Focus on the Future A Total Communications Approach

1. Focus on the FutureA 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

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

3. 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.

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

5. Focus on the FutureA 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

6. Focus on the FutureA 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

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

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

9. Focus on the FutureA 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:

10. Focus on the FutureA 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

11. Focus on the FutureA 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

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

13. Focus on the FutureA 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

14. Focus on the FutureTotal Communications Approach Academics/Language Arts Listening Increase attention span Speaking Communicate ideas Reading Sight/Comprehension Writing Relevant information

15. Focus on the FutureTotal Communications Approach Academics/Mathematics • Numeration • Reasoning • Time • Money • Geometry

16. Focus on the FutureA 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.

17. Focus on the FutureTotal 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

18. Focus on the FutureTotal 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

19. Focus on the FutureA 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.

20. Focus on the FutureA Total Communications Approach Goals and areas of focus • Individualized/Specialized academics • Eating and food preparation • Grooming and dressing • Hygiene and toileting • Safety and health • Household Maintenance • Outdoor Maintenance • Assisting and taking care of others • Budgeting and planning • Scheduling • Communication • Social Skills • Play Skills • Music appreciation/therapy • Speech therapy • Physical Education • Community based vocational instruction • Travel • Community Safety • Grocery Shopping • General Shopping • Eating out • Using Services

21. Focus On The FutureA Total Communications Approach