The Fight that Led to a Farm

16-year-old Leah Fiorito lives an hour west of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at a unique farm property called The Camphill School. The school, part of the Waldorf Family of schools, is a distinguished and specialized residential program for youth in kindergarten through 12^th grade and beyond to live in a shared collaborative community in a way that allows residents – both with and without intellectual disabilities – to live, work, and care for each other with an emphasis on “social, spiritual, cultural, and agricultural renewal”. But Leah’s schooling has not always taken place in such an extraordinary community. Her residence at The Camphill School was hard fought by her parents, Elissa and Michael Fiorito, and we had the pleasure of speaking with Elissa this month, as we dive into a new school year and think about the educational journeys of our NODCC community members.

When their daughter Leah was still very young, Elissa and Michael noticed the way she missed typical motor milestones. Elissa’s career as an occupational therapist and experiences with her two older neurotypical children let her know that it would be best to find out more about Leah’s development. An MRI when Leah was three years old revealed she had Hypoplasia of the Corpus Callosum. Leah had been in an early intervention program in her area’s school district, and her Hypoplasia diagnosis helped inform her early intervention plan. When Leah entered first grade, she was placed in a classroom for children with autism, but it became immediately apparent that it was not the right fit. A school district advocate working with the Fiorito family recognized that advocating for Leah’s education with the help of a specialized attorney was the best choice for getting Leah the education that would suit her best.

The attorney helped Leah to be accepted into a day school, where she spent two successful years until the school district felt they could accommodate Leah’s unique needs once more. Leah returned to public school for three more years, until sixth grade. It became clear, however, that Leah’s needs were not being met with the services available from her public school district, and Michael and Elissa knew Leah deserved more. The family re-hired the attorney who helped them previously, and after a lengthy and difficult back and forth, the family was able to fight for a space at the incredible Camphill School’s residential program, where Leah has lived since 2019.

Today, Leah lives in one of The Camphill School property’s many homes, which are managed by trained house parent teams who oversee the activities, meals, chores, leisure, and all elements of students’ experiences. The families living on campus do not have television or personal devices, opting instead to do simple activities together like music and games. The school operates on a calendar that includes holiday breaks in which students spend time at home with their families, but during school sessions, families are welcomed to visit and spend time with their students in the unique environment where they live. Elissa has enjoyed spending time with Leah and her schoolmates in the extraordinary environment The Camphill school has fostered on their premises.

Therapies such as occupational and speech therapy, among many others, are available on campus for all students who need them. There is even a fully functional farm and agricultural program for adults ages 18-21, so that students graduating from the high school level program have a transitional option that prepares them for their next steps into adulthood, be that a vocational position or an adult school. The Camphill School is the only campus in the US precisely of its kind, but is one of nearly one hundred campuses worldwide offering with a similar holistic philosophy on educating persons with intellectual disabilities in a rich community such as theirs.

When Leah was in her public school district’s special needs program, hands on specialty classes such as music, dance, and other kinesthetic activities Leah so desperately needed were instead removed from her schedule to “give extra time for her to manage academics”, but Leah’s mother explained that this was the opposite of what Leah needed, as she learns through doing, touching, and experiencing. Now that Leah has found her perfect educational fit, every aspect of her schooling occurs in ways she comprehends – through the five senses, and immersive months-long “units” the school implements which involve drama, song, physicality, crafts and more. Leah and her family couldn’t be happier with her situation.

When asked what advice she has for parents starting to navigate their DCC child’s educational journey, Elissa encourages, “Keep an open mind, but also, know when something’s not right, and advocate for your child. Speak up. It’s okay to second guess your child’s school. It’s okay to get outside opinions and outside evaluations. Schools mean well, but at the same time, our kids are so unique, that they can’t be put in a box.

When not at The Camphill School, Leah loves going out to dinner with her family, something she doesn’t get to do often at school. She also enjoys spending time with her siblings, doing simple things like going to movies, and spending time at the beach. We’re so grateful to Elissa for sharing her story to inspire NODCC parents to remain vigilant in finding the best educational environment for their unique child. The result is worth it! For more information on The Camphill School, visit https://camphillschool.org/.