On Saturday, March 2nd, rock band Leon Milmore will take the stage at the Canal Club for a great cause. All proceeds from the event will go to the Autism Grant, a scholarship program that funds tuition for needy students at the Dominion School for Autism, a private day school in Richmond.
“We know that early intervention using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) gives students with autism the best chance at future success,” says Christine Owen, educational coordinator at the Dominion School. “Through our inclusive preschool programs, our students receive the support they need from trained staff but they also get the opportunity to interact with typical peers. It’s the best of both worlds.”
The model used by the Dominion School is both time intensive and staff intensive. For every eight students, there are 6 instructors and a lead teacher. Annual tuition is about $45,000.
“This is certainly out of the range of affordable tuition for most families,” says Don Busick, Dominion School board member and manager of the Autism Grant. Fortunately, the recent insurance mandate passed by the Virginia General Assembly provides coverage for most services the school provides. However, some insurances have annual caps and there are a few families who don’t have insurance that covers ABA services. This is where the Autism Grant comes in. As manager of the Grant, Busick spends each year raising funds that can be given to families in order to cover partial or full tuition.
Tickets for the concert are $8 in advance or $10 at the door. Tickets are available at the school’s main campus at 6818 W. Grace Street or online. Doors open at the Canal Club at 7:30 PM and Leon Milmore takes the stage at 8 PM. This is an all-ages show.
For more information, you can call the school at (804) 355-1011.
