Our final Informational Tour of 2023-2024 took us to Matthias Academy in southeast Wisconsin.
Founded as a nonprofit in 2018 and opening in 2020, Matthias Academy is an adult day program that serves individuals from Illinois and Wisconsin with mild to severe disabilities, specialized medical needs, behaviors, and mild to severe autism.
After teaching Special Education for 17 years, CEO and Founder Elizabeth (Liz) Pumala watched as students with significant needs faced limited opportunities after aging out of school. Her vision of a program that would fill the gap for the many who do not fit into existing adult day programs and residential facilities has been realized in Matthias Academy.
The current day program serves over 120 adults (40% originally from Illinois) who are divided into 16 classrooms based on need with 4-12 members per classroom. Activities throughout the day may include sensory, fitness, art, community outings, and more. In addition to classroom “professors”, day program support staff includes nursing and behavior specialists, plus occupational, speech language, and physical therapists.
Matthias currently operates two residential houses that seven individuals call home, but their dream to expand their day program and create more supported housing is being realized on a nearby 88-acre campus where additional programming space plus 40-60 single-family and duplex homes are planned.
Many thanks to Kennon Bannon, Public Relations Managing Director, for scheduling and facilitating our tour, and to all the Matthias Academy staff for welcoming us into their programming spaces. For more information about Matthias Academy, visit their website at https://matthiasacademy.org/ or email them at admin@matthiasacademy.org. Please note that Matthias Academy will be temporarily closing their already extensive waitlist on June 28th while they focus their efforts on developing their dream campus.
CTC Educational Outreach events are designed to provide families, educators, and service providers with useful information related to the transition process as well as life in the community after educational entitlements end. Events are supported in part by agency funding from Palatine Township. Thank you for your partnership!
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