Celebrating 25 years! 🎊
What They Shared
Our story began in the late 90s with a group of nine people.
They came from different backgrounds with titles like teacher, metallurgical engineer, dietician, neurobiology researcher, and environmental consultant.
But what they had in common was far more powerful than any differences.
They were all parents of a child with autism.
In those days, there were no public schools focused on serving students with unique learning needs.
These parents could not accept the status quo. They knew there was a better way and they were determined to bring it to Northwest Ohio.
What They Did Next
With a vision for helping not only their children, but countless others, this group of nine parents took action.
Their first goal was to learn more about what others were doing to successfully educate and care for children with autism.
They dug through research journals, telephoned clinics, wrote letters to lawmakers, met with local providers, and hopped on airplanes to fly to distant colleges with autism programs.
Amazingly, they did all this in a pre-Google-search-engine world, while working day jobs, teaching classes, and parenting children with significant needs.
When the Vision Became a Reality
In May of 1998 the founding parents submitted their application to launch a publicly funded charter school to the state department of education. This was the first year such programs were allowed in Ohio.
Later that fall Multiple Options for Developmental and Educational Learning (M.O.D.E.L.) held its first day of classes!
The school began with less than 30 students split between four classrooms housed in what used to be commercial office space.
How Things Quickly Grew
The first year focused on serving students up to the 3rd grade. But word spread and M.O.D.E.L.’s enrollment expanded to cover K-12.
In the early 2000s, the school rented two separate spaces. One for younger grades, and one for high school aged students.
During this period, the school also launched a satellite location in Bryan (it would close some years later).
Enrollment steadily climbed and a waiting list formed. To respond to all this growth, big changes were ahead.
New Name and Location
From two dozen students and a handful of staff to over 100 students, 18 classrooms, 70+ employees, and a 50 student waiting list?
These kind of numbers called for getting everyone under one roof.
Which is what happened in the summer of 2010 when the newly re-named Autism Model Community School moved to the former site of the St. Clement Catholic School in the Trilby neighborhood of West Toledo.
A Change in Leadership
In the summer of 2021, Mary Walters, one of the school’s nine founding members, stepped down from her long-time role as director to take on new adventures.
Mary is a strong advocate for using only evidence-based practices and, during her tenure, navigated the school through growth and uncertainty (remember 2020 anyone?).
Joel Vidovic, who’d had a leadership position with the school for 10 years, stepped in as director.
He continues to guide the school today with an emphasis on building strong relationships with parents, pursuing innovative programs, and enhancing the work setting through employee feedback.
With nearly 100 students and a waiting list of 80, the demand for a caring place for students to learn and grow is stronger than ever.
Keeping shining Stars! 🌟