Focus Academy offers comfortable learning setting for students with developmental disabilities

TAMPA, Fla. - Without proper resources, students with developmental disabilities can often be at a disadvantage inside a classroom.

But, in Hillsborough County, a public charter school called Focus Academy has worked to change that.

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All students who attend middle and high school programs at their Temple Terrace campus have intellectual or developmental disabilities; about 60% have an autism diagnosis.

The school was opened in 2013 by parents who either had backgrounds in mental health training, or their own children had intellectual disabilities. Starting with 26 students, they now have about 130 enrolled.

Loretta Gallo-Lopez, a founding member and Focus Academy's clinical Director, told FOX 13 that they wanted an alternative to what was already out there: A place where these students can feel a sense of belonging.

"All of our families have chosen this school specifically, because of some of the things that we offer," Gallo-Lopez added.

Each morning begins with a massive group meeting in an all-purpose room. There, they practice daily affirmations, tell jokes, and start the day off on a positive note.

While they learn typical lessons like math, reading, and technology in the classroom, many classes are also centered around teaching students how to better express themselves, interact with their peers, and create long-lasting friendships. 

One of those classes is drama therapy.

"We use drama as a form of therapeutic intervention," Gallo-Lopez stressed. "It gives them an opportunity to really engage in what we call reciprocity, that back and forth of not just conversation but interaction. They're learning to communicate, they're developing friendships, and those things are the things that help them to manage some of the stressors that, in other environments, might have led to significant behaviors."

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Nearly all of Focus Academy's teachers and educational assistants have mental health counseling backgrounds. The school also has an internship program through USF's Department of Counseling.

Like everyday schools, students look forward to field trips, being outdoors, going to prom, and much more. 

"We learn new things here; it's amazing here," said student Awad Khan. 

"I like having fun with my friends and going outside," added Baltazar Calafell.

"I like the fact that we have plays and talent shows," said Azir Evans.

The support doesn't stop once they graduate. Students who went to Focus Academy, as well as other young adults in the community, can enroll in a separate 'Focus Forward' transition program.

This is where they learn skills like working with others, time management, and following directions, and use them in training programs or jobs where they are placed out across Tampa Bay. 

Focus Academy currently shares a campus with a local church in Temple Terrace, so Loretta and her staff are hoping to expand to their own building in the next couple of years. They also hope to see more schools like this across Florida. 

"It's very exciting, first of all, because it just feels like we've found some things that really work," Gallo-Lopez said. "Very often you don't get to see young people over a long period of time and see that growth and development, and here we get to see that."

She added that the best part of it all is seeing her students make friendships that go beyond Focus Academy because just about all the students have come from a place where they were once bullied. 

Since it is a public charter school, Focus Academy has students aside from Hillsborough. They are currently enrolling for the fall semester and take transfer students as well. 

To learn more about it, click here.