Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida opens a charter school this fall for youth with developmental disabilities. Life Institute for Education or LIFE Academy says it will provide individualized programs that encourage economic independence to successfully transition young adults between the ages of 14 and 22 with development disabilities into the outside world. Carolyn Johnson is with Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida.

“We help people with disabilities with employment and to learn how to become independent and live full and functional lives out there in society so this is one step further. We’re going to take it a little sooner – catch the students before they actually graduate high school and help them go into post educational learning.”

Life Academy will focus on three goals: vocational and workforce skills, functional academic skills and daily life skills. It’s accepting applications for enrollment now… and has room for 44 students. The school is on Tarpon Street in Fort Myers. The principal for the Goodwill charter school comes from 30 years with the Lee county School district. Lynn Pottorf also ran the district’s charter school program. www.goodwilllifeacademy.org