BLOOM360 LEARNING COMMUNITY INC

DAY SCHOOL & ROOTS PROGRAMSTHIS PAST YEAR MARKED THE EIGHTH ACADEMIC YEAR FOR OUR UNIQUE DAY SCHOOL THAT PROVIDES A DEVELOPMENTALLY BASED, WHOLE-PERSON FOCUSED PROGRAM FOR NEURODIVERGENT LEARNERS (STUDENTS) AGES 5-21 WHO DO BEST IN A SMALLER, SENSORY-FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT WITH PACING THAT IS ALIGNED WITH THEIR NEEDS. AND, OUR ROOTS PROGRAM, A PART-TIME OFFERING FOR NEURODIVERGENT LEARNERS AGES 5 YOUNG ADULT WHO ARE HOMESCHOOLED, OR ALREADY COMPLETED ANOTHER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, BUT BENEFIT FROM THE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES AND HIGHLY EXPERIENCED AND EDUCATED STAFF WHO SUPPORT WHOLE-PERSON GROWTH. OUR MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM INCLUDES SPECIAL AND REGULAR EDUCATION, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, MUSIC THERAPY AND SOCIAL WORK. THE BLOOM360 DAY SCHOOL EDUCATION MODEL TRACKS WITH COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS FOR ACADEMIC SCOPE AND SEQUENCE, BUT PACES WITH LEARNERS BY FOCUSING ON BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, HARNESSING STRENGTHS AND INCORPORATING THE FIVE KEY AREAS OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT: EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, BODY, SPIRIT (JOY & PURPOSE) AND MIND TO SUPPORT LEARNERS IN ALL ASPECTS OF THEIR GROWTH. THE ROOTS PROGRAM LEARNERS ARE INTEGRATED WITH THE DAY SCHOOL LEARNERS AND BENEFIT FROM THE WHOLE-PERSON APPROACH, WITH THE DIFFERENTIATOR BEING THAT BLOOM360 IS NOT THEIR SCHOOL OF RECORD FOR ACADEMICS. THE UNIQUE PROJECT-BASED LEARNING APPROACH FOR ALL LEARNERS INCLUDES LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE SCHOOL'S MAKERS SPACE, SENSORY GYM, MUSIC THERAPY PROGRAM, THEATRE PROGRAM, AND FULL KITCHEN AND FIELD TRIPS TO THERAPEUTIC HORSEBACK RIDING CENTER, EAST TROY COMMUNITY CENTER AND OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES. IN THEIR EIGHTH ACADEMIC YEAR (2024-2025), LEARNERS MET 90 COMMON CORE STANDARDS, COMPLETED 18 INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS, 12 SMALL GROUP PROJECTS AND 6 SCHOOL-WIDE PROJECTS. THIS IS A 48% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF COMMON CORE STANDARDS COMPLETED OVER THE PRIOR YEAR. AN EXAMPLE OF AN INDIVIDUAL PROJECT IS THE MUSIC STYLES PROJECT. ONE LEARNER IS HIGHLY ENERGIZED BY MUSIC, DANCING AND SINGING AND SHE HAS A WIDE RANGE OF MUSIC STYLES SHE ENJOYS. OUR LEARNING GUIDES HELPED HER CREATE A MUSIC STYLES PROJECT BOARD WHICH CULMINATED IN A PRESENTATION TO HER PEERS AND STAFF. HER PRESENTATION INVOLVED PLAYING SNIPPETS OF EACH MUSIC GROUP AND THEN ALL JOINING IN ON THE CHICKEN DANCE! AN EXAMPLE OF A GROUP PROJECT INCLUDED A SUPERHERO THEMED PROJECT IN THE LEARNING STUDIO WHERE FOUR LEARNERS TOOK THE VIA YOUTH CHARACTER STRENGTH SURVEY, A 98-QUESTION SURVEY, WHICH GAVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BEST PARTS OF THEMSELVES, THAT IS THEIR INNATE SUPERPOWERS THAT ARE THEIR CHARACTER STRENGTHS. ONCE COMPLETE, THE LEARNERS CREATED A CHARACTER STRENGTH TREE THAT DISPLAYS EACH OF THEIR OWN STRENGTHS AS DIFFERENT COLORED LEAVES THAT ARE PART OF THE OVERALL BRANCHES OF THE COMMUNITY TREE IN THE CLASSROOM. THE NEXT ACTIVITY INVOLVED MAKING A SUPERHERO CAPE THAT DISPLAYED THEIR TOP FIVE SUPERPOWERS. SCHOOL-WIDE PROJECTS INCLUDED CREATING AND PERFORMING IN TWO MUSIC SHOWCASE EVENTS THAT WERE PREPARED WITH THE MUSIC THERAPIST AND PERFORMED FOR PARENTS AND SPECIAL GUESTS. EACH LEARNER PARTICIPATED IN A WAY THAT WORKED BEST FOR THEM. THE LEARNERS WORKED TOGETHER TO CHOOSE A THEME, AND DESIGNED THE PROPS, AND ALL PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. THE PERFORMANCES INCLUDED SINGING, DANCING, AND PLAYING INSTRUMENTS. LEARNERS ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY SERVICE ANOTHER GOOD EXAMPLE OF A SCHOOL-WIDE PROJECT. THE HOLIDAY ELVES PROJECT IS OUR HOLIDAY COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT AND WAS LED BY THE LEARNER COUNCIL. LEARNERS COLLECT MONETARY DONATIONS AND THEN SHOP FOR GIFTS FOR THREE CHILDREN FROM A FAMILY FROM WALWORTH COUNTY WHO HAVE A FINANCIAL NEED. OUR LEARNERS THEN DELIVERED THE GIFTS TO THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION COLLECTING THE GIFTS. IN THE MAKERSPACE, LEARNERS ARE UTILIZING THEIR TEAMWORK TO SOLVE STEM CHALLENGES THAT REQUIRE PLANNING AND DESIGN. LEARNERS ARE ASKED TO MAKE A PLAN BEFOREHAND (DRAW A PICTURE OF HOW YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO SOLVE THIS CHALLENGE), LIST MATERIALS NEEDED, IMAGINE HOW TO COMPLETE THE TASK. AFTER THE CHALLENGE, THEY COMPLETE A REFLECTION SHEET ASKING ABOUT WHAT WORKED WELL DURING THE CHALLENGE; WHAT DIDN'T WORK; AND HOW COULD YOU DO IT BETTER NEXT TIME. THEY HAVE ALSO COMPLETED SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS WHILE IN THE MAKERSPACE AND HAVE USED PARTS OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD SUCH AS OBSERVATION AND A HYPOTHESIS (PREDICTIONS).LEARNERS AVERAGED 16% ANNUAL GROWTH ON THE SEVEN-POINT SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL GROWTH SCALE TOWARD MASTERY OF THEIR INDIVIDUALIZED GOALS (E.G., SELF-REGULATION, DECISION MAKING, SELF-AWARENESS, LEADERSHIP, PERSPECTIVE TAKING, ETC.). LEARNERS ACHIEVED A COLLECTIVE 3.74 IN THEIR ACADEMICS (SOCIAL STUDIES, SCIENCE, LANGUAGE ARTS AND MATH) IN THEIR INDIVIDUALIZED DEVELOPMENTAL LEARNING PLANS (DLP) AS MEASURED BY THE FOUR-POINT SCALE OF UNDERSTANDING: 1. INTRODUCTORY, 2. EMERGING, 3. PARTIAL AND 4. CONFIDENT. LEARNERS ACHIEVED 16% GROWTH TOWARD THEIR INDIVIDUAL LIFE SKILLS GOALS. THIS INCLUDES THINGS LIKE SELF-CARE, MEAL PREP, VOCATIONAL TRAINING, INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS AND PERSONAL FINANCE. BLOOM360 HAD ITS SECOND HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS PROGRAM YEAR. THE LEARNER COMPLETED THE WISCONSIN STATE REQUIREMENTS TO RECEIVE A FULL HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. THE LEARNER WILL PARTICIPATE IN BLOOM360'S NEW BIZPATH PROGRAM IN FALL. OUR COLLEGE FIELDWORK PROGRAM CONTINUES TO EXPAND AND INCLUDED FOUR COLLEGE INTERNS DURING THE YEAR. COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN THE FIELDS OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, SOCIAL WORK AND MUSIC THERAPY ARE WELCOMED TO BLOOM360 FOR A ROBUST AND INNOVATIVE FIELDWORK PLACEMENT. CURRENT FIELDWORK PROGRAMS ARE WITH ALVERNO COLLEGE, BRYANT & STRATTON COLLEGE, MILWAUKEE AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE (MATC), MOUNT MARY UNIVERSITY AND UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN MADISON. THE INTERNS BENEFIT FROM BLOOM360'S MULTI-DISCIPLINARY STAFF, HAVING WEEKLY MENTORING SESSIONS AND WORKING WITH THE LEARNERS. SINCE THE PROGRAM STARTED IN 2020, 21 INTERNS HAVE COMPLETED MORE THAN 4,700 FIELDWORK HOURS. AS BLOOM360 STRIVES TO REDEFINE SPECIAL EDUCATION TO BETTER MEET THE NEEDS OF NEURODIVERGENT LEARNERS, IT IS VITAL TO HELP BUILD AWARENESS AND EXPAND THE SKILLS OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF EDUCATORS AND THERAPISTS.COMMUNITY LEARNING LABOUR TEAM CONDUCTED COMMUNITY-BASED TRAINING INCLUDING FIVE WORKSHOPS AND TWO VIRTUAL LUNCH AND LEARNS. THIS TRAINING SUPPORTED 145 PARENTS, EDUCATORS, AND ADULT CAREGIVERS WHO SUPPORT NEURODIVERGENT INDIVIDUALS. BLOOM360 ALSO FACILITATES A MONTHLY PARENT SUPPORT GROUP WITH 50 ATTENDEES DURING THE YEAR.- THE TWO LUNCH AND LEARN SESSIONS HELPED FAMILIES TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AND NAVIGATE THE COMPLEX LANDSCAPE OF WISCONSIN'S SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES. THE PROGRAM INCLUDED OVERVIEWS OF THE CHILDREN'S LONG-TERM SUPPORT WAIVER PROGRAM AND THE KATIE BECKETT PROGRAM AS WELL AS LONG-TERM CARE AND EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT OPTIONS FOR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS. FAMILIES GAINED CONFIDENCE NAVIGATING WISCONSIN'S DISABILITY SUPPORT PROGRAMS. THEY ALSO INCREASED THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND BENEFITS AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS. AND THEY LEARNED STRATEGIES TO ADVOCATE EFFECTIVELY AND HOW TO OVERCOME COMMON BARRIERS WITHIN THESE SYSTEMS TO ENSURE THEIR CHILDREN OR YOUNG ADULTS HAVE ACCESS TO NECESSARY SERVICES.- THE WORKSHOPS TITLED, SENSORY PROCESSING AND BIG EMOTIONS, SHARE INFORMATION NOT OTHERWISE AVAILABLE IN SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN. THIS INFORMATION IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS OF NEURODIVERGENT INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE THEY OFTEN HAVE MULTIPLE DISORDERS AND DELAYS ALONG WITH SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER. THIS CAN MAKE PARENTING EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND NOT FIT ANY CONVENTIONAL METHODS AVAILABLE TO PARENTS. THE BIG EMOTIONS SECTION OF THE WORKSHOP INCLUDES INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO HELP PREVENT OR EASE THEIR CHILD'S SENSORY SYSTEM FROM BEING OVERWHELMED BY PROVIDING SUPPORT BOTH BEFORE AND DURING THE TIME OF OVERWHELM. PARENT FEEDBACK FROM THE WORKSHOPS REINFORCES THE NEED TO HOST MORE OF THEM. ONE MOTHER WHO ATTENDED SHARED: "EVERYTHING CHANGED AFTER THE WORKSHOP. FOR THE FIRST TIME I LEARNED WHAT SENSORY PROCESSING IS AND HOW AUTISTIC KIDS CAN HAVE SENSORY PROCESSING ISSUES, THAT BEHAVIOR IS COMMUNICATION (NOT DEFIANCE), AND THAT OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY COULD HELP WITH SENSORY INTEGRATION. I ALSO LEARNED ABOUT SOCIAL EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, CO-REGULATION, AND CALMING STRATEGIES TO WORK THROUGH THE MELTDOWNS. ALTOGETHER THIS IS HELPING US BUILD A BRIDGE WITH HER, NOT ONLY TO COMMUNICATE WITH HER AND UNDERSTAND HER BUT FOR HER TO CROSS FROM LONELINESS AND ISOLATION TO CONNECTEDNESS. THE CHANGE IN OUR FAMILY LIFE IN THAT BRIEF TIME IS A NIGHT AND DAY DIFFERENCE. I HAVE HOPE FOR THE FUTURE."THE LONG-TERM OVERALL GOAL AT BLOOM360 LEARNING COMMUNITY IS TO EQUIP LEARNERS TO BE PREPARED FOR INTERNSHIPS, COLLEGE, MILITARY SERVICE, WORK AND IMPORTANTLY, BEING A WELL-ADJUSTED, CONTRIBUTING MEMBER OF THEIR COMMUNITY.