Education Matters | Starfish Academy’s Inclusive Model for Early Childhood Excellence at The Florida Center

By Kaileia Suvannamaccha | June 2024

Located in Sarasota and North Port, The Florida Center’s nationally accredited Starfish Academy serves children aged six weeks to five years with a diverse range of needs. At Starfish Academy, children who are typically developing and those who face disabilities, delays, or vulnerabilities, are equally embraced, and encouraged to learn together. 

“Research shows that inclusive models like ours are better for all kids,” says Chief Program Officer, Kimberly Treharne. “Those considered to be developing ‘typically’ gain empathy and compassion. Their social-emotional development really thrives. Those who are struggling in some areas learn from seeing their peers, and that’s powerful. We’ve seen the power of early intervention. Many children who receive therapeutic services during their preschool years can transition to kindergarten without the need for continued support.”

“I get this question all the time,” adds Starfish Academy Director of Early Childhood Education, Amy Robinson. “Why would a parent of typically developing children want to put their child in an inclusion center? Well, our curriculum is top-notch. Our teachers are top-notch. And the curriculum is open-ended, they’re going to get what they need no matter what developmental level they’re at.”

An Innovative Model for Early Childhood Education

Starfish Academy’s creative staffing approach marries traditional preschool educators with a multidisciplinary team of early childhood professionals, including speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, and mental health clinicians, ensuring each child’s holistic needs are met.

“They’re co-located in the same part of the building. Their offices are just a few steps away from the classrooms,” says Treharne. 

By integrating formal therapy services into the school day, families are spared the hassle of shuttling their child to and from various appointments and there are fewer disruptions to the child’s routine.

Additionally, consulting and collaborating with professionals enables teachers to adjust their curriculum to suit the needs of each individual child. “It’s really helpful to have professionals trained in how to help that child feel more comfortable, and help the teacher know exactly what to do,” she adds. 

A Collaborative Approach to Nurturing the Next Generation

“We don’t just deal with academics, we deal with the child and the family as a whole,” says Robinson, who regularly facilitates monthly parent education workshops. At weekly team meetings, all members of the child’s care team are present. Holistic discussions allow each member to share insights into the child’s strengths and challenges from their respective perspectives, both inside and outside of the classroom. 

Treharne shares a heartwarming story of a child who overcame challenges from prenatal alcohol exposure through early identification and intervention. “One in 20 kids are exposed to alcohol during pregnancy, making it more prevalent than autism. Our center has the state’s only fetal alcohol spectrum disorders clinic. Had this child not been identified early, and not received services early on, he would have probably been very dysregulated in a kindergarten classroom,” she says, underscoring the importance of early childhood services in mitigating developmental challenges.

Robinson recalls a wholesome interaction between two young children at Starfish Academy. A typically developing girl with advanced language skills approached a nonverbal classmate to assist with cleaning up after snack time. When the nonverbal child did not respond verbally, Robinson observed the girl switch to sign language, facilitating effective communication between them that led to them cleaning up together. “In August, I will have been in this field for 31 years, and that brought me to tears,” Robinson says. “I just love this program. I love what we do here.”

Exciting Changes and Enhanced Leadership

“We’ve invested in the number one preschool curriculum in the country, called Creative Curriculum. It’s a play-based, hands-on curriculum that incorporates language literacy, mathematics, science, and social-emotional development,” says Robinson. 

This year, Starfish Academy introduced the Reggio Emilia method, where the environment is considered the “third teacher,” promoting creativity and environmental awareness. Research has shown that children, especially those with exceptionalities, may become overstimulated by bright colors. In response, the center has opted for a more natural color palette, incorporating earth tones and textures into the environment to create a calming and sensory-rich atmosphere. 

They are also renovating the playground at Starfish Academy. Updates include new equipment that follow a nature-inspired theme. A sensory garden has been introduced in Sarasota, where children can engage with flower-shaped musical instruments that produce different tones when activated by a hanging wand. In addition, there are animal-shaped structures for climbing. Teachers can utilize the garden for walks, picnics, and much more.

“Coming out of COVID, we shifted our leadership infrastructure. We now have a site director at each location, and a Director of Early Childhood Education that trains, supports, and mentors the site directors, ensuring the quality is where we want it to be. We’ve also invested a huge amount into teacher training,” says Treharne. 

“Parents can now log in to the online curriculum and learn what their child is learning in the classroom that week, and they can access activities that supplement the classroom work. It’s called a school-home-crossover curriculum,” she adds.

Overcoming Challenges and Gaining Community Support

Philanthropic dollars play a vital role in the continuation and enhancement of Starfish Academy. “This is a very expensive model,” Treharne admits. “It’s impossible to cover everything through tuition alone. To provide the quality that we want, we must raise money. That’s currently our biggest challenge at Starfish.” 

Another way people can contribute is by spreading awareness about The Florida Center. “People don’t really know we’re here. We hired a VPK teacher last summer who said, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve lived across the street for 20 years and I didn’t even know you guys were here.’ And she’s an early childhood educator! So, for me, as the director of the program, I’m thinking to myself, how many other people don’t know we’re here?”

Starfish Parent Testimonials

“This school has been such a blessing to me and my family. Our daughter is neurotypical and has benefitted in so many ways from having classmates with a variety of learning styles and engagement preferences. Kynslee recently recognized that a friend really enjoys books and that it helps him to feel better if he’s upset, so when she noticed he was crying, she grabbed his favorite book, ‘Brown Bear, Brown Bear’ and brought it over to him. We are beyond thankful that, not only are the children learning developmental academics, but more importantly, life-skills, including empathy, kindness, inclusion, and unity,” says Melissa Cox. Her daughter, Kynslee has attended Starfish since she was 7 weeks old.

“The therapists at The Florida Center have helped my son Jackson be able to speak. He was mostly non-verbal when we started. They also have helped him with everyday tasks to make his life easier. I owe them everything for all they’ve done for us. My son loves it there and absolutely adores his teachers, and my daughter will be attending Starfish this year,” shares Sara Bosse, expressing her deep trust in Starfish Academy with both of her children.

“When Gracie was diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum, I didn’t have much knowledge on what to do or how to help her. Gracie was not doing so well with new environments and transitions. She was easily over-stimulated and always getting frustrated when not being able to communicate what she wanted or needed. Gracie now loves going to school every morning. Her classmates/teacher/therapists became her biggest cheerleaders and celebrated her victories with us as a family. Without Starfish, I am not sure I would have known how best to navigate what she needed to thrive,” says Kristina Rich, reflecting on her family’s Starfish experience.

Starfish Academy’s approach to early childhood education aims to give every child the best chance at maximizing their full potential during the most foundational years of their life.

FOR MORE INFORMATION on Florida Center for Early Childhood, please visit www.thefloridacenter.org.