REConnections Education Center

04/04/2026

03/07/2026

In the landscape of autism support services, few topics generate as much debate as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) versus Occupational Therapy (OT). Both fields share a commitment to helping individuals thrive in their daily lives — but their conceptual foundations, methods, and professional prepa...

03/02/2026

📚✨ Happy Read Across America Day! ✨📚

Today we celebrate the power of stories, connection, imagination, and shared experiences — and that’s what we do every single day in our DIRFloortime world. 💛

Reading isn’t just about decoding words. It’s about:
🌈 Building emotional connection
🧠 Growing flexible thinking
💬 Expanding communication
❤️ Strengthening relationships

When we sit beside a child and enter their story world — whether it’s dinosaurs 🦖, princesses 👑, trucks 🚛, or a favorite repetitive page they want “AGAIN!” — we’re supporting regulation, engagement, and intentional communication.

For our kids with selective mutism, autism, or other neurodivergent profiles, reading together can be a low-demand, high-connection way to:
✨ Practice shared attention
✨ Build expressive language
✨ Increase initiation
✨ Explore feelings safely through characters

Today, read with wonder. Read with warmth. Read at their pace.
Let them turn the pages. Let them script it. Let them lead.

Because literacy grows best in relationship. 💫

What are you reading today? Drop your favorite children’s book below! 👇📖

02/25/2026

We’re proud to share that our school has been featured in Voyage Tampa!

It’s an honor to see our mission, heart, and dedication to our students highlighted in this "Interview with Lilibel Bernhardt". We are so grateful for the opportunity to share our story and the incredible community that makes our work possible every day.

Thank you Voyage Tampa for the feature!

Read the full interview here:
https://voyagetampa.com/interview/conversations-with-lilibel-bernhardt

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lilibel Bernhardt. Lilibel , we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?REConnections Education Center was created to fill a gap that so many families know all too well — the lack of school options that tru...

02/06/2026

☀️ REConnections Summer Program 2026 – Now Accepting Inquiries ☀️
REConnections Education Center is excited to begin accepting inquiries from new families for our 2026 Summer Program.

Our summer program is a six-week, developmentally focused experience designed and led by our teaching and therapy staff. Programming is rooted in play-based learning, movement, and connection, using occupational therapy and speech therapy principles to support regulation, engagement, communication, and skill development.

Because REConnections is a therapeutic, relationship-based program, all new families must complete a tour and summer trial prior to enrollment. This ensures that our program is the right fit for your child and that we can appropriately support their needs within our model.

How to get started:
• Families must call or email to request a tour
• After the tour, eligible students will be scheduled for a summer trial
• Enrollment is offered based on goodness of fit and available space

Program details:
• Dates: June 8 – July 17 (Closed July 2 & 3)
• Hours: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
• Ages: Kindergarten – 12th
• Limited to 15–18 students
• Six-week commitment required
• Tuition: $3,600 total
• A $100 registration deposit is required to reserve a spot (applied toward tuition)

📞 Call: 727-279-5371
📧 Email: info@reconnectionseducation.org

We look forward to connecting with families who are seeking a thoughtful, therapeutic summer experience and are excited to welcome new children into our community.

02/06/2026

01/23/2026

If you’re heading to the Gasparilla Children’s Parade tomorrow, you may notice signs along Howard Avenue as families walk toward Bayshore. These are from 321 in the Kitchen, a local, family-run business started by one of our own families.

321 in the Kitchen was created by two families with children with special needs and focuses on providing meaningful, paid jobs for individuals with special needs through small-batch specialty coffee. Many young adults help pack and prepare the coffee in a calm, supportive environment designed just for them.

If you’re at the parade, feel free to stop by, grab a bag of coffee, or learn more and order at www.321inthekitchen.com We love supporting our families and our community 💛

01/23/2026

🎉 We are so excited and honored to be one of the recipients of the Buccalo Family Foundation’s Aiming for Acceptance event! 💙💛

We are incredibly grateful for their continued support of our special needs community and for creating such a meaningful space for connection, inclusion, and celebration.

We are out here today with one of our most dedicated families, the Perfeitos, and we are so thankful for the incredible support within our community. Together, we are building a stronger, more inclusive future for our children. 🌟

Thank you, Buccalo Family Foundation, for believing in our mission and standing with us. We are so proud to be part of this special day!

💙✨

01/16/2026