Miami Lighthouse for the Blind


	Miami Lighthouse Academy An inclusive environment offering a free education to students who are visually impaired, from 1-year-olds to 4th graders, in collaboration with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Early Steps, and the Early Learning Coalition. In addition to offering free preschool, kindergarten, 1^st grade, 2^nd grade, 3^rd grade, and 4^th grade to students diagnosed with visual impairment and blindness, Miami Lighthouse Academy enrolls students without vision impairment ("sighted" students) in our inclusive Academy preschool, bringing 4-year-old VPK students who are sighted and students with vision impairment, to learn together. Miami Lighthouse Academy is a certified Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) Provider, funded by the State of Florida and Early Learning Coalition to offer free VPK for sighted 4-year-olds for the first 3 hours of school (with tuition for a full school day). Free transportation is available for students who are visually impaired, ages 1 through 4th grade. Braille-Rich Environment Using the evidence-based HighScope Curriculum, blind or visually impaired students are supported in a print/braille rich environment. Miami Lighthouse is the first vision rehabilitation educational institution in the U.S. to use the international HighScope Curriculum, and this is the first time that HighScope has been applied to blind learners in a fully inclusive model! Click here to read more about the HighScope Curriculum. The Conscious Discipline Approach Conscious Discipline is an evidence-based approach to social-emotional learning that focuses on connection to help create a safe, supportive environment where emotional regulation, conflict resolution, and positive behaviors are reinforced through strategic routines and tools that cultivate emotional intelligence, and a sense of community. To learn more, click here to read our peer-reviewed article published in the Early Childhood Education Journal, "Associations Between Peer Play Interactions and Empathy within an Early Childhood Inclusion Program for Children with Visual Impairment". Register your child today! To learn more, register your child, or schedule a tour of Miami Lighthouse Academy, call us at (786) 362-7483 or e-mail our Academy Director, Mara Gonzalez, at MGonzalez@miamilighthouse.org. To book an Academy tour, you can also input your email into the "Book a Tour" form on this page! Miami Lighthouse Academy is recognized as a member in good standing of The Florida Association for Child Care Management. Code of Student Conduct and Parent Bill of Rights "Standards of Ethical Conduct" from the Code of Ethics and Principles of Professional Conduct in the Florida Education Profession.

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Miami Lighthouse is AER accredited distinguishing that an agency or school operates at the highest level of quality and is positioned to generate the outcomes needed by the clients.	Miami Lighthouse received the coveted Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce 2023 Nonprofit Business Innovative Excellence NOVO Award with an organizational budget of $2 million and above.	Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired has received 14 consecutive 4-star ratings, the highest rating possible, from the nation's premier independent nonprofit evaluator Charity Navigator. Attaining a 4-star rating indicates that our organization adheres to sector best practices, exceeds industry standards, and executes its mission in a financially efficient way.	Early Intervention Blind Babies Program Named the Children's Trust 2016 Program of the Year. This most prestigious award recognizes this Early Intervention Program, in particular, for including parents as teachers.	Miami Lighthouse Learning Center for Children™ is a Florida gold seal and nationally Accredited Professional Preschool Learning Environment (APPLE)

Miami Lighthouse was recognized at the 2015 Florida Blue Foundation Sapphire Awards luncheon as an organization that has demonstrated excellence and innovation in community health.	Miami Lighthouse received the prestigious 2015 Beacon Award in Education at the 13th Annual Beacon Council Awards.	Miami Lighthouse is a two-time Charity Partner (2013 and 2014) of the Marlins Foundation and a 2017 Major League Baseball All-Star Game Legacy Partner. Our Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program has received over $300,000 in charitable donations through these partnerships.	Miami Lighthouse received the prestigious 2008 Concern Award from Health Foundation of South Florida.	Miami Lighthouse received a Silver medal at the 2016 Miami Today Gold Medal Awards Ceremony.

Miami Lighthouse named "Best of Miami" Charity 2017 by the New Times.		Miami Lighthouse received United Homecare’s 2012 Thelma Gibson Community Service Award at the 18th Annual Claude Pepper Memorial Awards Ceremony.		Miami Lighthouse received the prestigious South Florida Business Journal 2011 Excellence in Health Care Award in the Community Outreach category.		Miami Lighthouse honored by being named the recipient of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce 2010 Non-Profit Business Diamond Award1.		Miami Lighthouse received the prestigious 2020 award for "Best in Nonprofit" campaign by PRWeek referred to as the "Oscars of the PR industry".

Miami Lighthouse is proud to be a strategic partner with ABLE United, Florida's disability savings program, to learn more visit www.ableunited.com

Supporting nearly 200 comprehensive eye exams in Lee County through our Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program.

Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Inc.

It's Possible to See Without Sight™

Miami Lighthouse Academy

Braille-Rich Environment

The Conscious Discipline Approach

Register your child today!