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Every parent wants their child to have the best opportunity to learn, grow, and reach their unique potential. That determination is what led a group of innovative parents and professionals to establish The Vista School®, the first school in Central Pennsylvania to exclusively meet the educational and therapeutic needs of children with autism spectrum disorder.
The Vista School is a licensed Private Academic School and an Approved Private School that provides integrated special education and behavioral health services for students ages 5 to 21 on the moderate to severe end of the autism spectrum. Our team of educators, therapists, and behavior analysts customize an ideal learning plan to help each student reach their unique potential. Behavioral health services at Vista are delivered through our Educationally Integrated Behavior Support (EIBS) program, which includes behavior consultation and direct behavior therapy services. Vista practices Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), a data-driven, evidence-based approach to teaching and evaluating socially significant skills and behaviors that will help students in their overall functioning. The Vista School also provides related services such as occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy and personal care.
Located on a beautiful 18-acre campus in Hershey, The Vista School’s state-of-the-art facilities spread across four buildings are designed to provide the best learning environment possible. Our classrooms are set up for small class sizes so that each student receives personalized attention. Sensory rooms equipped with swings, crash pads, bubble walls, and other features allow students to find a calm place to refocus when they begin to feel over-stimulated. From an indoor swimming pool to kitchenettes and a school store, our facilities enable immersive, hands-on learning experiences. Because we provide applied teaching, it’s important that the lessons taught in school translate to a student’s life outside of school. We cover skills such as shopping, cooking, and many other life skills in addition to typical education subjects.
While The Vista School is a center-based model, we offer as much wholistic support as possible for the generalization of skills to home and community environments. Vista’s unique community-based instruction (CBI) program provides students with opportunities to put their skills to use at local restaurants, grocery stores, libraries, parks, and other public places. The CBI program helps improve quality of life for students at all age levels and their entire family by promoting independence and enabling them to better engage in the community.
Parents can rest assured that all students at The Vista School ages 14 and older receive services and training designed to prepare them for post-secondary education, employment, and independent living. Our comprehensive Transition & Employment Services program guides students and their families every step of the way for a smooth transition and bright future in adulthood.
Students achieve the best outcomes when all members of a student’s care team, including Vista staff, family members, and community professionals work in cooperation. In an effort to make extraordinary strides, Vista focuses on:
At The Vista School, we strive for excellence we work hard to stay at the forefront of new techniques to improve your child’s behavior and development.Our accreditation enables us to assume the behavioral health responsibilities and adopt a new service description that significantly improves our ability to recruit and retain high-quality staff and foster a greater sense of teamwork.
Licensed Intensive Behavioral Health Services Provider (IBHS)Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS)
BACB Approved ContinuingEducation ProviderBehavior Analyst Certification Board
Find out if The Vista School is the right fit for your child.