About Us

Our mission is to support neurodivergent high school students, including those on the autism spectrum, by fostering confidence, independence, and meaningful opportunities for growth.

Vivos Academy is an autism school in Virginia designed specifically for high school students. We offer a compassionate, individualized education that blends academics, vocational training, functional life skills, and community engagement. Guided by our core values, we prepare students not just for school, but for meaningful, fulfilling lives beyond the classroom.

The name Vivos, meaning “to live” in Latin, reflects the heart of our mission: celebrating vitality, growth, independence, connection, resilience, and self-advocacy in every student.

Low angle of a group of students are together, happy and smiling. Faces of young teenagers hugging.

Our Values

Vitality

We celebrate life and nurture the energy, curiosity, and joy of learning in every student.

Growth

We believe every learner can flourish when given the right support, guidance, and opportunities.

Independence

We equip students with the skills and confidence to direct their own lives with dignity.

Hand with water running off to water the soil with leaf sprouting from ground

Connection

We foster relationships and community ties that give students a sense of belonging and shared purpose.

Resilience

We help students develop the strength to adapt, persist, and thrive in the face of challenges

Self-Advocacy

We teach students to understand their needs, use their voices, and make informed choices so they can participate fully in their own growth.

Why Choose Vivos Academy?

High School Focus

We are exclusively focused on high school students, so every part of our program, academics, vocational training, social development, transition planning, and functional life-skills instruction is intentionally designed for this stage of life. This includes hands-on learning in real-world environments, such as a mock studio apartment where students practice daily living skills like cooking, cleaning, budgeting, and personal care. Parents can feel confident knowing their child is in a program that truly understands the unique needs of teenagers as they prepare for independence and adulthood.

Pathways to Independence

Students at Vivos Academy work toward a Standard Diploma or Applied Studies Diploma while also gaining functional academics, daily living skills, and vocational readiness. This combination ensures that your child is not only recognized for their academic achievements but also prepared to live as independently and meaningfully as possible at home, in the community, and at work.

Our Services

Compassionate, Individualized Support

Every student receives a highly personalized education plan aligned with Virginia standards, guided by evidence-based practices like compassionate ABA and trauma-assumed care. With small class sizes, close relationships, and a supportive environment, we meet each student where they are and help them grow academically, socially, and personally, while building self-determination, choice-making, and the skills to advocate for their own needs and goals.

Meet Our Team

How Vivos Academy Started

Vivos Academy was created with a clear vision: to build a high school program designed specifically for students with autism and other learning needs.

Our leadership team recognized a gap in services across Virginia. Many programs supported young children well, but high school students often lacked an environment that truly prepared them for life after graduation.

Front door - external view of Vivos Academy

With extensive backgrounds in special education, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), and school leadership, our founders developed a program that focuses not only on academics, but also on vocational training, real-world skill development, and community engagement. Vivos Academy was built to fill this need—offering a compassionate, structured, and future-focused environment where students can grow with dignity and confidence.

Logos of VAISEF and Virginia department of education

High School Academics Aligned with Virginia Standards

Our school is dedicated exclusively to high school students in Virginia, providing a focused and supportive environment for adolescents with autism during these critical years. Vivos Academy is currently working on obtaining licensure through the Virginia Department of Education and accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Specialized Education Facilities (VAISEF). Your child will work toward a Standard or Applied Studies Diploma through an individualized learning pathway aligned with the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) and Virginia’s Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP).

At Vivos Academy, you can feel confident knowing your child is enrolled in a program designed to deliver a strong, meaningful education while also addressing their individual needs. As a high school dedicated to serving families seeking autism schools in Virginia, we prepare students not only for academic success, but for life after high school by building confidence, independence, and real-world readiness.