Ma’Kayla, a vibrant 9-year-old girl in the 4th grade at Connections Education Center, has faced significant challenges early in life. As a toddler, she attended a home daycare where she fit in well with other children and was learning to speak. However, almost overnight, Ma’Kayla changed from an engaged girl to an isolated child consumed by frustration.
Having lost her ability to communicate, Ma’Kayla began demonstrating extreme behaviors such as destructive tantrums and aggressive outbursts. She began resisting school, and ordinary tasks — like walking into the classroom — became monumental struggles. Soon, the daycare informed her parents that Ma’Kayla could no longer attend, leaving them desperately seeking a solution for their young daughter’s care and education.
It was during this time that Ma’Kayla was diagnosed with autism.
Challenges at Home
Life at home was equally challenging. Family outings to places like grocery stores or restaurants were nearly impossible. “If I took Ma’Kayla to the grocery store, she would quickly get overwhelmed by the crowd and have intense meltdowns,” recalls her mom, Santiera. “She’d get aggressive — hitting, biting and scratching herself or others. We tried hard to understand what she needed, but without communication, we didn’t know how to help her.”
At home, Ma’Kayla isolated herself and displayed unusual behaviors like repeatedly playing with cabinet doors. Her parents knew they needed to find a school that could understand Ma’Kayla’s unique needs and provide her with the right environment to feel safe and begin learning.
Finding Connections
After extensive research, Santiera discovered Connections Education Center. From her first visit, she felt relief. Ma’Kayla began preschool at Connections, and progress came quickly. Santiera says, “Her first teacher was so patient and understood how to respond to her behaviors. They gave her a visual schedule, which made a huge difference. Ma’Kayla liked being able to see the schedule rather than being told. And knowing what was happening next helped her stay calm."
Melissa Carman, Director of Education at Connections, recalls Ma’Kayla’s initial challenges. “When Ma’Kayla came to us, she was nonverbal and had no means of communicating. This made it incredibly difficult for her to express her needs and wants, leading to very challenging behaviors,” explains Melissa.
The team at Connections prioritized teaching Ma’Kayla to communicate, offering her multiple strategies. “When a student comes to us with no communication skills, we try all modes of communication to find what works best for the child. We explore verbal communication, pictures, sign language and augmentative devices,” Melissa says. Within just a month, Ma’Kayla began using single words to ask for things. She also started communicating by pointing at pictures and touching buttons on an iPad that would verbalize the words.
“As her words and ability to communicate grew, her aggressiveness decreased,” says her dad, Max.
Support from a Skilled Team
The team at Connections worked closely with Ma’Kayla’s family to build a plan tailored to her needs. “We needed help addressing her aggression,” says Santiera. “The teachers gave me tips on how to handle specific behaviors. And they taught us how to gently hold her hands when she was upset to keep her from harming herself or others.”
The school’s field trips and community-based instruction have been instrumental in teaching Ma’Kayla how to handle different environments where sensory triggers — like crowds, sounds, lights or scents — could be uncomfortable and upsetting to her. These structured outings to places like grocery stores and malls offer her valuable instruction and opportunities to practice navigating spaces that are an essential part of daily life with her family.
Progress Today
Now in 4th grade, Ma’Kayla communicates using a combination of approaches. Melissa says, “We’ve found that having multiple ways for Ma’Kayla to express herself, especially during heightened emotions or times of frustration, has been essential for her growth.”
Ma’Kayla also has made significant progress in self-regulation, dramatically reducing her challenging behaviors. “She’s more aware of her feelings and has learned to request a break or ask to take a walk when she’s starting to feel overwhelmed,” says Melissa.
Her improved awareness has also opened the door to better classroom participation. “Now that she’s able to self-regulate, she’s making good progress academically,” Santiera says. “When she started at Connections, she had no academic skills. Now, she’s writing letters and shapes, loves drawing hearts and her name, knows her numbers, and is working on addition and subtraction. She’s also learning how to read. She is always learning something new!”
“Connections is a great school. My daughter has come so far with communication and behavior. I’m so thankful for Connections.” — Santiera, Ma'Kayla's Mom
Expanding Horizons
Ma’Kayla’s growth extends beyond academics. Connections’ nutrition class has helped her become a less restrictive eater for more balanced nutrition. “She likes the nutrition class and will try more foods now. She even comes into the kitchen to watch me cook and helps sometimes,” says Santiera.
Swim lessons have been another critical component of Ma’Kayla’s development. “When she started swim class, she was very afraid of the water and didn’t want to get in. Her swim teachers have been so patient, working to gain her trust and help her feel comfortable in the water so they can work on water safety skills,” says Santiera.
Socially, Ma’Kayla is making strides. She can now stay in the classroom with her peers, though she benefits from some extra space around her desk. Her aggression has decreased significantly, and she sometimes plays with classmates.
Ma’Kayla favorite activities at school include time on the playground, sensory play and movement-based activities. “She loves the trampoline, scooter and anything that provides sensory input, like kinetic sand. She’s happiest when she can get her hands messy,” says Melissa.
At home, she enjoys playing with her brother in addition to independent play and looking at books.
Creating a Brighter Future
Ma’Kayla’s family is overjoyed by the progress she has made and the potential she continues to show. From learning to communicate and self-regulate to discovering new skills and interests, Ma’Kayla’s time at Connections has been a life-changing experience for her and her loved ones.
Santiera reflects on the difference the school has made, saying: “Connections is a great school. My daughter has come so far with communication and behavior. I’m so thankful for Connections.”
As Ma’Kayla builds on these achievements, her family feels hopeful. With the unwavering support of Connections and her determination to keep growing, Ma’Kayla is making steady strides toward a brighter future.