Baudhuin Preschool, The Academy, & Starting Right Preschool Programs

We are proud to share that the Baudhuin Preschool, The Academy, and the Starting Right program, all part of Nova Southeastern University’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice, continue to thrive and fulfill their mission of supporting children with autism and their families through high-quality educational programming and professional preparation.

We expect to renew our agreement with Broward County Public Schools, allowing us to continue serving 120 preschoolers with autism and intensive needs. The Starting Right program remains strong in its mission to serve children under the age of three. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, three families are currently receiving scholarships, with the potential for more as interest in the program continues to grow.

We also continue to strengthen our long-standing partnership with the Broward Center for the Performing Arts (BCPA). This year, BCPA and Brazilian Voices invited our families to participate in the “Spread the Love Project,” a sensory-friendly musical experience culminating in a live performance at the Miniaci Performing Arts Center. Participating children engaged in Brazilian jazz songs and played soft percussion instruments alongside professional musicians in an inclusive, joyful atmosphere.

 

 

This year marks the start of a new and exciting partnership with the College of Psychology through the introduction of the PLAY Project—a play-based coaching intervention for families. The program offers 12 individualized sessions where parents and children work together with a PLAY coach to support development through engaging play strategies. Sessions are conveniently held on-site and scheduled to meet the needs of each family. So far, 23 families have already taken advantage of this opportunity. In addition to family participation, all staff members across our programs will receive training in the PLAY Project model.

We remain dedicated to our role as a university-wide laboratory school. Throughout the year, doctoral, graduate, and undergraduate students from various disciplines (Education, Human Services, Child Development, Applied Behavior Analysis, Speech-Language Pathology, Osteopathic Medicine, Dental Medicine, Counseling, and Physical Therapy) complete practicum and internship experiences in our programs after a competitive selection process. Notable highlights include physical therapy students leading weekly Young Athletes sessions in our gym, and dental medicine students delivering engaging small-group instruction on oral hygiene in our classrooms.

 

 

Our commitment to excellence is recognized through our ongoing certification by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and our designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care Program by the Florida Department of Education Division of Early Learning.

Together, these accomplishments and partnerships reflect our steadfast mission to provide exceptional early education and clinical experiences while preparing the next generation of professionals to work with individuals on the autism spectrum.