GIRARD ― A Girard preschool owner has opened a school for special needs students of all ages.
Exploring the Possibilities School opened this fall in the former St. John the Evangelist School on Olin Avenue in Girard. The building also houses the Little Explorers Christian Academy preschool, which accepts special needs children.
The schools are owned by Jamie Matson, a certified elementary and special education teacher previously employed by the Northwest Tri-County Intermediate Unit.
Exploring the Possibilities School is especially targeted to adults. Public school districts in Pennsylvania provide educational services to special needs students until age 21. There aren’t a lot of educational programs available to older adults, Matson said.
“There are some great programs,” including programs offered by the Barber National Institute in Erie, Matson said. “I wanted to provide services for people in the community where they live.”
Exploring the Possibilities’ first student is a 29-year-old man on the autism spectrum learning to live more independently and to contribute to the community. He earns checkmarks for having completed simple grooming and hygiene tasks and for coming to school on time and completing assigned tasks during the school day.