Livingstone Academy is an independent, non-profit, Private School program that specializes in serving the unique needs of children with learning disabilities. At each location, Livingstone Academy serves students in grades 1-8; providing a continuum of services based on the individual requirements of each student. (Our Seffner campus serves students in grades 1st through 12th and our Exceptional Center serves grades 9-12) We provide a positive learning environment for students with Specific Learning Disabilities, Autism, Asperger’s, Speech and Language disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), intellectual disabilities, down syndrome and Cognitive and/or Developmental delays.
Livingstone Academy was founded in January 2003 by Chris and Bernadette Pello with a vision to educate students with special needs. Chris, a Christian school principal and Bernadette, a business executive, recognized the lack of quality educational services available for students in a private school environment. They opened the doors of the school with 35 students in Brandon, Florida to meet this need in the community. In August of 2007, the school moved to their current location in Seffner, Florida.
Livingstone Academy is currently the largest private school program in Hillsborough County that specializes in educating students with IEP'S and 504 plans. We currently serve over three hundred students in our four locations. Our original campus in Seffner, currently enrolls over 180 students in grades 1st - 12th.
Livingstone Academy opened up a second campus in August 2011 in Riverview, Florida. We acquired physical space from a local church that will facilitate the expansion of our current school. The new space will accommodate seven classrooms serving approximately 150 students.
In August 2013, we opened Livingstone Academy Autism center on Bloomingdale Ave in Valrico, Florida. We are one of the only private schools in the county serving autistic students. We provide a quality education, ABA, speech and occupational therapies and sensory gym on site. Our 23,000 SF facility can serve approximately 160 students.
In August 2018 we opened Livingstone Academy Exceptional Center HS, in Brandon. We serve High School students with Intellectual Disabilities, Down syndrome and Autism. Our focus is to develop independent functioning and real life skills. Our goal is to prepare our students for entry into various transition programs in our county.