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After the presentation, Tim, Kenny Francis, and I fielded more questions that interested parents about Think Alive. We brought 35 Achievement Grant applications, and unfortunately ran out within about five minutes. We heard many great stories, many of which reaffirmed the need for more support for extracurricular activities.
“Especially in a city that I grew up in, Boston, I know that we have a lot of people dealing with disabilities and its unfair to them that they have to sit out on certain things,” Kenny said. “It’s important that people really get to see the creative nature that people with disabilities really have.”
Before the presentation, John Verre, associate superintendent of special education gave an update on the state of special education in Boston’s public schools. He said that education is the only department of the city whose budget not being cut, and that the department will actually be hiring 200 new people this year. Some of these new hires will include one-on-one teachers for students with special needs.
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THINK ALIVE INTRODUCED TO BOSTON SPEDPAC
Team Speaks to Parents and Administrators at Boston English High
Three members of the Think Alive team visited Boston English High School last Thursday evening to give a presentation to the Boston Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SPEDPAC) about how the Foundation can help adolescents with disabilities in the school system.
“These activities range from acting, drama, archery, sports, athletics, theatre, art... you name it,” he said. As long as it’s something to get them out, get them doing it in a manner that is extending themselves, we’re all for it.”
Tim told the 55 attendants that he started the foundation to “fill the void of extracurricular activities that so often can go under the radar and missed with the other expenses that parents and families may have with special needs children.” Tim He also mentioned Think Alive’s most recent recipient, Adam Weschler, 15, of Burlington, VT. Adam has muscular dystrophy and received a personalized drum workshop and equipment for his Achievement Grant.
Tim told the 55 attendants that he started the foundation to “fill the void of extracurricular activities that so often can go under the radar and missed with the other expenses that parents and families may have with special needs children.” Tim He also mentioned Think Alive’s most recent recipient, Adam Weschler, 15, of Burlington, VT. Adam has muscular dystrophy and received a personalized drum workshop and equipment for his Achievement Grant.
After the presentation, Tim, Kenny Francis, and I fielded more questions that interested parents about Think Alive. We brought 35 Achievement Grant applications, and unfortunately ran out within about five minutes. We heard many great stories, many of which reaffirmed the need for more support for extracurricular activities.
“Especially in a city that I grew up in, Boston, I know that we have a lot of people dealing with disabilities and its unfair to them that they have to sit out on certain things,” Kenny said. “It’s important that people really get to see the creative nature that people with disabilities really have.”
Before the presentation, John Verre, associate superintendent of special education gave an update on the state of special education in Boston’s public schools. He said that education is the only department of the city whose budget not being cut, and that the department will actually be hiring 200 new people this year. Some of these new hires will include one-on-one teachers for students with special needs.
The department has also begun to stop using an antiquated classification method for students with special needs, Verre said. All of these students were labelled with a letter and number pairing based on their diagnosis and level on inclusion.
“When I arrived in Boston two years ago, we called a student with autism in a substantially se setting would be an X4,” he said. “I thought it might be a little bit insulting if the student knew that we called them an X. So we are really trying to move away from calling students letters and numbers.”
Think Alive Foundation approves Boston Public School’s decision to end this classification system, and will continue working to help as many adolescents with disabilities in the city as possible.
“It [Boston’s special education programing] appears to be a personalized and holistic process all the way through,” Tim said after the meeting. “We’re so excited to be reaching a whole new audience that has a new interpretation of what our grants can do.”
Think Alive Foundation approves Boston Public School’s decision to end this classification system, and will continue working to help as many adolescents with disabilities in the city as possible.
“It [Boston’s special education programing] appears to be a personalized and holistic process all the way through,” Tim said after the meeting. “We’re so excited to be reaching a whole new audience that has a new interpretation of what our grants can do.”
