Higashi Higashi Highlights
Spring 2017
Challenge
Believe
Together
Autism Awareness Month
At Higashi we celebrate children with autism every month, not just once a year on April 2nd. However, Autism Awareness Month provides a unique opportunity to engage with the greater community, and give our students opportunity to shine! www.bostonhigashi.org • Helping children with autism exceed expectations since 1987 • (781) 961-0800
The Principal’s Perspective
A Message from the I would like to thank everyone for joining
What is Daily Life Therapy®? As Boston Higashi School approaches itstake 30ththis anniversary, wetoare opportunity welcome all of our often asked this essential question. Other inquiries generally follow. Is it a prescriptive therapy? This is a special year as the Boston Higashi Sc Is it a developmental theory? Is it a state of mindfulness? Is it evidence based? Is it a combination have passed quickly so please allow me, on of everything aforementioned? Our founder, Dr. Kiyo Kitahara broughtappreciation Daily Life Therapy to the to all staff, past and present, a United States from her well-established school in Tokyo. Since the inception of the Musashino School’s establishment, growth and success School in 1960, almost 20 years of direct observation and her own part action research, coupled of this organization and it is a pleasur have faithfully the Boston Higashi Sc with testimony from parents and professionals about its positive effects, shaped the served philosophy we see today. She crafted and refined her interventions and educational practices based upon Our staff has worked with great diligence t the responses that she saw with the children with autism enrolled inovercome her school. She watched many challenges to perform in to students improve as they acquired and maintained a daily rhythm of life. Perhaps Daily their performance andLife look forward to the breaking the barriers of autism and achiev Therapy is best defined as a conceptual model of education that is well suited for persons with autism spectrum tion to our and benefactors, fa disorder. At its core, it is an educational approach that provides the essence of a symbiotic coupling thatsupporters entwines the school and our mission. strands of social-emotional and cognitive learning. Please enjoy the 25th Annual Celebration!
Sincerely, At Boston Higashi School, our classrooms employ explicit and intentional practices that help students engage in the process of learning and cultivate skills in all major domains. Teachers play an ongoing role in creating the climate in their respective classrooms and divisions that supports active learning, collaboration and positive engagement. In addition to specific goals and objectives, we strive to cultivate awareness of self, others, and the environment. We model kindness, both interpersonal and intrapersonal. To implement Daily Life Therapy with integrity and fidelity, it takes ongoing, job embedded training in which staff are constantly learning. This requires deep attention to every moment with intensive focus beyond simple actions and reactions. Daily Life Therapy takes into account the underlying It is my joy to welcome you to the 2012 An motivation, context and reinforcement while considering the past, present and future that triangulates all behavior. It gether. It is the 25th Annual Celebration pe can never be reduced to basic cause and effect or just data points on a graph. for this school year is CELEBRATE. We have
A Message from th
legacy of our founder, Dr. Kitahara, and the
theindirectly. enduring and friendship w Research has identified five positive emotions that effective teachers promote both directlytoand Theysustaining are our alumni and their families encapsulated within our heart to heart education: joy, appreciation, engagement, hope andacknowledge pride. Our interactions We cherish our students, families and frien are vital as they create the environment that supports ongoing adaptations to social relationships, and academic and practical learning. We view relationships as the cornerstone upon which we build and Our anchor all teaching and performance today will touch your hea age, trump and talents. You will learning. Our staff must remain in a frame of mind that is non-judgmental where reflection can reactivity. We not only be ent motto action. We challenge our studen acknowledge that things might be very challenging but we persist and remain stalwart in the beliefinthat all students potential and know when we all work toge have within them the capacity to learn and grow. As Dr. Kitahara so aptly wrote, “Within every living child exists the Thank you for being with us today. On with most precious bud of self-identity. To search this out and foster it with loving care, that is the essence of education for Best Regards, the child with autism.” That is what Daily Life Therapy® is all about.
Deborah Donovan, Principal
JUN 25
UPCOMING EVENTS ALUMNI BRUNCH 11am-1:00 pm Lombardo’s
JUN 25
ANNUAL CELEBRATION
JUN 26 - JUL 9
SUMMER BREAK
2:30pm - 5:00 pm
King Philip Regional High School
(Vacation Program, June 27- 30, July 5-7)
JUL 10 | Parent’s Collaboration Meeting 9:30 am - Noon JUL 22 | Family Day 11:30 am - 3:30 pm JUL 28 | Sibling Day 9:30 am - 1:00 pm AUG 13 | Bon Dance Festival @ Higashi (Open to the Public) 3:00 pm - 5:30 pm For the latest news and events, visit our website at www.bostonhigashi.org
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Class Notes Will You Dance With Me?
WHERE IN THE WORLD? Along with gearing up for the upcoming Annual Celebration, the Middle School Division is also starting to prepare for our World’s Fair! Each class is learning about a different foreign country in order to educate their peers about the various customs, languages, money, landmarks and (most importantly) foods! In A class, Kana is teaching her students about Germany! Das macht Spaß!
This semester, the High School Division students kept busy and engaged with thematic academics. In Language Arts they studied works of fiction, including a student favorite, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Before April’s Formal Dance, they practiced their social skills, including asking their friends to dance. It takes some courage, but practice makes perfect! In math, they graphed the number of laps they ran daily leading up to our Road Race in May. (When you add them all up, it’s a lot of laps!) It’s been busy in High School, but we’re looking forward to what the summer schedule brings!
SPRING HAS SPRUNG! The Elementary Division started a new Science curriculum, “All About Plants.” We learned about the steps it takes to grow a flower, from adding soil, then planting the seeds, to watering them every day. Students planted seeds in their classroom pots, and will be studying them this month. With sunshine and loving care, we grow together! We are so excited to see what color each flower is going to be!
SO MUCH TO LEARN! Wow, the weather is finally nice and the Junior High Division is welcoming spring in many ways. First of all, in academics we are actively involved in the science of planting and learning about the process of growth. We are also working diligently on our reading skills with our unit on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. (Check out our bulletin board about the story!) In math, we continue to focus on money skills, and in the special subjects we are gearing up for Annual Celebration. June, here we come! Junior High is ridin’ high!
STUPENDOUS SCIENCE Students in the Emergence Program are gearing up for the Science Fair! Each class is focusing on a different area, including the Scientific Method and the Solar System, and are busy researching and experimenting. EP can’t wait to put their hard work on display for the Open Rehearsal day! As a unit capstone event, EP went to the South Shore Natural Science Center in Norwell as part of their science unit. Students studied animals and their habitats, including tadpoles and turtles. After a workshop, they enjoyed the center’s museum and hiking trails. It was a great trip to explore science in the community!
Residential Reflections ~ Spotlight on Junior High Division Our Residence Junior High students are all artists. They usually make Mother’s day cards every year, but this year they went a notch higher and made flower arrangements for their moms or someone special. Students were thinking about their mothers when making them, and their thoughts came out as flower arrangements. Teachers were very happy when they found out that their students expressed themselves in different artistic ways. One group went shopping at Trader Joe’s to get flowers. Derek was wearing a colorful T-shirt, and a cashier told him that it was a nice shirt. Then he told the cashier that her T-shirt was also cute. That communication with people from the community makes students happy and grow, we believe. After the Road Race, the students presented the beautiful Mother’s Day flower arrangements to their special someone. Such a beautiful surprise!
Greetings from the Parent Association! ~ Welcome Spring!
Parent Perspectives
The Boston Higashi Parent Association was happy to sponsor the Photo Booth and limousine tip for this year’s Formal Dance, as well as goodies at the May in service meetings for staff appreciation (check out the beautiful cake from Montilio’s below!). We are working on many things and would love your input. We have created a quick online survey for you to complete. Go to https://goo.gl/forms/dLGRaEODOk5jyT3u1 We have an upcoming fundraiser over the summer called Square1Art where you can order merchandise with your child’s art. Keep your eyes open for further information! Special thanks goes out to our many volunteers at Annual Celebration Costume Making events as well as the Road Race. If you have not signed up yet for the new parent online community at Bloomz, please do. We use Bloomz to update you about upcoming activities, volunteer opportunities as well as share ideas and special moments. It’s format is very similar to Facebook but is private. If you haven’t joined and want to: 1) Go to bloomz.com and click “Join Bloomz”. -or- Download the app and click “Create Account”. 2) In the text box, enter 36JANB, click “Next”, and create your account. 3) Once approved by the moderators, you’ll be up and running! If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel to contact me at jabsbo03@ gmail.com or on Bloomz. Julie Coppenrath, Parent Association President (& Mother of Helen in MS)
Development News Unprecedented Growth in Enrollment Sparks Renovations Due to this year’s unforeseen and unprecedented growth in new students, plans are underway to renovate the third floor of the DeSales Building (school building) to create 6 new classrooms and special subjects areas, expand research and clinical space, and make significant improvements to existing dormitory space, where 12 students currently reside. Demolition is scheduled to begin any day now and the entire project is expected to be completed this fall. With recent enrollment hovering between 155 – 160 students, it is anticipated that classroom expansion will allow for enrollment to peak at approximately 180 students. Once again, we have the in-kind services of Mr. Don Lonergan, Principal at DRL Associates, providing us with his architectural and design expertise. For almost two years now, Mr. Lonergan has donated his time, creativity and wealth of architectural experience to the Culinary Arts Kitchen Project, the first floor classroom renovation and the soon to be completed Marble Hall Project. We are so fortunate to be the recipient of Mr. Lonergan’s extreme generosity.
Images: (Left) Architectural rendering of the Marble Hall renovations, slated to begin this summer. (Above) Concept sketch of the new Higashi Store, currently in progress.
5 Rendering View of
Celebrating Autism Awareness: The month of April was filled with wonderful events, both at Higashi and in the greater community, that brought the topic of autism to the forefront. These partnerships, meetings, conferences, and performances showcase possibility, and give voice to the uniqueness that is life on the spectrum. Here are the highlights: KICKOFF TO APRIL (MARCH 28th) - Michael Maloney, Executive Director of the Organization for Autism Research (OAR) welcomed Mike Kelly, John Maina, and Rebecca Golden for a meeting at their headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. Founded in 2001, OAR uses science to address the social, educational, and treatment concerns of self-advocates, parents, autism professionals, and caregivers. By focusing on the practical value of research, OAR empowers programs to determine best practices for ameliorating the symptoms of ASD and creating the best lives possible for its constituents. APRIL 1 - Our Higashi Jazz Band was delighted to perform at the 10th Annual Teamsters Local 25 Gala for Autism at the Wang Center in Boston! Over 900 people attended, but despite the crowd size, they were consummate professionals, and their music was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Photos: (top and middle left, photos page right) Art Show works, and a proud Alum!; (middle right) Deb at the United Nations for World Autism Day; (above right) Meeting Michael Maloney at OAR headquarters; (left) Randolph Chamber of Commerce’s Business After Hours Event, held at Higashi; (left center) The Jazz Band pauses for a photo during preshow dinner at Ryles Jazz Club; (far left) The incredible lobby at the Wang Center. Note our Jazz Band in the righthand corner!
Building Relationships Globally and Locally
APRIL 2 - Once again, Principal Deb Donovan, Executive Director Mike Kelly, and Dr. John Maina, Director of Program Research, Evaluation & Development, celebrated World Autism Awareness Day at the United Nations. Although this year they were spectators, the energy in the room was palpable, and the global unity for this important cause was inspiring. Together, we can make a difference! APRIL 19th - Dr. John Maina shared his personal story, “One Man’s Journey, From Kenya to Randolph,” during a Randolph Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours event at Boston Higashi School on April 19th. It was well attended, and a great opportunity to share a family’s autism journey with those in the community. APRIL 26 - Our Jazz Band closed out the month at Ryles Jazz Club in Cambridge, MA, where they opened the night before performances from Milton Academy and The World Leaders. If you’ve never seen the Jazz Band at Ryles, it’s certainly worth checking out. Stay tuned to our website and Facebook page for upcoming performances! APRIL 28th - Art provides another way to give a voice, especially to students who may not be able to use words, to convey their messages and thinking. Our Art Show “Colorful Mind” brought together students, alumni, and artists from Massasoit Community College for a show in our new Pool Complex Building.
Community Spotlight: Liberty Bay Credit Union, proud partner of the Boston Higashi School “Through our partnership we’ve had the opportunity to tour the campus, observe classes and student/teacher interactions, and to attend and volunteer at events where students have displayed their many skills, talents and hard work. We are humbled by the drive and dedication of the Boston Higashi School’s staff, and inspired by the resulting pride and joy displayed by the students. Thank you to the Boston Higashi School for all that you do for our community and our children.” -Jill K. Amato, VP, Director of Corporate Communications
Congratulations Class of 2017 8 A New Chapter for our 2017 Graduates Our “Higashi Family” continues to grow. Almost 450 members of our Family gathered at Lombardo’s in Randolph on April 6th, to celebrate the next phase of the journey for our ten graduates at the 2017 Formal Dance. April weather can often be dreary, and this year was no exception. Although the weather was rainy, the smiles from all inside brought hopeful rays of light even the sun could not match! The ballroom was awash in blues and purples as our graduates made their grand entrances, pausing to present flowers to their mothers or a special staff member. After receiving their welldeserved diplomas, it was time to celebrate with food and dancing. And what a celebration it was! April always brings special rites of passage and treasured annual traditions for Boston Higashi. Our Formal Dance, Graduation and Emergence Brunch are always poignant times of great reflection and joyous celebration. These events make us take time from our busy schedules to pause and ponder how swiftly time passes. We congratulate our graduates, and wish them all the best as they begin the next chapter of their lives. The presence of so many alumni at our Formal Dance, and at so many other Higashi events throughout the year, is a true testament to the community that continues to thrive, even after graduation. We hope to see our new graduates at many events to come, and know that even as they embark on their separate journeys, they will always remain stitched together, a part of the fabric that makes up our “Higashi Family.”
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Ladies’ Day of Beauty
Formal Dance & Graduation
Emergence Brunch
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Campus Happenings On March 9th, we had amazing musical visitors from several corners of the globe! LA Opera Artist in Residence Matthew Aucoin presented on the basics of composition, Sayo Kosugi (who arrived from Tokyo 24 hours earlier) & violinist Alex Shiozaki demonstrated some of Sayo’s music, and Chad Cannon showed some excerpts from his film music (complete with animation clips that enthralled our students). Thanks for sharing your many talents with us!
On April 29th, alumna Nana Ochiai, her mother Noriko, and her brother, Takeya visited BHS with Takeya’s art teacher, Keith Brownlee from Chicago, IL and her friend, Dr. Miwako Hosoda. Keith is a painter, sculptor, designer, and fabricator with a love for turning an idea into a work of art. Dr. Hosoda is the Vice-President of Seisa University in Japan. Takeya and Keith came to Boston for their art booth at the Japan Festival that was held on Boston Common on April 30th. All of them enjoyed the school tour given by Peter Gaitho, and were very interested in learning more about our art program.
Residence Soccer Matches Bring New England Revoultion Back to Campus! We welcomed back Daigo Kobayashi from the New England Revolution who joined us for some division soccer matches at the Residence on May 10th! The stands were full of students and teachers holding homemade signs, pompoms and noisemakers in support of their classmates. To make it “official,” the games began with the Star Spangled Banner, sung by students Nick, Antony, and Helen. We kicked off the event with Middle School Division, and a game of Red Light / Green Light using soccer balls to practice dribbling skills. Then, the division matches began. The final standings: Junior High Division was defeated by High School A; Girls Division dominated over EP Girls Division; EP Boys apartments 1&3 beat apartments 2&4; Young Adults triumphed over High School B. After the games, students tried their best penalty kicks against Mascot Slyde, and even got autographs from Daigo! Thanks Revs for a great night! Photos: (Left) YA pose for a team photo, (center) a photo op with mascot Slyde, (right) autographs with Daigo!
Cristo Rey High School in Boston helps make a private, college-preparatory education affordable for young people from some of the most economically challenged areas in and around Boston. Their Work Study Program partners with Boston area businesses to introduce and prepare students for the world of work. Since January, the Boston Higashi School has employed Anne Hector, a freshman at Cristo Rey. Anne reports to the Business Office every Tuesday for her 8 hour shift helping out with Development, Human Resources and IT. Anne is a quick learner and her beautiful smile helps brighten up our Tuesdays – thanks Anne!
Above, right, below left: Road Race day brought Higashi pride to one and all on May 13th!
Below: An amazing crew represented Higashi at the 17th Annual Evan’s Run 5K on May 21st! The race not only supports a great cause, but is a wonderful opportunity for students to generalize their acquired running skills to the community.
The International Meeting For Autism Research (IMFAR) provides Autism Spectrum Disorder researchers from around the world the opportunity to share their findings in the rapidly changing field of scientific investigation. Mike Kelly, Deb Donovan, Dr. Ann Roberts, and Dr. John Maina represented Boston Higashi School at this year’s annual meeting in San Francisco. Below: Ann and Deb (far left and right), met up with Dr. Ha and Dr. Araki at the conference.
We Run for Fun! Our annual Road Race was held on Saturday, May 13th, and although predicting May weather is always a challenge, the rain held off so our students could compete. This year’s races once again included 1 mile, 2 mile, and 5K distances, all of which were professionally timed by parent Julie Coppenrath and RaceWire! A very special thanks to several companies who gave up their Saturday to come pitch a tent and add to the very festive atmosphere: Liberty Bay Credit Union, New England Revolution Soccer, and New Balance! Our students once again proved that champions are not born, they are made, through hard work, dedication, and a drive to succeed. Congratulations!
BOSTON HIGASHI SCHOOL 800 North Main Street Randolph, MA 02368 (781) 961-0800 www.bostonhigashi.org
NEW
&
NOTABLE
PGS 6 -7
FEATURE STORY: AUTISM AWARENESS
PGS 8-9
CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2017
PGS 10-11
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
CAMPUS HAPPENINGS
PGS 3-4 | Class Notes, Residential Reflections PG 4 | Parent Association PG 5 | Development News