Contact: Jayme Mogen 415-331-7607 Oak Hill School Announces the Appointment of a New Executive Director Marin City, CA––[February 26, 2008]––Oak Hill School, Marin City, a school for children with autism and other learning challenges, announced the appointment of Dr. Glenn Motola as Executive Director. He replaces Karen Kaplan, who led the school for the past five years. DHR International conducted the search. Dr. Motola, who has a doctorate in Clinical Psychology, joins Oak Hill from Catholic Charities CYO, San Francisco, where he most recently was director of programs and services, managing a staff of 800, serving more than 40,000 clients annually. “We’re confident Glenn has the skills and experience to take Oak Hill to the next level, including what we can offer our students and the role we can play in the development and testing of innovative curriculum,” said Jennifer Fearon, co-chair of Oak Hill’s Board of Directors and a founder of the school. “He brings energy and expertise that will make a tremendous impact on the students and the wider special education community.” “I was looking for an opportunity that spoke to my passions both professionally and personally. Oak Hill is that opportunity,” said Dr. Motola. “The school is poised for its next phase of maturation and development, and I am pleased to be leading the Oak Hill community at this dynamic time.” Oak Hill will also be holding its annual benefit event, .comedy for Kids with Autism, on Friday, April 25, 2008 at the Regency Center in San Francisco. Headlined by Dana Carvey and preceded by a gourmet dinner from renowned local chefs, proceeds from the evening will benefit Oak Hill, as well as two other organizations serving children with autism, Marin’s Ryder Foundation and the ASHA Academy in Bangalore, India. For more information about Oak Hill or .comedy for Kids with Autism, please call us at 415.331.7607 or visit our website at www.theoakhillschool.org. About The Oak Hill School Oak Hill School was founded by families to serve children with developmentally based learning challenges, including autism spectrum disorders, and now serves twenty-one children from seven counties throughout the Bay Area. Oak Hill provides a day program that integrates key therapeutic strategies into the classroom to address children’s challenges and set the stage for learning. Two-thirds of the children at Oak Hill are placed by their local public school districts, illustrating the growing need for special education programming outside traditional systems. The school plans to expand its student body and facilities, and endeavors to be a leading center for education, research and training. About autism: The Centers for Disease Control estimates that today one in 150 children in the United States are on the autism spectrum; in 1980 that number was one in 10,000. The issue has become so widespread that the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that every child be screened for autism by age two. School districts and community organizations are overwhelmed by the rapidly increasing numbers of children affected by autism, and struggle to provide programs for them. Individuals on the autism spectrum often have trouble processing language, regulating their senses and relating to others, which can lead to disruptive behavior and a lack of awareness of their surroundings. Addressing these key areas allows the individual to focus on learning and to develop meaningful relationships, leading to greater engagement in the world. |
