Special-Ed Programs in Central Jersey Schools Ho nored by State (NJ)
May 21, 2010
Three Central Jersey school programs focusing on different forms of team-building and personal development were among a dozen from around the state honored Monday during the eighth annual Innovations in Special Education program.
The awards program is sponsored by the New Jersey School Boards Association and ASAH, a non-profit organization of private schools and agencies serving students with disabilities.
Representatives from the schools accepted awards during a ceremony at the Marriott at Lafayette Yard in Trenton. The event, underwritten by corporate donations, is designed to recognize the achievements of the state’s special-education students and the work of their teachers and the support of their parents and school officials.
The Central Jersey projects honored were:
Bonnie Brae Builders — Bonnie Brae School, Bernards
Bonnie Brae School’s chief executive officer, Bill Powers, said the program was the result of a year-long partnership the school for adolescent boys from a troubled or unstable background had with the Raritan Valley Habitat for Humanity program.
In "Bonnie Brae Builders," students ages 16 to 19, pitch in to help construct homes for a family who can’t afford a house, Powers said.
The program is a winning situation for all, Powers said. He said families benefit by receiving affordable housing, while Habitat for Humanity can count on the hard work of eight students and two teachers from the school.
Richard Juntilla, president of the Bonnie Brae Board of Trustees, added that the student volunteers learn about carpentry and masonry, while receiving a lesson about helping other people.
Peer Groups — Green Brook Township
This program for students in kindergarten through eighth grade in Green Brook Township schools pairs autistic children with students in regular education classes who share similar interests.
Superintendent Stephanie Bilenker said the district started the program following an emotional meeting with parents of students with autism to discuss the students’ social needs. Those students, often isolated in their classrooms, need to learn techniques for socializing and making friends, she said.
The first student from the autism program to be paired with a student from a regular class was a fan of Wii video games, she said. Today, the weekly lunch program also puts together students who share an interest in tennis, arts and crafts, board games or other recreational activities, Bilenker said.
"We have seen real friendships develop," Bilenker said, adding that the autistic children are showing more enthusiasm about coming to school.
The Road to Work and Community Based Living, Super Senior Program — The Midland School, North Branch section of Branchburg
"Super Seniors" is a two-year program for students 18 to 20 years old who have completed the four years of core curriculum and testing requirements needed to receive their high school diplomas. The goal of the program is to provide intense career preparation, and it includes instruction at the school and at worksites. Job coaches accompany the students to help them adjust to t he environment and learn job skills. Students also receive training in resume writing and job interview training, and they receive occupational, speech and language therapies focusing on problem-solving for adult living.
A handful of students from the "Super Seniors" program attended the school board association’s awards ceremony Monday at which the program was honored, said Barbara S. Barkan, school principal.
"They were so proud and so excited," Barkan said of the students.
The school is in the second year of a program that pulled together all aspects of job training, academics and living skills training for special education students beyond graduation age. Those students are legally entitled to a continuing education because they are classified as special-education students, she said.
Barkan said students love the two-year program, which takes them out into a real-life job situation for a few days each week. The program culminates in a final and third-year program that provides more advanced job training and skills for adult living, she said.
Fifty-three public and private schools nominated programs for the Innovations in Special Education project. Judges, representing the state’s public school special education programs and private schools for the disabled, selected 12 entries for recognition. The Innovations in Special Education program selects programs based on creativity, goals and results, according to the sponsoring organizations.