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home / Business
Rise and Shine: Exceptional services for exceptional students
John Stapleton
Friday, August 10, 2012
Now entering its second year, The Rise and Shine Exceptional Services, a local school that provides educational services to both special needs and gifted students, has added a before and after school program. This program is open to all special needs children, even those who attend Maricopa Unified, Sequoia Pathway, and Legacy.
Parents who enroll their children into the program will be able to drop them before school, and busing services will be provided. MUSD children will also be allowed to come early Wednesday during the district’s regular half-day schedule.
“We are allowing parents to maintain their schedule and we will be doing rigorous intervention after school for up to four hours per day, all at no cost to the parents,” said Desiree Truett, founder of the school. Truett also said pre-school and kindergartners will be eligible for the program to supplement their education. It’s a ‘big step’ for the school and their program.
In addition, the school has partnered with the City of Maricopa’s Parks and Recreation for their special needs classes. Rise and Shine will host cheer, cooking, yoga, karate, music, and theater on Wednesday afternoon. It is also open to public school students; each course is a six-week class.
Truett started Rise and Shine based on a home school model. It currently educates 20 students from severely disabled to exceptionally gifted. It is private, but Truett says the school works with parents to obtain grants and scholarships. However, even if parents are unable to receive the resources, Truett says the school will continue working with the child since the school also relies on community support and donations.
“Our little school should need $250,000 to maintain our current program per year and we are running on less than half of that,” Truett reported.
“We are serving the most underserved children in our community using groundbreaking techniques and strategies and best practices -- an essential need in our community, not a luxury.”
It is Truett’s hope the new services will increase awareness for the school and their financial needs.
“I'm surrounded by angels and I witness a miracle almost every day,” said Truett.
“I work around the clock, but Rise and Shine has absolutely no debt and I will continue to volunteer as long as the community needs the service. Our community has continually stepped up to the plate, over and over, but there are still a lot of people who don't even know we exist.”
Rise and Shine Exceptional Services is located at 16540 N. Porter Road in Maricopa. To contact the school about their programs, call (480) 201-8987.
For additional information or to make a donation, e-mail Desiree Truett at desireetruett@riseandshineservies.org.
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Received from Rise and Shine Exceptional Services / CopaNews.com
Smiling faces are a reflection of the atmosphere at Rise and Shine.
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