Great turnout for College Fair

Brehm School held a College Fair during Parent and Family Weekend from 5-7pm on Friday, November 5, and from 9am-noon on Saturday, November 6, in the gymnasium of the Student Activities Center.

The following colleges participated in the event:

• Lee University, who provides extra assistance for students with learning disabilities, including extra time on tests, tutors and other forms of assistance.
• Beacon College, who offers A.A. and B.A. degrees exclusively for students with documented learning disabilities. Recognizing that individuals learn at different rates and in different ways, Beacon College provides quality educational and social experiences that value diversity, ensure student engagement, cultivate critical thinking skills and intellectual curiosity, and develop employment potential.
• Augsburg College's CLASS (Center for Learning and Adaptive Student Services), which illustrates its commitment to student success at Augsburg College by providing those academic services needed to accommodate individuals with learning, attentional, psychiatric, or other cognitive disabilities. The foundation of CLASS, however, is deeply rooted in the promotion of student independence and the personal realization of one's full potential.
• Mitchell College's Learning Resource Center, which is a full-service, comprehensive academic support program for students with learning disabilities/ADHD. It offers three levels of support services: Comprehensive Support (Level I); Enhanced Support (Level II); and Entitled Support (Level III). Level I and Level II supports are a fee for service basis and are available to students with documented learning disabilities/ADHD.
• OPTIONS Program at Brehm, which is a comprehensive transitional boarding program for post-secondary students with complex learning disabilities, attention disorders and/or executive functioning deficits. OPTIONS is a holistic program offering instruction and assistance for students who need to further develop the independent living, social, employment and academic skills necessary to live more independently.
• St. Louis Life, which offers a variety of structured activities that include employment, social activities, continuing education, daily exercise, recreation and health-conscious meal planning. Our goal is to help the residents lead fulfilling, independent lives of work, friendship and accomplishment.
• PACE at National-Louis University is a two-year, post-secondary certificate program for students with multiple learning disabilities and non-verbal learning disabilities. PACE works with the whole student in the areas of vocational training, academics, life skills and social. National-Louis also offers a dual enrollment program for the "collegeable" student.
• Vincennes University's STEP program is an intensive academic support program providing comprehensive services for learning disabled students in the university mainstream. STEP is designed to help students be more successful in their college courses. Student strengths, rather than deficits, are the emphasis. Compensatory techniques, rather than remediation, are the thrust.

For more information about the College Fair, contact Dalus Kulich, Coordinator of Communications, at dkulich@brehm.org.

Happy Halloween from Brehm

Brehm students, faculty and staff celebrated Halloween early on Friday, October 29, by dressing up in costume.

Happy Halloween from everyone at Brehm Preparatory School!

Inaugural BPA 5K Walk/Run to be held November 7

Brehm Parents Association is planning a 5K Walk/Run for Sunday, November 7 to wrap up Fall Parent and Family Weekend. The race will begin at 9 a.m. in front of the Student Activities Center.

“We have more than 20 students who are running in the mornings before school, so, as a way to end a great weekend, we wanted to have the parents show our children support for taking action on their health,” said Maureen Wielansky, BPA President. “We hope it will give families time to bond with their children before they leave for home.”

Maureen said she hopes the 5K Walk/Run will be an annual event.

“I can see this as a great fundraiser for the school,” she said. “We could open it to the community, have sponsors and sell t-shirts.”

Maureen said she will participate in the 5K Walk/Run this year.

“I have participated in numerous 5Ks, and I love the length – not too long or too short,” she said. “Races are a great way to learn how to compete against yourself, so instead of the kids trying to beat someone else, they become more dedicated to self-improvement.”

All students, parents, family members, staff and faculty are invited to participate in the inaugural BPA 5K Walk/Run.

To sign-up, please e-mail Dalus Kulich, Coordinator of Communications at Brehm, at dkulich@brehm.org or call (618) 457-0371 ext. 1309.

There is no cost to participate in this year’s 5K event, however, to purchase a long-sleeve t-shirt commemorating the event, the cost is $8 to be paid prior to the race. Please make checks payable to Brehm Preparatory School.

Brehm students attend Halloween Dance

Brehm Student Council sponsored a Halloween Dance for all students on Wednesday evening.

The dance began at 7 p.m. in the Student Activities Center gymnasium.

Students, staff and faculty dance the night away in costume to music chosen by the Student Council.

The dance was the final event in the Student Council's "Horror Wednesdays" series. The first event was a showing of the classic "Psycho" on October 13. On October 20, the students watched "Poltergeist."

Students celebrate Halloween early

Students donned their costumes today during school in honor of the Costume Party and Dance they will have tonight, beginning at 7 p.m.

The Brehm Student Council is putting on the party and dance for their fellow students at the Student Activities Center.

Brehm participates in For Kids' Sake fundraiser

This fall, Brehm participated in the For Kids' Sake fundraiser.

For Kids' Sake is a comprehensive fundraising program that supports orphanages and schools in Bangladesh.

From October 6-15, Brehm students collected spare change for the fundraiser, which helps more than 3,000 school children and orphans Bangladesh.

Another way Brehm students are helping their peers in Bangladesh is by participating in the 11th annual For Kids' Sake Art Show and Silent Auction. Brehm has been participating in this event since 2000.

This heart-warming event auctions children's artwork from Southern Illinois and Bangladesh, and all of the proceeds go to support the Bangladeshi children.

This year, the Art Show will be on display from November 12 - December 10 at nine local businesses, including: Longbranch Coffeehouse, White and Borgognoni, Thai Taste, Global Gourmet, Arthur Agency, Town Square market, Hair Brains, Harbaughs' and Tres Hombres.

For more information, visit www.forkidssake.net.

Brehm soccer players face off against faculty

The Brehm soccer team ended their season with a match against faculty recently.

Staff and students filled the sidelines to cheer each side on during the afternoon match.

The faculty took the early lead with a 2-0 score, but the student soccer team quickly rallied back with two consecutive goals to tie it up, 2-2, by halftime.

Faculty scored two goals in the second half to clinch the 4-2 win.

Brehm students 'walk where Lincoln walked'

On October 16-17, Lance Williams' US History and Government classes traveled to Springfield, IL, on a two-day field trip to "Walk Where Lincoln Walked."

The field trip was part of the classes' "Lincoln Research Project," and helped students learn more about our nation's 16th president and do on-site research for their research project.

"This field trip is the beginning of what will become my classes' 'Lincoln Research Project,' which will continue throughout the year and culminate in a student-made documentary on our 16th President," Lance said. "The field trip allowed students a hands-on, on-site experience of the life of Abraham Lincoln. The students had a blast, and I believe we got some history buffs out of the trip."

The field trip consisted of a visit to:

• New Salem, IL
• the Lincoln Home
• the Old State Capitol
• the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
• the Lincoln Tomb

"We were the last tour at the Lincoln Tomb, and being so, the students were asked if they wanted to help fold the flags in front of the tomb!" said Lance. "It was quite a cool experience for the students."

Students attend Civil War Days

Brad Siemer's U.S. History class at Brehm School attended the sixth annual Civil War Days at John A. Logan College recently.

The students listened to Barry Hancock, associate dean for community education at John A. Logan College and Michael Jones from the John A. Logan Museum, who spoke about John A. Logan and Southern Illinois during the Civil War.

Students also visited several "stations" at the event, including:

• Civil War Medical Doctor
• Life of a Civil War Soldier
• Firing of Cannon
• Robert E. Lee
• Southern Flags
• Civil War Re-enactors
• Members of the 31st Illinois Volunteer Infantry
• Lincoln Impersonator
• Women in the Civil War

The keynote speaker, Donald T. Phillips, also addressed the students. Phillips is the best-selling author of major works of nonfiction, including Lincoln on Leadership, The Founding Fathers On Leadership and Martin Luther King Jr. On Leadership.

"The students and I enjoy Civil War Days at John A. Logan College because we both can learn through the living history experience while in an exciting environment," said Brad.

The Civil War Days event was held from 9a.m.-2p.m.

Paintball team prepares for battle

The Brehm Paintball Team spent many hours this weekend preparing for an upcoming battle - "The Zombie Conflict."

"The Zombie Conflict" will take place October 23-24 at Bailey's Battlefield in Niangua, Missouri.

Also, a Paintball Team presentation will take place during Fall Parent and Family Weekend on Saturday, November 6 from 3:30 to 4:30pm at the Paintball Field at Brehm.

Place your orders now for BPA fundraiser

The Brehm Parents Association fundraiser is coming to a close in November, so orders need to be placed soon.

The BPA is utilizing Innisbrook to raise funds. Innisbrook offers:

• Designer gift wrap printed on recycled paper
• Gift wrapping accessories
• Chocolates
• Candy
• Candles
• Magazine subscriptions
• Soup mixes
• Kitchen utensils
• Gift items
• Makeup
• Much more

"I love the quality of the gift wrapping paper at Innisbrook," said Maureen Wielansky, BPA President. "It is durable, easy to maneuver and plentiful, plus they always have beautiful styles. Some papers are even reversible. It is the only paper I will use."

To support the BPA through their Innisbrook fundraiser, log onto www.innisbrook.com and enter Brehm's school code - 104400. Innisbrook will credit the school with a contribution of 40 percent of your total product cost. Products you order will ship directly to you (or wherever you'd like it to be sent).

The Innisbrook fundraiser will be available 24/7 until the middle of November.

For more information, please contact Dalus Kulich, Coordinator of Communications at Brehm, at dkulich@brehm.org or visit bpa.groupsite.com.

Brehm soccer team wraps up season

The Brehm soccer team wrapped up another spectacular season this week.

Highlights include winning the match with Westwood Baptist of Poplar Bluff, Mo. 4-0 on October 7 and having a terrific season that included hard work and practice, but also a lot of camaraderie and fun times.

BPA creates Groupsite page

The Brehm Parents Association would like to invite you to be a part of their online networking group - bpa.groupsite.com.

BPA President Maureen Wielansky started the site.

“We wanted to have a place where parents could connect, share resources and support each other,” Maureen said. “Groupsite is great for e-mailing everyone when you have a question as well as sharing a resource, such as a great Web site. It is also a place where the BPA can keep parents in the loop.”

There are currently 40 members of the BPA’s Groupsite.

“Right now, we are working on getting all the parents to sign into our Groupsite; we only have about 20 percent of our parents signed up, so our communication has been limited,” Maureen said. “We are starting our preparations for Parents’ Weekend, such as staff appreciation, social events and our upcoming race on the Sunday morning of Parents Weekend, so it is essential to have as many of our parents as possible participating in these conversations.”

Maureen said that overall BPA participation has been high, and she is hoping that the Groupsite will keep the momentum going.

“Many parents have signed up and are willing to help, we just want to make sure we are in communication so that is why the parents need to opt into our Groupsite,” she said.

The Groupsite contains a group calendar, discussion boards, profiles of members, file storage, photo galleries and more for members. If you are interested in joining, please visit bpa.groupsite.com or e-mail Dalus Kulich, Brehm Coordinator of Communications, at dkulich@brehm.org.

OPTIONS students celebrate diversity

OPTIONS students explore cultures through cuisine every Wednesday evening. This past Wednesday, students enjoyed "American BBQ."

Culinary Diversity Night is a themed dinner where each standard apartment prepares a complex dish from various cultures. Two of the apartments host the dinners. The recipes are predetermined by staff and given to students during meal preparation.

Culinary Diversity Night began this school year on September 1 with a "Hawaiian Luau" theme, followed by:

• "Into the Garden" on September 8
• "Greek Toga Party" on September 15
• Spanish Tapas on September 22
• Swiss Fondue on September 29

Students prep the food on Tuesday evening and cook on Wednesday.

The "American BBQ" menu included:

• Honey BBQ Chicken
• BBQ Short Ribs
• Marinated pork chops
• Fresh homemade pineapple salsa
• Mesquite BBQ Beans
• Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw
• Crusty Cornbread
• Fried Apple Pie a la mode
• Homemade Ice Tea

"It is necessary for us to have prep work on Tuesdays to allow our students to see the time and effort needed to make a meal of this size. This, in turn, allows them to have an appreciation for their specific menu item and enjoy the entire culinary experience," said Jeff Vincent, Independent Living Counselor at OPTIONS. "Culinary Diversity Nights are themed to allow students to explore, prep and cook specific ethnic/American cuisines. Every week students have a specific recipe that breaks down which apartment will have the main entree, side item, dessert and beverage.

"Our students have been amazing in their participation this year and will continue working each week on complex themes and recipes throughout the year."

OPTIONS (Optimizing Potential Through Individualized, On-going, Nurtured Successes) Program at Brehm is a comprehensive transitional program for students with learning disabilities who have graduated from high school, earned their GED, or who have chosen to defer graduation in order to participate in a transitional program.

Brehm to host Harvard's 2010 Dyslexia Foundation Teleconference

On Friday, October 15, 2010, Brehm Preparatory School, one of the nation’s leading schools for children with learning disabilities, will host the 2010 Harvard Medical School 2010 Dyslexia Foundation Conference.

The videoconference will take place from 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. in the Brehm Preparatory School Student Activities Center.

It is geared towards teachers and parents who want to hear the latest information on practical application and scientific foundations on literacy, reading and dyslexia.

This conference is eligible for Continuing Education credits. Forms will be available on-site.

The Dyslexia Foundation is sponsoring this yearly event. The title of this year’s conference is “A Recipe for Successful Teaching & Learning: Literacy, Reading, Dyslexia from Research to Practice.”

Topics covered will include: historical perspective of Dyslexia research, helping struggling readers achieve the highest levels of literacy, phonological awareness, practicing what research has proven, MRI studies and executive function and implications for reading, learner assessment and program evaluation.

The conference will take place at the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center Harvard Medical School, however Brehm Preparatory School will be the only satellite location in the Midwest that will be hosting live feeds directly from this Harvard event.

The fee to attend the teleconference is $20 for those who wish to eat lunch provided by Brehm or $15 for those not eating lunch provided by Brehm. There is an additional fee of $25 for those who wish to receive ASHA Continuing Education credits.

The Dyslexia Foundation’s mission is to promote scientific breakthroughs in the early detection, prevention and remediation of dyslexia and related reading difficulties; to disseminate new findings and deploy new evidence based approaches; and to prevent the suffering caused by reading failure and unlock the full potential of children and adults with dyslexia so that they may personally succeed and contribute to society.

Brehm Preparatory School is a 501 (C) (3) located in Carbondale, Ill. with a mission to empower students with complex learning disabilities to recognize and achieve their full potential.

Conference schedule

• 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.

For more information or to attend this conference, contact Dalus Kulich, Coordinator of Communications at Brehm, at 618.457.0371 ext. 1309 or dkulich@brehm.org. Log on to www.dyslexiafoundation.org for a full conference schedule and list of speakers.

What is your communication style?

Shown at the board is SLP Deb Browne.

Photo by Lara Mazzone.

Students in several social-pragmatic language groups brainstormed and identified their “communication styles” recently.

This activity helps students begin to see their behaviors from the outside, as others see them.

Each student either underlined or a drew a symbol by descriptors for the various ways they communicate and received careful feedback from Speech-Language Pathologists and other students.

Styles suggested ranged from more positive styles like open, honest, playful on the left, to the more negative styles of gruff, argumentative, and rigid on the right side. Guess which words represent your child’s style?

During group and individual sessions, we discussed what situations bring out the best and worst in us as well as what styles we like to be around. The activity lays a fun foundation for understanding the “impression making” concepts. Through impression-making work, students realize the “ongoing idea of them” in other people’s minds, and how the impressions get created by what they say, what they do, and how they look. This provides internal motivation for many behaviors we want to develop.

Goals related to impression making and perspective taking are part of the Brehm Speech-Language Department’s use of the “social thinking” curriculum developed by SLP Michelle Winner.

A typed list was provided as an accommodation for those with visual processing difficulties who might find the colorful writing too chaotic.

Paintball season underway

The Brehm School Paintball Team spent the weekend training for their upcoming season.

Students set up camp later afternoon on Friday on Brehm’s campus. After going over the training schedule that evening, the students enjoyed a movie and then went “lights out.”

On Saturday, students had breakfast, a warm up and pep talk and broke into stations, which included “hand signals,” “bounding overwatch,” “crawling positions” and “executive functioning and paintball.”

Following a half-hour break, students broke into four more stations: “preemptive thinking,” “radio communications,” “woods walk/observation” and “tactical.”

Paintball team members enjoyed MREs (meals ready to eat) for lunch and broke into the last three stations for the day: “target practice,” “snap shooting,” “hasty attack” and “sliding.”

After practicing for a couple of hours, the students ate dinner and sat by the campfire before lights-out.

On Sunday, team members ate breakfast, broke into four more stations (“hasty ambush,” “follow the leader,” “zig zag” and “fugitive”), had lunch and put their skills to use in a two-hour long skirmish.

Student Council holds primary elections

Campaign season for the Brehm School Student Council is in full swing.

The weather was warm and sunny as students gathered in the lawn of the amphitheater area behind the Student Activities Center for speeches given by the candidates for Vice President and President of the Student Council.

Following the speeches, primary elections were held to narrow down the field of candidates.

OPTIONS driver find success with music

James Anderson, a driver for the OPTIONS (Optimizing Potential Through Individualized, On-going, Nurtured Successes) Program at Brehm School, has shared his love of music with Brehm students for years, and now he is sharing it with the world.

James is a member of the Gospel group “Rapture 7,” which is receiving national attention after one of the songs - "Somebody's Knockin'" - off their new album “Security” was featured on the season 3 finale of True Blood – a series on HBO.

“We are blessed to have our music used on such a popular series,” James said.

James said he uses music to connect with the children he transports at OPTIONS – a comprehensive transitional program for students with learning disabilities who have graduated from high school, earned their GED or who have chosen to defer graduation in order to participate in a transitional program.

“The students all have a love for music, and I love all genres of music, so we use music as a way to bond,” James said. “Through our love of music, we all share in a moment of listening enjoyment during our driving times.”

Rapture 7 members include:

• James – keyboard, lead guitar, songwriter and recording engineer from Carbondale, IL
• Warren Grigsby Jr – lead vocals, songwriter, and business manager from Marion, IL
• Leo Wilson Jr. – bass player, songwriter, and recording engineer from Carbondale, IL
• Shamar Jordan – keyboard from Centralia, IL Ed “Bam Bam” Baker – drums from Chicago, IL
• Daryl Frazier – lead and background singer and songwriter from Carbondale, IL
• Bobby Simon – lead and background singer, songwriter and equipment technician from Carbondale, IL
• Darren Grigsby – background singer, back-up drummer and songwriter from Marion, IL
• Carl Hughlett – lead vocals, background singer and songwriter from Carbondale, IL.

Cooking up fun on Wednesday afternoon

Brehm School students cooked up a good time in Dorm 5 with some cooking lessons from Tamiko Foster, recreation staff worker.

Dorm 1 dresses in style

There's no doubt that the students in Brehm School's Dorm 1 have style, and they showed it on Wednesday for their "Dress Up Day."

Rec activities keep campus hopping

Students at Brehm School enjoyed the beautiful weather on Tuesday during their recreational activities.

Students could choose from flag football, walking, golf and swimming.

The recreation program is designed to encourage students to participate in structured activities that teach them new skills. Students have fun, develop balance in their social interactions, increase their self-esteem, gain new experiences, learn to plan and set goals, increase their awareness of leisure resources, and develop culturally and emotionally.

BPA Ambassador Program off to a great start

The Brehm Parents Association’s Ambassador Program is off to a great start this school year. The program pairs family members of returning students with new student families. The “Ambassadors” answer questions about the Brehm experience and other questions that arise regarding Brehm and the Carbondale area.

“Parents who have had their children enrolled at Brehm volunteer to speak with new families about what to expect at Brehm and to address any concerns that new parents may have,” said Diane Field, BPA member. “We all understand how difficult of a decision it is to send our children away when they are still so young. By speaking with someone who has already done it, it is hoped that new parents will feel less anxious about their decision.

“It is also a chance for new parents to ask questions that they might not want to ask the administration,” Diane continued. “For example, new parents may want to know how van runs work and what types of activities our children participated in during that time. Or they may want to ask, ‘What type of clothes should a new student bring with them?’ ‘How is the food?’ Anything that new parents want to know about, our Ambassadors are happy to discuss.”

Diane said she remembers how the Ambassador Program helped her when she was a new Brehm parent.

“Hearing a friendly voice reassuring me that things were going to be fine, really helped me get over my fears of sending my son away to Brehm,” Diane said. “Plus, I learned some valuable information about how most of the students from Chicago take the Amtrak together from Carbondale to Chicago over Thanksgiving - how they stick together during the trip, with the older ones looking after the younger ones. I would never have considered letting my son take the Amtrak when he was a freshman until I heard that from my Ambassador. It’s been a great experience for Andrew and hearing this from another parent gave me the courage to let him take this big step toward independence. This type of information you only learn from other parents.”

Maureen Wielansky, BPA President, remembers her Ambassadors.

“We had the sweetest and most patient family,” Maureen said. “We sat on the phone for an hour asking questions and they answered every one of them. We also talked at Move-in Weekend and they checked-in with us throughout the year.”

Diane said that the BPA’s Ambassador Program serves “as the parent-to-parent welcome wagon.”

“It is hoped that the Ambassador Program provides the reassurance to parents who are sending their children away to a boarding school for the first time, that their children will be safe, well cared for by a remarkably devoted staff and that their children will be challenged academically, socially and emotionally,” Diane said.

Diane’s advice to new parents: “Know that there will always be someone at Brehm, including Ambassadors, who will be available to help you. And, try not to dwell too much on how much you will miss your child!”

Maureen’s advice: “Talk to your dorm parents. Keep in contact with your Ambassador. Contact the BPA if you need any help. And, remember that the Brehm staff is top-notch, so the kids are safe and will be fine.”

Rep. Shimkus tours Brehm School

Congressman John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, toured the Brehm School campus on Wednesday, September 8.

Rep. Shimkus met with Dr. Richard Collins, Executive Director of Brehm; Stacy Tate, Chair of the Brehm Board of Trustees; Russell Williams, Coordinator of Development at Brehm; Walt Tomczak, Chief Administrative Officer at Brehm; and Dalus Kulich, Coordinator of Communications at Brehm.

Following a tour of the campus, Rep. Shimkus spoke to faculty and staff in the Student Activities Center.

Chores without tears: Working SMART

By Brad Sims, M.S., CCC-SLP, is the Coordinator of Speech-Language Pathology, Brehm School

Under optimal conditions, getting an adolescent to do household chores can be . . . well, a chore. It may even be a responsibility many of us have come to avoid as much as our little darlings would like to avoid whatever job we assign to them. We know that having our children share in household tasks is a good idea, but does the game plan need to change if your child struggles with learning, psychological, or attentional challenges? If you are questioning whether the benefit is worth the effort, read on. While the suggestions that follow may be applied by anyone teaching any adolescent to do household tasks, they are particularly important for helping adolescents struggling with more complex issues. Let’s work SMART!

Show and tell the process. A direction to “sweep the garage” or “clean your room” is never enough. Teach each task step-by-step. Think out loud as you demonstrate so the process is clear. Explain what you are doing and why you are doing it while you are doing it; do not assume your child already has that knowledge. Consider printing step instructions; make a mnemonic (like SMART) even supplement with “before and after” photos for comparison if that is helpful. The best way to teach the task depends upon the specific learning needs of the individual. While one may learn best by seeing the task modeled, another may benefit much more from verbal rehearsal of the steps involved.

Motivate for success. Motivation can be suppressed by a sense of impending failure: “I can’t do this.” “I don’t know how.” “It’s going to take me all day.” It is important to know your child’s abilities and make sure the task is appropriate. As you reinforce the value of the work to the family, guarantee your guidance when needed to ensure success and efficiency. Recognize initial effort and successive approximations on the road to mastery.

Allocate time for work. Consider being flexible with task time to adapt to schedule changes or important events, but the general rule of “work before free time” should prevail. Recognize that just because your child can tell time does not mean he has a notion of how long a given period of time is. Build time awareness by making a game out of estimating the length of time for each task completed to expectations. (Each write down a time estimate; compare at task’s end to see who is closest to the actual estimate. See who can come closest to telling when one minute, three minutes, or five minutes has elapsed.)

Reward your worker. Keep the experience positive, not punitive. Award points toward a reward when tasks are completed willingly, promptly and correctly. Rewards should be tangible, e.g. extra computer time, allowance, etc. For adolescents who have problems with sustained attention, distractibility or impulse control consider chunking tasks and rewarding completion of each chunk to ensure successful completion. When consistently successful at that level, combine chunks into the complete task.

Teach new tasks. As a task is mastered, introduce a new one. Switching tasks helps fight the tedium of always doing the same job; it adds variety and teaches new skill sets. As new skills are acquired, more complex tasks are possible requiring more responsibility and bringing a greater sense of accomplishment and independence.

As a final note--start early! Very young children love to be helpers. The experience of doing chores helps to build skills of time management, organization, prioritization, and problem-solving. It provides a context for developing a work ethic, self-discipline, and a sense of community and shared responsibility--all components crucial to the development of independent living skills. Because we are talking about something that is not only a skill set, but a mind set, we must be clear to our children early on that we value their participation in the work of the home.

M. Brad Sims, M.S., CCC-SLP, is the Coordinator of Speech-Language Pathology at Brehm School. Brad Sims brings six years of experience as a teacher of students with special needs and another 21 years as a speech-language pathologist. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education and a Master’s degree in Communication Disorders and Sciences. Brad’s breadth of experience includes teaching and curriculum design, consulting, and diagnostic and therapy services in public and private schools, hospitals, rehabilitation programs, and private practice settings.

Find all "Brehm School Experts" articles here.

Students visit Giant City State Park

Brehm Preparatory School students enjoyed the beautiful weather during a trip to Giant City State Park on Friday.

Surrounded by the park's spectacular natural splendor and infinite outdoor recreational opportunities, the students, faculty and staff wrapped up the first week of school with a great time in the great outdoors.

Faculty wrap up week-long teaching strategies program

Faculty at Brehm School are wrapping up a week-long program on practical classroom and direct teaching strategies by Education Consultation of the Midwest, Inc.

C. Wilson Anderson Jr., MAT, President of Education Consultants of the Midwest, Inc., taught the program using the Orton-Gillingham Approach.

According to Wilson, the Orton Gillingham approach “grew out of the work of Dr. Samuel T. Orton and Anna Gillingham. Dr. Orton, a professor of neuropsychiatry and neuropathology at the Neurological Institute of Columbia University, was a pioneer in focusing attention on language differences by bringing together neuropsychiatric information and principals of remediation.

“The structure of the approach often helps to organize the student's general ways of learning and working ... This approach can be valuable to any child. To the dyslexic child it is often essential.”

The faculty participated in three separate programs this week:

• Introduction to Basic Multi-Sensory Synthetic Phonics for Struggling Students
• Introduction to Upper Level or Intermediate Level Multi-Sensory Synthetic Phonics for Students who have not Learned by Traditional Methods
• Multi-Sensory Strategies Across the Curriculum in Reading, Spelling, Arithmetic, Vocabulary and Thinking

Students participate in team building activities

Orientation Week activities

The Student Activities Center at Brehm was alive with activity today. Students participated numerous exciting activities designed to encourage a sense of community among all of the students during Orientation Week.

Faculty and staff also participated by supervising, motivating, and assigning tasks, however students were asked to do the work in each activity.

The activities included:

• Calculating the wing span of students combined
• Perform forearm planks for 30 seconds
• Bus push

Brehm Food Service staff focus on students' wellbeing

To Claudia Glasnovich, the Aramark Food Service Director at Brehm, and the other Food Service staff members, Brehm students are their main focus.

“At the center of everyday responsibilities and fiscal realities, there is one focus that drives you – the wellbeing of your children. That focus drives us, too,” Claudia said. “We focus on nurturing the overall wellbeing and growth of Brehm’s students.”

Food service staff members include Angela Childer, lead cook; Katie Tomczak, salad prep; Tyler Palmer, cook; Jeff Fairbanks, cook; Elzie Hudspeth, cook; and Savannah Gallon, salad prep.

“We understand that good nutrition is essential for sound academic achievement and the long-term health of our nation’s students,” Claudia said. “At Brehm, we are constantly promoting healthy eating, physical activity and healthy choices to our students.”

Food Service staff also focus on Brehm employees and the larger Brehm community. Claudia said that she and her staff have provided services during countless activities at Brehm, including teacher workshops, Move-in Weekend, Parents Weekend, conferences, meetings, and more.

“We work to strengthen the bond between Brehm School and its far-reaching community,” Claudia said.

Brehm’s Food Service department’s Top Ten Nutrition Commitments:

• Serve nutritious menus that exceed current USDA requirements for all students (including those with special dietary needs)
• Offer foods that are rich in key nutrients: whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and low or non fat dairy products
• Serve high-quality, safe foods that have no added trans fats and are low in total fat, salt and sugar
• Promote breakfast participation and expand availability
• Offer healthy, nutrient dense snacks
• Source high-quality, environmentally responsible, local produce and products
• Enable healthy lifestyles through nutrition awareness and education
• Create a healthy school environment -- composting, recycling, green cleaning
• Advance employee knowledge and sensitivity to health and wellness education
• Provide legislative advocacy on behalf of students

Brehm junior recognized for volunteering

Matt (center) is seated with his parents, David and Melissa.

Matt, a junior at Brehm School, spent time this summer volunteering in the Fairfax County Virginia Therapeutic Recreation Services summer camps.

These camps offer children with disabilities a fun summer experience in a safe environment. The program included field trips, games, crafts, special events and the opportunity to build lasting friendships.

Matt supported both the counselors and the campers and did such a great job that he was given the “Volunteer of the Summer Award” in appreciation for “dedicated services and commitment rendered to improve the quality of life for individuals and disabilities.”

Congratulations, Matt!