142: A Visionary Approach to Autism Education

Shrub Oak International School is a private, coeducational, therapeutic day and boarding school for students ages 8-30 on the autism spectrum who face complex challenges and have high personal attention needs.

Located on 127 acres of rolling, wooded hills approximately 30 minutes north of New York City, Shrub Oak offers unparalleled educational opportunities for students in a family-centric, supportive environment. Classrooms are equipped with state-of-the art technology, and our curriculum is based on the most advanced and successful evidence-based clinical and academic approaches in ASD education.

The mission of Shrub Oak International School is to improve the lives of children, adolescents, and young adults on the autism spectrum. We help our students form positive relationships through individualized strength-based and passion-based learning, and equip them with the tools they need to develop friendships, navigate their communities, and maximize their potential. Our singular focus is each student’s success and happiness.

I chat to Director of Education - Caitlin Sweetapple

Caitlin Sweetapple has been working with students on the autism spectrum for over 10 years. Caitlin is one of the founding teachers at Shrub Oak International School and is ecstatic about her new role as Director of Education. Her mission has been simple; foster positive relationships with students, in order to lead them into a lifetime of learning and success.

Caitlin has taught students aged 3-21 years old in various special education settings. She has also taught undergraduate courses at her alma mater, Manhattan College. Caitlin received her Master’s Degree in Belgium from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, where she had extensive training from some of the top leaders in the field of special education and adapted physical education.

Caitlin is Developmental Individual-Differences Relationship-based model (DIR) certified, a Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) Trainer and a certified Water Safety Instructor (WSI). She is currently a Doctoral Candidate at Molloy College, studying Educational Leadership for Diverse Learning Communities.

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‘Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire’

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The National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. This includes parents, teachers, governors and all those interested in primary education. NAPE is a non-political charity and works tirelessly to support teachers in the classroom. NAPE leads the Primary Umbrella Group of thirty primary subject associations and unions and gives teachers and schools a voice at governmental level at consultative meetings with ministers for schools.

For full details of how they can support you please visit their website at nape.org.uk