Tuesday, March 8, 2011
NEW Brehm Blog unveiled
Please bookmark the site!
This Blog will no longer be updated. All updates will now be posted on blog.brehm.org.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Brehm FBLA update

"Suzy and I were both so pleased with the way our students conducted themselves when asking questions and walking around from booth to booth. We even received comments from the different vendors about how our students from Brehm were so much more mature in their actions and how good they were at asking questions compared to the other high school students who attended. We are very proud of our students."
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Brehm students hear from successful businessman who overcame dyslexia

- He got to know his teachers better. “Since I told them toward the beginning of each class that I had dyslexia, and worked with them throughout the semester to help me understand the materials better, I became well acquainted with my teachers,” Nathan said. “And, those relationships have helped me along the way.”
- He built a large support system. “I had the support of my family, friends, teachers and more. They all knew how much I struggled, but they also saw how I worked really hard and never gave up,” Nathan said. “Without their support, I couldn’t be where I am today.”
- He learned determination and perseverance. “Nothing is as hard to deal with as my dyslexia,” he said. “So, I know I can overcome anything.”

Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Aisin Manufacturing donates to Brehm Robotics Team

Friday, February 18, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Keeping our students healthy this winter

As our staff, faculty and students spend so much time together indoors, it is hard to make it through the winter without battling some type of illness. However, there are ways our students can combat cold and flu season without missing a beat this winter. Nursing Administrator at Brehm, Jeannine Banning, R.N., M.S.Ed., has provided some tips to encourage your children to follow:
- Wash your hands. While it might seem like a simple request, encouraging your child to wash his/her hands may prevent them from spreading germs.
- Cover your mouth. Encourage your child to cover his/her mouth when coughing or sneezing, and to wash their hands afterwards, if possible.
- Stay hydrated. If your child drinks eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day, they will be able to flush out their system, including the illnesses that might enter their body during this cold and flu season.
- Stay active. Brehm offers so many activities for your child to participate in. Encourage them to get out there and stay active!
- Don't eat or drink after others. There are so many ways for germs to be passed around while at school, and eating or drinking after others is the easiest way. Help us help them stop the spread of germs by encouraging them not to eat or drink after other people.
Students create beautiful ceramic art

- Painting
- Collage
- 3-D art
- Silk-screening
- and other creative techniques

Video released of paintball team in action
Monday, February 7, 2011
How can the new dietary guidelines help Brehm students make healthier choices?
By Melissa Banz, MS, RD, LDN
Dietitian, Brehm Preparatory School
Lifestyles that are focused on consuming fewer calories, eating nutrient dense (healthy) foods and being active can help you attain and maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk of chronic disease and promote overall health.
The new 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans reflect these strategies (for more information visit www.dietaryguidelines.gov). Below is a preview of some of the tips:
- Enjoy your food, but eat less.
- Consume more nutrient-dense foods
- Make half your plate fruits and vegetables
- Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk
- Include whole grain foods to most of your meals
- Eat more seafood (and other lean proteins)
- Compare foods with sodium, saturated and trans fat, added sugar and refined grains – choose foods with lower numbers
- Drink water instead of sugary drinks
In January, we discussed general recommendations for healthy eating for teens, where we discussed many topics, including:
- Why is healthy eating important?
- What foods they should eat more of.
- Strategies for a healthy weight.
- We’ve looked at how healthy eating translates to their “plate:" ½ the plate should be full of fruits and vegetables, a ¼ full of whole grains and the remaining ¼ with a lean protein.
- We’ve shared strategies for eating less. For example, drinking 1-2 glasses of water before a meal; eating a healthy breakfast; not skipping meals; and tracking what you eat and when you are active.
Brehm also meets the Dietary Guidelines by offering a salad bar that provides a variety of green, red and orange vegetables and fruits. Students should be encouraged to fill half their plate full of fruits and vegetables before filling the remaining half with the lunch or dinner offered.
Brehm offers low fat milk and yogurt with every meal; teens should be encouraged to choose low fat dairy foods more often in order to meet their calcium needs. The kitchen staff is helping by including more whole grains and seafood to the menu and cooking with less fat and added sugar.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Brehm students create art on campus
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Brehm to host workshops for educators

Accomplished and award-winning educator, C. Wilson Anderson Jr., will present a series of dynamic and informative educator workshops at Brehm Preparatory School in February.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Introducing Brehm School’s new dietitian
By Melissa Banz, Dietitian, Brehm Preparatory School
Research indicates that good nutrition for students can lead to better academic performance, prevent childhood and adolescent health problems (such as iron deficiency, low calcium intake, dental caries and obesity), and improve behavioral problems.
Also, establishing healthy habits now lowers your child’s risk for future chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Children who learn to live healthy, live longer, more productive lives.
My name is Melissa Banz, and I’m a dietitian working with Brehm to enhance the school environment to ensure that it supports a healthy school nutrition environment. I have conducted reviews of the menus and food supplies to ensure that they meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture.
We are also working on ways to promote healthier choices to students. I’ve already talked to some students about healthy eating during our new “Lunch and Learn” discussions.
I look forward to working with the students at Brehm to bring about some exciting additions to the menus and school environment! Please support us this New Year as we work to promote these healthier choices throughout the school.
Check out what’s on the menu:
- Lean meats – Each day there will be at least one lean meat choice: skinless chicken breast (baked or grilled – not fried), vegetarian (meatless) entrée or low fat cold cuts.
- Fruits and vegetables – Each day, the salad bar features fresh berries and other delicious fresh fruits and vegetables. When canned fruits or vegetables are provided, they will not have any added sugar or salt. Hot vegetables will be served seasoned – not buttered.
- Whole grains – Grains will fill a quarter of your child’s plate with at least one serving of whole grain rich food, like whole grain pasta, bread or brown rice. These will be seasoned – not buttered.
- Milk and dairy products – Low fat varieties of milk will be offered at every meal. In addition, the salad bar will offer low fat cottage cheese and yogurt.
- Other foods – Low fat or fat-free dressings, sour cream, gravies and other condiments will be used when available. Products and cooking methods will aim to reduce the amount of saturated and sodium provided during lunch and dinner meals.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Five key ways to avoid a power struggle with your teenager

Monday, January 10, 2011
Alumnus represents Brehm/OPTIONS in College Fair

On Friday, December 3, 2010, Assistant Director of Admissions Richard Ventura was accompanied by Brehm and OPTIONS alumnus and Atlanta native, Natalie Pereless, to the post-secondary fair at Mill Springs Academy in Alpharetta, Georgia. OPTIONS was an exhibitor in the fair.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Coats donated to basketball players

Brehm helps Boy Scout Troop 66 earn vintage merit badge

Boy Scout Troop 66 of Carbondale, Ill., recently visited Brehm to utilize the school's fully-equipped workshop to earn carpentry badges.


Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Brehm students travel to SLU




Tuesday, December 21, 2010
In memory of Carey and Tom Walsh
Harvard's 2010 Dyslexia Foundation Teleconference Webcast now available online

- 8:30-8:45 - Introduction
- 8:45-9:45 - Welcome and Brief Historical Perspective of Dyslexia Research
- 9:45-10:45 - Reading Research and Reading the Research: Helping Struggling Readers Achieve The Highest Levels of Literacy
- 10:45-11:15 - Break
- 11:15-12:15 - An Update on Research and Practice: Phonological Awareness, Reading and Literacy: Reading Achievement in Preschool Through Elementary
- 12:15-12:45 - 2010 TDF Award
- 12:45-1:45 - Lunch 1:45-2:45 - Practicing What Research Has Proven; Teaching Reading To Middle and High School Students
- 2:45-3:45 - What Else Can the Brain Tell Us? MRI Studies and Executive Function - Implications for Reading
- 3:45-4:15 - Closing Remarks
- 4:15-4:30 - Learner Assessment and Program Evaluation.
Brehm staff members published in SEEN magazine

M. Brad Sims, M.S., CCC-SLP, and Dr. Brian Brown recently had articles published in SEEN magazine.