PACTT HS1 students took advantage of the wonderfully warm weather with a fun trip to the park:
We've got spirit, yes we do!
PACTT's Spirit Week 2015 has arrived!
Today, our students and staff were rooting for their home teams, and Chicago was well represented! Cubs, Sox, Blackhawks and Bears ... as well as some neighboring teams from near and far.
Congratulations, Stuart!
Stuart -- PACTT's newest graduate -- celebrated his accomplishments with family and friends last week:
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!
Our HS2 class took advantage of the milder weather last week, and went exploring at Lincoln Park Zoo:
Bowling!
I think our Transition Class enjoyed their bowling adventure. What do you think? :)
Holiday adventures
Train ride + holiday lights and windows + a snack downtown = a successful adventure!
Happy Thanksgiving!
PACTT school's annual Thanksgiving Feast was a grand success! A HUGE thank you goes out to all the moms, dads, siblings, and grandmas who took time out of their day to join us today. Whether you were able to enjoy the turkey and stuffing with us, or sent Turkey Day greetings from afar, we are SO thankful that our students all have such supportive families. It makes a world of difference to them - and to us.
Dreaming of warmer days ...
Yeah, we're freezing our bottoms off around here, as we get reacclimated with the joys of winter in Chicago. Meanwhile, take a trip back with us back in time to warmer days of early Fall:
More Fall Fun!
Our Transition Class had an awesome adventure to the pumpkin farm last week, hayride and all!
Happy Halloween!
Skeletons and ninjas and pumpkins - oh, my! PACTT's classrooms were filled with costumes and tasty treats of all sorts, from caramel apples to dirt cups. Everyone was in the Halloween spirit!
Tips for an autism-friendly Halloween
Halloween, with its candy and costumes and traditions, is an exciting time of year for most children. But for folks on the autism spectrum, it can be downright overwhelming. So, we've pulled together a couple of great resources on how to make it all a little more autism-friendly:
First Up:
Blogger Bec Oakley of Snagglebox.com fame shares her tried-and-true tips for a more inclusive holiday for individuals with autism in a guest post here: http://gladerun.org/tips-for-an-inclusive-halloween/
(And for reminders of why we love Oakley's Snagglebox.com site, check out this previous Principal's Desk post.)
Last but not least:
The Indiana Resource Center for Autism (part of Indiana University Bloomington) has a fantastic amount of useful research and information - wander around their site for a bit, and you'll see what I mean. This month, they've posted a useful list of tips for Sensory-Friendly Fall Activities and Celebrations.
Whatever you do, have a safe and happy Halloween season!
Have another great resource to add to the collection? Share it with us in the comments!
Robert Crown Center brings puberty education program to PACTT
Today, we welcomed two instructors from Robert Crown Center's Health Education Program. They recently received an Autism Speaks grant, to modify their puberty education program for students with autism and we at PACTT got to be their guinea pigs as they roll out this new program. The Robert Crown folks were incredibly flexible in the planning and presentation of the material to meet the needs of our students, with lots of hands-on materials, photos and other visuals. We even had a student volunteer to demonstrate how to take a shower (water-free, of course!). We were impressed with how attentive and engaged so many of our students were throughout the one-hour session. Thank you, Robert Crown Center!
Transition visits some old friends
Our Transition class took a field trip out to Oak Park to visit some old friends at PACTT's new Oak Park Vocational Program site. It was great to see those familiar faces!
PACTT Family Open House - and special guests!
Ah, Open House! The rooms were spiffed up, student art decked the walls, and our new staff were excited to get the chance to meet some of our amazing families.
We also were privileged to have two members of Robert Crown Center's Health Education team join us at this year's open house, to talk about their brand-new puberty curriculum. They adapted their traditional curriculum to meet the needs of students on the autism spectrum. Educators from Robert Crown will be visiting the school later this month, to do their presentations for our students. We are SO excited to be their "guinea pigs" as they roll out this new project - both learning from them, and sharing our experiences in this tricky-to-teach area. Here's a pic of health educator Laura, with her giant "Chompers."
City life
Our Transition Class stopped to check out one of the best views of the skyline, from the Museum Campus.
Work - and play!
Our elementary class is back to work, but also squeezing in as much fun in the sun as possible!
While it lasts ...
Our Transition class took a relaxing walk along the beach last week to enjoy the last few days of summery weather.
Aaaaand we're back!
School & Transition students returned this week, ready for a brand-new school year!
Thank you!
To all our tremendously dedicated teachers, job coaches, therapists and paraprofessionals - THANK YOU for a wonderful school year!
Picnic Preparations
Staff and students prepare for our annual Family BBQ and picnic, and take some time to enjoy this beautiful day. Special thanks to Victor, for being our Grillmaster Supreme!
