LABBB Collaborative  Newsletter
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December 2013
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Message from the Executive Director
by: Patric Barbieri, LABBB Executive Director
Dear LABBB Community:
I am sure by now, you have heard the word Zooming used in LABBB this year, or you may have viewed a picture of a staff person on my blog giving the hang-loose sign and wondered, "What does all this mean?" The hang-loose sign is a symbol that means, I am Zooming! Let me define Zooming, verb; to make small changes, constantly, to keep your organization evolving. For Zooming to work, it has to be built into a culture where risk-taking, making mistakes and innovative thinking is encouraged. It needs to be fostered in a place where everyone feels they can give feedback and input to keep LABBB as a progressive program that evolves in the best interest of our students. This includes all staff, parents and anyone in the LABBB community. This year is our 40th anniversary and we want to continue building quality for another 40 years. We will do this by Zooming!
LABBB is committed to change in the best interest of our students because we want to be the leaders in special education. We need to challenge ourselves to utilize innovative practices, technology, learning environments and other methods of instruction that we believe bring the best outcomes for our students. We cannot be content with past practices, we need to look to the future.
A few months ago I had the opportunity to talk about LABBB on a local cable show in Lexington called LexGo. Colleen Smith interviewed me in a series on Special Education. If you are interested in viewing it please click here.
From all of us at LABBB, we want to wish you a happy, healthy holiday season and a Happy New Year!
Patric
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Twitter
Please follow LABBB Collaborative users and hashtags:
@patricbarbieri
@LABBBrec
@LABBBnurse
#labbbafterschool
#labbbbasketball
#LABBB
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Updates from LABBB John Glenn Middle School
In reading, we are reading The Cay by Theodore Taylor. It is about friendship, disabilities, survival and racism. Timothy and Phillip get stranded on an island and are trying to get rescued. Phillip becomes blind and needs to learn how to get around the island. We are excited to see what happens at the end of the story.
Here are a few pictures of us listening to our partners and walking around the classroom and building while we have blind folds on. We also made a drawing without looking at our papers.
 
In Word Study class, we are learn new Spelling and Vocabulary words each week. We need to look up vocabulary words on the internet and sort our words. We have the same words for two weeks.
 
In Science, we are finishing up our unit in Changes in Matter. We did an experiment to determine if chalk mixed with water made a solution or a mixture.
We also had our JGMS Chorus Performance. We had three students from our class in the concert!  
Last week, had two former JGMS-LABBB students join us for cooking. We made Grilled Cheese and a Chocolate Trifle. It was delicious! 
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LABBB Upcoming Events
- Parent Advisory Council Meeting: January 15, Bedford High School, 7:00pm.
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LABBB Preschool at Memorial is making new friends
By: Lisa Costa, LABBB Teacher
The LABBB preschool classroom at Memorial Elementary School in Burlington and Burlington Public Schools Extended Day program have joined forces to create an exciting opportunity for students. Kindergarten students from BPS Extended Day Program are now visiting 2 times a week to participate in the LABBB preschool program. The students participate in a variety of activities including art, music, and dramatic play. The kids have particularly enjoyed participating in the arts and crafts activities and have recently made a friendship wreath using all of their hand prints. The goal of the program is to have the kindergarten students serve as role models for the younger LABBB students and model appropriate language and social skills. Also, it is a great chance for all of the kids to meet new friends and have fun while learning new things. Both the LABBB and BPS Extended Day Program teachers are so excited to see the kids working together and love watching the new friendships that have already started to grow.
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Chenery Principal and PTO Meeting with new Chenery Staff
by: Linda Bartlett, LABBB Teacher, Chenery Middle School
I had the pleasure of joining a "new staff" principal's dinner and PTO meeting on the evening of November 21 at Chenery Middle School. An invite was sent out via the Principal to welcome new staff to the building and then introduce them at the beginning of that night's PTO meeting. Having the opportunity to sit down with the Chenery Principals and new staff over dinner in the principal's office was a great time of making new workplace connections, being able to talk about the LABBB program, and building bridges with mainstream staff. The Chenery principals and staff were very positive and welcoming.
At the PTO meeting that followed, one of the presentations that preceded the introduction of new Chenery staff was the Belmont SEPAC representatives update. Two lovely mothers stood up and began talking about how one of their main goals for this coming school year was to build a closer connection between students with special needs and students in the mainstream. They expressed that this included wanting to build higher awareness of involving differently-abled students in mainstream school/social activities and event planning. As the mothers spoke, they both stated that they had children in the LABBB program. I was so encouraged by both what they were saying and the involvement they were taking in their town and school district. Other parents at the meeting raised their hands with questions about what ways more connections/changes could be made to make sure that school events/activities were "user friendly" to all students in the Belmont schools. This opened up a great discussion about how to make things multi-modal, making sure that all children are included in school events, and what the LABBB program is.
The new staff introductions followed this wonderful discussion and I stood up and introduced myself as a new LABBB teacher at Chenery. I was able to talk about how some of my students had just had the great experience that very day of joining the Chenery mainstream students on a 6th grade field trip. I further spoke about how the field trip experience was one of the great ways to involve all students in school activities. The principals in attendance at the meeting confirmed that they were happy to have the LABBB program at Chenery and that they were looking forward to building upon more ways to include differently-abled students in school activities at the Chenery Middle School.
It was a great evening of discussions that involved building stronger connections/involvement between the mainstream community, LABBB, and students of all levels and learning abilities. I was so glad to be in attendance. Looking forward to more!
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The i-Rover 2 in Action at Chenery Middle School
by Linda Bartlett, LABBB Teacher, Chenery Middle School
Our classroom was very excited to get a new i-Rover 2 recently! It has allowed us to expand upon using varied teaching methods in the classroom, make lessons more interactive, and find newer ways to teach different subjects. Over the last month we have been using software on our new i-Rover 2 to learn about History, Science, Finding the Main Idea, and Summarizing. The students have truly enjoyed the newer outlet they have for learning, and teachers enjoy the use of another technological teaching tool!
We are looking forward to finding more ways to build upon learning with our new i-Rover 2!
 
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LABBB Adapted Phys Ed. Updates
The A.P.E. staff are now using an IPad with speakers & video in some of the A.P.E. classes. The students are enjoying the multi sensory experience in Physical Education classes and the opportunity to try something new.
Our LABBB basketball teams are off to a great start. Team A had their first game of the season on December 5 vs Campus School and won. Team B had their first game of the season on December 12th against Cotting and they had a tie. These were exciting games to watch and there are more to come. Team A is scheduled to play on December 19th at the Brandon School, while Team B plays an Inter Squad Scrimmage at home on the same date.
Check the A.P.E. Blog for the full Basketball Team's Schedule also follow on Twitter @LABBBREC on game days.
Recreation for December has been a busy month. All the of the Best Buddies Chapters in LABBB have been busy with activities. Both Bedford and Burlington had a good time, at each of their respective schools, decorating and eating gingerbread men and sugar cookies. Burlington even had some time to watch the Burlington High School girls basketball team warm up for a game.
Bedford Best Buddies Movie Night was scheduled for December 12th at Burlington Cinema. Twenty-three pairs of buddies attended the event and watched the movie Frozen. A great time was had by all.
Due to weather conditions and the subsequent early release on December 17th, both the Bedford Best Buddies Game Day at Bedford High School and the Arlington Best Buddies Holiday Party were postponed.
Additional Best Buddies events planned for the month of December include the Chenery Best Buddies Event on Wednesday, December 18th and the LABBB/Best Buddies Dance at Arlington High on December 19th.
Students also had the opportunity, through the LABBB Recreation Department, to see the production A Christmas Story, at the Wang Center on December 3rd. It was a great show. If you ever get the chance, we recommend you go see it. It was delightful.Students also went Holiday Shopping on December 11th, which was very productive for both our students and the Burlington Mall businesses. The trip to Enchanted Village at Jordan's Furniture in Avon which was scheduled for December 17th, was postponed until the 18th due to a little winter wonderland of our own.
Please remember to follow us on twitter @LABBBREC.
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