WELCOME! We have several services we provide for students with special needs. Below is information on our Ohio Autism Program. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us. We would love the chance to talk with you and see what we can provide for your child. 

Ohio Autism Scholarship Program (Preschool - 12th grade)

If your child has been diagnosed on the autism spectrum and has a current Individualized Educational Plan (IEP), they may be eligible for the Ohio Autism Scholarship Program.  However, at this time, we are only able to service children that are on the higher-functioning end of the spectrum and are able to be mainstreamed for the majority of their classes.

Heartland has a highly-qualified Intervention Specialist, Speech and Language Therapist and an Occupational Therapist, as well as Tutors that will be available to work directly with your child as required by his/her IEP. Your child will be given support with organization, homework assignments, note-taking, study skills, social skills, etc., while also receiving a quality, Christian education with other students in his/her grade level.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Must have a medical diagnosis on the autism spectrum.
• Must be on the higher-functioning end of the spectrum and be able to be mainstreamed for most academic classes.
• Must have an IEP from the school district in which you reside.

What You Will Receive:

• A quality, Christian education for your child.
• Tutoring, coaching and support as required and/or needed for your child.
• All services required by your child’s IEP. (For example: speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, social skills therapy, Individualized classroom aide, etc.)
• Teachers and specialists that care for your child on a personal level.
• One-on-one and/or small group interaction with a Tutor or Intervention Specialist.
• All accommodations and/or modifications as required by your child’s IEP.
• The same in-school activities and extra-curricular activities which are available to other Heartland students.
• Possible reduction in tuition, as allowed by the Ohio Autism Scholarship Program and based on the amount of special services required.

Contact Information: 

Kelley I. Nolan, M.A. Special Education

Ohio Autism Scholarship Program Coordinator

kelley.nolan@heartlandschool.net

Welcome! We have several services we provide for students with special needs. Below is information on our Jon Peterson Program. If you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to contact us. We would love to talk with you and see what we can provide for your child. 

Jon Peterson Scholarship Program (Kindergarten - 12th grade)

If your child has a current Individualized Educational Plan (IEP), a current Evaluation Team Report (ETR), and has a need for special services (such as: Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Individualized Tutoring, etc.), he or she may qualify for the Jon Peterson Scholarship Program offered through the State of Ohio.

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Heartland has a highly-qualified Intervention Specialist, Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist and Tutors that will be available to work directly with your child as required by his/her IEP. Your child will be given support with organization, homework assignments, note-taking, study skills, social skills, etc., while also receiving a quality, Christian education with other students in his/her grade level.

Eligibility Requirements:

1. Must have a current IEP from the school district in which you reside.
2. Must have a current Evaluation Team Report (ETR) on file with the home school district.
3. Must require special services that cannot be met by the classroom teacher alone.
4. Must be able to be mainstreamed for most academic classes.
5. Must apply for the scholarship program before the deadline dates and approval/denial comes from the State of Ohio, not from Heartland.

What You Will Receive:

1. A quality, Christian education for your child.
2. Teachers and specialists that care for your child on a personal level.
3. Tutoring and support as required and/or needed for your child.
4. One-on-one and/or small group interaction with a tutor or Intervention Specialist.
5. All services required by your child’s IEP. (For example: speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, etc.)
6. All accommodations and/or modifications as required by your child’s IEP.
7. The same in-school activities and extra-curricular activities which are available to other Heartland students.
8. Possible reduction in tuition based on amount of special services required.

Contact Kelley I. Nolan, Jon Peterson Scholarship Program Coordinator, kelley.nolan@heartlandschool.net

The Reading Intervention program at Heartland is focused on meeting the specific, individual literacy needs of each student in the school. In order to do this, children in elementary are screened three times a year using the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) Assessment. Using this data and information from service plans and IEPs, students are placed in the program. 

Some students work individually with the Intervention Specialist, and some students work in small groups with the Intervention Specialist. These meeting times are weekly, and they are scheduled with the classroom teacher so that students do not miss any essential class time. After students have been placed, the Intervention Specialist then uses a series of assessments to tailor a plan specifically for each child. 

The Orton Gillingham program dominantly guides skill work focused on phonics and its application in reading. Work on comprehension and language skills is also incorporated. This special attention allows every student to grow in their literacy skills and meet their full, God-given potential in the classroom. 

Ashley Vogel, M.A. English

Reading Intervention Teacher

The goal of the Speech Department at Heartland Christian School is to identify and provide services for children who are in need of development of their speech and language skills.  All kindergarten and first grade students and students who are new to the school are screened to determine if there is a need for further evaluation.  With the parent’s permission, a student is evaluated and services are provided.  

Therapy is provided in the areas of sound awareness and sound production, language comprehension, expressive language, and fluency.  Some of the students who receive services are on service plans or IEP’s, but this is not a requirement for a student to receive speech/language services.  Services are provided during school hours, and teachers are consulted when determining a child’s therapy time.

Julie Kimpel

Speech Therapist/Intervention Specialist

HCS Speech Department

Licensed by Ohio Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology