About The Lionheart School

The Lionheart School was established in September 2000, founded by parents and professionals.

Private, non-profit 501(c) (3), COGNIA SACS/SAIS accredited school
Developmental, individual-difference, relationship-based philosophy grounded in the DIR® model. We integrate the principles of evidence-based practices.
Focus on core challenges: relating, communicating, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Through our model, we support meaningful progress across the lifespan—grounded in relationships that matter.
Master’s level certified teachers
Speech and Occupational Therapists, Reading Specialists on staff
Music, Drama, Art, Floortime™, Hippotherapy
Summer Farm Camp programs available for Lionheart students
SB10 and GOAL Scholarships and financial assistance available

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide a developmentally appropriate education for children who need a specialized learning environment, therapeutic interventions, supported social interactions, and strategies to accommodate their individual profiles.

Our History

Lionheart is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2000 by a group of parents and professionals who set out to build something Atlanta didn’t yet have: a nurturing, supportive space for children who experience the world differently and need extra support with relating and communicating. What began in a small cottage on the grounds of Alpharetta Presbyterian Church grew, through years of dedicated work, into a model program built around each child’s unique strengths and needs. By 2010, with the backing of families, friends, foundations, and the broader community, Lionheart had outgrown its first home — and moved into a building designed specifically for the children it serves.

The Lionheart Approach

The Lionheart School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.

Founder’s Message

It is my privilege to welcome you as the Head and co-founder of The Lionheart School. Ours is truly a unique program and one that did not happen overnight. Rather, the vision of Lionheart was the result of several journeys, including my own, which led us down this path. Lionheart started when three families, an educator and a therapist met on the path of life. Three families with three very different children, with three very different lives, who came together around one common purpose: the need to create a school community that would appreciate, understand, challenge and embrace a child just as they are.

First and foremost, we seek to create a stimulating, safe and respectful environment for our students. Our school embraces the “whole child” supporting their individual differences and learning styles, while encouraging each child into engaging interaction and meaningful learning. At Lionheart, we believe that when students comprehend and their intentions and actions are truly understood, development unfolds and students rise to their next level of learning! We strive to help them create meaningful relationships with adults as well as with each other. A foundation for academic and social thinking is established and then built on over time. Our students are encouraged to be abstract, logical and creative thinkers. Based on each student’s unique individual profile, teaching strategies as well as specific curriculums are chosen to fit their evolving developmental profile and individual learning styles. At all times we have to not only consider the profile of each student as an individual but also as part of the group. These primary objectives are consistent with the Developmental Individual Difference Relationship (DIR) based model of Stanley Greenspan, M.D. and Serena Wieder, Ph.D.

The Lionheart School is comprised of an interdisciplinary team of dedicated professionals – from a devoted executive team to a highly trained group of therapists and teachers. Inside each of the rooms in Lionheart, inspired staff members bring experience, creativity and intention to their work with our school. Our staff is comprised of exceptional individuals working together for the benefit of our children and families.

All these years later, as I look back on Lionheart’s journey, I am overwhelmed. I am overwhelmed by the generosity of our community, by the dedication of our staff, and by the support and gratitude of our parents. Most of all, I am overwhelmed by the perseverance of our students, by their tenacity, their strength, and the genuine goodness of their hearts. One of their greatest desires is to have place in our world; they want to be accepted, respected, and valued for their contributions. Our primary mission at Lionheart is to imprint upon them the knowledge that they do have a place in our world; and that they too can influence and maintain relationships with family, friends, teachers and others in their community. Our success as a school is not measured in centimeters, logarithms or the periodic table. Rather, we see our success in fist pumps, inside jokes and even the hurt feelings which are part of every intense friendship. We see it when one student demands to be on his friend’s team. We see it when a group of students compare levels achieved on the latest video game. No we are not a typical school. Nor would we ever want to be.

I encourage you to take some time – explore our website and read more about our history, our philosophy, our programs and our community. I hope that once you do, you will feel, as I do, that The Lionheart School sees each student as a unique individual with great potential.

Warmly,

Elizabeth Dulin, M.Ed.
Head of School

News & Events

Stay up to date on the latest news and happenings at The Lionheart School, learn about our past and upcoming events, and check out our latest newsletters.