Testimonials

At Spruce Street School we serve a broad range of students, including a neurodiverse and 2E population. We have appreciated the opportunity to partner with STEPS in many ways. STEPS has provided staff training, coaching for teams of teachers, and has been consistently willing to team with my staff in order to help us provide the best possible educational experience for our students. I recommend STEPS as a skilled, thoughtful, and collaborative partner for supporting our work in our classrooms. If you are looking for a problem-solving partner who will bring real solutions and a wealth of knowledge, you cannot go wrong in choosing STEPS .

—Briel Schmitz, Head of Spruce Street School

We had the pleasure of having Heather from STEPS come and share her years of experience working with young children on the ASD spectrum. Our teachers had so many questions about behavior, ABA therapy and how strategies can be applied in the preschool setting. We had a lovely teacher in-service day with lively and interactive discussion. Heather is down to earth, funny, informative, and engaging.

—Andrea Hackman, Owner Harvard Avenue Preschool

Each school year, Erin provides an invaluable training for our Pre-K-5th grade teachers. She provides strategies to help us set students up for success and coach us on creating systems for PBIS. Throughout the school year, she helps my team collaborate with families when behavior concerns arise. With Erin’s help, our students and families have a positive and supportive relationship with their teachers, all students feel safe in the classroom, and teachers have the tools to respond appropriately when challenges arise in the classroom.

—Rachel Wachtel, Education and Youth Director, Congregation Beth Shalom

Thanks to STEPS training, my classroom management skills now focus on finding the root of my students’ behavior. What needs are not being met or what might the motivation be behind my student’s behavior? I can now better respond to behavior before it happens. I went from teaching a very diverse student population at Spruce Street to a largely neurotypical class roster at my new school in LA. Being trained, however, gives me skills to identify potential behaviors in kids that are going under the radar. Even "neurotypical" students benefit from this care from educators. Having an educator take the time to help them identify the “why” is impactful work that our students deserve.

STEPS was by far the most impactful ABA provider I worked with. Their staff had an attention to detail like no other. Parents and teachers saw constant data collection and attention to the child. When they were in the classroom, they were focused on the client which is not always the case. I would trust my children with STEPS in a heartbeat if the need arises. It's clear their day-to-day goals are evidence based and data driven. If I weren't already a teacher, I would look into working for STEPS!

—Shelby Vasko, Kindergarten Teacher Westside Neighborhood School, Los Angeles (Formerly a Youngest Level Teacher at Spruce Street School)

We have loved working with and being supported by the entire STEPS team. They are extremely knowledgeable about what their clients need and how we as the classroom teachers can best support our students/their clients. Additionally, their communication is top-notch, and we always feel like a part of the conversation with each member of the team. Further, they collaborate with us to ensure that our ideas and their strategies align. Last year, one of the BCBAs worked with us to develop and teach a social skills group which we taught to our class in small groups. The BCBA worked to tailor a curriculum to the needs of our students and shared all the materials with us to teach to the small group. It was exactly what our students needed that year, and we learned about some new resources along the way! This fall, we also participated in a workshop led by Erin Benzikry about using positive behavior interventions and support in the classroom. The workshop was very well-organized and provided us with lots of tangible ideas to try in the classroom. We were very pleased with the learning experience!

—Mid-Level (2nd and 3rd) Teachers, Spruce Street School

Over the past seven years, we have built an enormously successful and rewarding professional collaboration with Erin and STEPS. Erin has provided counseling and small group support for students, targeting skills and needs that she observes and hears about from us. She has worked with us to create a regular schedule of check-in sessions with individual children and small group meetings, and, at the same time, is flexible and responsive when needs arise -as they do! Erin has also served as an invaluable professional resource for each of us as classroom teachers, both through extremely informative workshops and advising on interventions and techniques we can use when she is not in the room. We cannot overstate how useful STEPS has been for our students, how much they have sparked our professional growth as educators, or how enjoyable it has been to work with them.

—Oldest Level (4th and 5th) Teachers, Spruce Street School

STEPS staff are stealthy. Their presence and support blend seamlessly into our classroom culture. They prioritize rapport building and consistent dialogue with educators, establishing a partnership in supporting families and students.

—Youngest Level (Kindergarten and 1^st) Teachers, Spruce Street School