MEEO is a project that aims to give back to “school dropouts” the desire of learning. This school, located in Annecy-le-Vieux in France, is a transition for young people with neurodevelopmental disorders (autism spectrum disorders, severe learning disabilities), the time to heal, to get to know themselves better in order to find the strength and motivation to go back to ordinary school life.
The MEEO Association was created by its founder and director, Félicie Petit Hergott, in December 2015, to compensate for the lack of adapted solutions for children that suffer from school difficulties.
A first opening period was organised in September 2016 with 16 children. In September 2019, a secondary private school was opened, with 22 young people aged between 10 and 16 years old.
Financial support has been requested from the Alcuin Fund for start-up assistance.
Today, only a few schools offer comprehensive and effective long-term support for pupils who are in a delicate psycho-affective situation. Only 20% of autistic children attend school in France. And 12% of pupils are in difficulty within the ordinary school environment. The latter mainly present neuro-developmental disorders such as autism, learning disorders (dyslexia, dyscalculia…), intellectual precocity, attention disorders with or without hyperactivity.
This is why Félicie Petit Hergott, motherof 4 neuro-atypic children, has decided to engage in family education and founded Mon École Extraordinaire.
Mon École Extraordinaire (MEEO) is a community project bringing together parents and students, members of the Association, teachers, educators, doctors, paramedical staff, outside artists and therapists, administrative and maintenance people.
It is a place where everyone feels respected, where each child will blossom in order to acquire autonomy and self-confidence. Mutual trust and transparency between the different partners of the community are important factors that will contribute to the success of this task.
The two entities, primary and secondary, adapt to the needs of each child, whatever his or her profile and difficulties, while maintaining the school’s general expectations.
In order to encourage autonomy and help the teachers, collective school life Help is provided in each-class. In addition, a Specialised Educator will offer young people access to a “Self-Regulation Class” such as can be found in the ARAMIS devices.
You can find more information here.