CV NEWS FEED // A Florida Catholic high school for special needs students is constructing an official building to continue the immense expansion that has been its trademark since its founding in 2020.
Pensacola News Journal (PNJ) reported that Mother Clelia Morning Star High School began with only 12 students in February 2020 after the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee recognized the necessity for special needs high schoolers to receive a uniquely tailored education.
The “Morning Star” special needs educational program was implemented in Pensacola Catholic elementary schools in 1992, according to PNJ. The program serves special needs children, like those with Down syndrome, autism, and spina bifida, and accommodates their individual and unique learning styles.
Morning Star Chair David Kimbell told PNJ that the program had not been expanded to the high school level, despite a growing need for it.
“Six years ago,” Kimbell said, “we were in discussions with the Diocese because our two Morning Star programs at the elementary level, that are pretty much second grade through eighth grade—there were some students graduating from those programs that were not necessarily a perfect fit for Catholic High School and not really a perfect fit for public school, either. So, they were like, ‘Well, where do we go? Where do we go next?’”
Mother Clelia was born shortly after in the library of its sister school, Pensacola Catholic High School. Since then, the school has operated out of modular buildings close to the sister school and currently serves almost 30 students, according to PNJ.
The school’s immense growth in just four years meant that a larger building would be needed, so a new, permanent location for Mother Clelia is currently under construction. The new building will house three permanent classrooms and administrative offices, which will allow Mother Clelia to double its student population.
Morning Star High School Director Amanda Drews told PNJ that the school’s unique curriculum is largely responsible for its growth.
“I think as soon as word got out that we were here and there was this little niche of a school that didn’t meet any current place like it, we were kind of this unique system, parents really started coming to us,” she said.
“We didn’t have to advertise until this year that we are here. We’ve grown by seven to 10 [students] every year since we opened, ” she added.
PNJ reported that the curriculum at Mother Clelia includes a full course load as well as the opportunity to take non-academic inclusion courses at Pensacola Catholic High School. Any credit earned allows students to graduate with a standard high school diploma based on the Florida ACCESS Point Standards.
The new building will also feature a life skills center, giving students opportunities to work on increasing their capabilities and confidence.
“We want them to be as independent as they can be, and as successful contributing members to our community to their ability level,” Drews said, according to PNJ. “While some of our students may never be able to live totally independent, we want them to be able to contribute to their household.”
She continued:
Our life skills center will be kind of like a studio apartment meets a science lab. It will be open concept with a kitchen, laundry, a mock bedroom, everything that they’ll need to learn how to do within their own apartment-style living. They’ll learn everything from following recipes and cooking to cleaning and laundry and managing their own finances—everything that they will need to be able to work within their own home environment.
Kimbell said that making a donation to Mother Clelia has incredible impacts on students and their families. Donations can be made by contacting Drews.
“This project itself is just such a blessing to be a part of and has incredible upside for this community overall,” Kimbell added. “Not just for Morning Star High School, but for Pensacola and all of our educational options in town.”
The post Florida Catholic ‘Morning Star’ High School expanding to continue tailored education for special needs students appeared first on CatholicVote org.