Soaring Eagle Academy was founded by licensed speech language pathologists, Linda Cervenka, Michele Ricamato and Deanna Tyrpak, with over 90 years collective experience serving children with special needs and their families. After years of providing intervention utilizing Developmental Language Models and the DIR® methodology, the merits of these methods became evident. The founders dreamed of creating a nurturing social and academic learning environment, that would integrate Developmental Language Models with DIR® Floortime principles for students diagnosed with Autism and related disorders, offering families a unique educational option to current practices.
Deanna was personally faced with the challenge of educating her daughter with Autism. With no school offering a relationship-based programming, she began providing homebound instruction with the support of her school district and colleagues, Linda and Michele.
Why an eagle?
The founders came together numerous times, but actively began their journey in 2004 to create this magical place. They met initially with Jonathan Lotsoff, attorney/partner at Sidley Austin LLP, and school law attorneys from Whitted, Takiff, and Hansen, LLC to share their dream. They soon learned that much work was to be done and began by filing for incorporation and 501(c)(3) not-for-profit status. But before that could be done, this amazing school needed a name. Not just any name, but a truly symbolic name.
There were many ideas, but the founders agreed on Soaring Eagle Academy after learning more about the eagle and its behavior. Specifically, they learned that the eagle never avoids a storm, but that it actually flies into the storm and uses the winds of the storm to take it to a higher level of safety.
So, it seemed only fitting to have this majestic animal represent our school, our unique methods and the amazing students we set out to serve, who fly right into a “storm” and with our support, can soar to higher levels of development.
Building the school
Many hours were spent completing endless paperwork and meeting requirements for incorporation and not-for-profit status. The Board of Directors was established, compiled of passionate and dedicated individuals chosen with the sole purpose of creating this one-of-a-kind school. As a result of the work of the founders, with donated services from Sidley Austin LLC, Soaring Eagle Academy was incorporated in 2004 and achieved its 501c3 not for profit status in 2005.
It was then time to work with the Illinois State Board of Education and our school lawyers to determine the guidelines for opening a non-public therapeutic day school. The founders worked for years developing programming, policies, staff requirements and school curriculum, all to meet the standards set out by ISBE. During this time, the word spread about our potential school, and families began to get excited about the opportunity to have their child attend this cutting-edge school. These core families worked with the founders and the Board to raise funds to secure a lease and purchase equipment for our future home. Cresa Chicago assisted Soaring Eagle Academy in finding its first home in Burr Ridge, and the lease was signed in August 2010.
Opening the doors
Soaring Eagle Academy was approved by ISBE as a non public therapeutic day school serving students ages 5 through 14 with Autism and related disorders, allowing school districts to choose SEA as a placement for their students. SEA officially opened its doors to 5 students ages 5 through 12 supported by 12 enthusiastic staff members on September 17, 2010. The High School Transition Program, serving students ages 15 through 21, followed with its opening in August 2011.
Linda Cervenka and Michele Ricamato serve as DIR® Expert Clinicians/Trainers, and Deanna Tyrpak serves as the Executive Director at SEA. Soaring Eagle Academy is a magical place, filled with joyful learning and interaction. It is near and dear to the hearts of the founders and always will be!
