Higashi Highlights - Winter 2017

Higashi Higashi Highlights

Winter 2017

Challenge

Believe

Together

Get Connected...

This winter was all about getting connected: to the school, to the community, and to each other. From parent trainings and school wide events, to our alumni program and development initiatives, it’s been a busy New Year! 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 joinin take this opportunity to welcome all of o

Challenge, Believe, Together

This isand a special year asboth the Boston Higashi When the winds of winter swirl around us, our inclination is to hunker down hibernate, have passed quickly so please allow me, o physically and emotionally. As we attempt to keep the cold at bay, we also shelter our emotions appreciation to all staff, past and presen in place. We reject the world as another way of shutting down and masking what is painful for School’s establishment, growth and succ us. Some of us may cut ourselves off from those we love and who love us at aoftime we and it is a pleas part this when organization havetofaithfully served the Boston Higash need the warmth of friendship and the love of our families most. We need find ways to step away from our emptiness and throw ourselves back into life and the present moment.

Our staff has worked with great diligenc overcome many challenges to perform in The best antidote for the winter blahs and blues that I know of is Bostontheir Higashi School. The performance and look forward to beauty of the sparkling snow graces our campus, as it clings to the trees and provides a white carpet onthe ourbarriers front hill. breaking of autism and achi tion to our As soon as you enter any one of our five buildings, you are welcomed and enveloped by a strong spirit thatsupporters is tightly and benefactors, woven together with positivity and possibility. This is the essence of Boston Higashi School. school and our mission.

Please enjoy the 25th Annual Celebration

Our students are impacted significantly by autism and many are minimally verbal, but they willSincerely, all “speak “ to you beyond their words. You will experience their deep desire to connect with you and bring you into their inner circle.

You will witness firsthand the true grit, determination, and tenacity of our highly skilled and dedicated teachers as they educate every child. Our teachers are coaches, mentors, and champions of the uniqueness of every student. They harness the power of learning found within the group dynamic as they build life skills, academic achievements, special talents, and vocational experiences both on and off campus. At Higashi, we do things with our students not to them or for them. We plant the three pillars of our methodology of Daily Life Therapy®—vigorous physical exercise, emotional is my joy to welcome you to the 2012 stability and intellectual stimulation—into the fertile ground of courage, creativity, competenceItand compassion.

A Message from t

gether. It is the 25th Annual Celebration for this school year is CELEBRATE. We ha If you come to campus and encounter our parents, you will feel the deep love and pride they have for of their legacy ourchildren, founder, Dr. Kitahara, and to the enduring as well as the strong belief and high trust they place in Boston Higashi. They willingly and spontaneously share and sustaining friendsh ourand alumni and their fami stories from their journey parenting their children with autism spectrum disorder through bothacknowledge the predictable We cherish our students, families and fr

unpredictable ages and stages from early childhood to young adulthood. You will find multiple examples that Boston Higashi is more than just a special school. It is a strong, vital, nurturing community that is fueledOur by performance open hearts today and will touch your generous souls. It brings light and love to dark thoughts. It engages and encourages everyone toage, make the ordinary and talents.

You will not only be e motto in weather action. We challenge our stud extraordinary each and every day. Higashi is a fountain of endless hope that renews and restores one to the potential know when we all work to storms brought on not only by mother nature, but also by life’s challenges. While on campus you will feeland your mood Thank you for being with us today. On w lighten. You will Challenge negativity and despair. You will Believe that spring will indeed arrive, and fulfill its promise of Best Regards, rebirth and new beginnings. Together, we will make life bloom.

Deborah Donovan Principal

APR 6

UPCOMING EVENTS

FORMAL DANCE

(HS, EP Students & Alumni)

6:30pm Lombardo’s

APR 8 APR 23

SPRING VACATION (No Day Program)

MAY 13

ROAD RACE 9:30 am - Noon Higashi Campus

APR 6 | EP Ladies’ Day of Beauty

12:30pm - 2:30pm APR 7 | Emergence Brunch at Lombardo’s 11:00am - 12:30pm APR 24 |

MAY 5 |

217 / 304 Program Reopens, Breakfast 8:30am - 9:45am Parent Collaboration Mtg., 10:30am - 12:00pm Open House / Guided Tour 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

For the latest news and events, visit our website at www.bostonhigashi.org

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Class Notes

WE LOVE LEARNING The snow has finally arrived! Even though it’s cold outside, this semester in the Middle School Division, things are just heating up!

We are hard at work compiling our best work to complete our MCAS portfolios. In Science classes we are making food chains from different environs and learning about various producers and consumers. In Communication classes we are working on using our core words to describe and sort various objects. Soon we will start to practice for Annual Celebration, which will be here before we know it!

CHEFS IN TRAINING During the month of January, students in the High School Division have been learning about cooking and how to prepare their own food. Each class chose an easy lunch meal to make, wrote out a shopping list, and went to the grocery store to buy the ingredients. The students all enjoyed making their lunch and eating it in the Culinary Arts room.

STUPENDOUS SCIENCE Blast off! Elementary started the new year learning about space. In Art class, they created their own rockets, they read about rockets in Language Arts, and in Math class they predicted how far the rocket would launch into space. At the end of the curriculum unit, all students participated in the rocket contest and had a blast!

EATING RIGHT IN EP This winter, the Emergence Program has been studying all about nutrition.

From the digestive process to identifying food groups, classes are learning what, when and how to eat the right foods to keep the body functioning properly and stay healthy.

It’s important knowledge during cold and flu season!

A BUSY SEMESTER! Junior High has been shifting gears not only in the classes, but across disciplines and cities - from snow shoeing in Randolph to Art in Boston and back.

“The thirst for Math is quenched, The pace for race improved, The peace of new skill upheld, And respect for love in February Is our portion.”

Residential Reflections DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY The 2017 Valentine Dance Party took place in the school gym on Wednesday, February 8. Love was in the air and so were the colors of the season – the gym was awash in pinks, purples, and reds. As usual, the mood was perfect for an evening of dance and merriment. All our students seemed to be having the best time of their lives. Many parents and siblings joined us on the dance floor, too. Higashi alumni were also well represented, and we enjoyed their company and love. Thank you to all who made the dance a success and fun for our students.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR(MAIL) Flowers, candy, red hearts and cards. That’s what Valentine’s Day is all about, right? Well maybe not. The younger divisions (Middle school and Girls) celebrated Valentine’s Day in style. Music filled the air as they performed some seasonal favorites, then danced with family and friends. The rush to send “Letters to Cupid” marked the climax of the night. All of this fun was crowned with a big heart bursting with fun goodies and yummy cookies, and the students’ laughter made all the difference. What a fun event!

Photos from the Winter Dance and Party, and the recent Valentine’s Dance and Party.

A NEW YEAR BRINGS NEW CHALLENGES AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES ~ A NOTE FROM CHRISTOPER WHITE It has already been two months since the beginning of the new year, and I just wanted to give you an update on all we have been doing at the Residence. We welcomed two additions to our Activity Leaders’ team. Karina is heading up our PE component, and Laura is heading up our Social Communication curriculum after school. This is in addition to Jared heading up Music, Robert as head chef for our CA Program and Danielle at the helm of everything Art. These positions have been so helpful enriching our students by bringing them consistent after school activities.

In the area of Recreation and Community, Makiba, our Recreational Coordinator, is helping us plan special trips to the Imax Theater at the Museum of Science, trips to the library to prepare us to visit the New England Aquarium, and in March going out to a movie theatre to see the newest release. It is always a tough time of year balancing inside and outside recreation due to the weather, and she, along with the directors, have really helped be on the look out for new venues.

At the Residence we have been striving to be the best we can be for our students and families that we serve. The staff is involved in new trainings, which has lead to new ideas, and new ways to give more to our students and families. One of those new ideas is inviting families to participate in our Culinary Arts class. We have just completed this activity in the Young Adults division, and it was met with great success.

Lastly, one of the key things we have been working on is communication. It is so important that we as teachers and parents be “on the same page” for our kids. We have been reviewing this since the beginning of the new school year, and there isn’t a day we do not go over this as a team to make our communication to families better. We have been working so hard with Case Management, Directors, Master Teachers, and School/Residential Teachers to keep improving in this area, and we will continue to strive to make communication our strength. All the best for a prosperous year, and we cannot wait for you to join in some of our Residential activities with your children.

A Trip of a Lifetime ~ Reflections from Japan

Parent Perspectives

Each year staff from the Boston Higashi School travels to the Musashino School in Tokyo for business and to attend the Annual Celebration. I had the honor to represent the Parents’ Association this year with Peter Garland, Mike Kelly, Paul and Kathy Fanning, and the research team consisting of Dr. John Maina, Yumiko Mori, and Rebecca Golden.

We had the pleasure of spending a day touring the different locations of the Musashino School. Unlike our campus where all grade levels are on one site, the Musashino School is spread out through the beautiful city of Tokyo. Our day began in the first grade where Mike and Peter presented a slideshow of our school and the Boston area. The students were very engaged and loved when Peter surprised them with his Bozo the clown nose!

At this location, we also toured a vocational site managed by the Japanese company Pasona Heartful, Inc. The crafters were busy making cards, soaps and pottery. They were so proud to show us the fine details of their artistic talents. We were so impressed with their work, we returned the next day to shop. When we returned it was Valentine’s Day, and they made each of us a special gift. As we shopped you could see the joy in their faces as many souvenirs were purchased.

Moving from the first grade, we had the opportunity to enjoy recess with the kindergarten children. They were engaged in everything from making mud pies to jumping rope and swinging. It was a beautiful spring day, and the energy level was high.

After lunch, we toured the High school and caught up with our old friend and former Residential Director, Mr. Ogi. It was quite impressive to see the whole school involved in cleaning the entire building after lunch. It was truly a community effort, and the students took such pride in their jobs.

Our final destination was Jr. High school, where each of us joined a group of 8 students to practice their English. The questions ranged from favorite sports, food, and colors. They were very energetic and silly at times.

We also reunited with former Higashi staff at the Welcome Party. It was an honor to meet the founding teachers that had been in Natick when the school opened in 1987. The trip came full circle for me when I reunited with Mr. T., who was part of the admissions team when my daughter, Andrea, started in 2004. I also reconnected with her first teacher, Natsu, who now has a beautiful daughter of her own. She shared pictures she had of Andrea and her classmates from the early days.

The Annual Celebration was magnificent. The dance team dazzled us with their costumes and moves. The band and violin ensemble played harmoniously. It was an entertaining show, and the closing remarks were so true, “It’s better to walk in the dark with a friend then to walk in the light alone.” So, as we continue our Journey with our founding school in Tokyo, we know we always have a friend no matter what challenges face us.

It was an honor to represent the Boston Higashi school in Tokyo, and I will cherish the memories.

Upper left: The vocational site run by Pasona Heartful, Inc. Upper right: At the Welcome Party where Mr. Terada, President of Musashino Higashi, was given a Rob Gronkowski jersey. Go Pats!

- Cheryl Begnal, Higashi Parent

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Get Connected...

We love being social! Now it’s even easier to keep up with all that’s going on inside the walls of Higashi.

We’re pleased to announce our new Blog page, Higashi Happenings, is now live! On it, you can catch up on the latest classroom news, read about our recent visitors, and keep up with new research initiatives on campus. You can even subscribe, so that new content automatically makes it to your inbox.

To check out our blog, please visit: https://bostonhigashischool.blogspot.com Or, you can click the Blogspot “B” icon at the bottom of our homepage under “Get Connected.” See you online!

. . . through Technology . . . with Higashi Apparel

Greetings from the BHS Parent Association.

We are gearing up for Spring with another sale of Higashi branded items at the Road Race in May. We hope to have towels, blankets and more to purchase. All proceeds will go towards Annual Celebration and Bon Dance needs. Thanks to our successful fundraising and your donations in the Fall and Winter, we were able to sponsor the ever-popular photo booth at the upcoming Formal Dance!

Did you know, a new Higashi Store is in the planning phases on campus? We’re hoping to be able to sell some PA items as part of the school’s larger store / vocational jobsite concept. Stay tuned for more information!

Have you taken the opportunity to join one of our Parent Trainings yet?

It’s a great way to become part of the Higashi Family. Our goal, as a school, is for all of our students and their families to experience a high quality of life. This means being able to participate in the community, being able to sit appropriately at the table at home or at a restaurant, being able to visit relatives and enjoy time spent with family, and many other activities, big and small. This is not easy! We are here to help.

Our Parent Trainings are listed in the calendar, and typically occur the last Wednesday of every month. Each month the topic is different, as is the format. However, what doesn’t change is the commitment our staff bring. They want you to be able to share your frustrations, your challenges, and your successes with each other, and with us. Our founder, Dr. Kitahara, was a firm believer in ensuring that parents and teachers work together to support the unique learning style of each student. Won’t you please join us? All parents and family members are invited - any time. If there are ever any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact Heather Katz at heather.katz@bostonhigashi.org.

. . . with Parents and Teachers . . . to other BHS Alumni The Winter/Spring 2017 session of our Continuing Adult Education Program started on January 21st, and will continue until April 1st. Thirty-eight former students registered, and the number of the participants has steadily increased since the launch of the program in September 2015. Participants enjoy music/jazz band, swimming, art, and, new this session, Zumba/yoga classes with their caretakers. It is such a pleasure for us to have former students back on campus and to interact with their parents and caretakers. We would like to expand this program by incorporating new activities/classes and contribute to making the lives of our former students more fulfilled.

For more information about our Alumni programming, please visit: www.bostonhigashi.org/alumni or sign up for our mailing list, and never miss an event!

STAY TUNED FOR SUMMER SESSION PROGRAM INFORMATION ~ COMING JULY 2017! ~

8 Development News New Initiatives Bring Excitement, Invite Collaboration With multiple projects in the works, the Development Department is busy scrambling for funding to support a number of new initiatives. We hope to have a new Higashi Store open for business at the main entrance to the school within the next several months. Work should soon begin on the renovation of Marble Hall, bringing our students, staff and parents a much needed and updated gathering spot.

Photo above: An architect’s rendering of the proposed Higashi Store. The store will be located in the former small conference room in the main entryway of the building near “Kay’s Desk.” We anticipate that the store will provide increased opportunity for family and friends to purchase Higashi apparel, ceramics, artwork, and other items that promote our “Higashi spirit.”

As enrollment continues to grow at an unprecedented rate, there is a growing need for new classroom and dormitory space. By late spring, we will be looking to rehabilitate the third floor of the DeSales building to accommodate new students. At the same time, we are hoping to upgrade our music and art spaces as they are in dire need of new space, increased storage and more contemporary quarters for our growing music and art programs.

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Wonderous Winter 5

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Greenhouse Update: We’re Excited for Spring!

As the snow begins to melt, the days get a bit longer, the warm noontime sun reminds us that spring is right around the corner. It is almost planting time. With a new greenhouse ready for annuals and vegetables, and a student body anxious to get their hands dirty and experience the magic of horticulture, it is also time to give thanks.

Left: Our progress as of November, and below: The greenhouse is built and ready for planting!

Due to the generosity of the John W. Alden Trust and countless other donors, our greenhouse is up and ready to go. As you may know, our #GivingTuesday initiative this year was to raise $5,000 to purchase potting benches, storage, fertilizer, fertilizer injector, plant material, soil, trays and containers to outfit our new greenhouse. Thanks to your generous support, we not only reached our $5,000 goal, we doubled it! We couldn’t be more excited for spring.

In the weeks and months ahead, please stop by and see what’s growing in the new state-of-the art Higashi Greenhouse.

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Photos 1-6: Winter Music Festival; photos 7-8: December Sibling Day; photos 9-10: Outdoor Adventures; photos 11-16: February Sibling Day; photo 17: Residence Winter Party

To see more event photos, “Like” us on Facebook!

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Community Connections On Monday, November 21st Trenni Kusnierek, Sports Anchor/Reporter at Comcast Sportsnet New England stopped by for a visit. As an avid jogger and mental health advocate, Trenni observed our morning run, interacted with our students, and was very impressed with programs. As one extremely busy person, we are grateful for her visit and hope to see her again in the not too distant future.

On January 31st, State Representative Keiko Orrall visited Higashi, was able to see some classrooms in action, and took a tour of our campus. Representative Orrall is a Republican currently representing the 12th Bristol District in the general court. She was especially interested in Higashi because of both her Japanese descent, and her previous work as a public school teacher.

“Creative Inspirations”: Higashi Artwork at MassArt Boston Higashi School had another successful art exhibition at Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston. The Exhibition was held from February 7th through February 17th at the Arnheim gallery. This year, the art department focused on sharing our art education with the students at Mass Art majoring in art education. We wanted to share what our students see and feel about things around them, and how the art teachers help them create their view by using simple shapes and topics, vibrant colors, and clear lines. At the reception, we were able to talk and share thoughts with many of the Mass Art students and professors. Five students from the Elementary Division went to demonstrate a drawing activity. It was a great success! Thank you to all the parents who came to visit the exhibition.

And for those who missed it, don’t worry we are planning to have our own art show at Boston Higashi School soon!

Special thanks to Aya Kolwaite, Elementary School Art Teacher; Leniese Gatto, Middle School Art Teacher; Katie Giguere, Junior High School Art Teacher; Hilary Holmes, High School Art Teacher; Hisako Tanaka, Emergence Program Art Teacher; and Carmine DeCicco, Art Division Assistant.

On December 1st, our Higashi Jazz Band was asked to perform at EMC’s 7th Annual Pinball Wizard Contest and Vendor Fair, in celebration of the “International Day of People with Disability.” After the band’s performance and pizza lunch, they even got a chance to try their hands at some pinball wizardry of their own! Needless to say, our Jazz Band members are looking forward to next year’s event!

Left: Crab walking with style. Check out how high his crab legs are being lifted!

Bravo!

Right: Who Let the Dogs Out? Performing a picture-perfect doggie walk.

Left: Bear walking with ease.

Below: Taking a bow after impressive performances.

Elementary Students Shine in Gymnastics

Photo left: A close up of the delicate wall hangings by the Emergence Program.

Photo center: A wide shot of one side of the gallery, displaying work from Elementary, Middle School, Junior High, and High School divisions. Above: Emergence Program student Dominic Killiany, a successful artist in his own right before coming to Higashi, poses with his proud parents next to several of his intricate acrylic paintings.

The students and teachers of the Elementary division recently displayed their hard work and talents in their second annual gymnastics recital! Students tuned into their inner animal and performed different gymnastic skills such as the Dog Walk, Bear Crawl, the Pencil Roll, the Crab Walk and the Duck Walk.

Fellow BHS students, staff, and parents came to support and cheer on the Elementary gymnasts and everyone seemed to have a great time enjoying the performance. The students and teachers of the Elementary division would like to thank everyone for their support; we are proud of their hard work!

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BOSTON HIGASHI SCHOOL 800 North Main Street Randolph, MA 02368 (781) 961-0800 www.bostonhigashi.org

NEW

&

NOTABLE

PGS 6-7

FEATURED ARTICLES: “GET CONNECTED!”

PGS 8-9

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

PGS 8-9

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

WONDERFUL WINTER: MAKING MEMORIES

PGS 3 - 4 | Class Notes, Residential Reflections PG 5 | Parent Association PGS 10 - 11 | Community Connections