Time is Running Out to Lower Your Tax Bill for 2009.

Time is running out to lower your 2009 tax bill by making your 100% tax deductible donation to Brehm School or the OPTIONS Program before Friday, January 1st, 2010.

Contributions are deductible in the year made, so donations charged to a credit card (online or via phone) before the end of the year count for 2009, as do checks, as long as they are mailed by Thursday, December 31st, 2009.

There are 3 easy ways to make your contribution:

1. Via Credit Card, online now (click the donate button)

2. Phone Brehm at (618) 457-0371

3. Send a check via US Mail by Thursday, December 31st, 2009 to: Brehm Preparatory School, 1245 E. Grand Avenue, Carbondale, IL 62901

All donations go to the Brehm Annual Giving Campaign for student programs, staff development, campus development, and the general fund. If you'd like to direct your gift, just reply to this email.

Tuition and fees pay for the day-to-day operations but we are indebted to our faithful donors who support the full educational experiences we have to offer. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Brehm Preparatory School is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit accredited junior high,
senior high and post-high school for students with complex learning disabilities.

New Article by Faculty Member Explores Differentiating & Expressing Feelings of Anger

Recently, Brehm Speech & Language Pathologist Deb Browne had the honor of being published in a national Bi-Weekly Publication.

Deb's article, titled "Language of the Middle Ground" was published in the December 14, 2009 version of Advance magazine, a publication for Speech-Language Pathologists & Audiologists.

"A low-tech, inexpensive technique can target vocabulary for differentiating and expressing feelings while making concrete the powerful idea that emotions may be seen on a continuum from low to high strength. When grappling with negative emotions, in particular, this language scaffold provides the student lead time for implementing communication, self-advocacy and anger management strategies."

The article includes some practical at-home techniques for differentiating feelings.

Brehm Prep Basketball Cancellations

Upcoming Brehm Prep basketball games scheduled for December 18th & 19th and January 2nd & 4th have been cancelled until further notice.

The January 2nd game was a scheduled home game.

Please contact Brehm at 618.457.0371 for additional information.

Brehm Students Share Robotics Knowledge

Brehm robotics students were hosts for St. Mary's school of Mount Vernon this week. Robotics is a fun way for students to learn about science and engineering. Brehm students shared some of their knowledge, as published in Mount Vernon Register News:

"St. Mary School eighth graders traveled Wednesday to Brehm Preparatory School in Carbondale, to learn the tricks of the roboting trade from the students in their robotics program.

The Brehm Preparatory School’s team, called the Megahurts, won second place at the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition regionals in St. Louis last year. Brehm students are conducting the workshop to share what they have learned through their experiences with robotics competition, according to information from Brehm."

OPTIONS Girls Again Excel in Competition

Recently, OPTIONS girls were able to compete in a martial arts tournament at Black's Martial Arts in Carbondale, Illinois.

The girls performed very well and each took home a medal in their area of competition.

In addition to life skills, girls in martial arts

also get to create lifelong friendships.

A proud group flashes new medals.

After the work is done, OPTIONS girls get time to play!

Martial Arts is being used as a therapeutic component of speech and language. It aids in sequencing, memory, auditory processing, pragmatic language, balance and posture, according to Carrie Collins, OPTIONS Speech Language Pathologist.

Click here for more news on previous OPTIONS martial arts competitions.

A Holiday Letter from Brehm Executive Director Dr. Richard Collins

"Hope, giving, trust, thoughtfulness, and renewal are all

emphasized at Brehm, with the most important factor being FAMILY."

- Dr. Richard Collins, Executive Director

Brehm is a melting pot of students from all over the United States and students from around the world. The Holiday season gives us the opportunity to celebrate cultural events and gives us the opportunity to understand cultural differences in a manner which is informal and intimate.

It is interesting to me that each year we expand our campus, our students are enriched by the diversity. The diversity however, always comes back to our students having a greater appreciation of the commonalities that exist. Hope, giving, trust, thoughtfulness, and renewal are all emphasized at Brehm, with the most important factor being FAMILY.

We are so lucky to be able to look beyond the 'obvious differences' which most people see. We have and taken advantage of our family boarding experience to share the breathe and depth of who our students are and what they bring to enrich all our lives.

Let's continue to focus on the strength of our students. Celebrate the successes, share our experiences and mutually grow from our commitment to excellence. We have a great family here at Brehm. We all benefit from our mutual enlightenment. Have a great Holiday Season and Happy New Year.

Success with Complex Learning Disabilities — Part 3 of 12

Brehm Speech and Language

Students benefit from one-on-one time with full time Brehm SLP's.

Brehm’s Speech-Language Department employs five full-time speech-language pathologists.

Brehm SLPs evaluate speech, language, and related skills; establish contexts and frequencies for therapies based on individual needs; and develop, implement, and report progress on individual therapy plans.

SLPs communicate with Brehm staff, parents, and other professionals on a regular basis regarding the students’ progress and its impact on their academic, social, and personal issues.

The Speech-Language Department provides evaluation and therapy services to address needs in the following areas:

• Speech Articulation/Intelligibility
• Auditory/Listening Skills
• Oral Language Skills
• Language-Based Literacy Skills
• Written Expression
• Pragmatic and Social
• Communication Skills
• Cognitive and Metacognitive
• Aspects of Communication

Language based programs used systemically throughout the program include the following: The Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing Program for Reading, Spelling, and Speech (LiPS); Seeing Stars-Symbol Imagery for Phonemic Awareness, Sight Words, and Spelling (SI); and Visualizing and Verbalizing for Language Comprehension and Thinking (V/V).

Brehm is also a provider of Scientific Learning’s Fast ForWord — a research-supported, computer-based program that develops and strengthens memory, attention, processing rate, and sequencing — the cognitive skills essential for learning and reading success.

Also see:
Welcome to Brehm School
(part 1 of 12)

Brehm Academics
(Part 2 of 12)

Brehm, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, is a unique family style boarding school that empowers students, grades 6 to 12, with complex learning disabilities to recognize and optimize their full potential. Brehm offers a unique holistic program that individually addresses each student’s academic, emotional, and social needs. Eighty-eight percent of Brehm graduates continue on to colleges, junior colleges, technical or vocational schools across the country.

Brehm has a rolling admission. Contact admissions today by calling (618) 457-0371 or email: admissionsinfo@brehm.org
.

Brehm School Float is a HUGE Hit at Carbondale's Lights Fantastic Parade

One of many Brehm traditions is the annual participation in Carbondale's Lights Fantastic parade. This year, students far exceeded expectations with one of the best floats to date. Students chose a Charlie Brown vs. the Red Baron theme, complete with Snoopy the Flying Ace and the Red Baron, Charlie Brown, Lucy, Pig Pen, Linus and Schroeder.

Students who dressed as Peanuts characters stayed in

character for the entire parade and were a huge hit!

The construction of the Red Baron's plane and

Snoopy's doghouse and Woodstock.

The campus came together for this year's theme with

art teacher, Nan Novara creating homemade costumes.

Freshman, Roger L., played an authentically

menacing role as the Red Baron.

Faculty & staff came out to take part in festivities & support students.

"This year's float was not only amazing, but the most intricate

and most labor intensive," Wade Brady, faculty.

Executive Director, Dr. Richard Collins congratulated everyone saying, "It was wonderful to see all the work and level of investment that staff and students had to this project. The crowd reaction was great. Best show in my opinion."

Great Job!

Brehm Holds International Feast During Break

Students from across the globe call Brehm home. During breaks, not all students have the opportunity to travel to be with their families. On behalf of some international students, Brehm staff joined together to create a feast that would be reminiscent of their countries.

The dinner consisted of a wide array of dishes from the Latvian, Canadian, Nigerian and American cultures. Staff prepared dishes such as: Kladu Rausi, Snitzel, Peanut Butter stew, fufu, Jerk Chicken, cole slaw, Egusi, Eba and American classics like ham, mashed potatoes & gravy, macaroni and cornbread.

The support of Brehm staff and the cooperation of students is what makes our family model a success!