Reed Updates

SUMMER 2010

2010-07-11T16:09:00.000-07:00

Where are you during the days of July 6, 2010 and August 13 2010? Well, I can tell you where we are...at Sunshine Programs, dba Reed Academy enjoying the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer!!! Yes, it is true. The residential and day students of Reed Academy are joined by some other local special needs students on the grounds of Reed Academy to laugh, learn, and share many unique and interesting activities. We are so fortunate to welcome back many of our dedicated and caring summer staff to work along with members of our yearly teaching and therapeutic staff who together have formulated a awe inspiring program filled with cool activities and inspiring learning experiences. Check it out!!!

2010 Achievement Night

2010-07-11T15:32:00.000-07:00

On the evening of June 16, 2010, Reed Academy held it's annual end of the year Achievement Night at the Crown Plaza in Natick. The festive event highlighted the works of all students for the 2009/2010 year in areas of academic and social achievement. Presentations were made by all students much to the enjoyment of proud parents, families, caregivers. and significant others alike. The culmination of the fun and fantastic year was a terrific video presentation featuring students and staff alike in a walk down memory lane 2009/2010.
Many thanks go out to the dedicated staff who work long and hard to enable our students to make the progress seen at this event.
Congratulations to students and staff alike for a productive year
On to a little rest and rejuvenation...readying for next year!!!

2009-12-08T11:23:00.000-08:00

We are happy to inform you that Reed Academy has successfully expanded it's program with a DAY PROGRAM component. At present we service students from Framingham, Natick, and Sudbury as a Sole Source resource, pending our official certification.

Many of you are already familiar with the successful 5 day residential program at Reed Academy and our six week summer program, Sunshine Programs in Framingham, Massachusetts. Those of you who know us are aware of our long history of working with Special Education Directors in successfully providing services to students, parents, and extended families.

NEW DAY PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS for boys ages 7 - 13 - (hours 8:55 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.)

Comprehensive Academic Program based on the child's IEP while following the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.
Therapy - Individual, Group, weekly Family sessions, Social Skill Development, help with integrating all skill development into home setting.Dynamic
After School Component involving both structured and free time recreational activities including Computer/Technology Class, Homework Support, Book Club, Community Service, Supervised Socialization, and ADL Skill Development.
Six- Week Summer Program continuing the development of both the Academic and Social Skills Development Programs with the added flavor of a Summer Camp experience.
Unique Emergency /On Call Therapeutic service available to family and student.

Reed students present with a wide range of intellectual, academic, social, behaviorial, and daily living skills challenges. Children diagnosed with ADD, ADHD, PDD, Bipolar Disorder, Psychotic Disorder (NOS), Learning Disability with a significant emotional component, Non Verbal Learning Disability, Aspergers Syndrome, Tourettes Syndrome, Character Disorder, as well as those with poor reality testing are suitable candidates. Most of our students are performing several years, academically, and socially, below their chronological age.

For more information, please contact Diane Engel, Program Coordinator at (508)877-1222

Welcome September 2009

2009-11-23T11:57:00.000-08:00

A WONDERFUL welcome back was made by all to the 2009/2010 school year. We look forward to a productive and enjoyable school year! Already we have had many interesting learning experiences.

A special thanks to all of those who helped to make our walkathon a success!

Our GOT BOOKS container is almost full!!!!! Anyone who has books, textbooks, cd*s,dvd*s, VHS cassettes and are looking for a place to donate them, please bring them in to Reed and help complete our book drive by filling our container!!!

2009-03-05T09:51:00.001-08:00

Hi Reed Parents and all who are interested in our exciting academic happenings,

This month (March 2009) in our science class we’re covering the excretory system and have many exciting things planned. We’ll be creating models and diagrams of the major organs of the system. We’ll also become “lab technicians” performing glucose and protein testing on simulated “urine” and discussing how kidney function affects the body! As usual, the focus will also be on working together as a group during discussions, reading, experiments and note taking!
We'll keep you posted!!!
Also, some of the students were able to enjoy and early 105th birthday celabration honoring Dr. Seuss!! Due to a generous grant and a performance by the the Wheelock Family Theatre, 8 of our students enjoyed a trip to see Seusical the Musical at the Wheelock Family Theater housed on the grounds of Wheelock College in Boston. A theatre representative came to Reed prior to our trip to the play. He talked to us about the play, Dr. Seuss, and we even played a modified version of "Family Feud" testing us on what we knew about some of the Dr. Seuss stories. It turns out we knew quite a lot and had a great time playing. The play was terrific. We shared the experience with other students from a variety of schools.
We are hoping to have another opportunity like this in the future. Until then, maybe you could revisit some of your old favorite Dr. Suess stories and let Horton here you who!!!!

Special Events

2009-02-27T07:44:00.000-08:00

Interested in learning a little more about the recent experience we at Reed Academy were all able to share? Click on the link below and experience the wonder that we all shared when Jason McElwain, a young man with autism, made a visit to Reed Academy. The link below will take you to a YouTube site that describes a piece of the life of Jason. This will tell you a piece of his compelling story. Thanks to our connection with one of our Sunshine Camp Directors some of our students (thanks to being driven and accompanied by some Reed staff members) were able to make a trip out to a local middle school (where one of our Sunshine Camp Directors teach) to attend an assembly for Jason McElwain. For those not able to make this excursion, we were fortunate enough to have this young man, Jason McElwain, make a visit back to Reed Academy on February 13, 2009.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE_pwpBmG3w&feature=related

When Jason and his father came to Reed, Jason answered students questions, posed for pictures, and signed autographs. The students and staff were thrilled with the experience of having this young man visit and share some of his life experience . His dad accompanied him and also shared his experience with dealing with a son with disabilities at school, at home, and in the community and also how positive his experience with keeping involved with school and also with Jason's interest in the sport of basketball (not only or always playing). This was truly an inspiring experience!! Jason has now finished his school experience, is living at home, is working at a local grocery store and at one other part-time job, and is still involved with helping his local high school basketball team in whatever capacity he can. It reminds us all that with involvement and perserverence good things can happen. Thank you to all who made this happen for Reed Academy

Winter Wonder About

2009-01-22T08:20:00.000-08:00

Wondering what is going on inside the Reed Academy school program while the world outside is a snowy, cold, winter wonderland? Lots of learning and fun is the answer. Having survived the holidays we have been heading forward keeping updated on the changes in our government and the inaugaration of Barack Obama. The students have read about, researched, and discussed what our 44th president will face when he takes office as well as in the next 4 years of his presidency. The students all wrote a letter to the president asking him questions that they felt were meaningful to our country, the world, and particularly to them individually. Their teacher sent the letters off and we will now await the response to their efforts. Congratulations to all their teachers for enlisting the students in becoming involved in their future and starting early to become knowlegeable and involved citizens.
President Obama is making a clear statement for our citizens to become involved in what is being termed as the "call to service". It can honestly be said that the students at Reed Academy have been and continue to be exposed to and asked to take an active part in helping others and helping society (and in the long run themselves, too). We have a variety of community service projects that impact people/organizations outside of Reed Academy in a small way as well as impacting our students with the ever important theme of helping others and character development. The boys are continually kept involved with activities both within and outside the classroom. Their most recent project involved recycling cardboard tubes and creating play toys which were donated to a needy cat shelter. As always, we continue with the project of to ticket tearing for a local Emergency Fund Bingo program. These volunteer efforts help those less fortunate to stay warm in the winter. It also helps the boys learn that caring about others is an important life lesson.
Our history "explorers" are off on an adventure to discover the history of various world explorers and their footprint in history. Each student is participating in an individual creative multi -media project which, when copmplete will be shared via a presentation. The boys are excited about the process and inspired to discover every tidbit of information.
The adjunct project of the school day (AKA) "The after-school book club" continues their journey reading "The Chronicles of Narnia". They have finished "The Magician's Nephew". In this book is revealed how the magical wardrobe was created. The students then enjoyed watching the movie, "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe". Now, the book club continues to read about the adventures of Susan, Peter,Edmund, and Lucy in "Prince Caspian". It's quite an adventure...we'll keep you posted (or should I say, BLOGGED!)
Until next time, keep blogging.

Easy cookie recipe to make with your child

2009-01-08T11:24:00.000-08:00

Super Quick Vegan Choco-Chip Cookies

dry Ingredients

1/2 cups whole wheat flour (regular flour works too but produces an anemic looking, less wholesome cookie)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips

Wet ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Mix together all the dry ingredients in one bowl and all the wet ingredients in another. Once they are combined in the two separate bowls, make well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix the two together until they are well combined then spoon the batter into good sized lumps on a baking sheet and then put them in the oven and let them bake for about 15 minutes. Cool and enjoy.

The best part about these cookies is that since there are no eggs, you can go ahead and eat as much dough as you want. YUM!. A great recipe for those with kids who like to help to cook.

*Variation: you can easily turn these into vegan oatmeal raisin cookies by using only 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup of oats, and 1 cup of raisins instead of the choloclate chips. They are equal.

Serves: about 20

Academic Adventures

2008-12-04T08:22:00.000-08:00

So here we are almost into Winter and the Academic Department is toasty warm with all the brain cells being stimulated with a variety of learning projects!! We know that Thanksgiving 2008 is behind us but we would like to share a few "tidbits" of our journey with you in this Blog. As always, we incorporate into our curriculum (yearly) the many themes that come to mind when we think of Thanksgiving. We begin with the simple character development theme that involves thinking of others, giving thanks, and giving of onself. We then expand this idea into exploration, discovery, expansion, and forging new paths. We move on into the preparation of the feast. Finally, we come together and share the labors of our learning together. Across the curriculum the theme was carried throughout in some manner providing an exciting and hands on learning experience for all. The culmination of our learning involved sharing the information about exploration and colonization, reading literature and discussing learning experiences and things involved in the topic as well as things we are thankful about, then planning and mathematically iand scientifically incorporating the varying seasonal concepts and themes into drawing and cooking activities. The culmination was a feast of knowlege and food enjoyed by all. It was truly an inspiring Fall full of fun, learning and character/esteem building.

Therapy Department

2008-12-04T04:15:00.000-08:00

We are planning to begin our parent and sibling support group on January 8. We are designing our topics for our focus groups using input from parents and staff (as well as daily situational information). The therapeutic department will then formulate groups accordingly and offer the opportunity for our parents to participate. It is our goal to offer groups that will focus on a particular area of need or interest for all our families and students. This particular focus groups (starting on January 8) will meet at 4 PM for one hour simultaneously. The parent group will focus on successful weekends. The sibling group will focus on repairing and reestablishing healthy relationships.

We are hoping to offer a fathers support group in the Spring time.

Holiday Cards for Sale

2008-12-02T11:50:00.000-08:00

Drop In The Bucket

2008-10-31T07:09:00.000-07:00

DROPS ARE COLLECTING IN THE BUCKETS FOR THE REED CHILDREN!***The Theory of the Dipper and the Bucket.
Each of us has an invisible bucket. It is constantly emptied or filled, depending on what others say or do to us. When our bucket is full, we feel great. When it*s empty, we feel awful. Each of us also has an invisible dipper. When we use that dipper to fill other people*s buckets*by saying or doing things to increase their positive emotions*we also fill our own bucket. But when we use that dipper to dip from others* buckets*by saying or doing things that decrease their positive emotions*we diminish ourselves. Like the cup that runneth over, a full bucket gives us a positive outlook and renewed energy. Every drop in that bucket makes us stronger and more optimistic. But an empty bucket poisons our outlook, saps our energy, and undermines our will. That*s why every time someone dips from our bucket, it hurts us. So we face a choice every moment of every day: We can fill one another*s buckets, or we can dip from them. It*s an important choice*one that profoundly influences our relationships, productivity, health and happiness.
We have set out buckets on the top of the display case for each child. There are blank drops to be filled out by any staff or parent(s) that would like to note something positive that they have noticed in a Reed child. Fill in the *drop* and then place it in the child*s bucket. Each night we will read over the drops and talk about how receiving drops helps us to feel good about ourselves. It*s also an easy way to recognize positives in each other in the home. Feel free to take some drops home and start filling your family buckets. We would love to hear how you put giving drops into practice. Feel free to e-mail us with your bucket filling experiences and we will share them in our Bucket Filling Journal.

Balloon Release

2008-10-31T07:06:00.000-07:00

During the summer, the students released balloons to see how far the balloons would travel.
We are very excited that we received a note from a gentleman who found one of our balloons which was set off this summer.

From: Rashmi WMessage: Found Balloon # 27 on 28 Aug 2008 on the Hawk trail in when I was hiking. Way to go --- be curious --- explore --- reach out and share!! :)I discovered that the trail was named "Hawk" because one of the rangers killed a hawk in an accident--- she asked for the trail to be named in memory of that hawk as she was so remorseful. One lives and learns :)

2008-07-08T10:56:00.000-07:00

The Summer Program is off to a great start. Many of our staff are returning counselors. The camps theme this year is Native America. We will be incorporating the Native American theme into a majority of our programs.

This year we have added new “hands on” programs to our schedule, which we hope will be beneficial to our student’s educational growth. The programs are:

Native Numbers – Taught by Ms. Crawford
Computer/Writing program- Taught by Meghan McLean
Native Legends- Taught by Ms. McKee (incorporates both reading and hands on projects)
Nature’s Workshop – Taught by Mrs. Ignacio.
Yoga- Taught by Mr. Crocker

Of course we will continue to have our traditional programs:

Instruction swim (mornings) and free swim (afternoons)
Project Adventure (Learning to build trust relationships)
Native Music
Fishing
Cooperative games
Bingo
Hiking in Callahan park (which always end up at the frog pond)
Group Therapy sessions
Family meetings
Camp Store

Welcome

2008-06-24T13:08:00.000-07:00

Check back frequently for updates about what we are doing at Reed Academy.