Welcome to the Temple Grandin School!

The Temple Grandin School (TGS) program is inspired by the successful educational experiences of Temple Grandin, including individualized, strength-based academic learning coupled with real-world experiences. Dr. Grandin is well-known as an individual with autism, but she is equally distinguished by her work as a university professor and designer of humane animal handling facilities. She is a unique individual that breaks the mold, and she has dedicated a large share of her public speaking to advocating on behalf of all kinds of minds. Dr. Grandin’s example reminds us that each person, whether or not they have a specific neurocognitive diagnosis, is unique, with talents waiting to be nurtured.

The students we serve at Temple Grandin School are exceptional emerging young adults with tremendous potential who bring their best efforts every school day. They come to us from a wide range of family and educational backgrounds, but share in common the challenge of finding a community of belonging. Because they are neither typical, nor typically autistic, they don’t easily fit in to our society’s established educational models.

That’s where we come in. At Temple Grandin School, our holistic learning environment is custom-fit to the neurodiverse students and families we serve. We provide a safe community where these capable students can begin to believe in themselves, persist through their challenges, and achieve their full potential. As Temple Grandin herself expresses:

“Parents should carefully expand their children’s horizon by starting with their interests and talents. It is these passions that will help them navigate the world. Don’t do this alone, though. Incorporate other caring adults into this community, people who will take your child places, who can talk with her about her interests, and who can even help her discover new ones.”

At Temple Grandin School, we want to be among the caring adults who truly make a difference in the lives of neurodiverse students, their families AND their communities. We guarantee:

We will always see students as individuals who richly deserve our best daily.
We will value parents and caregivers as full members of their student’s educational team.
We will employ dedicated mentor-educators who lead with their hearts.
We will never limit our students’ potential in any fashion.
We will teach students to be proud of their strengths and gifts, and give them the ability to maximize those strengths.
We will help students find the courage to address their challenges by providing a supportive academic and social environment for learning.

We invite you to explore our website to learn more about our learning community. Whether you are a parent, student, or interested community member, there’s a place for you here!

Warmly,

Jennifer Wilger
Co-Founder and Executive Director