Northwest Center for Autism to cut ribbon Wednesday at new Genoa location

KATIE FINLON

kfinlon@shawmedia.com

GENOA – Camelot Education and Genoa-Kingston School District 424 officials will cut the ribbon Wednesday on their new building for the Northwest Center for Autism.

The event is scheduled for 4 p.m. Wednesday at the school, 123 W. First St. The center moved from DeKalb at the beginning of this school year into the building that had housed the former Davenport Elementary School in Genoa. Davenport closed in 2017 because of declining enrollment.

The center provides academic and therapeutic services for students ages 3 through 21 with special needs including autism spectrum disorder, multiple disabilities, emotional disabilities and other health impairments.

The center currently has about 90 students enrolled, but the new Genoa location has the space to expand its enrollment in the program to
130 children as the needs of school districts grow, said Theresa Mortl Smith, vice president of therapeutic day schools for Camelot.

She said it also will allow for more open classrooms and a devoted space for indoor growth and a motor skills playroom designed with students’ needs in mind.

“It’s just so rewarding to be able to do that,” Smith said.

The school serves 35 districts in DeKalb, Kane, DuPage, Kendall, La Salle, Lee, Ogle, Winnebago and Boone counties.