Higashi Higashi Highlights
Fall 2016
Challenge
Believe
Together
Fall on campus brought with it a renewed enthusiasm for learning and fun, as we usher in a new school year full of possibility! www.bostonhigashi.org • Helping children with autism exceed expectations since 1987 • (781) 961-0800
The Principal’s Perspective
A Message from th
I would like to thank everyone for joining
“Let us be grateful for people who show respect takefor this others. opportunity to welcome all of ou They create an abundance of spirit and a harvest of blessings.” This is a special year as the Boston Higashi S
have passed quickly so please allow me, on
appreciation to all staff, Once again, our Boston Higashi School campus is awash with brilliant colors. This evidence of past and present, School’s establishment, growth and succe the change of season in New England beckons us all to be mindful that another school year is part of this organization and it is a pleasu in full swing. The opportunities to live our school motto to Challenge, Believe, Together are as have faithfully served the Boston Higashi S abundant as the falling leaves.
Our staff has worked with great diligence many challenges to perform in The theme for this school year is RESPECT: *Respect for SELF *Respect overcome for OTHERS *Respect their performance and look forward to th for SCHOOL and COMMUNITY. We espouse a culture of respect that begins with valuing each breaking student as a unique the barriers of autism and achie individual. Daily Life Therapy® is a strength-based methodology. We do not maintain our focustion solely on the deficits and benefactors, f to our supporters that autism presents. We gear our instruction and interventions to position our students to enable to take on schoolthem and our mission.
challenges and learn to overcome obstacles so they gain confidence from their own success.
Please enjoy the 25th Annual Celebration! Sincerely,
Our students experience respect in the context as a noun and as a verb. Respect is not a separate subject or activity to be scheduled into our busy days. Respect is the cornerstone that anchors our efforts and interactions. It is the common thread that is woven throughout all our moments each and every day. Respect is as an active force with a pervasive and powerful impact. The equation is simple: “Respectful = Respected.”
A Message from th
All humans have a need to belong. When respect is present there is a high level of trust, thus the group dynamic at is my to joyengage to welcome Higashi offers fertile ground for learning from and with others. We believe that all our studentsItwant with you to the 2012 A It is the 25th Annual Celebration others but require flawless modeling, skillful coaching and ongoing support to enable them to gether. do so. Relationships for this school year is CELEBRATE. We hav help one navigate the world. Respectful relationships empower us to rise to be more than we ever envision on our legacy of our founder, Dr. Kitahara, and th own. They enhance our purpose and provide meaning to life. to the enduring and sustaining friendship
acknowledge our alumni and their familie
cherish our students, families and frie As we make our preparations to gather with friends and family for our respective ThanksgivingWe holiday celebrations, let us remember to be grateful for the unconditional respect and regard that is bestowed upon us individually and Our performance today will touch your h collectively as members of the Boston Higashi School community. We have taken on the questage, thatand Aretha Franklin talents. You will not only be en sang about. “R-E-S-P-E-C-T - Find out what it means to me!” motto in action. We challenge our stude
potential and know when we all work tog ThankDeborah you for being with us today. On wi Donovan Best Regards,
DEC 14
WINTER DANCE / PARTY (R) MS Party 6:00-7:30, (D/R) Winter Dance, 6:30-7:30 (JH & older)
DEC 22
WINTER MUSIC FESTIVAL 10am - 12pm
DEC 23JAN 2
WINTER BREAK (Vacation Program Dec 27, 28, & 29)
Higashi Gym
Principal
UPCOMING EVENTS DEC 2 | Open House / Guided Tour 10:00 am - 12:00 pm DEC 3 | Sibling Day, 9:30am - 12:00pm / Parent Assoc. Mtg., 10:00 am - 12:00pm JAN 3 | 217 / 304 Program Reopens, Breakfast 8:30am - 9:45am Parent Collaboration Mtg., 10:30am - 12:00pm JAN 25 | Parent Training 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm For the latest news and events, visit our website at www.bostonhigashi.org
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Class Notes ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL: HIGH SCHOOL AND EMERGENCE GET OUT THE VOTE!
“SPOOKTACULAR” STUDIES Monsters and pumpkins helped the Elementary students to learn new words and number skills this month! Students had so much fun reading a story about “Trick or Treating,” counting the number of candies, and sharing (1:1 correspondence) them with friends! Of course, they learned when to say “BOO!” and “Thank you!” They even decorated a house for Halloween on the J-Touch Boards!
Over the past month the students in the High School Division have been learning about the upcoming election and the presidential candidates. During that time, each class held primaries within their classroom to determine who would be that class’s presidential candidate and vice presidential candidate. The students have been campaigning for their class candidates with signs and banners, even rallying outside during morning jogging to get out the vote. The newly elected High School Class President is Billy Coleman, and Vice President is Ryan Pelley! HIGASHI’S OWN ELECTION DAY It’s election time in the Emergence Program and students geared up to cast their votes on November 8th. After learning about the presidential candidates and their campaigns, students took their knowledge to the next level by recreating the election process to become Class President. Students rallied supporters for their candidacy by collecting signatures from around the division. They needed a minimum of 10 signatures to qualify. From there it was time to hit the campaign trail! Students selected their campaign slogans to convince their classmates that they would be the team to lead the class. On November 8th ballots were cast at our “polling station” in Marble Hall, and we are proud to announce our election winners: Andrew Barber, President; and Mary Pettit, Vice President. Congratulations!
STUPENDOUS SCIENCE Fresh off a great Sports Day, Middle School has been working hard in the classroom, building positive routines and bonding with our teachers! In communication classes, we practiced using our core words ‘in, out, help and need’ while making “Exploding Apples!” We practiced giving each other directions and identifying needed materials for the project, and the students (and teachers) certainly had blast (ha ha!).
ROUTINES AREN’T JUST “ROUTINE” The fall of the leaves couldn’t have widened our smiles any more than being in the company of our dear families while enjoying our recent Sports Day. As we marched, exercised and had fun dancing, we practiced our routine postures of “attention,” “at ease,” and “make a pose” to the accolades of all. Unity of purpose is truly the seed of “Respect” for the first event of the school year. Junior High isn’t done yet!
Residential Reflections TRICK OR TREAT IN THE COMMUNITY Middle School and Girls Division had an extra spooky time going Trick or Treating in the community. With the help of the Speech and Language department and the residential teachers, students used their voices via the iPads to score a lot of candy! They worked on three phrases: “Trick or Treat,” “Thank you” after getting candy, and “Happy Halloween” to finish off their conversation. We actually had one student verbalize one of his first words on the way back from Trick or Treating, which was of course, “Candy!” Students practiced good safety skills of looking both ways before crossing the street, followed the rule of no candy until dinner, and after the first two houses, most students were able to Trick or Treat with the teachers waiting from the ends of the driveways. To end the night, we sang “Halloween has Come at Last” and took a group photo to remember the everning’s fun!
A GHOULISH NIGHT AT HIGASHI Once again teamwork, respect and pride for who we are at Boston Higashi School was on display during our Younger Division’s costume party. The journey to success started early with Kristina Ayieko working seamlessly with other staff to create the spooky environment. Students, staff and the parents’ costumes magnified the spookiness of Marble Hall. This is where we clapped, bonded, laughed, sung our hearts out and danced to the tune of our own music Icons, Ken and Jared. Smiles and giggles were in dominance as we streamed to the ghoulish Desales basement for a Trick-or-Treating session. With candies in baskets, students could hardly hide their excitement as they once again assembled in Marble Hall. Refreshments followed as we cheered the lucky few who outshone others in both costume and performance. Grace and Thomas, you rocked; Nana Congrats! “These guys have a great life here, “ whispered one of the parents as she reluctantly bade goodbye to her son.
A MARVELOUS NIGHT FOR A MOONDANCE, ‘NEATH THE COVER OF OCTOBER SKIES This year’s Older Division Dance Party began with our MC Carmine, welcoming our ghouls, goblins, pirates and princesses to the spooky, foggy gymnasium. All the students and the many alumni who joined us were disguised so well that nobody knew who the students were beneath their costumes!! All the participants danced with endless energy this year, and the gymnasium was transformed into a sea of ghosts, super heroes, and storybook characters. This year’s frightfully fun costume awards were given to Kristina for her 1950’s poodle skirt ensemble, Mark’s amazing makeup job and zombie costume, and staff member Chukwudi’s gladiator attire. Thank you to all who came to the party and HS, EP and Residence staff for your enthusiastic support! Thanks especially to those who took part in organizing and decorating for this special day. Your contribution, large or small, is highly appreciated. Winter Dance Party, we are getting ready for you!
Stock up on Higashi items in time for the Holidays! Winter Music Festival is our next opportunity to raise funds for the school and to continue our efforts to support our staff and families. We will be selling Higashi branded hoodies ($30), Higashi hats ($20) and Higashi car magnets ($10). This year we are also very lucky to be able to offer an amazing hand drawn print of the Higashi School campus by the beloved John Kolwaite ($20). They will make a wonderful holiday gift! There’s a limited number available, so stop by early and claim yours before they sell out. See you at the Festival!
Greetings from the Parent Association! ~ The Year is off to a Great Start!
NEW! Higashi Print
Parent Perspectives
Respect is this year’s school theme, and with this in mind we are doubling our efforts to let our staff know we appreciate, support, and respect them. The 20162017 school year is off to a fantastic start! Thanks to a successful Sports Day, we were able to purchase a new Keurig machine for the residential staff. We were also able to give the day and residential staff pizza parties for the Back to School Parents Nights. The staff work very long days when there are after school programs, and the pizza is a small token of our appreciation. We also purchased gift card prizes for both the residence and dayside Halloween parties. They certainly outdid themselves this year. A big shout out to all the parents who helped out at our Parent Association table at Sports Day selling merchandise. We could not have done it without you. As a way for parents to get involved with the Winter Music Festival, we are asking for each family to donate an item to their respective divisional basket (dayside classroom division) to be raffled off at the Festival. Themes for each division are as follows: Elementary - Disney; Middle School - Arts/Crafts; Junior High - Family Fun Night; High School - Sports; EP - Bath and Body. Please send your donations into your child’s day classroom teachers. All items must be received by Friday, December 16th. If sending a check or giftcard is easier for you, send them to the attention of Maryellen Paradise (if sending in a check make payable to BHSPA). We will collect them from her and do the shopping for you. While talking with parents, one of the most often heard comments is that they would like to feel more connected to other families and the school. As such we will be organizing several outings throughout the year. Do you have any suggestions? Please email me at jabsbo03@gmail.com. The Parent Association is excited to work with you and make this our best year! I look forward to seeing you on campus and at Winter Music Festival. Do not ever hesitate to contact me with any questions. I would love to hear from you. Julie Coppenrath, Boston Higashi Parent Association President (& Mother of Helen in MS)
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2016 Gala ~ a Night to Remember! With another full house gathered in front of him, WBZ-TV co-anchor David Wade stole the show once again at the 2nd Annual Higashi Gala at Granite Links Golf Club in Quincy. Over 300 friends, families and supporters listened intently as Wade displayed his extraordinary talent, bringing to the audience the perfect blend of knowledge, compassion and humor. His brief tribute and acknowledgement of Dr. John Maina was both compelling and well deserved, while his interview with Executive Director, Mike Kelly exceeded everyone’s expectations with a perfect balance of probing and humor. A rousing performance by the Higashi Jazz Band, introduced by Gala Chair (and proud Jazz Band father) Bill Knowlton, and a special thanks to Bob and Donna Mattie capped off a most meaningful program. Thanks to all who participated, the evening was a tremendous financial success. We were fortunate to once again have a very spirited, fun-loving and generous crowd. Mr. Wade navigated through the live auction like a pro, keeping the bidders engaged and bringing in maximum dollars for all the items displayed. Revenues in this year’s live auction alone tripled those from last year. Thanks to everyone, we are very excited to announce that we raised over $175,000. As we enter into our 30th anniversary, we look forward to a full year of celebration and activity. We hope that you will all come along for the ride. Plans are already in place for the 3rd Annual Higashi Gala, scheduled for Thursday, October 12th at Granite Links Golf Club. We look forward to seeing you all next year!
Save the Date
for next year’s Gala!
October 12th, 2017
7 Higashi in the News (Left) Jon Wertheim interviews Heather Katz; (Below left) Sports & Autism photo by Winslow Townson which appeared in Sports Illustrated; (Below right) The film crew from 60 Minutes Sports, including (from left) Rome Hartman and Jack Weingart, and Jon Wertheim (far right).
Higashi at the Intersection of Autism and Sports As some of you may already know, Boston Higashi School was recently featured on the TV program 60 Minutes Sports (which airs on Showtime), and also in the November 14th issue of Sports Illustrated. What an exciting opportunity this was! You may be wondering, how did this all come about? Back in April 2016, Heather Katz, Director of Training, received a voice mail from Stephanie Apstein, a researcher for Sports Illustrated. She was researching information on autism and sports, and had interviewed a doctor at Mass General Hospital who mentioned our school. Stephanie looked up our school online and called. After interviewing Heather on the phone for about an hour, Heather was told that she would hear back later once the story was getting ready for print to verify the facts. Months went by with no word. In August, Stephanie called Heather with “good news” and “bad news.” The “good news” was that the story was going well. The “bad news” was that the story was being pushed back because CBS had picked up interest in it, and wanted to have permission to come and film on location at our school for their piece! (It was the best “bad news” we have possibly ever heard!) Rome Hartman, Producer, and Jack Weingart, Associate Producer at 60 Minutes Sports, flew out to BHS the last week of September and filmed for 2 days. They filmed PE classes, morning jogging, and a few academic classes. On their final day of filming, Jon Wertheim, Executive Editor of Sports Illustrated, flew into town to visit and record an interview of Heather. He is also responsible for initiating this entire project, as it was his brainchild to write the original story on the intersection of autism and sports. Jack and Stephanie enjoyed the feel of Higashi so much, they came back for Sports Day to videotape, photograph and interview some of our parents. Overall, this was such a great experience for our staff, our students, and our school. The students were “pros” even with the cameras and microphones in their faces - they kept the smiles on their faces, and remained focused on their tasks. As we are the only school mentioned in the tv piece, the on-line article, and in Sports Illustrated, it goes without saying that Boston Higashi School is, without a doubt, the premier school for educating children with autism. Our focus on sports is just one example of how we educate the whole child, instead of just “fixing” deficits. In a world where autism numbers continue to climb, we are glad that our emphasis on fitness is beginning to reach a wider audience in a way that parents and families can embrace.
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Campus Happenings Exciting Advancements in Research on Campus The Boston Higashi School Research Team wishes to express its heartfelt appreciation to those who supported our many projects over the past year! We have had so much input from the staff, parents, and students, which has lead to great success.
Above: Who says research can’t be all fun and games, too? BU researcher Brady studies language acquisition while playing with toys.
Our Physical Education study, which involved students from the Junior High division, took place in July and August. Along with the guidance of our collaborators Dr. Ashley Woodman, from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Dr. Miriam Evans, from CAST – Wakefield, we collected an enormous amount of data on exercise intensity, behavior, academic engagement, and sleep. A team of statisticians is currently analyzing the data; the full results will be available soon. In addition, BHS has been assisting Boston University’s Center for Autism Research Excellence with their research on language. Nearly two-dozen BHS students are currently completing skill assessments in Higashi’s new oncampus testing room. The next phase of the study is very exciting, as it will involve trips to the Neuroimaging Lab in CARE. Anyone who is interested in participating should contact care@bu.edu. Finally, the Research Team recently released a Strategic Plan for the department, which describes some of our plans for the coming five years. A full-copy is available in the library. We have a lot of exciting projects coming up, so keep your eyes and ears open for an opportunity to get involved!
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All About Fall
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upcoming Sibling Days at Higashi
Parent Trainings: Back to School Nights Fun for All! The first two months of the 2016-2017 school year have been filled with many activities – including two fantastic Parent Nights! During our “Meet the Teachers” night in September, parents had an opportunity to meet with all of the day staff and tour the classrooms. At the Residence’s “Welcome Back Night” night in October, parents met their residential teachers and learned about activities and routines after the school day is over.
December 3rd (Siblings Only) 9:30am - 12pm
February 23rd (BHS students + their siblings) 9:30am - 12pm
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The turn-out for both meetings was great, with almost 75 parents and family members in attendance for the day session, and nearly 50 at our residence night. Parents, we love to see you on campus, and the community of support that is fostered by your participation is amazing! Just a reminder, all parents are welcome to the monthly meetings where a variety of topics are discussed. Keep your eyes open for the monthly calendar from the Education Office, as it will give you information about upcoming trainings, and even links to RSVP online. If you have any questions, concerns or ideas for the Parent Training, please contact Heather Katz at heather.katz@bostonhigashi.org.
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Photos 1-7: Sports Day; photos 8-13: EP Golf Tournament; photos 14-17: Continuing Adult Education Program.
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Community Connections The Harvey Memorial Local 7 Retired Iron Workers’ Golf Tournament was held on September 14th at Presidents Golf Course in Quincy. Representing Higashi were Jason Hurlock, Mrs. Ebihara, Amy Carter, and Jamie Marshall. Jim Lawlor, grandfather of Higashi student Austin Linnehan, organized the event, and all the proceeds benefitted BHS! Thank you so much, Jim, for making this outing possible!
On September 8th the Higashi Research Team welcomed Dr. Takanori Shibata, the inventor of PARO the robotic seal. Higashi used PARO beginning in 2008 for a research study involving social interaction and representational play. The team discussed future studies involving PARO, and we look forward to a continuing relationship with Dr. Shibata.
Berklee Musicians Perform for Students We were delighted to welcome students from the Berklee School of Music on November 4th for an afternoon of amazing music! Six musicians, three of them prestigious TOMODACHI Suntory scholars from Japan, performed several jazz pieces for an audience of captivated students, teachers, and staff. The concert opened with a song by the Higashi Jazz Band, and closed with a collaborative performance of the jazz standard, Watermelon Man, featuring both Berklee and Higashi musicians. In between, the Berklee musicians played a range of jazz favorites and even a Japanese song in honor of their visit to Higashi. The Higashi students were all smiles as they listened to such impressive music - the performers made it look effortless. Jazz Band member Antony even remarked “I hope that’s future me,” gesturing toward the Berklee musicians on the stage. We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.
On November 15th we were honored to welcome the new Consul General of Japan, Mr. Rokuichiro Michii, new Consul Mr. Yasuhiro Yamauchi, and Mr. Matt Krebs, the Executive Director of the Japan Society of Boston. Our special visitors came for a school tour, and heard our Jazz Band perform during assembly time. We hope you will join us at more Higashi events in the future! Welcome!
Help our greenhouse “GROW!” (Above) The architect’s rendering of the proposed greenhouse that is currently under construction next to the new Vocational Auto Detail Shop. (Below) A foundation has been poured, and the greenhouse is underway! We can’t wait for spring!
We’ve established new roots - please help our program blossom! Not only did the record breaking snows of 2015 leave a gaping hole in our greenhouse, it also left a big hole in our programs. With the construction of a new greenhouse finally underway, we need equipment to get the Horticulture Program up and running.
Thanks to the Berklee musicians for such a memorable performance! Clarinet - Kumpei Iki Tenor Saxophone - Andrew Denicola Trumpet - Yuta Yamaguchi Piano - Takeru Saito Bass - Youngchae Jeong Drums - Daniel Moreno
Our #GivingTuesday initiative this year was to raise $5,000 to purchase potting benches, storage, fertilizer, fertilizer injector, plant material, soil, trays and containers. It’s not too late to help donate! Please consider making a year-end contribution to get our program ready for the spring. To learn more, visit: www.bostonhigashi.org/ways_to_give. Thanks for your support. Stay tuned for photos in the coming issues!
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BOSTON HIGASHI SCHOOL 800 North Main Street Randolph, MA 02368 (781) 961-0800 www.bostonhigashi.org
NEW
&
NOTABLE
PG 6
“MEETING THE CHALLENGE” GALA
PG 7
HIGASHI IN THE NEWS:
PGS 8-9
AUTISM & SPORTS
For the latest news and events, visit our website at www.bostonhigashi.org, or subscribe to our online calendar
IN THIS ISSUE PG 2 | Principal’s Perspective
ALL ABOUT FALL: MAKING MEMORIES
PGS 3 - 4 | Class Notes, Residential Reflections PG 5 | Parent Association PGS 10 - 11 | Community Connections