Focus on the Future A Total Communications Approach ~Our Philosophy~ Each child is a unique individual who needs a secure, caring, and stimulating environment in which to grow and mature emotionally, intellectually, physically, and socially. LeoNora M. Cohen & Judy Gelbrich

Focus on the Future A Total Communications Approach ~Our Motto~ If children don’t learn the way we teach them, Then we must teach them the way they learn.

Focus on the Future A Total Communications Approach ~Our Beliefs~ We believe that each and every student should be given the opportunity to grow, develop, and learn in his/her own unique way. We believe that our students can become productive members of our community by using strategies that cater to their individual learning styles. We believe that each and every individual presents a unique type of student that varies not only in abilities, but also in learning styles. We believe each and every student has the potential to bring something unique and special into our world. We believe that in order to help our students learn, there must be a unified and multidisciplinary approach to teaching. We believe that direct individualization of skills is the key to independence. We believe our children have innate abilities to receive and process information.

Focus on the Future A Total Communications Approach ~Our Goal~ To help each and every student become an independent and productive member of society.

Focus on the Future A Total Communications Approach Hours of operation:9:00 am – 4:00pm Before school care hours:7:30 am – 9:00am After school care hours: 4:00 pm – 6:30pm Summer Program:9:00 am – 4:00pm *Extra Fee for before/after school care

Focus on the Future A Total Communications Approach ~Center’s Layout~ -Eight classroom areas-Reading, Writing, Math, Art, -Speech classroom -Occupational therapy classroom -Vocational training classroom -Quiet area -Computer lab -Kitchen area -Cafeteria -Physical Education area -Sensory room -Recreation room -Teachers launch -Work room

Focus on the Future A Total Communications Approach Age and Grade Levels Kindergarten LevelAge 5= Kindergarten Primary LevelAges 6-8= 1 st – 3rd Pre-Intermediate Level Ages 9-11= 4 th – 6th Post-Intermediate Level Ages 12-14= 7 th – 9th Pre-Transition LevelAges 15-18=10 th – 12th Transition LevelAges 19-21= Transition

Focus on the Future A Total Communications Approach ~Our Approach ~ The implementation of a multidisciplinary and individualized program based on the students’ learning styles.

Focus on the Future A Total Communications Approach Our Approach ABA Structured Teaching Total Communication Environments Incidental Teaching Visual Strategies Visual Organization Techniques Social Stories Sensory Integration Strategies Music Therapy Occupational Therapy Speech Therapy Community-Referenced Based Instruction Functional Independence Training Parent training and direct involvement To meet our students at their current point of dependence and transform them to their highest degree of independence through the use of Individualized instruction consisting of:

Focus on the Future A Total Communications Approach ~Objectives~ 1. Self-Management and Home Living To use Individualized instruction in direct preparation for the activities of daily living such as: ~Self-Help skills ~Eating and food preparation ~Hygiene and toileting ~Safety and Health ~Assisting and Taking Care of Others ~Budgeting/Planning/Scheduling ~Household maintenance ~Outdoor Maintenance ~Communication skills ~Home management Skills. ~Cooking skills

Focus on the Future A Total Communications Environment ~Objectives~ 2. General Community Functioning To use Individualized and group instruction in community-referenced skills such as: ~Grocery Shopping Skills ~Social Skills ~Communication Skills ~Travel ~Community Safety ~Functional/Higher Reading Skills ~Functional/Higher Consumer Mathematics ~Functional/Higher Language Arts Skills ~Functional/Higher Writing Skills ~General Shopping ~Eating Out ~Using Services

Focus on the Future A Total Communications Environment ~Objectives~ 3. Academics Individualized and group instruction in functional and higher academic skills such as: ~Mathematics ~Reading ~Writing ~Language Arts ~Communication

Focus on the Future A Total Communications Environment Academics/Reading Reading of sight words Meaningful and relevancy Grouping sight words Forming meaningful sentences Comprehension Meaning to the environment Consistent usage of learned reading skills in communication

Focus on the Future Total Communications Approach Academics/Language Arts ListeningIncrease attention span SpeakingCommunicate ideas Reading Sight/Comprehension WritingRelevant information

Focus on the Future Total Communications Approach Academics/Mathematics Numeration Reasoning Time Money Geometry

Focus on the Future A Total Communications Approach ~ Objectives~ 4. Vocational Individualized instruction in the area of vocational preparations through the use of: ~Classroom/school jobs experiences ~Individualized work experiences ~Community Base Vocational Instruction ~Community Jobs ~Neighborhood Jobs ~Computer training ~Career guidance based on students’ talents.

Focus on the Future Total Communications Approach ~Objective~ 5. Home Living Domain Individualized and group instruction in the area of self/home maintenance Eating Food preparation Grooming and dressing Hygiene and toileting Safety and health Assisting and caring for others Budgeting Planning Scheduling House maintenance

Focus on the Future Total Communications Approach ~Objectives ~ 6.Recreation/Leisure Individual and group instruction in the area of social, recreation, and leisure through the use of: ~School and extracurricular activities ~Alone-home and in the neighborhood ~Family/friends-home and in the neighborhood ~Family/friends-community ~Physical fitness ~Play based approach ~Social Communication

Focus on the Future A Total Communications Approach Sample Schedule/Marie G. __ Reading ___Speech ___Writing/Language Arts ___Occupational Therapy ___Math ___Art ___Cooking Skills ___Home Maintenance ___Self-Help Skills ___Vocational Training ___P.E ___Community Based Instruction.

Focus on the Future A Total Communications Approach Goals and areas of focus 1.Individualized/Specialized academics 2.Eating and food preparation 3.Grooming and dressing 4.Hygiene and toileting 5.Safety and health 6.Household Maintenance 7.Outdoor Maintenance 8.Assisting and taking care of others 9.Budgeting and planning 10.Scheduling 11.Communication 12.Social Skills 13.Play Skills 14.Music appreciation/therapy 15.Speech therapy 16.Physical Education 17.Community based vocational instruction 18.Travel 19.Community Safety 20.Grocery Shopping 21.General Shopping 22.Eating out 23.Using Services

Focus On The Future A Total Communications Approach