The Los Angeles community is fortunate to have a variety of exceptional service providers, dedicated to helping families who have children or adults with learning differences. But few have been doing it as long and as well as Villa Esperanza Services. What began in 1961 when Rachel Keith started a school in her home for her son Ronnie and other children with Down syndrome has today grown into a beautiful school in Pasadena – as well as second location in Thousand Oaks – that is celebrating six decades of being an environment of love, caring and hope for so many.
We asked Robyn Stack Reagan, Vice President of Special Education Services, to tell us more about Villa Esperanza Services, its history, programs and its future.
L.A. Parent: Your school has a fascinating history. Can you share some details on how and why it started, and what the first 20 years or so looked like?
Robyn: The saying, “Necessity is the mother of invention” truly applies to Villa Esperanza since it started with a mother who needed a school for her son and invented it! Yes, Villa started in Rachel’s home and grew to occupy storefronts and small houses on our current 1½ -acre lot on Villa Street in Pasadena. From those humble beginnings to our current campus, Villa has continued to move forward.
L.A. Parent: Your growth and impact are impressive. You offer school for students ages 5-22 years old, occupational therapy, speech and language, and behavior therapy, and you have three adult day programs, adult residential services and adult employment services. How does your team manage it all?
Robyn: Villa’s 10 unique programs are managed by an exceptional group of directors who oversee their respective programs. They meet regularly to go over what is working well and where improvement is needed.
Villa’s programs have evolved with our population and their families. Starting with Early Intervention Occupational Therapy or Speech services, a child can then attend our school from age 5 to 22 years old, and transition seamlessly onto one of our adult programs. Throughout this journey, staff work together to understand the unique support needs and potential for growth of each individual.
The magic truly happens with our direct care staff. Whether it’s a 1:1 instructional aide at our school or a direct support professional for one of our adult programs, their day-to-day commitment, care and creativity is a huge reason for the progress we see in our participants.
L.A. Parent: Villa Esperanza Services’ school was recently featured at the Architecture 4Learning Environments national conference in Phoenix. What did that mean to your team?
Robyn: The acknowledgment from Architecture4Learning Environments was such an honor. A great deal of thought and planning went into creating a campus that put our students’ first. The architecture team at Practice worked with our philanthropy team, school staff and operational staff to determine what kinds of spaces would set our school apart from the rest. Our state-of-the-art Occupational Therapy Center, classrooms with sound-absorbing ceilings and high windows for natural light, interactive playgrounds and our Independent Living Skills studio all contribute holistically to positively impact and inspire students and staff on a daily basis.
The school campus encompasses Phases 1 and 2 of our 3-part capital campaign. We appreciate the many donors who have supported our vision to create this therapeutic learning and working environment. We hope to showcase to the larger community of families in the Los Angeles area that we are here to serve your children’s educational, social and emotional needs.
L.A. Parent: What’s next for Villa Esperanza Services?
Robyn: At this point in time, Villa has about $5 million raised toward the $15 million goal of completing our 3-part capital campaign. The last phase of our campus will include an incredible new Speech and Language therapy center where we can continue to provide exceptional support for Villa students and outside clients. It will also feature modernized meeting and workspaces for our administrative and program leadership. From our origins of humble storefronts and houses, we are excited to complete this transformation.
Beyond our capital campaign goals, Villa remains continually eager to support the Pasadena and Los Angeles community. We welcome students from more than 25 different school districts. As we work toward growing our enrollment, we are committed to helping their child with intellectual and or developmental disabilities reach their potential though comprehensive services to works toward their overall growth.
L.A. Parent: Thanks for the updates, Robyn. Is there anything else we should know about Villa Esperanza Services?
Robyn: Villa is here for you and your loved ones with intellectual and developmental disabilities. For more than 65 years, our team has served thousands of individuals and we remain committed to growing our impact. If you are in the Pasadena or the larger Los Angeles area, we encourage you to visit us for a tour. Whether you are prospective parent or interested in getting involved with our cause, we would love to welcome you for an up-close look at the work being done. For tours of our campus, you can reach out to our Director of Philanthropy Michelle Cox at MCox@VillaES.org or (626) 449-2919, ext. 128.
