Annual fund-raiser planned Monday

By PAT NEWMAN
pnewman@thecitizennews.com

“The sooner you work with a child with a disability, the greater their potential,” according to Marie Sams, one of the founding members of the Joseph Sams School.

Since 1984, the private school has been teaching children with mild to severe intellectual and/or physical disabilities in a warm, caring environment. Teachers custom-make learning plans for each child, specifically tailoring the curriculum to meet his individual needs.

“Our speech therapy program is excellent and is integrated with the school's computer program,” Sams explained. But most important is the one-on-one attention given to each student. The ratios of teachers to students is kept way below the average met in public programs. A two-to-one ratio is maintained for the preschool and lower elementary age children and older students can expect a three-to-one ratio.

The Sams School moved into its new home behind the Fayette Medical Center in August and now has the space to expand its programs and accept more students. The current enrollment is 22 and Lana Carr, the school's director, expects that number will grow next year.

The school will host its kick-off fund-raising dinner at Whitewater Country Club Monday, April 10. Guest speaker will be Robert Steed, an Atlanta humorist, author and attorney. Several other events are planned in the next few months, to help pay off $500,000 in building costs and meet the school's operating goal of $920,000.

The Sams School began as The Early Years with a handful of children whose parents were desperate to provide the best learning environment possible to meet their special needs. The school accepts children as young as 2 for its program and Carr hopes to include 18-month-olds as well in the future. Expansion of the music therapy program and the addition of new programs is a goal for the school and its extended family of students, teachers and their parents.

To check out the school's new web site, click on www.josephsams.org.