community support and referrals.
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