Sharing best practices and promoting inclusive opportunities for students with special needs
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Executive Director's
Message
Dear LABBB Community,
While there are days that feel long, the months are flying by and it is shocking to me that we are in October! As the leaves change color and Halloween approaches, it is an exciting time for families- big decisions about costumes!
The United Nations recognizes the month of October as World Mental Health Month. I found their message striking and of critical importance, “Mental health is a universal human right” and “ Mental health is a basic human right for all people. Everyone, whoever and wherever they are, has a right to the highest attainable standard of mental health. This includes the right to be protected from mental health risks, the right to available, accessible, acceptable, and good quality care, and the right to liberty, independence and inclusion in the community.” Everyone must be afforded opportunities to advocate for their needs and access supports that benefit them and their health.
LABBB is continuing to focus on social emotional development and health for all. For the past year, LABBB has worked and collaborated with Dr. Alex Hirshberg, Psy. D. to develop and refine programming for all of our students, to ensure that universal SEL is supported and implemented with efficacy throughout our programs. At a recent Professional Development day, all staff worked with Dr. Hirshberg and their teams developing and refining tiered levels of services to meet students' needs. While each team is at a different point in the process, we are all excited and engaged in this important work!
LABBB Evening Parent Meetings
We are continuing to hold LABBB Parent Meetings on the same evenings as monthly dances. This provides parents an opportunity to drop off their child at the Lexington Community Center (39 Marrett Road), then attend the meeting upstairs at the Center.
These informative meetings allow us to discuss various topics related to programming, special needs planning, recreation, transition, post-22 planning, supplemental security income (SSI), financial planning, and many other important issues. Our October meeting this year, we welcome Mr. George Clement, the new Program Coordinator for our Transition Department.
Parent meetings for 2023-24 will take place from 7:00 to 8:15 pm on the following dates:
October 26, 2023 - Come meet our new Coordinator for the Transition Department and hear information about what our Transition Department provides for our high school students currently and our vision for the future
November 16, 2023
December 7, 2023
January 18, 2024
February 1, 2024
March 7, 2024
April 25, 2024
May 30, 2024
We look forward to seeing you!
Other noteworthy dates:
Special Olympics- May 10, 2024
Graduation - June 6, 2024
With appreciation,
Pam
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Clinical Corner: Building Community In The Classroom
By: Meredith Lupini, LCSW
LABBB Counselor
Many students across the LABBB Collaborative travel from near and far to attend our programming. For many of these students, that means they are attending a school that is away from their local school community. Through these transitions, students may experience a variety of impacts on their social functioning, school identity, and overall sense of self. At LABBB, we recognize the importance of ensuring that all students feel safe, accepted, and that they have the space to build and nurture both their academic and social-emotional skills.
All students have a need for a sense of belonging. Developing community in the classroom supports the belief that everyone has something valuable to offer and that they are an important member of this community. Self-esteem has room to grow when one feels as though they are valued. An important part of creating a classroom community is providing clear, predictable expectations and boundaries that are accessible to all students. Establishing these pieces in the classroom offers structure and limits while also providing opportunities for exploration and creativity. Positive and safe behaviors are often fostered in these settings as students are able to predict things such as teacher response and the impacts of behavior (both personally and socially). When students feel safe and comfortable, they are more likely to take academic and social risks while simultaneously building resilience. Our ultimate goal in all LABBB classrooms is to build a community where it feels safe to take chances, make mistakes, and where all are supported in building their academic and social-emotional skills.
Here are a few of the many great practices staff across LABBB utilize to foster community everyday!
● Identify shared norms and/or practices. Many classrooms have collaboratively developed “Classroom norms” that are signed by all members of the classroom.
● Facilitating community/morning meetings with students and staff.
● Setting clear expectations and boundaries throughout the environment,
● Utilizing motivational and incentive systems.
● Identifying shared interests/connections among students and staff. At one of our programs, we are developing a “pet wall” that includes student and staff furry friends!
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The New Belmont Middle School
By: Liz Steele
"Oh, I would never dream of assuming I know all Hogwarts' secrets, Igor. Only this morning, for instance, I took a wrong turn on the way to the bathroom and found myself in a beautifully proportioned room I had never seen before, containing a really rather magnificent collection of chamber pots.” Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
And just like that, the halls of the new Belmont Middle School were alive with laughter and learning, as if a magic wand was waived by Harry Potter himself. The smell of fresh paint follows one as they stroll down the hallway of LABBB’s beautifully, architected space. Entering the classroom is just as amazing, the room centered with a walk up and teach white board/computer that allows whole-class brainstorming, freeform ideation, discussion activities and built in learning games and graphic organizers. And while that is awe inspiring, let’s not forget the new furniture, a real kitchen and beautiful cafeteria fit for royalty. Are we in a middle school or a college? Maybe we are just dreaming and took a wrong turn? But no, the classroom is real and is more than magnificent. It’s more than any teacher or student could ask for.
The smiles from the students cannot be contained despite the expected school work. But the students know there is so much to look forward to like cooking, fun Fridays and being back with amazing friends. There isn’t much more a 7th or 8th grader could ask for except for a pizza and an ice cream party for all the hard work completed in the month of September. Well, I guess that magic wand will have to be waved again.
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Science at Chenery
By: Crystal Kaloostian, M.Ed.
We have had a couple of changes at Chenery Middle School this year. We moved from the first floor to the third. We are now all near each other and can easily see each other. We have lockers outside the classroom for the students to use. We have minimized the grades within the school to 5-6 this year and 4-6 next year with some of our 7th-8th graders moving to the new Belmont Middle School near Belmont High. We are now the Chenery Upper Elementary School.
With change comes a great time to talk about and perform science experiments. Why?
Because science is always changing and growing and experiments let us work with our ideas, failures, and successes to create new things. Students have found out this year that we can come to awesome successes in science by trying things and changing things and learning from what does not work. We tested theories on what will float and found out that heavy does not always mean it will sink.
We had some awesome failures with creating slime and learned that glitter glue is not the same as glitter and glue (don’t ask me why but it is true). We learned how to launch hand helicopters and plastic jumping frogs and what force and movement worked best to get the results we wanted. We have been building towers of paper that were able to hold roughly 60lbs at 21cm., with only 30 pieces of paper and some scotch tape.
I love to use science in the classroom to build learning experiences and offer chances to fail. This shows students that we can learn from what did not work the same way we learn what does work. Let’s continue to allow our students to experiment with their world and learn and grow from it and show them change can be challenging but also cool and useful.
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School, Sweet School!
By: Jenn Malenchini
After many years of planning, construction and moving, the new Belmont Middle High School project has finally reached the end (minus some finishing touches) and LABBB is comfortably moved into our new school home! The new building and our classrooms and workspaces are even better than we imagined. LABBB has one middle school classroom and two high school classrooms in the new space.
The new building has state of the art interactive white boards, abundant space, and a kitchen.
Our Transitions program, whose curriculum is designed to prepare its students for life after graduation, is so fortunate to have such a beautifully equipped kitchen with washer and dryer where our students can practice their shopping, stocking, cooking, and laundry skills in an environment that more closely replicates the amenities of home. All three of our classrooms are enjoying opportunities to use the new kitchen and the experience has been enriching for all.
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Transition Dept: Harken Back to Lexington’s Rich Agricultural Ways
By: Brian Walsh
Each Friday, student volunteers from the Burlington High School LABBB program step back in time and lend their hands to the unspoiled lands at Meadow Mist Farm. Meadow Mist Farm is an integral part of the community and provides customers with an array of farm fresh products, from eggs, to poultry, beef, lamb, breads, preserves, and a vast selection of fruits and vegetables. Their mission is straightforward. To produce and provide pesticide free, chemical free, healthy and delicious foods for you and your family to make and enjoy locally grown, farm fresh meals together.
In 1987, John Moriarty, then a resident of Arlington, was looking to move to a house with a larger yard for his expanding garden. One day his real estate agent called to say she'd turned up something that might interest him. Following her directions, he found himself driving almost half a mile down an unexpected dirt road in East Lexington. What he found at the end of the road were the ruins of the former Meek Dairy Farm.
Later that summer John purchased an old Ford tractor and planted an acre and a half of sweet corn. Over the years, the collapsing barn and out buildings were replaced by new ones. Berry bushes were planted, gardens were staked out, and the animals returned. Word travels, much like in simpler times, and over the years Meadow Mist Farm has garnered praise and publicity from the likes of, Chronicle TV, Boston, edibleBOSTON, The Colonial Times Magazine and many other outlets.
Lauren Yaffee joined John at the farm in 1995 and remains a very key person to the LABBB community. Lauren provides knowledge and expertise to our student interns and guides them through their assigned duties at Meadow Mist Farm with skill and grace. The access to this rich hands-on experience and skill-building time has once again proven that successful partnerships inevitably are cultivated and harvested, yielding long-lasting friendships and service to both our organziation and to the local community.
Located at 12 Bacon Street, Lexington, MA. Hours Mon - Fri 9-5pm, Sat 9-5pm, Sunday 10-5pm
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LABBB Adapted Physical Education, Recreation and Social Opportunities
September is a big month for LABBB, but especially our alumni. The annual Reunion Dance sells out quickly every year and was attended by over 200. We had graduates from almost every year, including Kevin, from the class of 1986!
As a special treat, The Rockstar Graduates (a band made up of former LABBB students) performed for an hour. They got the dance floor rocking so when DJ Conor took over everyone was energized. The music and the dancing went on till the very end of the evening.
Our first dance for current High School students is the LABBB Halloween Dance on October 26th. We will be in the back of the Lexington Community Center under a tent - plenty of room for our decorations and space to dance! Costumes are encouraged.
Upcoming events:
October 13 Mini Golf Trip Headed to Richardson’s food trucks
October 14 LABBB/Best Buddies Craft Fair, Lexington HS Fieldhouse
October 16 School Photos for LABBB high schools
October 26 Halloween Dance, Lexington Community Center
Remember to follow @LABBBREC on Twitter
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LABBB Parent Resources
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-developmental-services
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.
Registration for the Fall 2023 through Summer 2024 program year will
begin on August 1st. SNAP will have a new registration platform for
signing up singers and artists. This new platform will offer many more
features to make the sign-up process more efficient and let you check
on payments and registrations easily!
Registration is on a first come, first serve basis and enrollment is
limited. Please register early to secure your spot.
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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LABBB Collaborative
123 Cambridge Street, Burlington MA. 01803| LABBB.com
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