Pyramid Autism Center
Support Staff: There is a full time Program Coordinator trained in Behavioral Techniques on site. A Supervisory Level Pyramid Educational Consultant is onsite at least two times per month to provide ongoing staff training and classroom monitoring along with hands-on classroom consultation to ensure that functional communication and the Pyramid Approach to Education are in place. An Occupational Therapist consults with staff once a week to recommend gross motor activities that would promote and support gross motor skill development.
Population Served: Students ages 5-22 years old with a primary diagnosis of Autism or Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified (PDD).
Program Description: The Pyramid Autism Center (PAC) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to serving the Orange County autism community – with specific focus on children and their families. The PAC school utilizes the Pyramid Approach to Education developed by Dr. Andrew Bondy, a world-renowned leader in autism education and research. Whereas many approaches place an initial emphasis upon controlling the behavioral difficulties of these students, the Pyramid Approach grows out of a conviction that children are always ready to learn- the question is: are teachers ready to teach? Our emphasis is upon creating functional activities that stress the use of powerful and on-going reinforcement systems while assuring children can effectively communicate and understand what we expect of them. When such systems are in place, issues associated with behavior management can be effectively addressed. Our view also reflects that the key to long-term behavior management change is the development of alternative skills that serve the child’s needs.
Address: 2830 N. Glassell
Orange, CA 92865
“serving the needs of children and families touched by Autism”