Private School For Autistic Children Expands To Franklin Lakes

FRANKLIN LAKES, NJ — A private nonprofit school serving individuals with autism is cutting the ribbon at its new Franklin Lakes campus this week.

REED Autism Services, formerly the REED Foundation for Autism, is hosting a grand opening Thursday at the 800 Parsons Pond Drive location, an expansion of academy programming from the Oakland campus. Students (ages 3 through 21) were first welcomed to the Franklin Lakes facility in January, according to the organization's Facebook page.

New Jersey Sen. Kristin Corrado, state Ombudsman for Individuals with Disabilities Paul Aronsohn and Franklin Lakes Mayor Charles Kahwaty are expected to attend the 5:15 p.m. event Thursday.

Nestled on three and a half acres, the new 24,000-square-foot REED Academy is equipped with eight classrooms, a gym, playgrounds, and a fully enclosed courtyard, a May 2022 news release said.

The new location, REED Autism Services said, allows the program to serve more students' families and for the launch of REED Intensive Behavior Services — a clinic-based day program for those with severe challenging behavior.

"New Jersey has the third-highest rate of autism in the country, and REED is committed to addressing the growing needs of the autism community," REED said in a news release.