CROSSROADS CONNECTIONS Crossroads School Student of the Month is Crossroads Student Erick Fuentes Erick is congratulated for achieving 100% on his weekly spelling tests, four consecutive weeks! Way to go Erick! Please do not forget to call our Main Office if your child will be out sick or late. March 2011 Scotch Plains Students Visit Service Learning a Beneficial Experience Three students from Terrill Middle School in Scotch Plains chose Crossroads as the venue to do their Service Learning Project, a requirement for Mr. Picciottoli’s Social Studies Class. On March 10, 2011, Amanda O’Hara, Jocelyn Michnowski and Rachel Voetzel spent the day in three classrooms. After a brief orientation with Principal Michael Kowalski and Supervisor of Instruction Judith White, the girls were given a tour of the school and assigned to specific classes. They eagerly interacted with students and staff while reading Rainbow Fish and painting a coordinating tee shirt. Judging from the lively discussion, the opportunity was a success and a learning experience for all involved! It is always exciting for us to fulfill our mission of educating the public about autism Our hope is that the information gained will remove some of the misconceptions and prejudices that exist in society. SP-F Terrill Middle School student Amanda O’Hara assists Crossroads students with an art project in Ms. Alzate’s classroom. Prior to leaving, the students met with Mike and Judi to process some of the information they had learned; ask questions and to comment on their observations. PHONE 908 232-6655 FAX 908-232-6877 April Calendar April 6th 1:00 pm Dismissal April 22 – 29 Spring Break A Miller Minute: Symbolic Play As children develop representation skills, parent-child play begins to include the creation of pretend roles. Through symbolic play, independence and communication skills are fostered. Here are some activities to try: Doll/Car Systems Dirty Doll/Car with washable markers Have children wash the dirty doll/car Make it reciprocal by dirtying your our hand and repeat the above steps. Doll: Expand to dressing, feeding, sleeping, playing, walking, running, etc… Car: Expand to car going up/down ramp, car going in tunnel (box), car going fast, car going slow, pushing car to each other, etc… Once these systems have been established make them reciprocal (i.e. your turn and my turn). Next, we need to use “PLOP” (i.e. perform it with other people, in different locations, with different objects, and in different positions). For maximum comprehension, do not forget to narrate what is being done (ex. Doll is dirty, car is going up the ramp, etc). HAVE FUN! Classroom Corner: Going Green in Room 110 Ms. McLaughlin‟s class in Room 110 was ready for St. Patrick‟s Day utilizing technology to the fullest. Students made Irish Soda Bread in class, reading the directions from the interactive Smart Board. They touched text and pictures on the board and the directions were read aloud using our Boardmaker program. The SmartBoard kept the kids moving and engaged while exposing them to the thematic traditions. They are also reviewing March terminology on the iPad, and playing March Bingo to keep up on vocabulary. After all, everyone is IRISH on St. Patrick‟s Day! Matthew Skolnick Donates Bar Mitzvah Money Thanks to the generous efforts and donations of Matthew Skolnick, our paraprofessional staff will become CPR/AED certified. Matthew, a 13 year old from Mountainside, approached Crossroads last year to express his desire to contribute the proceeds from his Bar Mitzvah Project, a charity soccer tournament. to our school. Matt‟s curiosity about autism was peaked when he met one of our younger students and his parents. He felt compelled to learn more about the disorder and to help in whatever way he could. The “Coaches vs Kids Soccer Tournament” was held on September 25, 2010; attendance and sponsorship were outstanding , everyone had a great time ( and yes, the coaches did win). Finally, Matthew„s goal of creating autism awareness was realized and supported! STAFF DEVELOPMENT On March 21st Crossroads conducted a full day Professional Development for all teachers and paraprofessionals. Paras were provided six hours of training in our “Boardmaker and Beyond” workshop.They explored this application while learning how to create communication aids and other visual supports for students. Everyone enjoyed the handson experience of creating picture schedules, social stories and language boards. Simultaneously, the teachers and related services staff focused their efforts on the building wide project of developing a goals & objectives document with the newly adopted Common Core State Standards. PARENT TRAINING : Well Received Matthew Skolnick and friend, Patrick Eicke are seen here presenting a donation to Principal Michael Kowalski and Supervisor Judi White. Hillcrest Academy North Students Visits Crossroads Students from Hillcrest Academy North, a UCESC high school, visited Crossroads on On Friday, March 25th, certified NonMarch 17th to share an activity with our students. Our students were given an extra Violent Crisis Intervention Instructor special coloring book, designed and printed Rosa Mariano-Brandao provided an by the Hillcrest students, just for them! At overview of the Nonviolent Crisis InCrossroads, we welcome high school stutervention Program for Crossroads dents who are interested in learning about parents & caregivers. The full day class autism. This is a “win-win” situation ; consisted of instruction about ways to which enhances social skills development identify anxiety, signs of escalating for all participants while using an engaging behavior and proactive strategies used activity as the vehicle. to diffuse potential crisis situations. All attendees had the opportunity to practice various techniques, ask questions and share about common concerns about managing the behavior of their children at home. Breakfast and lunch were served and the day was deemed a success by all!