Sharing best practices and promoting inclusive opportunities for students with special needs
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Executive Director's
Message
Dear LABBB Colleagues and Families,
Happy July! We have lived through one of the soggiest 4ths I can remember, and now, we have the sun and the heat… we are working diligently on making sure that your child’s experiences at LABBB this summer are cool!
Summer can be a time of transition and variations of routines. Social experiences and engagements can flourish or can be challenging. I have recently discovered Wunder, a free community app designed to support parents from Understood; some interesting reads and information. I was reminded about this resource as well as Adaptive Sports and Active Recreation resource Guide; MA.
While we are enjoying summer, we are planning for next year- setting dates for our dances/Transition Information meetings for parents, Special Olympics, Transition Speaker Series/Fair and planning for the 2023 2024 school year- LABBB is a busy place!
With gratitude,
Pam
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"Memorial 186 Rainbow, Celtic, Penguins"
By: Tim Walsh
What has 32 heads, 40 legs (at the moment), 27 tails, 72 fins, 22 wings, 11 beaks, and too many leaves to count? Memorial 186. At the beginning of this school year, our classroom was opened (again) to support younger elementary students with social-emotional struggles. A great way to teach social skills is by simply creating a lot of social activities. With this in mind, we generated a lot of “projects'' for our students. We began with making some classroom furniture we needed. The kids loved the banging and the painting. It was a great icebreaker. Then, to heighten interest, we focused on things that most kids never get a chance to see or do, hence the cornucopia of heads, tails, fins, beaks, and other flora and fauna. We started out with the usual class pets, a mouse named “Cookie Dough” (who passed away unfortunately mid year which provided a lesson in itself), her replacement, “Hazel” the gerbil, and a leopard gecko named “Sonic”.
In early fall, we had a visit by the Head Apiarist from the Audubon Society, a kindly gent named Mel Gadd. Mel lives in Cambridge and does a lot of school-based outreach on his own time and at no cost. For years, Mel has come to my classrooms and taught my various groups of kids with multiple types of trauma, abuse, and neglect histories with kindness, compassion, and understanding. He helps students understand where their food comes from and how important it is to help out the busy little bugs that keep us all alive. In addition, Mel is a font of knowledge regarding where to get grants to support various agricultural and ecological endeavors for teachers who want to incorporate this type of learning into their classrooms.
In December, we got our eggs from MassWildlife, the state fish and game department. They run a program called “Teaching with Trout”. Participating classes receive 100-200 brook trout eggs to raise and release in the wild. Just about every state in the country runs a similar program, so curricula are widely available. Brook trout are the last surviving indigenous charr in the region. They require cold, pristine waters to live and are considered an indicator species for water health. If they can live in the stream, then the stream is clean! The project requires a lot of traditional science activities revolving around tracking water quality and other ecological concerns that really route the kids into their world and their impact on it.
This spring, we added wood frog eggs, painted lady butterfly larva, and bobwhite quail to our menagerie. The quail recently hatched, and the kids got to each “adopt” an egg to care and root for.
We also added a garden. The students helped build and create five raised boxes, raised their plants from seeds, and continue to maintain and care for their individual box of garden plants.
Throughout the year, we have likewise maintained a number of bird feeders on the school grounds and are in the process of adding some bat and owl boxes to the property. We also increased the plantings in the front of the school, an erstwhile drainage ditch that is making a perfect pollinator garden, by adding wildflower seeds we collected during a field trip to Great Brook Farm State Park in Carlisle; a working farm run by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation. Free tours are available for six months of the year for anyone interested. And at least twice a week, we dress up in our safety gear and work around the school collecting the papers and cups and other things that blow onto the property.
All of this is an active, live “science class”, but it is also a social skills class, the thing a lot of our kids need even more. For some kids, it's about making safe attachments to things that they feel safe with, which is the first step to making social connections. For others, it's a chance to work together with peers. For some, it's just an experience that they would not otherwise get in the world they live in, something not on a device, but IRL. And for some, it's just providing something to care about. But for all of them, it's about making school more interesting and, dare I say it, fun.
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Butler Moving On Ceremony
By: Butler Staff
Congratulations to LABBB Butler’s 4th grade students, you’re moving on! Three LABBB Butler fourth grade students participated in Butler School’s moving on ceremony this June. It has been remarkable to watch each of you grow! You are all going to do a wonderful job in middle school! In middle school, remember who you are. You are successful. You are intelligent. You are capable. You are braver than you could ever imagine. You are you! See all challenges as an opportunity to improve yourself and celebrate your successes! Have a great break and good luck in middle school.
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Clinical Corner: July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
By: Kelly Sexton
Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Month serves as a platform each July to promote education and understanding of mental health issues that disproportionately affect minority populations. Bebe Moore Campbell was an American author, journalist, teacher, and mental health advocate who worked tirelessly to shed light on the mental health needs of the Black community and other underrepresented communities.
During this month, various events, workshops, and initiatives occur nationwide. These activities focus on raising awareness, providing information, promoting self-care and wellness, and facilitating access to mental health resources. The goal is to empower individuals within minority communities to seek help, overcome stigma, and prioritize their mental well-being.
It is essential to approach minority mental health with empathy, humility, and a commitment to addressing systemic barriers and promoting social justice. By fostering understanding, providing support, and advocating for equitable mental health care, National Minority Mental Health Awareness reduces mental health disparities and promotes the well-being of minority individuals and communities.
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“Vacation All I Ever Wanted, Vacation Had to Get Away”
By: The Room 715 Team
For our class Room 715 in Lexington High School, July is a lot like taking a fun filled vacation. We continue to have fun filled academics, community trips, and thanks to our awesome APE staff, outside pool time. We still include plenty of exercise for our mind and body in between.
Our days are about having fun, fun, fun while building important life skills. The extraordinary PT Department has been able to join us on pool days and outside activities. Stephanie, Cheryl, Arielle, and Larry; thanks for joining our adventures. We could not do it without you!
Alaina and Larisa, our SPOT Group extraordinaires, keep us guessing with surprise activities that are so awesome, who wouldn’t love it. They are always incorporating CORE words into their activities like go, do, and make. The first Monday of July was a “SURPRISE!” Our SPOT group used a real pop up tent to help teach in and out.
An adventure in finding accessible places in the community for our students was a highlight of July. Eagle Scout Project B.S.A.Troop 119 created a playground communication board and it was installed at the Center Recreation Complex, Worthen Road Lexington MA. Now when we walk over to enjoy the park area, students have access to a new fun form of communication. The size of the board and location makes it easily usable for all students. This is awesome!!!!! We can only hope other communities will follow suit. Also available at this park are accessible wheelchair picnic tables. Burlington continues to WOW us with Simonds park where they have an accessible wading pool with a ramp. Wegmans, and Trader Joe’s still remain our favorite shopping venues. These places are awesome because of their accessible carts and some of the friendliest staff and patrons to all who enter. The staff goes out of their way at Trader Joe’s stores by cheering us on to” find the lobster” or just by helping!
Cooking continues on Mondays in July with Rice Krispie treats and healthy lunchables coming your way. We practice all types of culinary and daily living skills in our kitchen here at LABBB! Some of the skills we practice are cutting, stirring, pouring, scooping, measuring, and then, self serving! We have all different types of adaptable equipment such as knives, spoons, pans, dysum (non-slip mats) and measuring cups.
Many students love the summertime outdoor leisure activities and of course the sun! Some are happiest at the pool, and do not forget the exercise ball which we use for balance and core strength. The students keep us all on our toes with their love of music, singing, and sometimes some groovy dancing! One favorite indoor hobby is playing musical instruments. You will hear people as they walk by our room say, “Why is it so fun in there?” And in that moment, we all know why we do what we do! “A Week Without You Thought We’d Forget. Two Weeks Without You and We Still Haven't Gotten Over You Yet!”
September will be here before you know it and we will still be doing what we do and making our students dreams come true; to be as independent as possible and not to forget to have fun doing it!
We are no longer the “715 Dream Team,” Chelsea, Terek, Annie, Janet, Margaret and our nurse Adina have made the dream a reality!!!!
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Transition Department: Community Partners
By: Skip Avery
The old saying; time flies while you're having fun, comes this time of year. I can’t believe it’s mid July already and we are winding down the 2022/2023 school year. As the year comes to a close I want to take the opportunity to thank all the stakeholders that contribute to the LABBB Transition Department. I am proud and honored to work with such a professional, dedicated and caring staff. Once again I am grateful to the LABBB Transition Counselors and Community Instructors, who work closely with the LABBB Health Office, Teachers, Teacher Assistants, Specialist, Administrative Assistants and the Administration Team to provide our LABBB Students with a quality community experience each and every day.
Thank you LABBB Staff!
In addition, I would like to acknowledge and thank our wonderful Community Partners. We are grateful for their continued support!
Massachusetts State Archives, Whitsons Food Service, Community Servings, CVS Corporation, Harvard University Recycling, Harvard University IT, Ironstone Farm, Lahey Clinic, Meadow Mist Farm, Roasted Granola, Medford Mystic Community Market, Omar’s World of Comics, Food for Free, Good Pickin Farm, Whole Foods Bedford, Whole Foods Cambridge, Jelich Farm, Grace Chapel, COTA, Cradles to Crayons, Pine and Baker, Food Link, The Arlington Ice Rink and Hayden Recreation Center.
We are always looking to develop new Community Partners. If you know of any organization that might be interested in becoming a LABBB Community Partner please reach out to me at savery@labbb.net Thank you!
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LABBB Adapted Physical Education, Recreation and Social Opportunities
As LABBB gears up for the summer programs, we begin something known as Paulapalooza. On the last day of the school week in July and August, we do something different from the rest of the other school days. Paulapalooza starts with a movie, followed by lunch. After lunch, students and staff enjoy dancing to LABBB’s DJ Conor’s music and enjoy a cool and refreshing treat like ice cream or Italian ice from an ice cream truck. Check out the pictures attached of the happy faces.
Please stay tuned for the LABBB Recreation booklet, which will be mailed to homes in August.
Enjoy your summer
Remember to follow @LABBBREC on Twitter
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LABBB Parent Resources
Interested in fitness or arts programs for your child? Check out these resources.
Many families ask for ways to help their children be active and healthy at home. One family recently shared a program that they found for their son. It is called Inclusive Fitness and it is a program that helps to create healthy lifestyles for neurodiverse people, their families and communities. For more information, you can check out their website at https://inclusivefitness.com/.
This information is offered as community resources that may be of interest to our families. LABBB does not have any specific affiliations to these programs.
Greater Massachusetts Special Needs Events
Family Support Center Directory by Town
Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress
20 Burlington Mall Road, Suite 261
Burlington, MA 01803
781-221-0024
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Families with MassHealth Need to Renew Coverage:
Families with MassHealth need to renew their coverage this year in order to maintain coverage. Coverage protections put in place during the pandemic will end soon, and MassHealth will return to standard annual eligibility renewal processes. Please help inform MassHealth families that they need to take the following steps:
- Update contact information – make sure MassHealth has their most up-to-date address, phone number, and email so that they do not miss important information and notices about what else is needed.
- Report household changes to make sure MassHealth knows about any changes in their household, like a new job, address, changes to income, disability status, or pregnancy.
MassHealth Eligibility Redeterminations Information
Merrimack Valley Disability Transition Fair: Virtual Event with the Lawrence Public Schools. https://bit.ly/3Mo8Lmq
• Visual Impairment “Early Connections” Conference: w/ Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown https://bit.ly/41mrOCJ
• The Inevitable Aging Process for Special-Needs Caregivers & Their Loved Ones: Webinar with the MinuteMan Arc https://bit.ly/3KqQkvX
• Higher Education for Those with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities in Massachusetts https://bit.ly/3KjDzCd
Special Needs Art Programs Inc.
Riverside Family Support
Extra Steps Launches Innovative Programs
Wilderness skill building can be a thrilling and empowering adventure for school age kids. A new program called Kids in the Wild is being offered through Extra Steps Pediatric Therapies. The first session will take place on December 10th in Sudbury for children ages 7-12.
Additionally, Extra Steps is offering Caregiver Workshops to help families build connections with one another and promote skill development in their loved one. An example is a workshop held on Nov. 2nd that focused on holiday stress.
For more information, contact Director Sherry Kenin.
Asperger/Autism Network (AANE) provides individuals, families and professionals with information, education. Community, support and advocacy is offering free community connection sessions .Our.Free Online Community Connection Sessions are single-session discussion groups and a great way to meet our staff and connect with the community for the first time. All times listed are in the Eastern Time Zone. Please click the date for more info and to register.
Housing Navigator Massachusetts
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Discovery Museum Announces 2023 Series of Free Events for Families of Children with Disabilities
Discovery Museum is ADA-compliant and all exhibits are accessible, designed according to Universal Design principles to be both aesthetically pleasing and useable by the widest possible range of people, without regard to age or ability.
Special resources are available to families including noise-reducing headphones, a sensory guide to the Museum, sensory-based programming, and American Sign Language (ASL) language facilitators at some events. Additionally, dinner, including a gluten-free option, is provided at all evening events.
All Especially for Me events are free to attend for all family members, but preregistration is required. Dates and registration links can be found online at http://bit.ly/EspeciallyforMe.
2023 Event Schedule
Sensory-Friendly Afternoons (open to the public, but no group visits are scheduled):
Tuesdays 1:30 to 4:30pm | August 1, October 3, November 7, December 5
Evenings for Families with Deaf, Hard of Hearing, & KODA Children (closed to the public):
Saturdays 5:00 to 8:00pm |
Autism-Friendly Evenings (closed to the public):
Saturdays 5:00 to 8:00pm | September 16, October 21, December 16
All-Access Evenings (closed to the public):
Saturdays 5:00 to 8:00pm | November 18
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A LABBB PODCAST
Patric Barbieri, Hosts a Podcast talking about special needs planning and resources related to our community
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In episode #22 we talk about our journey in building a mindful culture in LABBB. It is one of our core values that is posted throughout our collaborative. There is a significant difference between just talking about these practices and actually doing them. We made a commitment to offering mindful practices for all students in all our classrooms every single day. We also believe for us to be successful we need to offer and teach this to our staff as well. We are a community practicing together and this is the only way to get the true benefits. We have been fortunate to have many staff persons who have a myriad of unique mind-body skills to bring into our environments for both students and staff.
This initiative started organically back in the early '90s. We realized that these practices have a significant impact on managing the pervasive anxiety symptoms that people are feeling. Our mission was to bring these practices directly into our schools and for staff and students to know they have permission to practice at any time. When one individual is practicing it is benefiting their entire community!
Rayne Pratt and Lisa Poirier, LABBB Occupational therapists, join me in this podcast. They are members of our LABBB Mind/Body team and they are also the creators and facilitators of our all-day staff retreat that we offer.
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LABBB Collaborative
123 Cambridge Street, Burlington MA. 01803| LABBB.com
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