our students special needs
As part of realizing its mission of arts4all, CSMA has established strong partnerships with Abilities United (formerly C.A.R.), AchieveKids, the Morgan Autism Center and the Pacific Center for Autism Education (PACE) to offer art and music classes for autistic and developmentally disabled youth and young adults as well as school-age children whose cognitive and social challenges make it difficult for them to benefit from a public school setting.
Arts education can offer special opportunities and benefits to people with learning, emotional and physical disabilities:
- facilitates communication with people who have different thinking and learning patterns,
- improves attention, behavior skills, and ability to interact with others,
- enhances mood,
- provides a means for integrating into mainstream social life and community.
CSMA’s Special Needs music and art programs are funded with grant support, and offer these students “the same opportunities for learning and social development as their typical peers,” says Kurt Ohlfs, PACE executive director.
Meet two of CSMA’s most special students here:
- Jordan: “famous for my pastels” and also keen on ceramics.
- Christopher: connected at CSMA’s in-school art and music programs before taking a broad spectrum of art classes at our Finn Center campus.
“CSMA allows our students to explore creative and artful ways of engaging with the world. This improves their functioning and quality of life,” Kurt continues. “CSMA has the art and music facilities and staff capabilities that we lack,” adds Jennifer Morgan, Morgan Autism Center’s director. “And to be welcomed in a community setting Is huge!”
To learn more about how you can help support CSMA’s special needs classes, please contact CSMA's Development Department.
Arts4all means that every young person deserves the joys and benefits of an arts education! With your support, CSMA can continue to offer and grow its programs for special needs students.