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NAPSEC NEWS Happenings at NAPSEC Member Programs!
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Spring Edition 2011 |
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NAPSEC News
2011 Diversity Scholarships Awarded
Members Featured In This Edition
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NAPSEC Affiliate Members!
The NAPSEC Foundation Announces 2011 Recipients of the Diversity Scholarship Program
The National Association of Private Special Education Centers Foundation (NAPSEC) is proud to announce the 2011 recipients of the Diversity Scholarship Program. As in years past, the scholarship will be distributed to worthy candidates who have provided exemplary service to their respective Private Special Education Centers and will continue to assist special needs students by pursuing a Special Education degree. The scholarship includes $2,000 towards enrollment in a Special Education program, free registration at the NAPSEC Annual Conference and is renewable annually for two years with satisfactory progress. Martha Faye Ikner is the Admissions Executive Assistant at Brehm Prepartory School in Carbondale, IL. She has worked various positions at Brehm since 2003. In the last year, Ms. Ikner has not only continued to serve as an invaluable bridge to the community, parents and faculty for the Brehm Prepartory School, she has helped her husband through rehab from a gunshot wound and been an attentive mother to her four children. She intends to use her scholarship towards not only getting an Master of Arts in Special Education at Southern Illinois University and in the future attend law school and practice education law. Rodney Wallace's motivation to receive a Master of Arts in Special Educations was ingrained by his parents and later cultivated through his work with special education students at The Children's Guild-Anne Arundel Campus. Mr. Wallace, currently an acting Assistant Principal, circulates The Children's Guild three campuses in Baltimore City, Anne Arundel County and Prince George's County motivating and instructing teachers, coaches and students alike. After receiving his degree from Goucher College, Mr. Wallace plans to pursue a principal position at a special education school. Melissa Zilinski has never backed down from her desire to be a teacher. She went back to school full-time after substituting. Ms. Zilinski bartended and waitressed at nights to attend classes during the day and receive her B.A. in Elementary Education from Rowan University. In the time since, she has become a pillar at Pineland Learning Center instructing special needs high school seniors whether it is establishing a Culinary Arts Program or as an advisor for the student council. Ms. Zilinski will pursue Post-Baccalaureate Teacher of Students with Disabilities Certification at Rowan University. Michael Gunthrop has circulated the country coaching football in the dry, desert air of Arizona and the pristine Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. In his second stint as an educator in the Baltimore area, Mr. Gunthrop has found his calling working with the student body at the Arrow Education Center. Whether as classroom instructor or as assistant administrator Mr. Gunthrop is a motivating force to both students and faculty. The scholarship allotment will go towards Mr. Guntrhop's enrollment in Walden University's Master of Education: Special Education program. He intends to pursue a principal position upon completion of his degree. All four of the 2011 NAPSEC Foundation Diversity Scholarship Program recipients traveled various paths to get to their current stations in life. They have enriched the students and communities on their journey through their compassion and commitment to education. The NAPSEC Foundation is proud to help them in their continued success.
NAPSEC Members, parents and students went to Capitol on May 5th to meet with Congressional members and staff to discuss issues that impact private special education. It was a great day with lots of walking and talking! We were very lucky to have both parents and students to speak on behalf of member programs.
In the morning members had an opportunity to network and listen to presentations after Bill Doherty, Public Policy Chair, thanked the Joseph Academy for its generous sponsorship of the luncheon and welcomed them to Washington. Sherry L. Kolbe, Executive Director/CEO, reviewed the days schedule, packet materials and NAPSEC's issues with attendees and Joel Packer, Director of the Committee for Education Funding (CEF), briefed members on the budget situation and FY12 appropriations.
Members talked about their programs and the students they serve with Congressional members and staff. They discussed appropriations issues, and asked for continued support for IDEA Funding. They shared their support for the IDEA Restoration Act and stated their opposition to lowering the percentage individuals can deduct for charitable giving and explained the impact that would have on their programs. Members discussed Restraint & Seclusion legislation and the critical part that training plays in limiting the use of both. Members left a packet of materials at each meeting that included the latest NAPSEC Outcomes Data showing that our programs do make a difference in the lives of the students we serve.
At the end of the day, members attended the NAPSEC reception to share their experiences and network with colleagues before heading off to dinner.
The Forbush Schools Townson, MD
Shinning Examples of Generosity The students at the Mann Residential School have come full-circle over the recent months, literally. The school’s tenets are represented by the Circle of Courage: Belonging, Mastery, Independence and Generosity. At the beginning of 2010-2011 school year the newly formed student council, facilitated by Charity Leonard (Guidance Counselor) and Lisa Runion (Media Center Specialist), had selected a new school mascot, the Panther and school colors, Dark Purple and Silver. Before the student population learned the outcome of their votes, the student council was already busy at work planning a food drive to benefit the Maryland Food Bank. Students decorated collection boxes and posted flyers. On Tuesday, November 23, 2010, five students and four staff members delivered 356 pounds of food to the food bank. The students fed more than 420 meals that hungry Marylanders will receive because of their donation. They also organized a teacher appreciation back-off, making dozens of pies just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.
The efforts of the students to bring a new identity and sense of ownership to their school community quickly transferred the community at large. Under the direction of Warren Williams (Resource Specialist), 8 students formed a choir. Practicing their group numbers and solos, the students worked hard for weeks. On Tuesday, December 21, 2010, the day before their scheduled performance at the school’s holiday extravaganza, the students took time out of their busy schedule to visit Holly Hill Nursing Home and spread holiday cheer to the elderly residents there. The choir was joined by other peers interested in beginning g an Adopt-a-Grandparent partnership. These students came dressed as Christmas Elves and armed with cookies they had baked to serve the residents while they enjoyed listening to and singing a long with the choir. How the elves had time to bake when they had been busily working to wrap gifts is another demonstration of the energy and commitment of these students!
The Elves set up their “workshop” at the gift shop at Sheppard Pratt’s Towson campus. For several days they worked vigorously to wrap the gifts purchased by patients, staff members and last minute shoppers. “It was such a pleasure to have the Elves wrapping gifts for the holiday season! They were adorable and hard-working, everyone was so impressed by them!” Patricia Toth (Gift Shop Manager) commented on the Elves. “It made me fell happy that I was able to cut down on some of the holiday tasks for others,” one student said about her experience as an elf. As students at the Mann Residential School embark on the second half of their school year in the New Year, hopes and ambitions run high that they will continue to find creative ways to serve their community. Reisterstown, MD
Building Trades It began from humble beginnings in a 300 sq. ft. shop classroom at the former Towson campus in Towson, to a new and improved 830 sq. ft. modern building trades shop in Glyndon. In the new facility, the Forbush students are able to experience and produce projects as small as a wooden carved pen and as large as full scale re-models and mockups, chairs and picnic tables. Students are able to make a connection with and use the math and reading skills learned in their academic classes and relate them to what is being taught in their Building Trades class.
The students learn skills in Woodworking, Carpentry and Masonry. Many of the projects that are completed by students are sold to help fund the building material costs. By selling their projects the students take pride in their work, learn to be conscious of the level of policy and attention to detail that is expected by a potential customer and help give back to the program.
Westminster, MD
In January 2010, the Carroll Eagle featured a cover article on The Forbush School at Westminister, a program of Sheppard Pratt Health System located in Carroll County, which highlighted not just a musical performance but how the process of preparing for the performance helps the students prepare for return to the public school. Through pictures and narrative, the article told of the students’ journey from practices to “final curtain” and the impact that it had on the students from an emotional and developmental standpoint.
One particular student was prominently featured as his diagnosis was shared by his mom. She also shared his personal struggles from a year prior which inhibited his ability to even participate in the program to his outstanding solo this performance. Through the work of the student, parents and staff, the student was able to manage the emotions that prevented participation in a larger setting the previous year.
The article discussed that the school works in conjunction with the public school system and that the goal is to have the students return to the public schools. One parent summarized the focus of the activity, which was to allow the community and students to realize that there are no real differences between the Forbush students and others. The Forbush School at Westminster recognizes that all students need to showcase their strengths and be appreciated for who they are while preparing them for the future.
For more information on The Forbush Schools go to http://www.sheppardpratt.org
Rockville, MD
High School: Go Forth and Get a Job This summer, MAP high school students focused intensively on their futures in their "Get a Job" unit. While earning high school credit for a career class, students worked in the community, exploring their area of interest and employment possibilities.
Enhanced by using flip cams to assess themselves (see article below), students visited a wide variety of worksites, including the Circle of Hope Therapeutic Riding Center, Progressive Spinal and Sports Rehabilitation, The Naval Testing Center, The Nationals Grounds Manager, and the Politics and Prose Bookstore. On these visits students learned about the workplaces, interviewed staff who worked there and assessed their interest in working at that site. Not accidentally, every student found a place they might enjoy working in!
In addition, students explored the work world through internships at Locust Grove Nature Center, where they worked to remove invasive species, and ReStore, the Habitat for Humanity retail store. They earned service learning hours and learned the importance of arriving promptly, being a willing helper and getting the job done.
To spice up the "first impressions are everything" lesson, students participated in GQ, a class designed to help students find their individual fashion style that sends the right message for the occasion. Discussion of the virtues of shirts with collars vs. T-shirts and jeans vs. khakis were common, helping students learn how to look according to who you are with and what setting you are in.
Every Friday, students had an hour-long "Hang time" class, wherespeech and occupational therapists led a session on how to spend leisure time in a group setting. They learned and practiced "need to know" games (Monopoly, Sorry!, and card games) and learned about tournaments and other sorts of things often encountered in a group.
They also discussed hobbies, which they extended into thinking about their own strengths and ways to n et people who share their interests.
Using Flip Cams to Help Learning and Motivation High school students used flip video cameras funded by the Reckon Foundation to enhance their career survey curriculum and help them see how the world sees them.
After conducting interest surveys and determining potential jobs that might be a good fit, students used the flip cams to record practice interviews and assessed their interviewing skills. They then interviewed a person who worked in their field of interest. In a follow-up interview with MAP staff, the professional assessed how the student had done in the interview and gave candid feedback on areas of strength and areas that needed improvement.
Students then created a' "documentary" that reflected their interests, their interviews and what they learned from the process. This assignment documented both expectations and reflections, and helped students compare their review of what happened with that of their interviewer.
The flip cam took the nagging adult out of the equation for these teenagers; the video could speak for itself and students were often surprised by how they appeared as well as eager to change their behavior so they would "look better" to others.
For more information on Ivymount School go to www.ivymount.org Tilton Falls, NJ
Keep Achieving (Kach) at Brookdale Community College In late September 2010, six recent high school graduates with intellectual and developmental disabilities walked onto the Brookdale Community College campus as continuing education college students. Arc's collaborative endeavor with Brookdale's Outreach, Business & Community Development, known as Keep Achieving (Kach) at Brookdale, was officially launched. In partnership, The Are and Brookdale have planned a college experience for six individuals per year for three years.
The project, partially funded by a grant through The Are of the United States from the Walmart Foundation, provides valuable experiential learning at the college and in the community. Eighteen individuals will participate over a three-year period The Are of Monmouth and Brookdale Community College have identified five areas of need for transitioning students into the community: self-determination; employment or volunteer opportunities; post secondary education and vocational training; involvement in the community, including social and civic affairs. Peer mentors will assist students during individual classes, employment internships, navigating the campuses and participating in student activities. The overall goal of Kach is for students to gain the skills and confidence they need to succeed in their chosen field, in a paid or volunteer position.
Self Advocates Learn Healthy Eating This past October, the Self Advocacy Groups (SAG) at The Arc of Monmouth gathered for their yearly conference. This year's conference dedicated to a healthy lifestyle was entitled "Spoon Your Way to Health".
Hosted in The Arc of Monmouth's Work Opportunity Center (WOC) cafeteria, SAG members from WOC as well as Hersh High School, and Arc's Adult Training Centers enjoyed a day of fun and education. The day began with a welcome address by SAG co- Presidents Craig Goldenthal and Sharon Burden. Linda Porter, Director of Vocational Services, also spoke about the day at hand in addition to future SAG events.
Amerigroup gave a presentation on healthy beverage choices. Lisa Wilson of the Long Branch Concordance spoke about the community gardens and ways to eat inexpensive vegetables and fruits. Some of the members that have been involved in the gardens happily reflected on their experiences. The audience was very involved in the various discussions, and asked insightful questions. After a delicious and healthy lunch of Subway sandwiches and salad, the group listened to a variety of speeches by the advocates themselves. Many of WOC's members as well as Hersh High School students made presentations on valuable topics related to health. Jamie Plantamura of Gold's Gym continued the afternoon with a bang. Jamie was full of energy and stressed the importance of exercise to the group. She led the attendees in an easy warm up that made everyone feel more energized. To round out the day, everyone left with a goody bag filled with products from Whole Foods in Middletoton. The SelfAdvocacy Groups always look forward to the conference and are already planning for the next one!
For more information on Arc of Monmough go to www.arcofmonmouth.org
Keswick, VA Standing Up To Bullies For the past four years, I have attended Little Keswick School, an all-boys boarding school, an all boys boarding school located in Virginia. Bullying could be a real problem since we all live together, so it is even more important students get along at my school. If I see someone being a bully, I tell them to stop and leave the other student alone because picking on others ultimately makes it worse for everyone.
During a school soccer game, a player on my team refused to keep playing and sat out on the sidelines. He decide to make fun of another player on the field who is overweight. I walked over to the player who was acting like a bully and told him to stop. I pointed out that at least the player he was bullying was on the soccer field still in the game and supporting his teammates instead of sitting out and not playing at all. The bad comments stopped.
Another way to support one another is to be a mentor. At my school, I help new students learn how things are done at school and expose them to new activities. Mentoring students in fishing is my favorite. I teach them which hooks and bait to use to catch certain kinds of fish, how to use lures and how to tie their own knots. I would be happy teaching fishing all day long and have to admit I am sad if they don't catch any fish.
When people participate in an activity together, they get to know each other better. Doing activities together can sometimes prevent kids from picking on one another. Besides fishing, my other favorite activities include soccer, basketball, baseball, board games, woodshop and racing remote-controlled cars on a specially build track. When it snows, I enjoy building snowmen and igloos, as well as racing downhill on a sled.
I was recently honored by my school with the Community Champion Award in recognition of my efforts to stand up to bullying, to include others in activities and to mentor younger students. I'm glad I can make life at my school better for others by helping to stop bullying and by teaching students about fishing. Life is really good when everyone gets along.
For more information on the The Little Keswick School go to www.littlekeswickschool.net
HMS School Philadelphia, PA Dramatic Flair: Theater Arts Flourish at HMS Over the past six years, theater has taken an increasing role alongside music, art and dance to provide opportunity for students' self-expression through the arts. Younger students participated in the long-standing theater collaboration with Germantown Friends School (GFS), but there was no similar program for older teens.
Recreation Therapist Rich Magnuson initiated a partnership with Walnut Street Theatre's (WST) education outreach staff who performed at HMS for many years. They wanted to engage students in hands-on theater activities that over time would explore expressing motions, taking on roles, developing story lines, using props, rehearsing and ultimately performing. No one knew quite what to expect.
The new program, one small after-school group meeting weekly with a WST teaching artist, had such a positive impact it has expanded to involve 44 students—everyone who, is not part of the GFS collaboration—small groups working each week with WST artists or interns and HMS staff.
Activities vary based on students' abilities, but regardless of each group's process, everyone participates in a culminating performance. Mr. Magnuson says, "Every child should have that exhilarating experience of stage fright and excitement. Now we have more opportunities for them to do that.'
Many students attended a live performance last year at either WST or People's Light and Theatre, and talked with cast members after the show. Staff then incorporated this experience into HMS theater activities. Susan Nicodemus Quinn, WST Director of Education, says, "It's been a real partnership over the years—taking the best of the knowledge of all the people involved and doing what's best for the kids... It's had a profound impact on us at WST opening our eyes to what children who have disabilities can do:'
Even prior to the formal program, HMS teachers have used elements of theater in the classroom—props, costumes and theatrics--to motivate students and to teach skills. During ESY 2010, staff selected four popular movies like Pirates of the Caribbean to develop a weekly theme for fun learning activities that culminated on Fridays when students watched the movie and used language, costumes and props that they created throughout the week. In theater arts, students can experience these teaching tools in a different way.
Ms. Quinn describes a student who struggles to show movement with his face and hands. "When we do our imagination exercises, you can see his engagement level shift' she says. "At the end of one exercise, he clapped his hands. It was a wonderful moment:'
For more information on HMS School go to www.hmsschool.org
Baltimore, MD The Children's Guild To Open Second Charter School The Children's Guild was awarded a charter to operate a K-8 school located in Baltimore City. The school, known as Monarch Academy, Baltimore Campus will serve 990 students in grades K-8. This city-wide school will open in Brooklyn at 410 East Jeffrey Street in August 2011 and will move to its permanent location at 2525 Kirk Avenue in the fall of 2012 The Children’s Guild will manage its charter school using the Transformation Education Philosophy. Through establishing a school culture that teaches children how to learn, problem solve within the context of a the situation, to think crucially, and serve a cause larger than themselves, so they are prepared for jobs and challenges they will face that currently do not exist.
The instructional methodologies used to achieve this end are: Universal Learning Design which is rooted in neuroscience and creates flexible goals, methods and accommodates student differences, Project based Learning which promotes active inquiry, hands on and integrating the arts and character education into the core subjects. School bus transportation will be provided, as will a before and after school program to provide students with after school clubs and activities, and opportunities for remedial and accelerated learning.
For more information on The Children's Guild go to www.childrensguild.org
Rockville, MD Handmade Gifts are History in the Making Students at FSMC had an opportunity to learn more about the medieval time period while they created brass rubbings. This was the 10th year for the December activity, and there is always much excitement about the project because the students can give the rubbing as a holiday gift. This year the event was scheduled over two days to accommodate FSMC's new Elementary and Middle School.
Brass rubbings are an art form in which a copy of a medieval image is created. Black paper is stretched over a deeply etched brass plate and the student rubs vigorously over the paper's surface with a hard crayon-type wax cake illuminating an exact copy of the plate. Each brass rubbing carries either a historical significance or represents a value of the medieval time period. Students select and create their pictures, and in some cases students ask and are allowed to do more than one.
The original London Brass Rubbing Company was located in the basement of the National Cathedral and all the plates were owned by Annie Etches. The event is booked several months in advance because of its popularity in other schools. Two students are selected each year to work beside the adults in presenting the activity, which is quite a privilege. Our students this year were DeAndre and Ronnie.
The Foundation Schools, Rockville, MD www.foundationschools.org
Teaneck, NJ The Collaborative Problem Solving Model: on the Web at www.livesinthebalance.org The last edition of the Community School newsletter News & Notes (Spring/Summer 2010) included a feature article by Ross W. Greene, Ph.D. describing recent developments in the evolving Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) model first described by Dr. Greene when his book The Explosive Child was published in 1998. As discussed, CPS has been implemented in countless thousands of families and many dozens of general and special education schools, inpatient psychiatry units, residential facilities and juvenile detention centers. The recent article that appeared in News & Notes describing how CPS has evolved particularly over the past three years has resulted in many inquiries regarding where more information can be found.
With this in mind, we are pleased to point our readers to Dr. Greene's website www.livesinthebalance.org
Lives in the Balance is a non-profit organization founded by Dr. Greene to help people - parents, educators, mental health professionals and staff in therapeutic facilities - better understand and help children with social, emotional and behavioral challenges, and to implement the CPS model of care. Lives in the Balance aims to accomplish this mission primarily through no-cost web-based programming. The website includes streaming video that guides the viewer through the basic tenets of the CPS model from the key themes of the model to the premise that lagging skills give rise to challenging behavior, to three options for responding to challenging behavior, to the specifics of what Dr- Greene has labeled Plan B. The site also features a Plan B in Action section and a Hot Topics page for those with existing experience with the CPS model. The site also contains many other features that will certainly answer any questions one may have about CPS.
Dr. Greene is author of the highly acclaimed books The Explosive Child and Lost at School. He is also associate clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, staff psychologist at the Cambridge; Health Alliance; senior lecturer in the 'school psychology program in the Department of Education, at Tufts University and adjunct associate' professor in the Department ,off Psychology at Virginia Tech: Dr: Greene consults extensively With families, general arid special education schools, inpatient and residential facilities and systems of juvenile detention and lectures widely throughout the world. His research' has been funded by, among others, the National Institute on Drug Abuse National Institutes of Mental Health, the Stanley Medical Research Institute, the U.S. Department of Education and the Maine Juvenile Justice Advisory Group. He is no longer affiliated in any way with Massachusetts General Hospital.
For more information on the Community School go to http://www.communityschool.k12.nj.us
Hannah More School at Millersville Elementary Reisterstown, MD ProStart Designation We are delighted to announce that our Culinary Arts curriculum, part of the Decker Career and Technology Education Program, has received the ProStart designation. ProStart is the Maryland Hospitality Education Foundation‘s School-to-Career program, in partnership with the National Restaurant Association of Maryland.
Hannah More School’s annual food drive was held this year from September 27th through November 8th. The student’s in the work study program were responsible for collecting items once a week form homerooms and then sorting the items into boxes. The school collected enough food during the drive, along with a generous donation from Friends School, to provide baskets to 17 Hannah More families for the Thanksgiving holiday.
November was designated as Russian Heritage Month as part of our school’s theme this year. The Power of Diversity: Building a Stronger Community.” During the month, students had the chance to learn about Russian history and customs. Activities included meeting and talking with a woman who emigrated from Russia, creating Faberge’ style eggs and sampling Russian treats. In addition, a display case at the school entrance with Russian artifacts was created, an Open Forum on changes in Russian culture was offered to interested students and staff.
Our Sisterhood girls group created fleece baby blankets, which were donated to the Baltimore County Infants and Toddlers program. This program provides in-home visits and care to newborns.
A new Type II school for Anne Arundel County residents opened in August of 2010 at Millersville Elementary School. This program will serve students on the autism spectrum who will spend part or all of their school day in the Hannah More program.
For more information on Hannah More School go to www.hannahmore.org
Annapolis, MD Visiting State Legislators On January 14, 2011, The Harbour School at Annapolis students Jacob Lowenstein and Tres Chestnut joined other students and staff to distribute MANSEF materials to members of the State Legislator. The students were impressed to hear the bell ringing that called members to a vote. They both agreed that their government classes had more meaning to them now.
For more information on Harbour School go to www.harbourschool.org
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