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A brighter future
With over 52 years in continuous service , Stepping Stone has become more than just a school for special needs children ; it has become a comprehensive service provider to people with developmental / intellectual disabilities and their families in the greater Crawford County area .
Every child can and does learn ! Children at Stepping Stone School , are nurtured , taught and loved well by caring therapists and competent teachers . Parents and teachers work together to help these little ones face their unimaginable challenges with courage and determination . Many
96 also face the challenge of coming from financially disadvantaged homes . While this may limit their access to some of the big pay institutions , nothing limits their access to the school with the most effective program in Arkansas .
Stepping Stone ’ s Therapeutic Preschool is the only nonprofit , full-time school of its kind in the area . They offer educational training , a full array of nursing services , speech therapy , occupational therapy , physical therapy and behavior management , as well as family case management and training . Their Infant Care Program ,
for ages 6 months to 2 years , serves at-risk infants due to premature birth or low-birth weight as well as those born with Down syndrome or other developmental disorders . This represents an opportunity to begin meeting the needs of children at the earliest possible time , thereby eliminating or significantly reducing their risk for later developmental difficulties .
Today , Stepping Stone provides services to around 275 children on their beautiful Alma campus . These are children that deserve the same opportunities offered to all children . Opportunities to dream , learn , laugh and play .
With 90 % of brain development occurring in the first five years of life , early assessment and intervention is critical . Parents , educators and therapists certainly have their work cut out for them .
Stepping Stone leads success results in the state of Arkansas . Research shows an average of 8 % of children transitioning from similar programs in Arkansas require full-day special education classes . Last year , less than 1 % of children who transitioned from Stepping Stone School required full-day special education classes in their public school . This low percentage places them in the top percentile of effectiveness in the entire nation .
The staff at Stepping Stone recognizes the importance of their work and the role they play in the development of each student . As a result , they have completed over 900 hours of educational training during this school year alone – a phenomenal accomplishment given the Department of Human
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