Welcome Back to School Ms Cummings Mrs Fioretti

Welcome Back to School! Ms. Cummings Mrs. Fioretti MHS Skybox Program 2015 -2016 Mrs. Mintz Ms. Rosenthal Mr. Runion

Skybox Schedule • All of our students follow the A Day – B Day block schedule. Each block is 84 minutes. • The Skybox schedule was designed to maximize the space in the Skybox which means that not all of our students are here at the same time.

Related Services Many of our students have additions to their daily schedule which include: • • • Speech Therapy w/ Mrs. Olney Leisure Skills/Knitting w/Mrs. Niedt Occupational Therapy/Yoga w/Ms. Koblin Physical Therapy w/Ms. Klein Counseling with CST

Additions to the Academic Curriculum: Transitions and Learning Strategies The goal of this course is for students to function with optimum independence and success in a variety of current and future environments, beginning in 9 th grade through 12+ years as necessary. The course is divided into 7 non-sequential units of study: • • Preparation for Learning How We Learn Study Skills Daily Living Skills Self-Advocacy Personal-Social Skills Occupational Guidance and Preparation Postsecondary Education and Training.

Transition and Learning Strategies Concepts and skills are introduced, reinforced, and extended upon throughout the year in other content areas. Community Based Instruction and on or off campus Structured Learning Experiences provide opportunities for generalization of skills. Lessons and activities will include: • awareness of personal likes/dislikes • expression of hopes and dreams for the future • awareness of personal talents and challenges • strategies to support individual learning style • daily living and vocational assessments • direct instruction with faded supports • career exploration • volunteer/employment opportunities

Work Study and Community Based Instruction (CBI) Many Freshmen and Sophomores: • are involved in Work Study opportunities within the school community - MHS and Board of Education Office A Work Study block offers application of skills learned in our Transitions and Learning Strategies course. Work Study, in all settings, focuses on assessing student skills and interests, learning transferable vocational skills, environmentappropriate social skills, problem solving, and self-advocacy. • experience CBI with monthly outings to local environments Our goals for these outings are functional application of academic skills, social skills, and awareness of community resources for practical and leisure purposes. Permission slips and medical forms must be returned by due dates if you want your child to participate in CBI and other out-of-school field trips

Work Study and Community Based Instruction (CBI) Juniors, Seniors, and Super Seniors • Students are currently involved in Work Study opportunities within the Montgomery Township community; our goal is to continue to develop and expand into other sites as they become available and are appropriate for students. Beginning this September, our students began working at: • Shop Rite • CVS (of Princeton) • Harlingen Vet • True Value Hardware • The Tiger’s Tale • Chartwell’s • Princeton Fitness and Wellness Center • Orchard Hill Elementary • Village Elementary School • Medical Center at Princeton-Plainsboro All students are provided district transportation and most are accompanied to each location by a paraprofessional who has received job coach training. Those students not accompanied by a job coach have met with sufficient success to have natural supports in their workplace.

• • Life Skills Hygiene and Personal Appearance Time Management Self-Advocacy Responsibility and Reliability Rule Following Conflict Resolution or Problem Solving Understanding verbal and nonverbal social cues Understanding the culture of a work setting (including how to accept feedback from supervisors, peers, and community members) • Appreciation of the role of a job coach and a willingness to be supported until “natural supports” can be faded in

History Students will participate in lessons and activities which further their understandings and connections to world in which they live. • Who are you? • Where do you live? • What is your role in family, school and community? • Why should you become a productive citizen in society. Students will examine the past locally, nationally and globally in order to see how the events of the past have shaped the present. All students will • review geography • expand on map skills • relate current events to personal interests

History Students will be exposed to MHS World Studies and U. S. History (I & II) curricula through lessons and activities: • Social climate and world culture during key time periods beginning with Renaissance • Major historical conflicts and events • Influential figures and groups • Growth of the United States, changes in government and key historical documents.

Math Students will extend their personal understandings of math in everyday life through discrete and practical applications: • • Time Calendars Money Budgeting Schedules Measuring tools Use of a calculator

Math Students will also be exposed to MHS Algebra and Geometry curricula through lessons, practice, and functional applications of : • • • Decimals and Fractions Percent Integers and Exponents Shapes, Points, Lines, Angles Equations and Inequalities Graphing

English • Students will continue to increase personal skills related to reading, writing, and speaking through individual and small group remediation sessions. • Students will apply developing skills to academic assignments and functional life tasks through discrete and practical opportunities: • • Personal narratives Informational essays Reading and filling out forms Messages and letters Communicating choices Following written instructions Reading community information and safety signs

English Students will also be exposed to MHS Introduction to Literature and Composition, Elements of Literature and Composition (I & II) curricula: • • • Mythology Shakespeare Short Stories Poetry Historical Fiction American Literature Students will use a variety of reading and writing strategies to extend their personal understandings of fiction, informational, and real world texts. • Included in all units: remediation of language and or writing challenges • Real world writing, spelling, and expanding vocabulary are essential pieces of the MHS curriculum

Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Environmenal Science Students are introduced to science methods and concepts as they explore topics related to: • • • Science Safety and Tools The Scientific Method Measurement and Graphing: length, area, volume, speed, temperature Energy, Forces and Motion Matter: describing what we can see and diagramming or modeling what we can’t see Energy: states and changes in matter Pure substances, mixtures, and solutions Reactions Characteristics of Life Genetics and Heredity Ecosystems

Health and Safety These topics are covered as part of our Transitions curriculum. This year, Health and Safety is scheduled as a separate class for many of our post-grad student • Topics: Hygiene, Nutrition, Exercise, Human Growth and Reproduction, Relationships, Disease Prevention, First-aid, Pedestrian and Passenger Safety, Stranger Safety, Home and Work Safety

After School Activities • Peer Buddy Club - Social activities planned with the MHS Interact Club – 1 x/month (teacher supervised, parent pick-up at 3: 30) • Project Unify – Social and sport activities – 1 -2 x/month (adviser supervised, after school, ends at 3: 30 for parent pick-up) • MHS Clubs - brochure co-curricular offerings can be found on the MHS webpage (natural supports)

Communication • • amintz@mtsd. us After School: Tuesdays 2: 15 -3: 15 • • pcummings@mtsd. us After School: Wednesdays 2: 15 -3: 15 • • arosenthal@mtsd. us After School: Wednesdays 2: 15 -3: 15 • • lfioretti@mtsd. us After School: Wednesdays 2: 15 -3: 15 • • crunion@mtsd. us After School: Thursdays 2: 15 -3: 15 Classroom Webpage: http: //www. mtsd. k 12. nj. us/mintz or go to MHS Faculty Web. Pages, scroll to Mintz/Cummings/Rosenthal/Fioretti