Congratulations to Matthew Kreydatus, our Director of Career and Transition Services, for receiving the 2022 Making a Difference Award from VAISEF! For over 20 years at the Villa, Matthew has been extraordinarily committed to meeting students’ most immediate needs so that they can thrive in and outside of school. Many of our students face significant food barriers and rely on the Villa for two meals a day. In 2019, Matthew ...Read More
The possibilities that come with each spring are always met with excitement at the Villa. They bring a new season of growth in the Villa Garden, meaning fresh opportunities for students to immerse in the colors, textures, smells, and wildlife that reawaken. This year, we had even more reasons to celebrate the return of spring with the installation of two beautiful greenhouses, made possible through a generous gift by Mark ...Read More
Career and Transition Services (CATS) continues providing opportunities for Villa students to explore their creativity in partnership with local colleges and universities. This fall, Dooley School and VCU students will share ideas for improving their communities using models created with a 3D printer. “Our shared goal with CATS is to help Villa students practice teamwork and communication skills, while also reflecting on what Richmond needs to be a healthier and ...Read More
Historic School Building Repurposed to Serve as National Model for Autism Education and Teacher Training RICHMOND, Va. – Inspired to make a difference by rising autism rates and the demonstrated long-term impact of expert educational intervention, St. Joseph’s Villa unveiled its new Sarah Dooley Center for Autism (SDCA) on Sept. 2, 2021. The school will expand SDCA’s capacity beyond the current 96 students, with the goal of reaching thousands more ...Read More
Isabel's son Xavier was thrilled to return to his friends and teachers at the Sarah Dooley Center for Autism earlier this year. “When he saw them, the smile he had on his face. He remembered everybody at the school. He was where he was supposed to be." Throughout the pandemic, staff from all programs have banded together to find new and creative ways to meet the needs of children and ...Read More
When Governor Northam ordered the physical closing of every school in the Commonwealth due to COVID-19 on March 13th, 2020, the Villa's Sarah Dooley Center for Autism (SDCA) rebooted as a virtual private day school the following Monday. All of our resources pivoted to providing the best online learning experience we could. We knew that many of our students would not be able to simply sit in front of a ...Read More
Children with autism experience and interact with the world in unique ways. Sometimes, they display maladaptive behaviors because of communication challenges, social skills deficits, and other related issues. "In the case of Ilya, he was your classically presenting child on the autism spectrum," said Adam Dreyfus, senior director of the Villa's Sarah Dooley Center for Autism (SDCA). "He had almost no functional communication skills, he had almost no functional social ...Read More
“It’s a different day today than it was a year ago,” said Kim Hill, CEO of Chesterfield Food Bank. The food bank has expanded to feed 30,000 families a month during the COVID-19 pandemic – three times as many as last year. It’s also a different day for Jacob, a graduate of our Dooley School who is now employed at the Food Bank after several years of volunteer service. Villa ...Read More
On Tuesday, June 2nd, a car parade led by our teachers and staff left the Villa campus early in the morning to celebrate our Class of 2020 graduates. Diplomas, caps and gowns, and gift baskets were delivered to happy students and their families from Williamsburg to Louisa. Even though this wasn't the graduation ceremony any of us could have planned for, it was a truly special day for everyone. Congratulations ...Read More
April is Autism Awareness Month. While we promote inclusion of the children and adults we serve and celebrate all those who support them, it fills us with joy to share with you the testimonial of a parent whose child's future has changed course at the Villa's Sarah Dooley Center for Autism (SDCA). The Richmond Times-Dispatch recently published an Op-Ed by Missy Jasper, who works as an instructional assistant with Louisa ...Read More
