A Parent’s Perspective on Pacific Learning Center.
I never expected when my perfect baby came into the world that he would have so many imperfect experiences. Andy was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3 and was later ‘upgraded” to Asperger’s when he was 8. Most of elementary school he survived although he was always on the outside of any social circle. We had parents ‘unaccept” invitations to Andy’s birthday when they found out their child had a classmate who was autistic. He was lonely and so were we, but he had some good teachers and he made it through.
Middle School became a nightmare. It was very difficult for Andy to complete the work assigned, especially when he felt a teacher was inflexible. He ended up failing 8th grade math, partly because his teacher would not give him the time he needed (longer than other kids) to finish tests. Another student accused Andy of “stalking” her when his crime was being in the same place she was with her friends when he didn’t have any friends to hang with.
Things got worse and worse and he grew less and less able to handle the stress. Once he smashed the screen on his laptop in a fit of anger and frustration. I watched a student push him into the driveway when I was picking him up from school. The meds we tried on the recommendation of his psychiatrist made him sick at school to the point that an ambulance had to be called. Sad to say he had almost no allies other than a kind Assistant Principal and caring special education teacher. He expressed suicide ideation.
Knowing that eight grade was the time when his older brother with Asperger’s fell apart, we were desperate to find some place where he could stop his descent. As a special education teacher, myself, I had heard from one of my families about Pacific Learning Center as a place where Andy might find safety. He was desperately lonely, unhappy and unsuccessful. The day I went to see the school and saw all the other kids who were very much like my Andy, happy, successful included, I thought I had found an answer. Although Andy was suspicious of any change, he agreed to try the school when he found out that the Principal, Dan Hansen, shared his enthusiasm for electric guitars.
From the minute Andy enrolled at PLC I felt like he was safe. No one was going to judge him for being autistic. In fact the issues other students were experiencing were a lot like his. He quickly turned from hating his teachers to loving them, especially Ms. Curtner his English teacher who clearly, “got him.” He went from being a wild, unloved outsider to a tame, accepted part of the group. I would go into the school to pick him up and invariably one of the teachers would say to me “I just love your son.” “You do?” was all I could say. This feeling of respect was something he hadn’t had since he had a remarkable teacher in 3rd grade. And he began smiling again, something he had stopped doing several years before.
In my opinion, Pacific Learning Center has done miracles for my son. He has been able to work at his own pace and spend some time studying some of his own passions. The school has been both rigorous and flexible in its expectations depending on his skill areas and interests. It has provided a true loving environment for his growth. I think the best word I would use to describe the school is that it has been a place of great healing for my son. He has loved being honored for who he is: a clever kid who thinks outside of the box. And I have never seen such a patient group of teachers!
Andy went back to the traditional school setting after a year at PLC. While it was hard for him to make the transition from a school of 60 to a school of 1900, he was frankly a different kid. Gone was the chip on his shoulder and the feeling that no one cared about him. Even though he was going to a school where he only knew one he had a different feeling about himself. He felt valued. Because of this he has weathered the transition very well. We have told him that he has the option to spend some time each week at PLC if he needs to. In fact, Dan Hanson told us that they would do "whatever they needed to do to make it work." And it really helped to know that.
But Andy has gone on to a new phase in his life. Although he only takes one special education class (an organization class) his grades are all "As" and "Bs." He would like to go to a 4 year university right out of high school and he is doing all the right things to get there.
This is a child whom we were told should be in a sheltered workshop. Now we are wondering about his going to college in another state. Andy would like to work in electronic media. He has dreams which I feel sure he will achieve. But the difference has been the whole healing year he has had at PLC. Having had the experience of being respected and cared about for who he is, has helped him to once again care about and believe in himself and his future.
I would encourage other parents whose children are struggling in traditional schools to look at the healing atmosphere at Pacific Learning Center. I believe that Andy’s time there will be the pivotal experience in his life’s successes.
Jan Maxson