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* A Spook-tacular Halloween * Five Stars for Our Salad Bar * Gift Boutique Nov 18th *
* PCDI Visitors * Student Highlights * Help PCDI * News Updates * Friendly Reminders *
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A SPOOK-TACULAR PCDI HALLOWEEN!
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FIVE STARS FOR OUR SALAD BAR!
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Started three years ago by PCDI trainers Jaime MacDuff and Stephanie Vass, the Five Star Salad Bar takes place once a month in the cafeteria/kitchen in the south wing of the PCDI building. Those in the Adult Life Skills Program prepare food, bake goodies, greet visitors, and complete monetary transactions as a way to work on their real-life practical skills. Did we mention that it is also affordable and, most importantly, delicious? It is!
Many of PCDI's adult learners express interest in the culinary arts or need to hone their food preparation skills. Since many in the Adult Life Skills Program have jobs in the community, opportunities do not arise as often (and time does not permit) for observations; the Five Star Salad Bar is a great way for the students, staff, parents and community to interact on a social level and see our adult program in action.
Please come experience the next Five Star Salad Bar
on
Friday, November 18th
from 11:00-1:00
(or until there are no customers or food left)!
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GIFT BOUTIQUE ON NOVEMBER 18th
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WHAT: Attachments/Sage Gift Boutique
jewelry * home goods * clothing * more!
WHEN:
Friday, November 18th
1:30-3:00 PCDI Family Pre-Sale
3:00-7:00 Open to Public
WHERE: PCDI Conference Room
WHY: 15% of proceeds go to PCDI!
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OTHER EVENTS IN NOVEMBER
Five Star Salad Bar, Friday, November 18th
PCDI Families, come to the salad bar for lunch, then do some shopping at the gift boutique!
SEE ARTICLE ABOVE FOR SALAD BAR DETAILS.
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KIDS SUPPORTING KIDS VISITS PCDI
Kids Supporting Kids is an organization founded by a seven-year old named Amy (pictured above with Christine Fry, PCDI Principal, and Christa Lagatic, PCDI teacher) and her two friends who are very interested in community service. This charity aims to help children in need, support social issues, and volunteer time to worthy causes. At her school, Amy started a "lunch bunch" with a student with autism. When Amy heard about PCDI through teacher Christa Lagatic, she immediately wanted to visit PCDI!
On Wednesday, October 12, Amy toured the education program, met new children, and learned more about autism. We are happy to welcome Amy into PCDI’s community and hope she visits again soon. After her visit, Amy started iPads for Autism, collecting tablets and funds for PCDI. Last week, Amy presented PCDI with a check for $100. Wow - thank you, Amy!
To learn more about Kids Supporting Kids, go to:
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JOSH & REGINA:
A PCDI LOVE STORY
On Monday, October 3rd, two former PCDI teachers visited from Australia to see all of the changes made at PCDI in order to use these advancements in their own work for autism. Josh and Regina met at PCDI when Josh worked in the Adult Life Skills Program and Regina worked in the Early Intervention division. Eventually, Josh and Regina married and moved into the Family Focus at Mountainview group home. Five years later, the couple decided to return to Regina’s native Australia to raise autism awareness and work in the field they loved on the other side of the world.
On their tour of PCDI, Josh was stunned to see how students he knew from 2011 were now grown adults. “So excited to come back and see all the guys,” he said with a smile. “All the kids are now grown! It’s like seeing family.” Regina’s reaction was similar. “It’s been very emotional. . . an incredible experience. It’s amazing to see the systems in place—lots of new technology, new curriculum.” She turned to Josh. “How individualized it all is! I wish we could pick it up and bring it to Perth [Australia].”
We always say PCDI changes lives; it can do so in some surprising ways! Thank you, Regina and Josh for visiting us and sharing PCDI’s message across the world. We hope to see you again soon.
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CALDWELL STUDENTS OBSERVE AND LEARN AT PCDI
Six undergraduate and graduate students from Caldwell College studying Applied Behavior Analysis visited PCDI on various occasions throughout October. They observed a variety of prompting and measurement procedures as part of their coursework. In addition, the students learned about interventions designed to reduce problem behaviors.
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I
n connection with our visit from Josh and Regina from Australia, more and more individuals and organizations abroad are reaching out to PCDI for instruction and professional advice. As a leader and pioneer in using applied behavior analysis (ABA) techniques for treating autism, PCDI is often the first stop for anyone wishing to know more about ABA and how to achieve a similar success rate to our programs. Visitors often praise the warm and positive atmosphere here. Our students are engaged and happy.
This past month, we were visited by the parent of a child with autism and her interpreter from Baku, Azerbaijan about the possibility of working with PCDI and getting clinical support. There is often little information and support available in many countries around the world as well as little money available to implement new programs. We also were contacted by a professor from James Madison University who has been working with a program in Tbilisi, Georgia. There, they estimate that there are 15,000 individuals with autism but only two Board Certified Behavior Analysts.
PCDI continues to be a source of advice, support, service dissemination and research in the field of ABA. We are proud of our success rate and pioneering techniques. The PCDI Gazette will keep you informed about our national and international sites, programs and partners.
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INTRODUCING . . . Simon! Simon began as a student at PCDI this past July.
To get to know Simon a little better, we asked him some questions about himself. Here are his answers:
Favorite food: Pizza!
Favorite movie: The Muppet Movie
Favorite color: Blue
Favorite holiday: Christmas
Favorite place: The beach or Citi Field to see the Mets
Favorite snack: Raisins
Favorite leisure activities: Legos, Jigzone
Asked about what he thinks about PCDI, Simon enthusiastically said, "PCDI is great! I like to do my work and watch movies. I like to watch 'Movin' Right Along.' Kermit is the funniest." Trainer Linda Lauff adds, "[Simon's] fun. He's a smart kid. He's interested in a lot of things and always has a smile on his face."
Welcome to PCDI, Simon!
If you see Simon in the halls, please stop and say hello.
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PCDI Student to Play in ESPN Pop Warner Super Bowl
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At PCDI, we encourage and often teach leisure activities to our learners. However, some students are involved in activities that you may not be aware of! Case in point: Gianni (Module C) is a player on the Watchung Hills Pop Warner Challenger flag football team. There are currently 17 boys on the team with varying developmental disabilities.
Gianni is active in sports (baseball, soccer, tennis, basketball) year-round, but he just began on this team in September. Until that moment, Gianni had never held a football. Now he’s in the swing of things thanks to great coaching and friendly, eager volunteers assisting the players. Gianni’s strongest skill is kicking, however, “if he is running, exercising, interacting with the other boys, and having fun, then that's an achievement,” adds his mom, Jessica.
The team practices twice a week and has games every Sunday during the season. “It's not so much the skills he's acquired,” Jessica explains, “but it's about the acceptance and experience being involved in a team sport, without judgement or frustration.” This terrific team is set to go to Disneyworld to participate in the Pop Warner Super Bowl at the ESPN Wide World of Sports on December 3-10. Their big game is scheduled for Thursday, December 8th. Go, Gianni, go! Everyone at PCDI is rooting for you.
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BOX TOPS
Check your boxes at home for the Box Tops for Education logo, cut out logos, and bring them in to the front desk at PCDI. The school will receive $0.10 for each. It's an easy way to contribute to the school using products you already buy! Here's a list of participating products with the Box Tops logo: Box Tops product list.
AMAZON SMILE
The holiday season is coming! If you purchase anything on Amazon, you can choose PCDI as your Amazon Smile charity and a portion of your purchase will automatically go to the school every time you make a purchase. To choose or change your charity to Princeton Child Development Institute, go to Your Account > Your Amazon Smile. Every little bit counts!
DONATIONS FROM HOME
The Adult Life Skills Program needs 100% cotton fabrics for the pillowcases they are making for children in need.
PCDI will need empty baskets to hold prizes for our upcoming fundraisers---Casino Night (Friday, January 27th) and Spring Sensations Gala (Saturday, May 6th).
Module B would love to care for a snake plant or peace lily. If you are interested in donating a plant for them, please contact Jen at jticehurst@pcdi.org.
VOLUNTEERING
If you would like to volunteer your time, consider joining the Event Planning Committee, which meets a few Wednesdays at 9:30am between now and May 6th (the date of our final and biggest fundraiser, the Spring Sensations Gala). Contact Kristen at kdabrowski@pcdi.org for more details.
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CITY SEEK
Our top fundraising teams for the CitySeek event were:
<< #1 CHICKEN COOP
<< #2 PHILIP'S ARMY
<< #3 MACSEEKERS
Thank you, teams and donors, for your hard work and generosity!
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Module D's plants are growing . . . and they got t-shirts!
(The back of the shirt says, "Life's a garden, dig it.")
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PARENTS: Keep sending in those Facebook permission forms!
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PCDI | 300 Cold Soil Road, Princeton, NJ 08540 | (609) 924-6280 |
www.pcdi.org
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STAY CONNECTED / "LIKE" US!
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