Although this place has been around for awhile, it's been marketed and structured a little differently. Due to some downsizing and restructuring, CRC and Aspen Ed Group are foisting a game of musical chairs onto their clientele.
If I'm not mistaken, "Talisman" previously represented the summer camp portion, and Stone Mountain School was the year round option, as far as HFAs, Aspies and whatever other "prospective students" were concerned. I imagine that former students from Cedars Academy in Delaware, another Aspen program which closed late 2009, were also referred here.
Here's the
direct link for
Talisman Academy, as opposed to the portal noted below...
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New Perspectives
Posted: Jan 19, 2011, 15:48TALISMAN ACADEMYHendersonville, North Carolina
Tracy Hopkins
Admissions Director
888-458-8226
http://www.talismancamps.comTalisman Academy, is a residential academic alternative for adolescents and young adults ages 12 to 20 with Asperger's Syndrome, High-Functioning Autism, Nonverbal Learning Disorder and similar spectrum disorders. Most of the school students have struggled in settings that are more traditional. They focus on improving social awareness and interaction, independence, and academic self-motivation.
Talisman Academy opened in August 2010 and is a part of the Talisman programs, which celebrated their 30th anniversary this year, but the Academy is on a separate campus. Linda Tatsapaugh has directed the Talisman programs since 2001. She has her Masters in Child and Youth Care Administration. Molly Shriver-Blake is the Program Director and has her Masters in Social Work. She has worked with children with special needs and at-risk behaviors since 2002. Tracy Hopkins is the Admissions Director. She has a BS degree from Southern Illinois University and over 10 years of experience in the industry. All of their staff are trained in the specific needs of students with Asperger's syndrome, including learning differences and positive, nurturing techniques to help students learn.
Talisman Academy is not considered a therapeutic program but they rebuild their confidence by creating a positive peer culture and offering social skills training in a supportive, experiential learning environment. As students progress through the program, they become less reliant on structure as they learn to manage their daily routines more independently. The experiential trips combine social skills practice, stimulating learning experiences, and opportunities to live and learn within a small group environment. The staff addresses the integrated social skills deficit by providing consistent feedback and training in all daily activities and settings over a four-month period.
[This information came from the Talisman Academy website]Copyright © 2010, Woodbury Reports, Inc.