Finding the right partner in education and therapy shouldn’t feel like crossing a river at night. You want steady stones. A path you can trust. That’s the promise behind The Stepping Stones Group—support for schools, progress for students, and real careers for clinicians. In this guide, we’ll keep it human and simple. Clear lanes. Concrete steps. Encouragement when the waters rise.
What Is The Stepping Stones Group—In Plain Language
The Stepping Stones Group is a nationwide provider of school-based and pediatric services. Think speech therapy, occupational and physical therapy, school psychology, behavioral support, special education services, and mental health care. The mission is practical and kind: help students grow, help schools staff up, help clinicians do their best work. One organization. Many hands. A single thread from referral to results.
Who The Stepping Stones Group Serves
- Students and families. Assessments. Individualized plans. Support that meets real life.
- Schools and districts. Shortages solved. Programs stabilized. Compliance respected.
- Clinicians and educators. SLPs, OTs, PTs, BCBAs, school psychologists, special education teachers, counselors. New grads and seasoned pros. The ladder is there.
The Stepping Stones Group stands in the middle—translating need into action, and action into change.
Core Services at a Glance
- Speech-Language Pathology (SLP). Articulation, language, fluency, voice, AAC.
- Occupational Therapy (OT). Fine motor, sensory processing, self-regulation, school participation.
- Physical Therapy (PT). Mobility, strength, positioning, access to learning spaces.
- School Psychology. Evaluations, MTSS/RTI support, counseling, crisis response.
- Behavior (ABA/BCBA). Functional behavior assessments, plans, teacher coaching, data-driven supports.
- Special Education Services. Case management, instruction, IEP development and facilitation.
- Mental Health. Counseling, SEL groups, referral pathways.
- Teletherapy. When distance or schedules demand flexibility, virtual sessions keep progress moving.
Each discipline meets the others. The circle closes around the student. That’s the power of a multi-service partner like The Stepping Stones Group.
How a District Partnership Usually Works (Step by Step)
Step 1: Listen. Define the need—vacancies, waitlists, compliance pressure, program expansion.
Step 2: Map. Align caseloads, service minutes, school calendars, and priorities.
Step 3: Place. The Stepping Stones Group identifies clinicians who fit your setting—skills, language, culture, schedule.
Step 4: Launch. Onboarding, badges, systems access, documentation norms, key contacts.
Step 5: Deliver. Services begin. Progress is tracked. The plan adjusts to reality.
Step 6: Review. Regular check-ins, metrics, and course corrections. No surprises.
Step 7: Sustain. Renewal options, added roles, seasonal coverage, ESY support.
Simple. Predictable. Built to protect instructional time and student dignity.
For Clinicians: A Career That Actually Grows With You
You want more than a placement. You want a path. The Stepping Stones Group aims to pair purpose with structure—mentorship, CE opportunities, varied settings, and supportive leadership.
- Mentorship and CF Support. SLPs launching their CFY get guidance that is both kind and rigorous.
- Clinical ladders. From entry-level to lead roles, from single-site to regional impact.
- Licensure help. State differences are real. Paperwork has a rhythm. You won’t dance alone.
- Flexible settings. Elementary, middle, high school, early childhood, or mixed caseloads.
- Well-being. Reasonable scope. Realistic minutes. Time to document without drowning.
Your work is sacred. The Stepping Stones Group treats it that way.
New Grad? Here’s Your Quick-Start Checklist
- Pick your lane. SLP, OT, PT, psych, behavior, special ed. Choose the age group that lights you up.
- Gather documents. Resume, transcripts, license or intern letter, certifications, references.
- Clarify preferences. Commute radius, teletherapy interest, bilingual needs, after-school availability.
- Ask for mentorship. Name your learning goals. Be specific.
- Practice the basics. Writing crisp goals. Running an IEP meeting. Keeping data honest and simple.
- Protect your calendar. Create daily “documentation pockets.” Small habits prevent big stress.
- Find your people. Join peer huddles. Celebrate small wins. Reflect out loud.
Begin with courage. Grow with feedback. The Stepping Stones Group meets you halfway.
For Families: What to Expect From School-Based Services
- Consent and evaluation. Your voice matters from the first form.
- IEP or 504 plan. Services match needs, not labels.
- Scheduling with dignity. Minimize classroom disruption. Protect core instruction.
- Progress notes in plain language. Data you can read. Strategies you can try at home.
- Team communication. You know who to email. They reply. You feel seen.
The goal is not just minutes delivered. It’s skills gained. Confidence found. A child who can show up to learning with less friction and more joy.
Teletherapy: When Virtual Makes Sense
Life gets messy. Weather cancels buses. Clinicians move. A student is homebound. Teletherapy keeps growth on course.
- Best uses. Language therapy, counseling, parent coaching, teacher consults, some social groups.
- Success factors. Good audio, simple visuals, short bursts with movement breaks, clear goals.
- On-site support. A para, teacher, or family member can help set up and fade out when needed.
Teletherapy is not a second-class service. Done well, it’s focused, flexible, and effective—one more stepping stone across the stream.
Quality, Compliance, and Calm
Schools need more than enthusiasm. They need structure. The Stepping Stones Group emphasizes:
- Ethical practice. Students first. Evidence-based methods. Scope of practice respected.
- Documentation rhythm. Timely notes, clear goals, measurable progress.
- Training and refreshers. Safety, de-escalation, trauma-informed strategies, legal updates.
- Privacy and data care. Student information handled with seriousness and care.
- Team huddles. Quick syncs that prevent long emails and longer delays.
Calm systems create kind classrooms. Kind classrooms change lives.
How Success Is Measured Without Losing the Soul
- Student progress. Goals met, generalized, maintained.
- Service delivery. Minutes scheduled vs delivered, with reasons and recovery plans.
- Timelines. Evaluations and meetings on time.
- Program stability. Vacancies covered, caseloads balanced, burnout avoided.
- Community feedback. Families, teachers, and students telling the truth—then seeing changes.
Numbers matter. Stories matter too. The Stepping Stones Group listens to both.
A Small Story (The Kind That Stays With You)
A third-grader arrives silent to speech. Shoulders tight. Eye contact rare. The SLP from The Stepping Stones Group starts small. One picture. One word. One laugh. Sessions become steady. The teacher notices brave attempts in class. The IEP team shifts a goal. Mom hears new sounds at dinner. It’s not a miracle. It’s a method. Little stones. One by one. A path appears where there wasn’t one before.
For District Leaders: Practical Tips to Start Strong
- Name the problem clearly. Vacancy? Backlog? New program? All three?
- Set a shared calendar. IEP dates, testing windows, state deadlines.
- Standardize templates. Goals, progress notes, parent letters.
- Protect collaboration time. Weekly huddles beat scattered emails.
- Watch the load. Caseload ≠ workload. Consider severity, travel, and meeting time.
- Plan ESY early. Summer sneaks up. Put the stones down now.
The first month sets the tone. Clarity in week one prevents crisis in month six.
For Site-Based Staff: Make the Partnership Sing
- Introduce clinicians. Names, rooms, office hours, referral routes.
- Share the map. Bell schedule, quiet spaces, emergency procedures.
- Tag-team behavior plans. Consistency wins. Celebrate small wins loudly.
- Loop families in. A quick call after the first session earns trust for the year.
Every connection is a bridge. The Stepping Stones Group brings the bricks; your school supplies the roots.
Common Pitfalls—and Gentle Fixes
- Overstuffed schedules. Fix: protect documentation blocks and classroom time.
- Vague goals. Fix: make them observable, measurable, meaningful.
- Slow feedback loops. Fix: weekly check-ins, short agendas, decisions dated and owned.
- Burnout signals. Fix: adjust caseloads, share strategies, name the load honestly.
Little course corrections. Big change over a semester.
Questions to Ask When Choosing The Stepping Stones Group
- How will clinicians be matched to our students and culture?
- What is your supervision structure and escalation path?
- How do you handle sudden vacancies or leaves?
- What does quality assurance look like month-to-month?
- How will we measure student progress and program stability together?
Good partners welcome good questions. The Stepping Stones Group should too.
FAQs
Is The Stepping Stones Group only for schools?
Schools are the primary focus, but pediatric and community programs may be supported depending on region and need.
Can services be blended—on-site and teletherapy?
Yes. Many districts use a hybrid approach to keep services steady during staffing changes or weather events.
What about bilingual services?
Ask for language needs up front. The Stepping Stones Group works to match clinicians and interpreters to student populations.
How are new grads supported?
Through mentorship, clinical guidance, and structured onboarding. Clear goals. Regular check-ins. Encouraging feedback.
What’s the biggest benefit for a district?
Stability. Vacancies filled, caseloads balanced, compliance protected—while students receive consistent, compassionate care.
A Gentle Closing
Education is a long river. Students deserve steady stones. Families deserve clear paths. Clinicians deserve teams that hold them up when the current runs fast. The Stepping Stones Group exists for that—linking need to know-how, turning minutes into milestones, helping schools keep their promise to every child who walks through the door.