Parent Testimonials
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I highly recommend Invictus Academy! The staff and teachers are dedicated to helping their students learn and grow. My son has been going to Invictus Academy for 3 years and is thriving! The school is empowering him to be more independent and encourages a love of learning. It gives me so much peace of mind to know my son is in a supportive and encouraging environment where everyone believes in him and presumes competency!
– Sara Mota -
There are no words to express how grateful we are that Invictus Academy Tampa Bay exists. Entering the public school system 4 years ago, we quickly came to the realization that kids with special needs should ideally attend a school that is therapist centered rather than teacher centered. Therapists are trained to understand how a non typically developing brain functions; thereby having greater insight into how to overcome and work through the challenges these children face. Rather than therapy being inserted into part of the school day, therapy is integrated throughout the entire learning experience. Invictus is a safe, loving, and understanding environment. We feel so blessed to leave Anna in the hands of therapists and educators who are highly trained In understanding her severe sensory integration challenges. I believe Anna is in a school where she finally feels understood, which has lead to increased learning and the ability to demonstrate what she has learned. It is truly amazing to watch.
– Anna's Mom -
Finally! Educators and a school that gets it! Since moving to Florida in 2014 we have struggled to find a place for our son, to receive an education commensurate with his level of intelligence.
Lucky for us we met Dana, at one of her informational conferences, in May of 2018. The first thing she said had me sold; “Presume Competence”! I’ve been saying this to anyone who would listen for years.
At Invictus they believe this whole heartedly. My son Luke has always been smarter than anyone gave him credit for. We have struggled with public and private schools. We still have our struggles but I no longer worry about his education. He is finally doing the work we’ve always know he was capable of doing. We are seeing huge improvements and have hope for his future.
Our Invictus family is amazing and I thank God every day for all of them.
– Rebecca Batrow -
Before coming to Invictus Academy, we were very concerned for our daughter academically and emotionally. She was so concerned with how she was behaving that it became an obsession and she was being taught at levels far below her actual intelligence. Out of everything we have attempted with Maryn since she received her autism diagnosis; therapies, doctors, supplements, medications, public school, home school, etc... Nothing has been more life changing for her than our decision to enroll her at Invictus Academy.
The day we met with Dana Johnson and visited Invictus Academy (formerly InterPLAY), was the day that we knew there was finally hope for Maryn. We were impressed with the smaller classrooms and the low student to teacher ratio. We were blown away at how quiet it was on campus which was far different than what we had ever experienced. She was immediately at ease with her potential teacher and sat right down to work with her. It felt almost too good to be true, but we didn’t hesitate, and we didn’t need to think about it; we just knew this was the place for her.
We were introduced to Spelling to Communicate (letter boards) as a way for Maryn to communicate more reliably and it has had such a profound impact on her and our family. It has unlocked her personality which is intelligent, compassionate, funny and witty. She is respected at school and learning in every way you can imagine. She is communicating more at home and her relationships with her family members have grown deeper. It is almost impossible to describe the difference in her; it is as if a light has turned on inside of her. You can see it in her eyes and in the way that she carries herself. She is just so happy!!
– Svein and Lisa Leithe
We would tell any prospective student and parent to forget about anything they knew up to this point about educating a child with autism. We would tell them to forget about the standardized tests, forget about the IQ tests, forget about the behavior assessments and open your mind to an entirely different way of thinking. Your child will finally know what is like to be understood and respected. Intelligence is presumed and your child will be able to communicate in ways they’ve never imagined. The teachers, communication specialists, therapists, and administration at this school are amazing! Their dedication and enthusiasm radiate among these children every single day.