March 29, 2018

The Winter Olympics Come to Middle School

After weeks of training and preparation, the Middle School Division held their own Winter Olympic Games, organized by art teacher Aya Kolwaite. The Middle School Olympians did not need to bundle up to race against each other in this Ice Luge event, but each student selected a nation to represent and decorated their sled to match just the same.

Students selected a country and made miniature flags. Aya taught the students to make luge sleds and racers out of wood and clay before painting them to match the flags. The sleds were trialed on several small tracks before the Luge Finals, where the sleds were put to the test on the large luge track.

The Elementary Division was an attentive audience as each Middle School Olympian sent their racer down the track. The final times came down to the millisecond, but in the end three students earned bronze, silver, and gold.

A special 'Thank You' to Aya Kolwaite for her creative approach to current events!


March 26, 2018

Formal dance is fast approaching!!

The EP division has been anxiously awaiting our formal dance, graduation and brunch. Our older EP classes have been highly focusing on our feelings towards graduation and appropriate ways to express these feelings. The younger EP classes have been focusing on some of the basics about formal dance and graduation focusing on Wh questions, such as where is formal dance being held and who goes to formal dance. We are looking forward to celebrating our successes with our families on the formal dance graduation night on the 12th of April!

March 23, 2018

Our PE Study was presented by Dr. Woodman at TILL!

One of our research consultants, Dr. Ashley Woodman from University of Massachusetts Amherst presented the exercise study that we conducted with our Junior High School students in Summer 2016. This International Exchange Symposium was held on March 19th, 2018 at Hilton Boston/Dedham and was hosted by the organization, Toward Independent Living and Learning (TILL). The theme of the symposium was "Sharing Innovative Ideas to Empower People with Autism Spectrum Disorder."


In her presentation, Dr. Woodman shared about the physical education program at Boston Higashi School, the findings from the exercise study entitled, "The Impact of Vigorous Exercise on Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)," and future research directions in this important area. The audience was drawn from various regions, states, and countries. Dr. John Maina, Director of Program Research, Evaluation, & Development, was also invited to participate in this event.

March 07, 2018

March Showcase


With spring just a few weeks away and a few warm days to trick us into thinking that it's already here, what better way to celebrate then making some edible planter treats! At the resident side, groups of students joined us to celebrate the coming warm weather by making their own edible garden planters. The treats were made of cookie wafers, frosting, crushed oreos, topped with mike and ikes to represent a fresh grown garden. Led by the culinary and art activity leaders, the students each made their own gardens before being able to eat them.




 




First step was to make the bed of the garden by using the cookie wafers and connecting them with chocolate frosting. Then the students built the walls of the garden to help contain the crushed oreos that represented the soil. To finish they put in their plants of choice like carrots or broccoli, but wait ours was mike and ike candies! No wonder they liked these gardens so much!