Victory Academy

Programs: For the 16-17 school year, there were 64 students in nine classrooms, ranging from ages 3(preschool) through age 16 (grade 9)--all affected by autism. A student's classroom placement at victory is not based on age and grade level. While the consideration of these factors are included, other determining factors include academics, executive functioning skills, social and emotional regulation, and independence. This year when victory added the first high school class, students' placement into this classroom also included the goal of obtaining a diploma or modified diploma within five years. Within three years, victory anticipates reaching its enrollment target not to exceed 85 students, serving students with autism from age 3 through 21, preschool through high school. The following are victory's values that support the mission: 1) innovative teaching: victory's highly qualified staff offers a loving and nurturing educational environment, based on both structure and playful engagement. They strive to teach academics, language and communication, social cognition, and self-determination through innovative techniques and best practices; 2) joyful learning: victory values proven, research-based therapies and the individualization of academic curriculum and incorporates these strategies into a student's customized learning plan. Victory also honors the natural affinities of the child, marrying the child's interests with project-based learning; 3) purposeful communication: victory focuses on the language and communication development of all students, differentiating techniques to ensure effective communication strategies for all (expressive speech, written, augmentative devices, typing and visual systems); 4) reciprocal relationships: victory encourages the development of relationships through the teaching of varied communication strategies and a continuum of social cognition skills; the end goal is student engagement with their peers, family, teachers and community members; 5) sensory focused: victory employs sensory integration techniques to lead students to the independent self-monitoring of their own sensory systems and related needs. Victory believes that sensory regulation plays a key role in student success, both academic and otherwise; 6) social cognition emphasis: victory promotes the development of social skills, theory of mind, and social cognition through diverse strategies and a robust curriculum that can be applied across various environments; 7) victorious progress for all: victory believes in the endless potential of every child and celebrates all achievements and victories. Victory is dedicated to the education of oregon's children impacted by autism.