Our Story
Circle of Friends School was created in response to a gap that too many families across Lane County know well: the lack of safe, appropriate, and inclusive educational environments for youth with complex disabilities.
For years, families of children with significant medical, physical, and communication needs often faced impossible choices. Many students were placed in classrooms that were not designed to meet their needs, while others had no viable option beyond homebound instruction or leaving the public system entirely. Families frequently felt isolated, unseen, and without meaningful support.
Circle of Friends began in 2018 when educators, caregivers, and advocates came together around a shared belief: youth with complex disabilities deserve educational environments specifically designed for them, not adapted as an afterthought. What started as family meetups and community-building gatherings evolved into virtual programming during the pandemic, inclusive camps, extended school year programming, and eventually a full K–12 educational program serving students across Lane County.
Today, Circle of Friends School partners with regional school districts to provide individualized education, medically informed supports, adaptive learning environments, and deeply relationship-centered care for students whose needs often exceed what traditional settings can realistically support.
What Makes Circle of Friends Different
At Circle of Friends, education is not separated from communication, mobility, medical care, emotional well-being, or belonging. Our model is intentionally interdisciplinary and individualized, recognizing that every student deserves support tailored to who they are.
Each day, students receive highly individualized instruction aligned with their IEP goals, integrated therapies, communication supports, mobility assistance, and opportunities for social connection and community engagement.
Our approach includes:
- Low student-to-staff ratios and intensive individualized support
- Integrated AAC and communication supports
- Medically informed care embedded into the school day
- Adaptive equipment and mobility supports
- Community-based learning and enrichment opportunities
- Strong partnerships with families, therapists, and school districts
- Disability-informed environments designed for safety, dignity, and inclusion
Students are not simply accommodated here. They are known, celebrated, and empowered.
By the Numbers
Individualized Student Support
- 560 minutes of individualized instruction provided daily
- 87 active IEP goals embedded into daily routines and instruction
- 1,605 hours of one-to-one and small-group instruction annually
- Minimum of 98 mobility lifts and transfers supported each day
- 2,408 specialized feeding and oral motor sessions annually
Specialized Care
- 99 hours of nursing and medically informed care provided monthly
- 74 hours dedicated specifically to G-tube feeding support
- Daily seizure management, medication administration, and health monitoring
- Adaptive equipment including walkers, standers, adaptive trikes, AAC devices, wheelchairs, and specialized seating systems
Family & Community Impact
- Partnerships with Springfield, South Lane, and Creswell School Districts
- Ongoing coordination with families through daily communication and care updates
- Educational access for students who otherwise may have faced prolonged homebound instruction or no viable local placement options
A Trusted Educational Partner
Circle of Friends School is an approved educational provider through the Oregon Department of Education and works collaboratively alongside school districts to expand access to appropriate educational placements for students with complex disabilities.
District leaders across Lane County have recognized Circle of Friends as an essential regional partner helping meet the needs of students requiring highly specialized educational environments.
“Circle of Friends has become an essential partner in meeting that challenge.”
— Chad Hamilton, Ph.D., Special Education Director, South Lane School District
“Their personalized approach ensures that each student receives the support they need to thrive academically and socially.”
— Amy Aguero, Director of Student Services, Creswell School District
Family Voices
For many families, Circle of Friends represents more than a school. It represents stability, dignity, belonging, and hope.
“Circle of Friends has changed our lives immensely, for the better. We have found not just a school, but a community that understands our son and walks alongside our family.”
— Tara Poindexter, Parent
Families consistently describe Circle of Friends as one of the first places where their child is fully understood, where medical and educational needs are integrated seamlessly, and where youth with disabilities are encouraged to participate fully in community life.
Looking Ahead
Circle of Friends is continuing to expand its K–12 programming while building a broader ecosystem of support for youth with disabilities and their families across Lane County. This includes future growth in mental health services, transition programming, respite opportunities, adaptive recreation, workforce development, and family-centered supports.
As we grow, our commitment remains the same: To create a world where disability is not overlooked, but embraced.