Dining Out, Thriving Together: How Lunch Bunch Empowers Heartspring Classrooms

The Heartspring Therapeutic Residential & Day School prioritizes opportunities that allow our students with neurodevelopmental conditions to gain experience outside of the classroom.

One of our students’ favorites is our Lunch Bunch program, where classrooms leave campus and share a meal at a nearby sit-down restaurant. Children have their special education teacher, paraprofessionals, and even members of our therapeutic team, like OTs, SLPs, and BCBAs, supporting them.

Lunch Bunch goes beyond teaching table manners and reading menus. We’re helping students navigate real-world routines in the community that will help them thrive at Heartspring and beyond.

At this point, most of our classrooms participate in Lunch Bunch, and we’re excited to announce that our youngest group of students has joined after successfully participating in our Mock Restaurant program earlier this year!

Heartspring’s Mock Restaurant program prepares students for dining in a real restaurant where they practice waiting for their food, ordering off a menu, and regulating themselves in a busy/noisy environment.

Increasing the frequency of community experiences, such as Lunch Bunch, community-based vocational instruction, volunteering, and fun field trips, gives students and staff the confidence and skills to be successful both off-campus and in the classroom.

Additionally, as community members interact with our students, these opportunities foster more inclusive environments and encourage educational discussions with those unfamiliar with our organization and the children we serve.

Together, we can build accessibility and acceptance in Wichita and communities across the country.