Newsletter

Volume 1 - Summer 2007

For the full newsletter, including photos, click here (PDF document).

• Graduation Time
• President's Message
• Board Update
• Superintendent's Message: No One From Antarctica, Yet!!
• Alumnus, Teacher, and Board Member
• Getting Organized and Giving Back
• Learning Never Ends for Lavelle Staff
• Experience Counts for 411 Years!
• Parents Give Positive Feedback
• Getting the Message Across
• Transition Works!
• Strike or Spare!
• Music Has No Age Limit at Lavelle
• Mission Statement

Graduation Time

Caps and gowns, a little anxiety, and lots of excitement are part of the mood at Lavelle School for the Blind as 40 students in the Preschool and 2 in the Upper School get ready for their next big transition.

Two students will graduate from the Preschool and transition to an Early Childhood classroom here at Lavelle. Getting ready to transition to the next program these students have sensory integration experiences, learn to travel safely trailing the wall and using a cane, develop social awareness, and learn pre Braille skills.

Learning to communicate using speech and tangible cues insures that these students can tell us what they like and want. Lots of fun happens in music, art, and adaptive physical education. As recommended on each student's individual education plan (IEP), speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and mobility training are provided.

Our school nurse always makes sure that everyone gets their medications. Sixteen other preschool students are making the transition to kindergartens in their local schools. They are ready for the bigger classrooms, new friends, new teachers, and maybe some homework! Another twenty-two preschool students will go to classrooms in their local public schools where they can continue to get the extra support provided by speech therapists and occupational therapists. Lavelle operates preschool classrooms that integrate students with and without disabilities.

While at Lavelle School for the Blind all preschool students have many learning experiences in the classrooms, on the playground, and in the cafeteria. The classrooms are set up with different centers for learning including the reading center, block center, computer center, and dress up/make believe center. Circle time occurs everyday when students learn the names of their friends, new songs, and the days of the week plus many, many other things. Break Through to Literacy (a computer based reading system), the Creative Curriculum, MOVE, and the Carolina Curriculum are used in the classrooms (based on students' needs and goals). The classroom staff and therapists use lots of creativity, expertise, caring, humor, and commitment to make sure these students are ready to move on.

Parents are supported during this transition time on an individual basis, when needed, and through group information sessions. Our social workers, preschool principal, teachers, and transition coordinator know the importance of parents being well informed in order for them to advocate for their children. Any transition can be worrisome and difficult unless there is support.

Our two Upper School graduates are transitioning to more adult responsibilities. They will go for more training and education at local rehabilitation centers. They will refine and further develop their mobility skills and learn to use Access A Ride. They will help out more at home, we hope, by maybe doing the laundry and preparing a meal. They have learned how to make new friends. For sure, they will get a job. These two graduates have benefited from attending Lavelle for several years. They have mastered many skills in all academic areas as well as functional life skills and self advocacy.

Money makes a difference! But, more than the money is a new sense of accomplishment and pride. Both of these graduates have held summer supported employment jobs as well as part time jobs while here at Lavelle. With their job coaches they take public transportation to and from their job sites. This collaborative supported employment program is made possible by the sponsorship of the New York State Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped.

Many of our staff have known these two Upper School graduates for years and have seen them grow and develop into young adults. These graduates have the motivation and skills to successfully transition to new adult roles and responsibilities. Congratulations to you both. We will miss you.

Lavelle School for the Blind recognizes the importance of preparing students for transition at all phases of their education. As a result, the school's Accreditation Committee on Transition is preparing a 5 year plan on transition for the Preschool, Lower School, and Upper School.

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President's Message

Dear Friends and Readers,
Whenever I am asked what is at the heart of the success story that has marked the one hundred and three year history of Lavelle School for the Blind, I reply that it is the ever spiraling and interconnecting love and concern that teachers, counselors, administrators and students have for one another.

It is the love that motivates dedicated teachers and administrators to give of their energies and talents to teach blind youth. It is the love that the students sense and accept and that they in turn model as they live noble lives of goodness and of love for others.

It is my wish and that of all the members of the Board of Trustees that each reader of this new and worthy publication sees in its stories and articles that spirit of mutual love and regard made real.

Sincerely,
Brother James Kearney, FMS
President, Board of Trustees

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Board Update

Two members of our Board of Trustees were honored by the Sisters of St. Dominic of Blauvelt at their 2007 Hearts Afire Spring Gala. Brother James Kearney, President and John Caffrey, Treasurer were honored for their service and commitment to a wide range of community organizations, schools, and worthy causes. Both of these individuals bring expertise and experience to our school. As a skilled educator and administrator, Brother Kearney gave twelve years of service as Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese. He serves on the Board of Directors of both Marist College and Mount St. Michaels Academy.

John Caffrey is a past member of the New York Stock Exchange and has worked in the investment arena for over forty years. His financial expertise and skills are invaluable to Lavelle School for the Blind as well as the Investment Committee of the Sisters of St. Dominic, St. Vincent de Paul Society and the McCaddin McQuirk Foundation.

John Morriss, Teresa Peloso, Sr. Margaret Flood, O.P. and Joseph Ziminsky were elected to the Board of Trustees within the past year. John Morriss has joined the Lavelle Finance Committee. John earned a Bachelor's Degree from The College of the Holy Cross and a Master of Business Administration, Finance from New York University Stern School of Business. He currently is the Director of the High Yield Research and Portfolio Management at TIAA-CREF. Teresa Peloso, a graduate of Marymount College in Tarrytown, has joined the Lavelle Accreditation Committee on Communications. She has experience with the accreditation process as well as hospital operations at Lawrence Hospital as the Assistant to the President for 38 years. Since 1992 Sr. Margaret Flood, O.P. has been the Chief Operating Officer of the Dominican Sisters Family Health Service, Inc. Sr. Margaret earned at Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Columbia University and a Master of Arts in Nursing from New York University. She also holds a Masters in Public Administration from Baruch/CUNY in New York City. Sister Margaret has joined the Finance Committee. Joseph M. Ziminsky earned a Bachelor of Science in Agronomy from Delaware Valley College. Joe has worked for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection since 1992. He currently holds the position of Associate Project Manager II, Project Review, Bureau of Water Supply for NYCDEP.

Joe has joined the Building Committee of the Board of Trustees. Welcome to each of you and thank you for bringing your commitment and expertise to our school.

LAVELLE BOARD MEMBERS:
Brother James Kearney, FMS
PRESIDENT

Dr. Claire Lavin
VICE PRESIDENT

Sr. Thecla Mawn, O.P.
SECRETARY

John Caffrey
TREASURER

Dr. Corinne Keating Devereux

Sr. Margaret Flood, O.P.

Phyllis Forde

Sr. Rose Ellen Gorman, O.P.

Carmen Greico

J. Robert Lunney

Hon. Dominic R. Massaro

Sr. Margaret McDermott, O.P.

John G. Morriss

Teresa M. Peloso

Robert V. Tiburzi, Sr.

Joseph M. Ziminsky

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Superintendent's Message: No One From Antarctica, Yet!!

Lavelle students and staff come from 5 continents and represent the diversity found in New York City. We don't yet have anyone born in Antarctica but you never know! Our school staff addresses this diversity by teaching students to respect and value differences in each other. These not only include race, gender, religion, and national origin but also disabilities including blindness and visual impairment, speech delays, behavior issues, orthopedic challenges, and other developmental delays. We provide an education of the heart as well as of the mind. Respect for differences is infused throughout the school's curriculum and activities.

We have celebrated diversity by having international food day when staff brings special dishes from their native countries. Students learn about their own country of origin as well as fellow classmates, discussing and sometimes presenting their native music and dances Almost half of our students, even though they may speak some English, come from homes where Spanish is the native language. The majority of our 23 classrooms has at least 1 staff member who is bi-lingual in Spanish and English. Also, Lavelle employes 2 bilingual speech therapists and 2 bilingual social workers. If you check our web page at www.lavelleschool.org you will find it is in both Spanish and English.

Just so you know where we are all from on the 5 continents, the countries include:

• United States
• Mexico
• Columbia
• Ecuador
• Brazil
• Jordan
• Afghanistan
• Philippines
• Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
• Barbados
• Ireland
• Italy
• Ghana
• Antigua
• India
• Dominican Republic
• U.S. Virgin Islands
• Jamaica
• England
• Hungary
• Trinidad
• China
• Israel
• El Slavador
• St. Kitts
• Bolivia
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Korea
• Australia
• Haiti

Two of our graduates last year were from Belize and Guatemala.

By the way our 170 students range in age from 3-21 years and our 135 staff members range in age from, better forget that one! While students come to school everyday from all 5 boroughs of New York City and surrounding counties, most make their homes here in the Bronx.

While we are all from different places and form an international community, we share three very special places, Lavelle School for the Blind, New York, and the United States.

Frank Simpson
Superintendent

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Alumnus, Teacher, and Board Member

My Name is Carmen Margherita Greico. I have been a member of the Board of Trustees of the Lavelle School for the Blind since 1997 and a graduate of Lavelle since 1961.

I was born with Retinoblastoma and lost the sight in both eyes. When it was time for me to go to school, my parents chose to send me to Lavelle where they felt I would get both a good academic education and, guided by the warmth and faith of the Dominican Sisters, a good Catholic education as well. However, Lavelle offered so much more. I graduated from the eighth grade not only having been given a solid foundation in academic and communication skills, but also the opportunity to develop many other skills and talents that still play a major part in my life today. With the support of my parents and five younger siblings, and the encouragement of my teachers, I left Lavelle armed with confidence in my own abilities, a good sense of self-worth and a deep faith that would continue to grow and help me through many challenges in the years to come.

I went on to attend Sacred Heart Academy High School on Long Island, earn my B.A. from the College of New Rochelle and receive an M.A. in Elementary Education and Education of the Blind and Visually Impaired from Teachers' College, Columbia University. In the fall of 1971, I began my teaching career in the Levittown Public Schools, Levittown, NY. I was hired as an Itinerant Teacher of the Blind and Visually Impaired. The shift was on and more and more parents, along with their school districts, were seeking to educate blind children in the mainstream classrooms of their local community schools. I realized that as more blind students were being mainstreamed in their public schools, the makeup of the student population and curricula at schools like Lavelle would be facing many changes. Over the years, I have experienced the educational system's awareness and acceptance of the growing need to provide placement for children with different types of learning disabilities as well as visual impairments. However, there are situations where the mainstream setting of a public school is not equipped to service a child who is multi-handicapped and has very special needs. So once again, Lavelle has stepped forward to meet that challenge and develop a program to prepare these children to succeed to the best of their ability.

After 34 years of a very rewarding career, I retired from the Levittown School District in June, 2005. However, the inspiration and desire for learning and sharing that was sewn into the fabric of my being in those early years continues to spur me on. I am still a choir director in my parish, one of the coordinators of our special Children's Liturgy Program and a recent graduate of the Pastoral Formation Institute of the Diocese of Rockville Centre.

My passion for knitting which began as a skill I learned at Lavelle, has led me to start a Prayer Shawl Ministry in our community where I meet with a very dedicated group of ladies who knit and crochet shawls and blankets that we give to those in need of comfort. And lastly, because of my years of teaching experience and my knowledge of assistive technology, the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, of Smithtown, NY has asked me to work with them in one of their newest programs, that of teaching the Trekker GPS technology system to their graduates and eligible veterans.

In closing, I must say that I have never regretted the decision my parents made so many years ago and I thank Lavelle and the wonderful Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt for helping me become the person I am today.

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Getting Organized and Giving Back

Many Lavelle School for the Blind alumni have reconnected with each other over the past 3 years. With financial support from the Lavelle Fund for the Blind our three staff members, Mary Ann Flynn, Nick Cione, and Rosa Ortiz have located over 300 alumni. They then gathered information from 170 alumni on any support they might need in finding a job, learning mobility skills, getting volunteer support, or learning computer skills. At our first celebration meeting the alumni conversations ranged from remembering the old musicals, including South Pacific, which students used to perform and their respect and love for the Sisters of St. Dominic.

The Dominican sisters gave almost a century of service to Lavelle School for the Blind as teachers and administrators. Currently 4 of the Sisters of St. Dominic are on the school Board of Directors: Sister Margaret Flood, Sister Margaret McDermott, Sister Thecla Mawn, and Sister Rose Ellen. Sister Angelus Healy, the last Dominican Sister who was the school superintendent, retired in 2001.

Over 50% of the alumni reported that they are working. While this is not acceptable when compared to the non-disabled population in the United States, it is better than the 30% national rate of employment for people who are blind. Many of the alumni asked for computer classes from basic skills to Excel.

Computer classes have now been offered for the alumni on Saturdays for the past 3 years. Fortunately, the school's computer classroom is equipped with up to date computers that have voice output and enlarged print. Alumni have Wednesday afternoon cooking classes in the school's new adaptive kitchen. Officers of the Alumni Association have attended a leadership training seminar and are well on the way to establishing an effective group of alumni.

The Alumni officers have all chosen to "give back" to the school where they got the support and education they needed to be successful. One alumnus, Jerry Marasco, has provided several classes to our current students in use of tools and simple home repairs. We look forward to many alumni returning to Lavelle.

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Learning Never Ends for Lavelle Staff

On-going support for staff to gain new skills, information, and ideas is provided in a variety of ways for Lavelle school staff. In fact, 4 days per year, when students do not attend school, are devoted to staff development. Especially useful and effective is when staff members provide training based on their experiences and training. This colleague to colleague support and training benefited many staff members this year.

We want to recognize and thank the following staff for their recent contributions in their areas of specialty to staff development:

Susan Kiley, School Nurse, Universal Precautions and Seizure Disorders; Malek Moumani, Computer Teacher Using Assistive Technology; Christina De la Cruz, Physical Therapist Equipment Assembly and Organization; Kareen Vargas, Classroom Teacher Using Tactile Graphics; Bob Cravello, O&M Instructor; Louis DeLisi, O&M Instructor, and Orientation and Mobility; Zhichao Yu, O&M Instructor; Arlene Zigman, Clinical Speech Supervisor Swallowing and Oral Motor Skills; Lindsay Orcutt Classroom Teacher and Lynne Anderson, Classroom Teacher & Functional Vision Assessments.

In addition to staff training at school, many staff members, with financial support from the school's tuition reimbursement program, are completing bachelors and masters degrees at local universities and colleges. Others have attended professional seminars and conferences while many have visited rehabilitation facilities, hospital based programs, and special schools.

Over 35 teaching assistants and teachers aides have taken on-line courses from Hadley School for the Blind in Braille Grades 1 and 2, Blindness Basics and Learning Through Play. These courses have proven to be very beneficial and have motivated several staff members to plan for further education. In the process of taking these courses staff has improved their computer skills and, in a few instances, began to use the computer for the first time. A recent focus group was hosted at Lavelle School for the Blind and led by administrators from Hadley School for the Blind. Representatives from colleges and universities, three foundations, rehabilitation facilities, and schools in the Northeast attended this all day focus group. Patricia Paruolo, teaching assistant, and Marilyn Velazquez, teacher's aide, met with the members of the focus group to give their suggestions regarding any changes or topics for future online courses. Both Pat and Marilyn have completed several Hadley courses in the past 2 years.

The Lavelle Accreditation Committee on Staff Development is currently developing a five year plan that includes a continuation of all of the activities described plus a teacher mentoring program.

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Experience Counts for 411 Years!

How about 411 years of providing the best special education and mobility services for our students, providing administrative support to keep the school operating smoothly, and keeping our school clean and safe. We congratulate and thank staff members who have worked 10 years or more at Lavelle School for the Blind. They have made it possible for students to achieve and gain independence. Their dedication and commitment is priceless and they are to be commended. Several of these staff members have held several jobs during their careers at Lavelle. After each person's name we have listed some of their jobs and their years of working at Lavelle.

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Parents Give Positive Feedback

Parents and other family members of 73 of our students have given us their feedback in response to a recent satisfaction survey. Their responses were overwhelmingly positive as they indicated they were pleased with the experiences and education their children were receiving at Lavelle School for the Blind. The survey was administered over the telephone in either English or Spanish depending on the parent's preference. They were guaranteed anonymity. The results of the survey are provided below:

• I am given the chance to participate in decisions regarding my child's education.
  95% Strongly Agree or Agree, 5% Disagree
  
  
• The school helps me understand my child's disability and how it may affect learning.
  84% Strongly Agree or Agree, 8% Disagree, 8% no response
  
  
• My child has the chance to participate in after-school activities.
  50% Strongly Agree or Agree, 43% Disagree or Strongly Disagree, 7% no response
  
  
• I have been informed of and understand my rights and my child's rights.
  88% Strongly Agree or Agree, 12% Disagree or Strongly Disagree
  
  
• I am regularly informed of my child's progress and have a chance to discuss it with staff.
  94% Strongly Agree or Agree, 6% Disagree
  
  
• I am provided the opportunity to attend parent education programs.
  86% Strongly Agree or Agree, 8% Disagree, 6% no response
  
  
• I am satisfied with the special education program and services provided to my child.
  91% Strongly Agree or Agree, 6% Disagree, 3% no response
  
  
• Teachers have high expectations for my child.
  89% Strongly Agree or Agree, 7% Disagree, 4% no response
  
  
• The school makes efforts to help my child interact with non disabled peers.
  61% Strongly Agree or Agree, 24% Disagree or Strongly Disagree, 15% no response

In summary, the parents or other family members gave a very positive response to the education of their children at Lavelle School for the Blind. They felt they were part of the decision making process and informed of their child's progress. They felt teachers had high expectations for their children, they understood their rights, and could attend parent education program. Two areas of important concern to parents was the availability of after school programs and opportunities for their children to interact with non disabled peers. These areas are also of concern to Lavelle School for the Blind staff and will be addressed by staff in the coming school year. Thanks to all of the parents who provided us with this valuable feedback.

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Getting the Message Across

Using tangible cues, many of the students in the Lower School and Preschool are developing their communication skills to make choices and indicate what they want. While these students get speech therapy to develop language and improve oral motor skills they are non verbal at this point in time. They need a method to communicate. Tangible cues are symbols which are created to represent an object, activity or an idea. An example of a tangible cue for the word bathroom might be two tiles embedded in a piece of heavy corrugated cardboard. For the word bus, an actual small toy bus is attached to a cardboard square. Another example of a tangible cue for the word nurse is a band-aid attached to a cardboard square. These tangible cues are essential for students who are blind or visually impaired with multiple disabilities since they can not see pictures. The cues are produced by the Adaptive Design Association, Inc.

The appropriateness of these cues has been well documented in the literature. In fact, an article documenting the use of tangible cues at Lavelle School for the Blind has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness for the October 2007 issue. Classroom staff, speech therapists and other therapists used 28 different tangible cues with twenty-five students from the Lower School and Preschool. From September 2004 through June 2005 data was collected on each student as he or she used the tangible cues to communicate. Dr. Ellen Trief, Professor at Hunter College/CUNY, is the lead investigator for this study and continues to monitor the use of the tangible cues at Lavelle School for the Blind.

The use of tangible cues as a means of communication increased in this group of 25 students from 3% in September to 73% in June. Some families are using the tangible cues at home. Not only are the results of this 10 month study exciting, but the use of tangible cues continues to be a major source of communication. The repertoire of the cues is expanding as the students need new cues for action words and more objects. Tangible cues are paired with words. So when the teacher gives the bus cue when it time to go home she also says the word bus. Sometimes an augmentative communication device is also used.

We are fortunate to have 9 speech and language therapists on our staff members. These therapists provide over 350 speech therapy sessions each week. Therapy is provided on an individual basis as well as in small groups depending on the student's needs. All of the therapists use a variety of methods including the tangible cues to facilitate each student's language development. Yvonne Caesar, therapist, is an excellent resource for her colleagues and teachers in using Indirect Language Stimulation Techniques. Jorge Ballestas, bilingual therapist, provides expertise in bilingual therapy techniques and strategies. For further information contact Yvonne at ycaesar@lavelleschool.org and Jorge at jballestas@lavelleschool.org.

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Transition Works!

The Transition Program at Lavelle School for the Blind is actively involved with our students in helping to prepare for their future. The program seeks to provide a safe springboard for our students to spread their wings and explore the challenges of life beyond Lavelle. While placed on a job-site either at the school or in the community, students learn through real-life exposure to the world of work.

To emphasize the importance of maximizing the potential for independence for each student, critical transition areas have been identified by the Transition Committee. These core transition skills are now in the process of being permanently incorporated into curriculum, lesson plans and school activities at the Pre-School, Lower School and Upper School levels. As a result of this emphasis, our students will be better prepared to face the challenges of life — and to enjoy its rewards!

A new initiative, the Pre-vocational Experience Program, provides opportunities for students 14 and above to perform a wide variety of work activities within the school to assist in maximizing their ability to function independently at home, at work and in the community. Students are scheduled for work assignments on an hourly basis and work closely with their job coaches to perform tasks in a work environment. Students are required to learn to dress appropriately for the job, maintain proper personal hygiene, follow directions, etc. during the experience. Our first round of students have begun their work at Lavelle and may be found stocking shelves, greeting guests, shredding documents, cleaning the Teen Canteen, arranging tables and chairs in our cafeterias, and performing other important and helpful work throughout the Lavelle campus.

The Work Experience Internship Program offers off-site supported work opportunities for students 16 and above. The most important feature of this program is its ability to enhance the vocational skills of our working-age students by providing employment with local employers. Students work in locations that match their interests and abilities using a supported work model. Students learn to travel to their assigned work-site using public transportation with the assistance of job coaches provided by the school. Our hard-working Lavelle students can be found at Applebee's, Bally Total Fitness, Dress Barn, A.J. Wright and at other locations throughout the community. Skilled job coaches provide support at the work-site to insure the best possible experience for each student. This program, carefully designed by Lavelle in cooperation with CBVH and Lighthouse International, makes paid employment available to participating students. But the biggest pay-off for each student is the increase in self-esteem, confidence, and dignity that comes from a job well-done.

Want to learn more? Anyone interested in learning more about the Transition Program at Lavelle School for the Blind is encouraged to contact Gary B. Wier, Transition Coordinator at 718-882-1212, ext. 226, or at gwier@lavelleschool.org.

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Strike or Spare!

Very few gutter balls since many Upper School students have been going bowling every week. This bowling experience is made possible by a grant from the New York Mercantile Foundation in Manhattan. Not only is it fun ,but it's great physical exercise. Lavelle students now have the skills to join their families and friends on a night out in the community. Kevin Finnerty, one of our Adaptive Physical Education teachers, goes with the students and provides instruction and feedback. Also, teaching assistants from the Upper School classrooms accompany the students to the bowling alley.

Learning to dance, sing, and play music is important for everyone. Through a cooperative effort between the Lavelle School for the Blind and the Institute for Applied Human Dynamics (IAHD), an afternoon recreation program of music and dance is available 4 days per week for over 25 students who live in the Bronx. Lavelle teaching assistants Connie Merritt, David Jessamy, Thaisis Miranda, and Jairo Prieto work in this after school program. Working with the after school music instructor four of our students have formed the New Edge, a musical group that has cut a CD and performs regularly for nursing homes and parent groups here in the Bronx. They have also had a few gigs for pay. If you need a mellow group for a party or get together, give us a call. No booking fee!!

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Music Has No Age Limit at Lavelle

Lavelle students and seniors from the Bronxwood Retirement Home meet regularly to make music together. Both seniors and students are delighted as they interact with singing and music. The outreach is not a performance with an audience and performers, nor is it a sing-a-long. It is something a little different. Students interact closely with the seniors taking their hands and encouraging them to dance and sing. It's a reciprocal relationship as the seniors praise the students and encourage them. Dr. Susan Carpenter, our music teacher, spent two years in Canberra, Australia researching and documenting this intergenerational project. Like the Lavelle students, students with special needs in Canberra visited nursing homes and senior center making music together. This approach is based on the work of Dr. John Diamond, a leading authority on music as a health modality. Students who so often are being helped are now helping. The same applies to our students at Lavelle School for the Blind. They are learning to help others and give their support to the seniors. They are feeling good about themselves as helpers.

For more information on this approach please contact Dr. Susan Carpenter at scarpenter@lavelleschool.com.

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Mission Statement

Lavelle school for the Blind is a multi-cultural educational institution established 100 years ago based on the Catholic tradition and the compassion and dedication of the Dominican sisters of Blauvelt. The organization integrates students who are blind and have multiple disabilities, staff and parents in a challenging yet nurturing environment.

The programs at Lavelle seek to educate the whole child through a combination of developmental and functional strategies. as the student progresses, the curriculum accommodates individual changing needs and educational growth. all students are prepared for lives as respected adults. Lavelle school develops all students to their fullest potential, and provides support and resources to the students and their parents.

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