About . Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
These are common questions our parents and community ask us. If you have additional questions not listed here, please contact us.
What is Bloom360 Learning Community?
Bloom360 Learning Community is a private, nonprofit school that provides a refreshing approach to education that recaptures the joy of learning for children with neuro-diverse needs.
Why did we start Bloom360?
Bloom360’s founder, Laura Rauman, worked with a talented team to create a developmental, strengths and relationship-based education program for her daughter, Morgan. Morgan has made outstanding progress socially, emotionally and academically. She is doing things that her previous schools had told her family she would never achieve: she now reads phonetically, understands what she reads, writes legibly and creates stories of her own. Such progress came from an individualized education that satisfied the five key areas of Morgan’s development: emotional, body, social, spirit and mind.
Laura, along with a talented team of educators and therapists, want other children to have the same opportunities that Morgan has had, which is why she decided to start Bloom360 Learning Community.
Currently, there simply is not a learning environment in Southeastern Wisconsin like Bloom360 Learning Community.
What is meant by neuro-diverse needs?
While no two people have the same unique neurological make up, individuals who have neuro-diverse needs have significant enough differences in one or more areas of how the brain works that it impacts their ability to fully participate in many everyday experiences.
Diagnoses may include the following, although there could be others on case-by-case basis:
- ADD/ADHD
- Anxiety
- Apraxia
- Aspergers
- Autism
- Auditory Processing Disorder
- Developmental Delays
- Down Syndrome
- Dyscalculia
- Dysgraphia
- Dyslexia
- Language-Based Learning Differences
- Learning Disability (LD)
- PDD NOS
- Sensory Processing Disorder
- Social Challenges
- Speech-Language Delay/Disorder
What is Bloom360’s core model?
Bloom360’s model is deeply rooted in developmentally, relationship, and strengths-based philosophies. Each learner’s interests serve as the inspiration for truly customized, self-paced learning centered on project-based learning. Our whole child approach understands and values each learner’s unique profile. In addition, our individualized Developmental Learning Plan energizes and empowers each Learner to grow and develop in the five elements of human development – mind, body, spirit, social and emotional – which guides each Learner to be his/her highest and best self.
What does it mean to be developmentally-based?
A developmental model is one that supports building strong foundations in all areas of human development – mind, body, social, emotional and spirit – in a hierarchical and interconnected fashion. When all areas of human development integrate, it supports well-being. Typical developmental milestones guide us when planning and offering learning opportunities because regardless of age, specific milestones must be reached following a developmental hierarchy in order to support future, more advanced capacities. By following this approach, meaningful opportunities that meet each Learner where he/she is currently functioning, helps him/her reach his/her fullest potential. Bloom360 uses proven child development models to support this philosophy of developmental learning.
What does it mean to be strengths-based?
It means that we identify, value and use each child’s unique strengths to nourish his/her growth and development leading to a strong sense of self and belonging. This strengths-based approach employs an asset-based (what is right) approach rather than a deficit-based (what is wrong) approach. Our goal is to focus on the health and well-being of the “whole” child by creating an awareness of strengths in self and others, exploring those strengths and then applying those strengths each day at school, home and in the community.
What does it mean to be relationship-based?
Using a relationship-based model means that we believe learning opportunities are most meaningful when one is able to learn within the context of safe/trusting relationships. Safety and trust support regulation and emotional connectedness. These impact one’s ability to connect with their experiences and absorb information. Bloom360 believes in nurturing relationships as a pre-requisite for academic learning and success and will prioritize relationship development.
How does Bloom360 nurture the growth of the whole child?
Our model and learning environment supports each Learner’s body, mind, social, emotional and spiritual well-being. We consider the whole child when developing his/her learning plan.
Who is Bloom360 Learning Community?
Bloom360 Learning Community is a collaborative team that includes enthusiastic therapists, educators, families, business and community partners who are united around the mission of nurturing our Learners to bloom through a personalized developmental learning experience that both encourages and engages them to contribute to the community in which we learn, live, grow and thrive.
What age group and grade levels are served at Bloom360?
Bloom360 Learning Community serves each Learner based on his/her unique developmental strengths and needs; therefore, we do not group by grade levels or age. Bloom360 currently supports Learners ages five through 21. Bloom360 Learning Community will continue to grow with our Learners by offering services to those outside of current age ranges. However, we are open to working with families to determine eligibility regardless of a child’s age.
How is Bloom360 supported and funded?
Bloom360 is a private, nonprofit school which is funded through tuition, major fundraising efforts and corporate partnerships. The majority of our start-up costs have been funded by Vista360, LLC, a compliance and management consulting firm owned by Bloom360’s founder, Laura Rauman and other members of Bloom360’s Development Committee.