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LABBB Collaborative
Monthly Newsletter

October 2014

Message from the Executive Director:

Dear LABBB Community: 

 

All of our academic, career and recreational programs are now in full swing, and it has been a great start to the 2014-2015 school year. 

 

For our new parents, we want to welcome you to the LABBB community. We encourage and promote engagement in this community. The LABBB community begins with our five member districts and extends to parents and students from over 70 districts throughout Massachusetts. The LABBB network of programs and services expands across 16 public school buildings and over 15 worksites. 

 

The LABBB community has many events that bring us together, such as the Special Olympics, Best Buddies, Recreational activities, Parent Advisory Council (PAC), BBQ Fundraiser, and Craft Fair, to name a few.

 

LABBB integrates into its local community businesses where we have had long standing relationships, some for more than 30 years. This past year we partnered with Middlesex Community College as part of the Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Program (ICE). This program supports students who are dually enrolled in LABBB and Middlesex community college. The planning took over a year, and now our students have the opportunity to be integrated into a local college. Together, LABBB, Bedford Public Schools and Middlesex Community College staff has proven that the LABBB community can be integrated into higher education.

 

At LABBB, we believe that we should be fully integrated and part of our public schools, businesses and local communities. The LABBB Community has grown and developed because of students, parents, teachers, principals, superintendents, business owners, higher education, and other members of our community who share this belief. 

 

LABBB started over 40 years ago based on the philosophy and belief that our students should be educated in the least restrictive environment, our public schools, and this continues to be LABBB's mission today.

 

Sincerely,

 

Patric

 


In This Issue
LABBB EVENTS
John Glenn Middle School
Wellington Elementary
Transitions from Supported to Independent Work Placements
Niman / Chaisson Classroom updates
ICE Program at Middlesex Community College
LABBB EVENTS

 

October 16: 

 

LABBB PAC Meeting at Lexington High School

 

7:00p.m. - 7:45: General PAC Meeting

7:45p.m. - 9:00: Presentation: "The Rights of Parents/ Guardians and Students in Special Education" by Lindsay Rice Sass, Assistant Director, LABBB Collaborative

 

October 22: 

 

6:30p.m. - 8:00:  All LABBB High Schools Open House at Lexington High School Commons I

 

November 13:

 

LABBB PAC Meeting at Lexington High School

 

6:30p.m. - 7:15:   General LABBB PAC Meeting

7:15p.m. - 9:00:   Presentation: "Post 22 Options and Resources" by Michael Weiner, Financial Advisor

 

December 13: 

 

9:00a.m. - 3:00p.m. Best Buddies Craft Fair

Lexington Public Schools Central Office

146 Maple Street

 

 

October Recreational Activities


 

October 15     LABBB Night at the Circus   

October 16     Halloween Dance     

October 17     Wilson Farm Haunted Hayride

October 22     Chenery Best Buddies Event

October 23     LABBB Soccer game vs Lighthouse

October 23     LABBB Movie Night

October 24     LABBB Mini Golf

October 25     Trip to Tick & Trot

October 27     Around Town Dining

October 29     Bedford Best Buddies Event


 

November 2014 - Activities

 

November 6       LABBB Movie Night

November 13     LABBB Dance at Lexington High

November 20     LABBB Trip to Bountiful 

John Glenn Middle School

by Katrina Wright, Teacher

All of us are very excited at JGMS!  We have had a great start to the school year. We would like to highlight that all of the students at JGMS take at least one mainstream class. Some of the classes we take are Art, Band, Chorus, Science, English and Gym. 

 

We also got to see some familiar faces at our our first PALS event that took place on September 24th. This is an opportunity where 6th, 7th, and 8th graders from JGMS spend an hour after school and we make new peer connections.  We had a great time doing some ice-breakers, playing Uno, Jenga, eating snacks and making arts and crafts. We are looking forward to our next event in October! 

 

Wellington Elementary Apple Picking Trip

 

by Janessa Roberts, Teacher

On a wonderful Fall day, the Students from the LABBB classrooms at Wellington participated in our yearly apple picking field trip.  It began with a tasty snack of cider donuts and apple cider.  From there they took a hayride to the orchard and picked some of the most delicious apples.  The students participated in a tree-mendous maze, navigating through a series of trails, answering questions along the way, to successfully make it to the end and find the correct responses to all the questions they answered.  It was a fun filled day of laughter, friends and learning.


 

When we arrived back at school, our lessons revolved around apples.  Students spelled apple, labeled parts of the apple and made delicious desserts from our apples.  Desserts included apple sauce and apple crisp. 

  • We read stories about apples and made apple sauce.   
  • We peeled and cored apples. 
  • We cut apples for cooking.

 

 

 


 

Transitions from Supported to Independent Work Placements

 

by Steve Goodwin, Vocational Counselor

Sean Mucci is a student at LABBB's Career Direction Program at Minuteman Regional High School.  While enrolled there, Sean has studied within the Culinary Arts program.  


 

Recently, Sean put his culinary training to good use when he began working independently four days a week at Sebastian's Caf� at Zoll Medical Corporation in Chelmsford.  Each morning, Sean preps a myriad of food items in anticipation of the sizable crowd that lunches at Sebastian's.  During the actual lunch wave, Sean simultaneously mans several "hot" and "cold" stations serving up a variety of items with a smile and a "Hello" to the hungry employees of Zoll.  After lunch, Sean assists in the ineluctable cleaning of/setting up of the kitchen so as to be ready for the next day.  Sean is off to a strong start at Sebastian's and we look forward to his continued success. 

 

 

Melissa Heaney is a student at LABBB's Transition Program at Belmont High School.  Over the last year, Melissa has worked, with the support of LABBB staff, extensively at Sebastian's Caf� at Sun Microsystems in Burlington.  


 

With this experience in tow, Melissa has recently begun working independently for Whitson's Food Service at Lexington High School.  Melissa prepares a variety of foods for lunch, staffs a "Caesar Salad Action Station" (e.g., preparing a Caesar Salad "live" for a student/teacher) during lunch waves, assists at Miss Ruby's Grill (burgers, hot sandwiches) and/or Coyote Grill (nachos, fajitas, burritos), and cleans all areas/prepping for next day's offerings.  Melissa is excited for this opportunity and looks forward to working and learning while a member of the Whitson's Food Service team. 

 

   

  

Niman / Chaisson Classroom, Lexington High School

 

by Becky Niman and Carol Chaisson, Teachers

 

It's been a busy September in room 715! We have been working hard getting our new space organized as well as becoming reacquainted with each other after the month off. 

We recently concluded our English Unit on conflict. During July and September, students read various articles focused on the "Big" unit question: is conflict necessary?  Each of the 10 articles was written about different types of conflict (family, friends, sports competition...). After many class discussions, students choose two of the articles and were asked to write a five paragraph essay in which they answered the big question using details and examples from the articles and real life. We enjoyed reading and sharing all the essays. The essays are currently displayed in the room for everyone to enjoy!

 

 

Conflict Essays

 

PEMDAS, PEMDAS, PEMDAS....we have been concentrating on this important order of operations rule for the past month. We have used some great visuals and pneumonic devices to help the students remember how to solve these sometimes complicated equations. Students had the chance to use the Promethean Board to complete examples and are taking a final "quiz" for mastery before we move on to more complex algebraic problems, like balancing equations.

 

Ben M. working hard on his PEMDAS Quiz!                          

 

Karandip at the Promethean Board 

 

The "Rules"

-              -                               

The Biology Cellular Unit will be ongoing as it is one of five themes for the Biology MCAS. Currently, we are learning the basics of what a cell is and the different parts that make-up these microscopic units of life.  Students are comparing and contrasting plant and animal cells and even got a chance to take a virtual tour of a cell on the following website...www.biology4kids.com

 

Cell Chapter       student work (cell         comparison)

 

Finally, this year we are continuing with World History II, and concentrating on the Western Hemisphere (Ancient North, Central, and South America). Students read four chapters in their history books, engaged in group discussions, and are currently beginning a cumulating project based on the theme. In November we will be taking a travel training trip to the Museum of Science to tour the current exhibit, "Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed," and will attend the IMAX movie, "Mysteries of the Maya."

 

Museum Exhibit

 

We are looking forward the rest of the school year. So far, the students have been working hard and are eager to learn more. Here's to a successful year for all students and staff here at LABBB!

LABBB Board of Directors Visit LABBB Students at Middlesex Community College

On Friday, October 3, The LABBB Board of Directors met with the LABBB students participating in the Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Program (ICE) at Middlesex Community College.

 

The ICE program is a grant that supports students for dual enrollment in LABBB and Middlesex Community College.  

 

 


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BOSTON 2014



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