Brendan and Stacey Ahern
Academy Homeschool Cooperative
Ahern Academy Cooperative is designed to support and supplement the homeschooling education of individuals who use AAC.
Instruction across all classes focuses on developing communication and language skills as well as social and emotional learning. We offer two classes only for Ahern Academy Students - literacy and numeracy. Other classes are also available. Please visit the. Ahern Academy Curriculum page for more information.
Our Ahern Academy classes are intended for those who homeschool. Although we have a number of students who attend through their school districts we want make it clear that we cannot and do not replace any curriculum, education, or homeschool requirements your state or district has. Caregivers are 100% responsible for ensuring they follow state and local curriculum, education and homeschooling rules and laws. This includes attendance records, assessments and progress updates.
As a homeschool cooperative our classes are meant to guide families in their homeschool instruction. Families will wish to supplement online teaching with additional reading, especially self-selected reading, independent writing, especially writing with the alphabet, math, science, social studies and life skills.
We implement use of the Zones of Regulation Program, to enable students to identify how they feel and use coping skills to remain calm, happy and focused.
The cost of membership is $1900.00 USD a trimester or $475 a month (as of 9/1/2023). Membership is limited to about 12-18 families per trimester. (Please contact us if you will be having a third party pay - prices are differentiated for families versus educational agencies or school districts.)
There is extremely limited finicial assistance available if other funding sources have been exhausted and families demonstrate need. We also sometimes use bartering with families in need for example providing administrative support, tax preparation, or website updating. Please talk to us if finances are limiting your access.
Ages welcome are 6 through young adult. Applications are on a rolling basis. There is a waiting list for seats that open.
Ahern Academy Student Profile
Ahern Academy Students Are:
Instruction across all classes focuses on developing communication and language skills as well as social and emotional learning. We offer two classes only for Ahern Academy Students - literacy and numeracy. Other classes are also available. Please visit the. Ahern Academy Curriculum page for more information.
Our Ahern Academy classes are intended for those who homeschool. Although we have a number of students who attend through their school districts we want make it clear that we cannot and do not replace any curriculum, education, or homeschool requirements your state or district has. Caregivers are 100% responsible for ensuring they follow state and local curriculum, education and homeschooling rules and laws. This includes attendance records, assessments and progress updates.
As a homeschool cooperative our classes are meant to guide families in their homeschool instruction. Families will wish to supplement online teaching with additional reading, especially self-selected reading, independent writing, especially writing with the alphabet, math, science, social studies and life skills.
We implement use of the Zones of Regulation Program, to enable students to identify how they feel and use coping skills to remain calm, happy and focused.
The cost of membership is $1900.00 USD a trimester or $475 a month (as of 9/1/2023). Membership is limited to about 12-18 families per trimester. (Please contact us if you will be having a third party pay - prices are differentiated for families versus educational agencies or school districts.)
There is extremely limited finicial assistance available if other funding sources have been exhausted and families demonstrate need. We also sometimes use bartering with families in need for example providing administrative support, tax preparation, or website updating. Please talk to us if finances are limiting your access.
Ages welcome are 6 through young adult. Applications are on a rolling basis. There is a waiting list for seats that open.
Ahern Academy Student Profile
Ahern Academy Students Are:
- Ages 6+
- Alternative and Augmentative Communication Users with access to a robust communication system (even if they can’t use it yet)
- An adult who can be with them in class to act as an engaged learning and accessibility coach
- Available to attend all Ahern Academy classes, absences severely limit progress and excessive absences prevent another, more available student from attending. Exceptions are, of course, made for medical and other reasons. Please keep in touch with us if you have any attendance concerns. We must at least hear from every family weekly explaining why they are not attending or they will be dropped from the class list.
- Have an additional diagnosis of developmental or intellectual delay or impairment
- Be diagnosed with disabilities such as physical, health, medical, attentional, social/emotional, vision, hearing or other disabilities
- Have a trauma history or suspected trauma history
- Need alternative seating or movement during class
- Have been educationally neglected in previous educational settings
- Literacy using a sequential, explicit, structured phonics program within a framework of comprehensive literacy
- A sequenced, spiraling mathematics program focusing on mathematic concepts and problem solving
- Social and Emotional Skills embedded into all instruction
- Monthly caregiver group update meetings
- Biweekly dyad or triad instructional sessions
- Afternoon classes at no additional cost
- Deep discounts on weekend offerings (when available)
- Video recordings of some classes, when they are requested
- Online resources
- EPIC! And SplashLearn programs available online, during the school day
Trimester Schedules
AAC Voices online offerings run in 13 week trimesters, with a one week break trimester and a two week break between trimesters.
There may be two special sessions, each running for two weeks which will offer special groups and classes. These are called intersessions and are held in January and May. These will be designed to build on any areas of high interest seen during the previous trimester. There may be special guests and activities during this time. For example there may be game groups, virtual sports groups or outing club, or music activities.
AAC Voices online offerings run in 13 week trimesters, with a one week break trimester and a two week break between trimesters.
There may be two special sessions, each running for two weeks which will offer special groups and classes. These are called intersessions and are held in January and May. These will be designed to build on any areas of high interest seen during the previous trimester. There may be special guests and activities during this time. For example there may be game groups, virtual sports groups or outing club, or music activities.