School year begins at Brehm!

Move-in Weekend at Brehm School went off without a hitch this past weekend. And students attended their first full day of school on Monday.

Faculty and staff say things are going smoothly as students dive into another school year.

Brehm Parents Association readies for a new school year

The school year is about to begin at Brehm School, and the Brehm Parents Association is working hard to ensure the organization builds upon years past to serve as a voice for parents to help each other and help the school.

“The BPA’s goals are to support the parents with the challenges of raising a child with complex learning disabilities while supporting their children,” said Maureen Wielansky, BPA president. “The way we do that is to raise money for activities and items.”

Diane Field, BPA member, said the overall goal of the BPA was to “foster a sense of community amongst the parents.”

“Our parents come from all over the country and many parts of the world. We all share this experience of sending our children away to Brehm, and through the BPA, we can share information about the experience,” Diane said. “This is also our way to become involved with the Brehm community, and work with the administration and teachers to achieve the goals that we have for our children.”

The BPA is about supporting families and staff, Maureen said.

“The BPA would like to give ongoing support to families by providing recourse and facilitating connection throughout the entire year. This connection will further enhance our experience at Move-in Weekend, Parent and Family Weekend, and Graduation,” Maureen said. “Also, the BPA supports the staff by enhancing their jobs. We raise money for equipment and activities that also further the staff’s experience at Brehm. Our staff is top-notch and need our support. We give gifts to the staff and provide meals during the year.”

To Diane, the BPA provides parents and families a way to share their children’s experiences.

“If a common theme develops, then together, as a group, we can approach the administration and open a dialogue. The administration has always been open to hearing from parents and receptive to our ideas,” Diane said. “For instance, the College Fair, that happens over the Fall Parent and Family Weekend, came about as a result of this type of cooperative relationship.”

Maureen said her term as president of the BPA has given her the chance to pay back what the BPA has done for her.

“Brehm has given our family something we didn’t see possible; a high school experience in a safe environment, where our son can grow while maximizing on his strengths,” Maureen said. “In any other school, he would have been a number. But, at Brehm, they treat him like a rock star, and he is safe and that combination is worth every cent!”

Maureen encouraged all parents at Brehm to keep the lines of communication open with other parents and the staff and faculty at Brehm.

“As parents of children with complex learning disabilities, we have suffered in silence until we came to Brehm. We want for our parents what Brehm gives to our children – connection, community and support,” Maureen said. “Transition out of secondary school is scary, and we need each other. We want to create a forum where parents can post resources that they find useful, be able to ask for support and to get to know each other, so when we see each other in person, an instant bond is formed.”

Parents of Brehm students are automatically members of the BPA. However, parents who are wishing to play a more active role in the BPA may want to become BPA board members.

“We desperately need board members. Right now, Diane and myself comprise the executive board,” Maureen said. “In addition, this is Diane’s last year at Brehm and my second to last year, so we need parents who are ready to carry on the tradition of the BPA.”

If you are interested in learning more about the BPA, Maureen and Diane will have an exhibit at Move-in Weekend.

“We look forward to meeting and welcoming new students and parents at Brehm,” Diane said.

Helping your child read more fluently

By Terri Douglas, Coordinator of Educational Services, Brehm School

Reading fluency has a strong correlation to reading comprehension, according to the National Reading Panel report in 2000. If your child is not reading fluently, they may have trouble with reading quickly enough.

Ask yourself these questions about your child:

• Are they pausing to sound out each word or three or more words in each sentence?
• Are they having trouble pronouncing the words correctly, or adding, deleting, and/or substituting words?
• Do you notice a lack of inflection and expression where needed?
• Are they not pausing at key points and punctuation?
• Do they not have a cadence to their reading?

If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, then your child may not be a fluent reader. Fluency is what allows decoders to become readers for meaning.

Here are some strategies to help improve your child’s reading fluency:

• Like a bird I sing. Songs have a natural cadence and inflection to them. If your child has a favorite song, then print out the lyrics and read them together. Just like practicing a song, the lyrics may need to be read several times. Get the whole family involved for a grand production. Try writing your own lyrics as well. Poetry is also excellent for fluency.
• To be or not to be. Reading plays is another good way to practice fluency. Again, plays require practice, focus, and timing, and the key is to do this with the child. Get others involved.
• You’re cooking now! The reading of recipes allows for short passages with natural pauses that create emphasis and meaning. Always read the directions together first, and talk about the sequence and order. More importantly, it is fun and gives a purpose to reading. This is true of using all directions. So if you don’t like to cook, then build something. Try having the child dictate his or her directions on how to do something and then practice reading the directions back to you.
• Using a software program that can read to your child (optical character recognition) can be helpful. Most of these programs will highlight the sentence being read, and some may put the sentence in one color and the word in another color. This helps with focus and tracking. Most programs allow the number of words read per minute to be adjusted. Read the passage together a couple of times and then set the words where the student can read aloud with the program comfortably. Set goals or play games to increase the speed. For the parent, one goal might be to improve by 10 words per minute, while a goal for the child might be to improve by 1 word per minute. The idea is to keep moving up. One word per minute over the course of a week is a good goal. This approach will not help with inflection, but it is a fun way to address speed. Children respond well to computers.
• Neurological impress is when an adult sits next to the student and whispers the text into the child’s ear while the child reads from the same text. This can help with inflection and pauses that help provide meaning to the reading.
• Have fun! Read to your child, listen to books on CD, and listen to your child read. The more exposure and interaction with reading, the better reader your child will become. How your child feels about reading is hugely important.

Terri Douglas is the Coordinator of Educational Services at Brehm. She has worked in the education field for more than 20 years. A native of Nebraska, she received her Bachelor of Science degree from Hastings College in Elementary Education and Special Education. As a member of the Carbondale community, she earned a Master’s Degree in Education and is currently working on a second Master’s Degree in Administration from Southern Illinois University. Terri holds teaching certification as a Learning Behavior Specialist I, which qualifies her to teach K-12 students. Additionally, she makes presentations regularly at local, state, and national conferences and workshops. In the year 2000, The Wal-Mart Foundation recognized Terri as Teacher of the Year.

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Megahurts brochure available on-line!

The Brehm Robotics Megahurts #2219 information brochure is now available on the Brehm Web site.

The brochure contains information about the Megahurts community, their vision and history, and how to become a supporter.

The Megahurts joined FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 2006 to inspire students in Southern Illinois to pursue careers in science related fields. The program has become an integral part of Brehm School and has been a motivating force for students.

For more information about Megahurts, view the brochure, follow them online on Twitter at twitter.com/megahurts2219 or www.megahurts2219.com, or contact Joe Viscomi at 618.457.0371 or teammegahurts@megahurts2219.com.

OPTIONS Program underway

OPTIONS students wrap up orientation with a

lunch from Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches.

The 2010-2011 school year at the OPTIONS (Optimizing Potential Through Individualized, On-going, Nurtured Successes) Program at Brehm is underway. And, staff and faculty treated the OPTIONS students to subs and other goodies from Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches in Carbondale on the last day of orientation.

“We wanted to do something for our students before jumping into the school year,” said Char Reed, OPTIONS coordinator. “And, Jimmy John’s is a student favorite."

Regular classes at OPTIONS begin August 19 for the program’s 36 students – its largest enrollment to date.

“The start of the new term is hectic and nerve-racking. The lunch is an opportunity for all of us to slow down, enjoy one another’s company and recharge to start the year strong,” Char said.

2010-2011 Student Handbook available on-line!

The 2010-2011 Brehm School Student Handbook is now available on the school's Web site.

The purpose of this handbook is to provide our students with useful information that will help them easily navigate through their time at Brehm School.

The Handbook contains information such as:

School Calendar

Academic Schedule

Grading System

Dorm Expectations

Student Clubs and Organizations

Dress Code and much more.

Each student is expected to read the Brehm School Student Handbook carefully.

Contact dkulich@brehm.org to receive a password for this password-protected document.

Parent-to-Parent Survival Guide available on-line!

The 2010-2011 Brehm School Parent-to-Parent Survival Guide is now available on the Brehm Web site.

Brehm Preparatory School takes great pride in its “family model” concept of support. When a student enrolls at Brehm, his or her parents, siblings and grandparents are also embraced as part of the extended family. Although Brehm’s overriding responsibility is to its students, family support is a crucial component of its mission.

With that in mind, we are pleased to offer the Parent-to-Parent Survival Guide for your use as a navigational tool. It is written by parents, for parents, to help you and your child make the transition to life at Brehm. We know it will prove useful in helping you understand the organizational and operational aspects of Brehm.

Contact dkulich@brehm.org to receive a password for this password-protected document.

Work is underway for a walking trail at Brehm Preparatory School. And, by the time students return to Brehm at the end of August, the trail is expected to be completed.

The first phase of the Walking Trail project includes a 1/3- mile track around the Brehm Pond. Future plans include building a longer trail around the 26-acre field on the back part of the Brehm campus.

“The Walking Trail is part of our Healthy Lifestyle Program to give students and staff options for getting exercise on campus,” said Walt Tomczak, chief administrative officer at Brehm. “The Healthy Lifestyle Program gives Brehm students and staff access to nutritional information as well as have the opportunity for physical activity to live an active and healthy lifestyle.”

A five-foot wide trail path has already been cut around the pond, and one layer of crushed gravel has been put down. After that layer is compacted, a topcoat of finer gravel will be added to complete the path.

The Walking Trail begins on the west side of the Brehm pond and wraps around the tranquil waters on the south side of the campus.

Other additions to the Walking Trail are in the works.

“We plan to put ten exercise stations around the trail,” Walt said. “Also, three small bridges need to be built along the trail, and trail signage needs to be installed.”

For more information, or if you would like to contribute toward the construction of one of these projects, or memorialize or honor a loved one in your family – maybe a student, alumni, parent or grandparent – by placing their name on a bronze dedication plaque at the project site, please contact Russell Williams, Coordinator of Development, at (618) 457-0371, ext. 1308 or send an e-mail to rwilliams@brehm.org.

Helping You and Your Child Express Feelings

By Dr. Brian Brown, Associate Director, Brehm School.

There are times when each of us gets overwhelmed with our feelings, and as a result, we handle life situations less effectively. This can be particularly true when it comes to dealing with our own children because while we love them, they know all the right buttons to push to elicit emotional reactions from us. This issue is often pronounced within families where there are children with complex learning disabilities, ADHD issues, or other language-based difficulties. The complex learning issue can have a direct impact on all involved, especially when the child attempts to communicate feelings. There are a number of things families can do to help facilitate and navigate those moments when feelings are intense.

When someone is experiencing strong feelings, their ability to communicate clearly is often reduced. We have all walked away from an argument and later thought, “I should have said…” A child experiences the same thing, although that child’s ability to communicate feelings may be additionally impacted by a learning issue. As a result, our kids may act out their frustration, anger, hurt, or pain by raising their voice, using inappropriate language, slamming doors, name-calling, or a variety of other actions. This type of venting tends to be nonproductive and, of course, escalates the situation. Parents can help their children in these moments by redirecting them to use a specific communication model.

The use of the communication model: “I Feel…Because…I Want/Need…” can be particularly useful in providing a framework for both the child and the parent to follow. The process is simple but does a variety of sophisticated things to help kids and parents express their feelings. The model helps ground children temporally or across a sequence of time. For example, “I am angry” is present tense, what I am feeling currently in the here and now. “Because she is talking about me behind my back” is past tense, identifying what has occurred previously that resulted in my current feelings. In the “Because” step, we look for communication to be specific to behaviors or circumstances. The child or parent should not use descriptive words such as; “He is being a butt” or “She was acting like a witch.” Rather, they should focus on the behaviors of the event. The next step, “I want her to stop doing that and need someone to sit down and help me talk to her,” is future tense and focuses the individual on what must happen to move toward resolving the problem. The use of this model can open up more effective communication and provide a tool for parents and kids to fall back on in the heat of the moment.

The first step is to review the communication model with your child when things are going well and talk about using it to be heard when feelings are involved. As the parent, you need to utilize this communication process and model its use for your child. Practice by incorporating it in everyday situations with your child. For example: “Lisa, I’m getting frustrated because I have asked you three times to pick up your clothes in your room and bring them downstairs. I need you to stop your texting and go and pick up your clothes.” By doing this consistently, you demonstrate how to effectively use the process, even when the issues are routine. When your child’s emotions begin to escalate, prompt them to use the model by simply stating, “You feel…”, allow them to fill in the blank, and then prompt with, “Because…” Finally, prompt your child with “You want or need…” You will be surprised how this helps to structure your child’s communication and results in settling down the intensity of the feelings.

When your child uses the communication model, it’s important for you to paraphrase what you understood your child to have said. Paraphrasing is putting into your own words the meaning of what another has communicated. An example of paraphrasing may be: “So what I hear you saying, Michael, is that you are angry because your brother always gets to do what he wants to do first, and you want to have a chance to do something you want to do. Is that right?” Checking for accuracy in this way gives your child the opportunity to expand on his or her thoughts and feelings. It also allows your child to confirm that you understood. It can be very powerful for a child to know that they have been heard, and at times, this alone calms the intensity of the feelings in the moment.

While using the communication model takes some time and energy to master, the benefits received by all involved can be significant. Using the model in isolated instances will not produce the desired results, but integrating its use into the way the family communicates can lead to some wonderful changes. Parents need to tell their kids that it is normal to get frustrated, angry, hurt, or sad in life. But being able to share those feelings in a way that allows others to understand them is an important step in becoming an adult and, ultimately, in getting one’s needs met. 

Dr. Brian is the Associate Director of Brehm School in Carbondale, Illinois. Dr. Brown has 22 years of experience working with students who have complex learning difficulties and other co-morbid related issues. Dr. Brown holds a Ph.D in Educational Psychology in Counseling, is a Licensed Social Worker, and holds a School Social Work Certification. He serves on the Illinois North Central Association State Board and has received the Southern Illinois University Alumnus of the Year Award from the School of Social Work.

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