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From the Desk of the CEO
There’s nothing quite like summertime, especially for children. We are delighted to see our students back from their summer break, diving deep into learning. As they continue to grow before our eyes, we remain committed to our continued partnership in supporting their learning and life goals.
This month’s eNewsletter shares inspiring stories of young learners experiencing nature in many ways; our exceptional staff developing new programs to spotlight students’ talents; as well as young adults graduating and moving on to the next stage of their lives.
Looking ahead, please mark your calendars for community-wide Wheatley Farms Harvest Festival on Sept. 30; our students had a hand in planting the pumpkin crop. Also, I invite your participation in planning sessions for the New York State Office for Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) Strategic Plan. OPWDD is responsible for coordinating services for New Yorkers with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism. In sharing your perspective, you are supporting how services will benefit a person with a developmental disability throughout their lives―ensuring joy, fulfillment, and opportunity.
Best regards,
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Summer Session Underway; Water Play Days at Post Avenue School
Summer classes are in full swing across BCCS campuses. The schools’ summer sessions began July 3 and run until August 11. The six-week session is filled with learning, incorporating a wide range of fun and healthy recreational activities. Summer programming enables students to learn while still enjoying the play, fun and friends, which are the hallmarks of summer. Post Avenue School administrators included water play days on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
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For this activity, students come to school with their bathing suits, sun protection and water shoes ready to enjoy some time outdoors. Water play incorporates the use of water play tables, spray bottles and outdoor toys. With these tools, students can use their imagination, run, and play while keeping cool on hot summer days.
A fundamental aspect of preschool is learning through play, and bridging classroom learning to activities done at home. Post Avenue’s Speech Department prepares weekly worksheets with water activities that parents can do at home and incorporate speech and language concepts into play.
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A Spelling T-R-A-D-I-T-I-O-N at The Education Center
The idea to host a spelling bee came to BCCS Education Center Program Supervisor Sherry Black during an annual review meeting, where teachers and administrators discussed their students’ progress. For years, she’d known of her students’ skills and had been looking for ways to showcase their talent for spelling.
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“I have to tell you we have some really smart students here, and they really know how to spell,” said Sherry.
During weeks of planning, Sherry took great care to create an accessible and inclusive event, accommodating spellers using whiteboards to write out words and Augmented, Alternative Communication (AAC) devices so that as many students as possible were able to participate. To prepare students for the spelling bee, students studied words in the two weeks leading up to the big day.
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| Video Diary: Just Balance Visits Saturday Respite |
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Brookville Center offers weekend respite programs and a vacation/recreation respite during the months of December, April and August. See how children recently enjoyed accessible tricycles, balance beams, trampolines, and more in this video featuring the fun and inspiring activities brought to our weekend respite program by Just Balance Owners Adam Cohen and Renie Cohen.
Watch the video.
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Friendships Lasting a Lifetime: Wantagh CRP Graduates Look to the Next Chapter in Their Lives
Few experiences in life compare to long-lasting friendships. Eileen Williams, Erica Sang, Gabby Marcial, and Megan Schuster grew up living together at Johnson Place, a residential home for children with autism managed by BCCS. Together, these young women will now share the excitement in planning for the next stage of their lives–a move to a new home in Bayshore that will support their young adulthood and beyond.
This move is about embracing newfound independence, friendship, and support, all of which will accompany them as they enter this exciting chapter of their lives. The caring staff at both Johnson Place and Bayshore have left no stone unturned to ensure that these young women have the best possible start on the new path they are embarking on.
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8/10, 10 a.m.–12 p.m.
8/11, 2 p.m.–4 p.m.
8/15, 6 p.m.–8 p.m.
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Long Island DDRO 415 Oser Ave. Hauppauge, NY 11788
Online
Online
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Gear up for “Fall for All” | September 30 | 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Get excited for Wheatley Farms’ first harvest festival. “Fall for All” is more than just a one-day event. It’s an opportunity to welcome the community to enjoy a carefully curated schedule offering a wide range of activities accessible to all. From sensory-friendly spaces to creative mask-making and face painting, every experience has been designed to foster inclusivity and ensure that every visitor can participate and enjoy the festivities. Mark your calendars.
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AHRC Foundation Walk 2023 | October 29| All Day
Be a part of Nassau County’s largest event supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families. The annual AHRC Foundation Walk offers a three-mile course and engaging post-walk activities to raise funds to secure education, health, community inclusion and guardianship supports for people across Long Island. Register today.
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