Magnum Opus Intervention

Magnum Opus has helped my son, Ty Sims, tremendously over the past year and a half. Things that I thought were never possible for my son to achieve have become a reality. The littlest things, such as going into a store without a major panic attack, were impossible a year and a half ago; but with the help of Magnum Opus, my son has learned to accept new situations and surroundings. He used to be a little boy who was afraid of every new person he’d meet and every loud noise. Family gatherings at relative’s house were a nightmare to say the least. Our visits were always cut short because Ty couldn’t handle all the noise and changes in his environment. He could always be found in a back bedroom, hiding in a corner by himself, unwilling to interact with anyone. Now I am happy to say I am the one who decides when we leave, and Ty has become a social butterfly with the family. He still goes off by himself when he needs a break, which is a good thing, because he has learned to cope with his anxiety in a more appropriate manner.
Magnum Opus has also helped my son academically as well. He has learned to dress and undress himself, communicate through the PECS system, match various items, identify common objects, follow simple commands and imitations, and has really improved on his fine motor skills. Most importantly, he has learned to be happy! Magnum Opus has made my son come out of his shell and develop his own personality.
Magnum Opus is more than just a school - they are family!! Rebecca and Chelsea are two of the most caring people I have ever met, and they are truly dedicated to the kids and families that they provide service for. It may sound corny to say Magnum Opus saved my life, but they have. I don’t know where Ty would be today if it wasn’t for them. My sincere thanks go out to Magnum Opus and all of their staff that has helped Ty become the little boy he is today. He still has a long journey ahead of him, but with Magnum Opus behind him, the possibilities are endless for my son.

~Courtney Sims

We are the Cagneys: Mike, Jeanne, and Alex. Alex is our blessing and he has autism...we are his paternal grandparents. This has been our journey.

When we received custody of Alex, he could say some words but not use full sentences. He was potty trained and could feed himself. His social skills were a big part of his deficit...We noticed that Alex was regressing...We decided at that point we would take him out of public school and put him in a private school somewhere.

We really believed in our hearts that we were put on this earth to give Alex every possible opportunity to learn everything he could learn and skills to live a very productive life. I had heard that there was going to be a new [center] opened in Licking County that would teach children with autism and learning disabilities. We were very fortunate that Magnum Opus became a reality last school year. It is the biggest blessing for children with autism and learning disabilities that Licking County could receive. This is our experience, and that of all the other parents and caretakers [who] can relate to our experiences.

Alex started his journey during the summer, 2009. We had [Behavior Technicians] from Magnum Opus come to our house and take Alex through the steps he needed to become a student [for the] fall. They taught him using Applied Behavior Analysis and I am a true believer in this method. This was a life-changing summer for him, to start [at a center] that would cover all aspects of his needs to become a productive citizen.

On August 10, 2009, Alex started school at Magnum Opus Intervention Center. We [had] never been so excited about him starting school in the past. We expected great things and we truly got above our expectations. The staff has gone above and beyond just being [Behavior Technicians] in our lives; they are truly friends. We all want the best we can get for our children, and we feel have gotten that from Magnum Opus.

The method of teaching is Applied Behavior Analysis (also known as "ABA"). It is research-based and exactly what we needed for Alex. We could see Alex's skills multiply so quickly that we were asking to be their spokespersons. When it came time for his new IEP in May and I saw the ABLLs chart that charted in yellow what his skills were when he started school, and in red where his skills were at the time, I just sat and cried because the difference between knowing how far he has come and seeing it on paper was very emotional. We are very thankful!

Another aspect of the [center] is the friendships we make and the support we have with each other. We all share the changes that we see in each other's children since coming to the center. We know we can call each other whenever we need support. We also know that we can call Becca and Chelsea and they will call us right back and go above and beyond being owners of the [center].

It is nice to be in [such a] school, knowing that the staff wants the same things for our children that they would want for their own. Our community is very lucky to have such a wonderful education center for our children.

~Jeanne Cagney