BACK-TO-SCHOOL INTENSIVES · AUGUST 24–28
Help Your Child Walk Into School Feeling Confident, Prepared and Supported
Starting school, or returning after summer can bring worries about separation, routines, friendships, independence, organization and increasing expectations.
Willow Tree’s therapist-led Back-to-School Intensives help children and neurodivergent teens build practical skills and confidence before the first day arrives.
Small groups · Experienced child-development professionals · Neurodiversity-affirming support · Insurance or AccessOAP funding may apply
What Is Your Family Most Concerned About?
Every child approaches a new school year differently. Find the stage and concerns that sound most like your child to see which program may be the best fit.
PREPARING FOR KINDERGARTEN · AGES 3–5
Will My Child Be Ready for Kindergarten?
You may be wondering:
Will they manage classroom routines and expectations?
Are they independent enough for kindergarten?
Will they participate, communicate and connect with other children?
Recommended Program:
Ready, Set, Kindergarten!
Build school-day independence, classroom readiness, communication and social-emotional confidence through structured practice and play
SCHOOL SUCCESS & EMOTIONAL WELLNESS · AGES 8–11
Could My Child Use Extra Support for the Year Ahead?
School-success concerns
Organization, planning, focus or getting started can be difficult.
They need stronger strategies for managing schoolwork, routines and expectations.
Mindset and social-emotional concerns
Challenges can lead to worry, frustration, discouragement or shutting down.
They need support with confidence, resilience, friendships and handling setbacks.
Recommended Program:
Mindset for School Success
Build practical skills for managing school while strengthening the confidence, resilience and social-emotional skills children need to navigate the year ahead.
RETURNING TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL · AGES 6–9/10
What If My Child Is Already Worried About Going Back?
You may be noticing:
Worries about returning to school are already beginning.
Friendships, separation or classroom confidence feel difficult.
Big feelings can make school transitions overwhelming.
Recommended Program
Back-to-School Confidence
Help your child develop coping strategies, emotional-regulation skills, friendship confidence and a plan for managing school worries.
STARTING HIGH SCHOOL · AUTISTIC AND NEURODIVERGENT TEENS ENTERING GRADE 9
Is My Teen Prepared for the Transition to High School?
You may be wondering:
How will they navigate a larger school and changing classrooms?
Will they manage new organizational demands and expectations?
Do they have the confidence to advocate for themselves and navigate friendships?
Recommended Program
High School Readiness Workshop
Help your teen prepare for new routines, organization, self-advocacy, social navigation and greater independence.
Still Not Sure Which Program Fits?
Tell us your child’s age, what you are noticing and what you hope will feel easier this school year. Our team will help you identify the best next step.
Ready, Set, Kindergarten!
Kindergarten Readiness Group
A Kindergarten Experience Before Kindergarten Begins.
Ages: 3–5
August 24th – 28th (1 week Intensive - 5 sessions)
Monday - Friday: 10:00 AM–12:00 PM
📍145 Main Street, Toronto
A play-based school readiness program designed to help children develop the confidence, independence, and foundational skills they need for a successful transition to kindergarten.
Learn More Below:
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About the Program
Starting kindergarten is an exciting milestone but it also brings new routines, expectations, friendships, and opportunities for growth.
Our Kindergarten Readiness Intensive is a fun, engaging early intervention program designed to help children build the confidence, independence, social skills, and everyday routines they need to thrive in their first year of school.
Rather than focusing on academic skills such as letters and numbers, we focus on helping children successfully navigate the daily experiences of kindergarten. Through play-based learning, hands-on activities, guided practice, and small-group experiences, children develop the practical skills that support a confident and successful transition into the classroom.
Throughout the program, children participate in activities that mirror many of the routines they'll experience during a typical kindergarten day, helping them feel more prepared and confident when September arrives.
Small group sizes
Staffing Ratio 4:1 -
August 24th – Aug 28th, 2026
Monday - Friday: 10:00 AM–12:00 PM
1 week Intensive: 5 Sessions📍 145 Main Street, Toronto
This is a drop-off program -
Independence & Self-Help Skills
Children build confidence completing everyday routines independently, including managing personal belongings, washing hands, opening lunch containers, cleaning up, following visual schedules, and asking for help when needed.
Social Readiness
Children learn to make friends, join play, share, take turns, communicate with peers, solve simple conflicts, and participate successfully in cooperative group activities.
Classroom Readiness
Children practice many of the routines they'll experience in kindergarten, including circle time, following group instructions, transitioning between activities, participating in structured learning, and working independently for short periods.
Emotional Readiness
Children strengthen emotional awareness, confidence, resilience, and coping skills while learning strategies for managing frustration, separating from caregivers, trying new things, and adapting to change.
Executive Function Foundations
Through engaging games and activities, children develop the foundational thinking skills that support success at school, including attention, flexible thinking, problem-solving, planning, persistence, self-control, and early organizational skills.
Our goal isn't to teach kindergarten academics, it's to help children walk into their classroom on the first day feeling confident, capable, and excited to learn.
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A Typical Morning
Each session is thoughtfully designed to reflect many of the experiences children will encounter in kindergarten, helping them become familiar with classroom routines before the school year begins.
Activities may include:
🏫 Arrival Routine
👋 Morning Circle
🎨 Small-Group Learning Activities
🤝 Social Play & Friendship Building
🥨 Snack Routine
🏃 Movement Break
🧩 Problem-Solving & School Readiness Challenges
📖 Story Time
🎒 Goodbye Routine
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The total investment for the five-day program is $425.
$85 per sessionPay $85 today to reserve your child’s place and cover your first session. The remaining $340 will be invoiced before the program begins.
Insurance coverage eligible for Registered Social Worker
AccessOAP Funding accepted
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Our Kindergarten Readiness Intensive is facilitated by Willow Tree's multidisciplinary team of Registered Social Workers, Early Childhood Educators (ECEs), and Early Intervention Facilitators with expertise in child development, early learning, school readiness, and supporting young children through important developmental transitions.
Together, our team creates a fun, supportive, and engaging environment where children build the confidence and practical skills they need to begin kindergarten successfully.
Our team understands that every child develops differently. Activities are designed to meet children where they are while encouraging confidence, independence, curiosity, and a love of learning. -
This program may be a great fit for children who are:
✔ Starting JK or SK this September
✔ Feeling nervous or uncertain about beginning school
✔ Struggling with the structure of following group routines✔ Would benefit from building confidence in new environments and group settings
✔ Need additional support developing independence with everyday routines and self-help skills
✔ Learning to follow group routines and classroom expectations
✔ Strengthening early social, communication, and friendship skills
✔ Benefiting from extra support with transitions, flexibility, or emotional regulation
✔ Autistic, ADHD, or neurodivergent children preparing for the transition to kindergarten
✔ Children who may benefit from extra social-emotional learning support and extra school-readiness practice.
Whether your child is excited about starting school or feeling a little uncertain, our goal is to help them begin kindergarten feeling confident, capable, and ready to learn.
Back-to-School Confidence Group
Helping Children Feel Calm, Confident & Ready for School
Ages 6–9/10
August 24th - 28th (1 week intensive - 5 Sessions)
Monday–Friday • 5:00–6:15 PM (75mins)
📍85 Cedarvale Ave, East York
Help your child return to school feeling calm, confident, and ready to make a positive start through engaging activities that build emotional regulation, resilience, and friendships.
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About the Program
Returning to school can bring a mix of excitement, uncertainty, and worry for many children. New teachers, classmates, routines, academic expectations, and separation from caregivers can feel overwhelming, especially for children who experience anxiety or find transitions challenging.
Our Back-to-School Confidence Intensive is a fun, engaging one-week program designed to help children build the emotional skills, confidence, and coping strategies they need to start the school year feeling calm, prepared, and ready to thrive.
Through games, movement, role-playing, creative activities, mindfulness, and group discussions, children learn practical tools for understanding their feelings, managing worries, building friendships, solving problems, and approaching new situations with confidence.
Rather than avoiding worries, children learn how to recognize them, understand them, and develop healthy strategies to move forward with confidence.
Small group sizes
Staffing ratio of 4:1 -
Program Schedule
Monday–Friday • 5:00–6:15 PM (75mins)
August 24th - Aug 28th, 2026
5 Consecutive Evenings
📍 85 Cedarvale Ave, East York
This is a drop-off program -
The total investment for the five-day program is $375.
$75 per session
Pay $75 today to reserve your child’s place and cover the first session. The remaining $300 will be invoiced before the program begins.
Eligible for insurance coverage under Registered Social Worker services
AccessOAP funding accepted
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Throughout the Week We'll Explore:
💙 Understanding Feelings & School Worries
Helping children recognize, understand, and talk about their feelings while normalizing common worries about returning to school.
🧠 Body Clues & Anxiety Signals
Recognizing how anxiety feels in our bodies and learning calming strategies that help children feel safe, regulated, and in control.
🌟 Worry Thoughts & Flexible Thinking
Helping children identify worry thoughts, develop flexible thinking, and build a more confident mindset when facing new situations.
🤝 Friendship Skills & Confidence
Making friends, joining activities, asking for help, recognizing strengths, and developing confidence in social situations.
🎒 Coping with School Challenges
Preparing for common situations like morning drop-offs, classroom routines, making mistakes, handling frustration, and asking teachers for support.
⭐ My School Confidence Plan
Celebrating growth while creating an individualized School Confidence Toolkit full of practical coping strategies and confidence-building tools to take into the new school year
Every Child Takes HomeEach child will create their own personalized School Confidence Toolkit, including practical coping strategies, calming techniques, positive affirmations, and confidence-building tools they can continue using throughout the school year.
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Children are supported by Willow Tree's multidisciplinary team, which may include:
✔ Registered Social Workers with expertise in child development and emotional wellness
✔ Child and Youth Therapists
Our programs are clinically supervised by Child Development Specialists.
Our team creates a warm, engaging, and supportive environment where children feel safe to learn, build confidence, and prepare for a successful return to school.
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This program may be a great fit for children who are:
✔ Feeling nervous or anxious about returning to school
✔ Worrying about making new friends
✔ Feeling shy in new situations
✔ Having difficulty separating from caregivers
✔ Building confidence and emotional regulation skills
✔ Benefiting from additional support with transitions
✔ Autistic, ADHD, or neurodivergent children who would benefit from extra support during the transition back to school
✔ Looking for practical strategies to help them begin the school year feeling successful
Mindset for School Success
Helping Children Build the Confidence, Resilience & Mindset to Thrive This School Year
A five-day program helping children build confidence, resilience, flexible thinking and practical strategies for navigating friendships, setbacks and growing school expectations. Working towards building their “My Best Year Yet” plan to take into the school year!
Ages 8–11
August 24–28th (1 week intensive - 5 sessions)
Monday–Friday • 6:30-7:45PM (75mins)
📍85 Cedarvale Ave, East York
An engaging one-week intensive that helps children build organization, independence, executive functioning, resilience, and the mindset needed for a successful school year.
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About the Program
The beginning of a new school year is an opportunity for a fresh start, but it can also bring new challenges. Friendships change, expectations increase, and children are often navigating growing independence, peer relationships, and greater academic demands.
Our School Success Mindset Intensive is designed to help children develop the confidence, resilience, emotional wellness, and mindset needed to have their best school year yet.
Through engaging games, collaborative activities, role-playing, creative projects, and guided discussions, children explore their strengths, values, goals, friendships, emotional regulation, and problem-solving skills while developing practical strategies they can use throughout the school year.
Rather than simply preparing children for school routines, this program helps them build the mindset, confidence, and emotional skills that support long-term success both inside and outside the classroom. The curriculum focuses on self-concept, peer relationships, resilience, emotional regulation, and creating a personalized plan for a successful school year.
small group sizes
Staffing Ratio 4:1 -
Program Schedule
August 24th–28th, 2026
Monday–Friday • 6:30-7:45 PM1 week - 5 Consecutive Evenings
📍 85 Cedarvale, East York
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The total investment for the five-day program is $375.
$75 per session
Pay $75 today to reserve your child’s place and cover the first session. The remaining $300 will be invoiced before the program begins.
Eligible for insurance coverage under Registered Social Worker services
AccessOAP funding accepted
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Throughout the Week We'll Explore:
🌟 Building a Positive Mindset
Understanding strengths, values, self-concept, and developing a confident, growth-oriented mindset for the school year ahead.
🎯 Goals & School Success
Helping children identify meaningful goals, develop motivation, and create a personalized vision for the school year.
🤝 Friendships & Peer Relationships
Learning how to build healthy friendships, navigate peer conflict, demonstrate good sportsmanship, and respond to bullying with confidence and respect.
💪 Resilience & Emotional Wellness
Developing practical strategies for managing disappointment, setbacks, mistakes, frustration, and everyday school challenges.
🧠 Flexible Thinking & Problem Solving
Building executive functioning foundations through planning, flexible thinking, decision-making, and overcoming obstacles.
🚀 My Best Year Yet
Each child creates their own personalized My best year yet plan outlining their goals, strengths, strategies, and action plan for a positive and successful school year. This reflects the curriculum's focus on values, strengths, goals, resilience, and the culminating mindset project.
🎒 Every Child Takes Home
Each participant will leave with their own “My best year yet plan”, a personalized resource that includes goals, strengths, confidence-building strategies, resilience tools, and practical reminders to help them stay motivated throughout the school year.
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Children are supported by Willow Tree's multidisciplinary team, which may include:
✔ Registered Social Workers with expertise in child development and emotional wellness
✔ Child and Youth Therapists
Our programs are clinically supervised by Child Development Specialists.
Our team creates a warm, engaging, and supportive environment where children feel safe to learn, build confidence, and prepare for a successful return to school.
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This program may be a great fit for children who are:
✔ Looking to build confidence before returning to school
✔ Developing emotional regulation and resilience
✔ Navigating friendship challenges or peer conflict
✔ Working on self-esteem and positive self-talk
✔ Learning to manage setbacks, frustration, or disappointment
✔ Building independence and responsibility
✔ Autistic, ADHD, or neurodivergent children who would benefit from additional support navigating the school environment
✔ Wanting to start the school year with a positive mindset and practical strategies for success
High School Readiness Workshop
Helping Autistic & Neurodivergent Teens Start High School with Confidence
An interactive transition workshop designed to reduce uncertainty, build confidence, strengthen readiness, and help teens begin high school with a personalized plan for success.
For Teens Entering Grade 9
Monday August 24th 12:30 - 4:00pm
📍85 Cedarvale Ave, East York
Workshop Highlights:
✔ Interactive discussions in a supportive, neurodiversity-affirming environment
✔ Practical strategies for navigating the transition to high school with confidence
✔ Self-advocacy strategies for communicating needs and accessing supports
✔ Friendship and social navigation skills for building meaningful connections
✔ Role-playing and real-life problem-solving activities
✔ Personalized High School Success Plan to take home
✔ Pizza Lunch and opportunities to connect with peers entering high school
✔ Live Q&A with an autistic high school student who has recently made the transition
✔ Parent transition resources to support success beyond the workshop
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Starting high school is one of the biggest transitions many teens will experience. New teachers, larger schools, changing classrooms, increased independence, different social expectations, and heavier workloads can feel exciting, but also overwhelming.
Our High School Ready Workshop is designed specifically for autistic and neurodivergent teens entering Grade 9. Through practical strategies, discussion, interactive activities, and real-life scenarios, participants will leave feeling more prepared, confident, and equipped to navigate this important transition.
Rather than focusing only on information, this workshop helps teens develop practical strategies, executive functioning systems, confidence, and self-advocacy skills they can continue using throughout their first year of high school. The workshop addresses understanding the transition, friendships, anxiety, executive functioning, self-advocacy, and creating a personalized plan for success.
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Workshop Schedule
Monday August 24th 2026
12:30 PM – 4:00 PM
📍 85 Cedarvale Ave, East York
Workshop Agenda:
Part One (12:30 – 2:00PM)
Understanding High School🍕 Pizza Lunch & Social Connection (2:00- 2:30PM)
Pizza lunch is provided, giving teens an opportunity to connect with peers in a relaxed and supportive environment before the school year begins.
Part Two (2:30 PM – 4:00PM)
Thriving in High School -
Part One 12:30-2:00
Understanding High SchoolThe first half of the workshop is designed to reduce uncertainty and build confidence by helping teens understand what to realistically expect before their first day of high school.
Together we'll explore:
✔ What's actually different about high school?
✔ Common fears, myths, and misconceptions
✔ Lockers, schedules, classrooms, and multiple teachers
✔ Clubs, extracurricular activities, and finding your interests
✔ Navigating a larger school environment
✔ Building confidence through preparation
How We'll Learn
Throughout this session, teens will participate in:
🗣️ Interactive group discussions
📊 Visual presentations and examples
🎲 Team activities and games
📝 Reflection worksheets
❓ Anonymous Q&A opportunities
👥 Small-group problem solving
🎤 A live Q&A with an autistic high school student, providing the opportunity to ask honest questions, hear real experiences, and learn practical advice from someone who has recently made the transition themselves.
Pizza Lunch & Social Break
2:00-2:30pm
Part Two 2:30-4:00pm – Thriving in High SchoolThe second half of the workshop focuses on helping teens develop practical strategies to successfully navigate Grade 9 and beyond.
Together we'll explore:
🤝 Friendships & Social Navigation
Making friends
Joining conversations
Finding your people
Navigating peer conflict
💙 Managing Stress & Sensory Needs
Recognizing overwhelm
Understanding your own sensory needs
Building a personalized coping plan
Emotional regulation strategies
🧠 Executive Functioning for High School
Managing multiple teachers
Tracking assignments
Using planners and digital calendars
Breaking projects into manageable steps
Creating organization systems that work
🌟 Self-Advocacy & Independence
Understanding accommodations
Knowing when and how to ask for help
Communicating effectively with teachers
Problem-solving everyday challenges
Building independence and confidence
How We'll Learn
This session combines practical learning with real-life application through:
🎭 Role-playing common high school situations
🧠 Collaborative problem-solving activities
📋 Executive functioning planning tools
🎯 Interactive worksheets
💬 Group discussion and shared experiences
🧰 Building a personalized High School Success Plan to take home and use throughout the school year.
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Workshop Investment
The total investment for the workshop is $225.
The full amount is paid at registration to reserve your teen’s place.
Your registration includes:
✔ 3.5 hour interactive workshop
✔ Pizza lunch and social connection time
✔ High School Success Plan
✔ High School Survival Guide
✔ Executive Functioning Organization Guide
✔ Self-Advocacy & Communication Resources
✔ Parent Transition Resource Guide
Insurance & Funding
Insurance coverage for Registered Social Work services may apply.AccessOAP funding is accepted.
We offer financial aid options for families in need -
This workshop is led by experienced members of Willow Tree's Senior Clinical team, including Registered Social Workers, Clinical Supervisors, and Child & Youth Therapists with expertise in supporting autistic and neurodivergent youth.
Our clinicians understand both the practical and emotional challenges of transitioning to high school and create a supportive, engaging environment where teens can develop the confidence, strategies, and skills needed to begin this exciting new chapter.
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This workshop may be a great fit for teens who are:
✔ Entering Grade 9 this September or grade 10s that may benefit from refreshers.
✔ Feeling nervous or uncertain about starting high school
✔ Autistic, ADHD, or neurodivergent
✔ Looking to build confidence before the first day of school
✔ Wanting practical strategies for organization and independence
✔ Developing executive functioning skills
✔ Benefiting from additional support with transitions or anxiety
✔ Looking for a supportive environment to ask questions and connect with same age peers
✔ Benefit from a hands on interactive style workshop -
✔ Designed specifically for autistic and neurodivergent teens
✔ Practical, real-world strategies not just information
✔ Interactive discussions, activities, role-playing, and collaborative learning
✔ Executive functioning and organization systems teens can begin using immediately
✔ Honest conversations about friendships, anxiety, sensory needs, and self-advocacy
✔ Personalized resources and take-home planning tools
✔ Opportunities to meet and connect with peers before school begins
✔ Live Q&A with an autistic high school student who has successfully navigated the transition
✔ Parent resources to help support a confident start to high school
Register Now!
Select your desired program below and click Register Now.
Complete the Program Registration Form.
Once submitted, the program will automatically be added to your shopping cart.
Proceed to Checkout to complete your first session payment and reserve your child's spot.
Please note: The prices displayed below represent the first session payment only, which secures your child's spot in the program.
The Remaining program fees will be invoiced prior to the program start.
Once we receive your registration form and first session payment, our Intake Team will contact you to complete the remaining intake documentation and onboarding process.
If you have any questions or need assistance at any point, please contact us at intake@willowtree-mindwellness.ca.
Ready, Set Kindergarten
One-week school-readiness intensive for children ages 3–5 entering kindergarten.
Monday–Friday, August 24–28, 2026
10:00 AM–12:00 PM
5x two-hour sessions
📍 145 Main Street, Toronto
$425 total · $85 per session
The $85 payment made today reserves your child’s place and covers the first session. The remaining $340 may either be paid in full prior to program start or paid daily after each session.
Mindset for School Success
One-week intensive for children ages 8–11 combining practical school-success strategies with confidence, resilience and social-emotional skills.
Monday - Friday from 6:30-7:45pm
Aug 24th - Aug 28th 2026
5 x 75min sessions
📍85 Cedarvale Ave, East York
$375 total · $75 per session
The $75 payment made today reserves your child’s place and covers the first session. The remaining $300 may either be paid in full prior to program start or paid daily after each session.
Back 2 School Confidence
One-week intensive for children ages 6–9/10 who need support managing school worries, big feelings, friendships and the transition back to school.
Monday–Friday from 5:00-6:15pm
August 24–28, 2026
5 x 75min sessions
📍85 Cedarvale Ave, East York
$375 total · $75 per session
The $75 payment made today reserves your child’s place and covers the first session. The remaining $300 may either be paid in full prior to program start or paid daily after each session.
Highschool Readiness Workshop
A practical transition workshop for autistic and neurodivergent teens entering Grade 9.
Monday Aug 24th 12:30 - 4:00pm
📍 85 Cedarvale Ave, Toronto
$225 paid in full
This payment reserves your teen’s place and covers the complete workshop.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Start with the four program options near the top of this page. If you are still unsure, select “Help Me Choose” and tell us your child’s age, what you are noticing and what you hope will feel easier. Our team will help you determine the best fit.
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Yes. Willow Tree provides neurodiversity-affirming support, and autistic and ADHD children are welcome. Fit is considered individually based on your child’s age, goals, support needs and the structure of each program.
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No. A formal diagnosis is not required to participate.
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What if my child feels nervous about attending a group?
That is completely understandable, especially when beginning something new. Our team creates a warm, structured and supportive environment and helps children become comfortable at their own pace. Contact us before registering if you would like to discuss your child’s needs.
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Yes. These programs are designed for children and teens to participate independently with support from the Willow Tree team. We will contact you if your child requires a different participation plan.
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Yes, Because each intensive builds skills across the week, participants should plan to attend all scheduled sessions whenever possible.
Commitment to attend the full program is required. -
AccessOAP funding is accepted.
Programs delivered by a Registered Social Worker may also be eligible for private insurance coverage, depending on your individual plan. Families are responsible for confirming their coverage.
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For the five-day intensives, today’s payment reserves your child’s place and covers the first session. The remaining program balance will be invoiced before the program begins and may either be paid in full or after each session.
The High School Readiness Workshop is paid in full at registration. -
You will receive a registration confirmation and information about next steps. Our team may contact you if we need additional information to help your child participate successfully.
Give Your Child a More Confident Start to the School Year
Whether your child is preparing for kindergarten, worried about returning to school, building school-success skills or starting high school, Willow Tree can help them enter September feeling more prepared and supported.
Back-to-School Intensives run August 24–28. Small-group spaces are limited.