Spiritos School

Spiritos School has taught students with autism in Powhatan since 2002. Today we serve neurodiverse children from Pre-K through 8th grade, ages 2 to 15, including students with autism and behavioral challenges, with the goal of preparing each one to move to a less restrictive setting.

Applied Behavior Analysis runs through the whole day, delivered with a trauma-assumed approach by BACB-certified behavior analysts who work alongside teachers and instructional assistants. The daily schedule mirrors a general education classroom: reading, math, social studies and science, plus P.E., music, art, library, a social skills group and daily recess. Students learn in small groups with low ratios using programs such as iReady, Reading Mastery, and Connecting Math Concepts, aligned with the Virginia SOLs and VAAP.

Speech therapy comes from our speech-language pathologists or through the placing agency, and occupational and physical therapy come from outside providers as each IEP directs. We teach daily living skills such as dressing, grooming and meal preparation, take frequent outings to stores, parks and community centers, and offer parent training with our BCBAs. VAISEF accredits Spiritos, and the school holds a state Department of Education license.