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A MESSAGE FROM THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR How fast did the summer speed by us? With a little bit of disbelief that it’s October, we are sprinting ahead into Fall. Before I mention what changes the Fall brings TLC, I would like to reflect on the activities and accomplishments we recently had. We had a very successful camp this summer! We had 50 campers over the course of our 7-week camp program. Our Little Friends Camp had full enrollment the entire summer, and our Friends Together Camp had full enrollment for much of the summer. We are proud of our community for supporting us in voting TLC “Best of” in several categories of Washington Parent Magazine Parent Picks Reader’s Poll. We were voted “Winner” in several categories: 1) Camps & Summer Programs for Camps for Children with Learning Differences; 2) Schools & Education for Preschools: The Katherine Thomas School; and 3) Schools & Education for Schools for Children with Learning & Other Differences: The Katherine Thomas School. We were voted “Finalist” under: Schools & Education for Educational Assessment & Testing; Schools & Education for Test Prep & Tutoring; Children with Learning & Other Differences for Occupational Therapy; Children with Learning & Other Differences for Autism Spectrum Resources; Children with Learning & Other Differences for Speech-Language Pathology; Children with Learning & Other Differences for ADHD & Executive Function Coaching & Consulting; and Schools & Education for Private Schools. TLC was thrilled to be selected as the recipient of the 1st Annual Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce Large Nonprofit of the Year Award. I accepted the award on behalf of the organization at the GGCC Annual Picnic with a Purpose. We are proud of our dedicated and amazing staff who go above and beyond to serve the needs of our community to improve lives and expand possibilities!
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Our staff have been involved in many community events to raise the visibility of our organization. Denise Popevis and Owen Zack of the TLC Outcomes Service represented our organization at the Rockville Chamber Inaugural Business Expo, which highlighted the variety of businesses in the Greater Rockville region. TLC had a table and shared with the Everyone Works Collaborative, fellow providers, Kennedy Krieger, SEEC and Cornerstone. Michelle Lyons and Lisa Blue, representing TLC’s Marketing and Development Departments, participated in the Project Access Community Resource Fair in Gaithersburg at The Gateway to raise awareness of our services to the community. We had a great time meeting residents and other local organizations. And finally, we are excited about our move in early November from our Gaither Road Office to 1390 Piccard Dr Rockville, MD 20850. This is a huge undertaking, but it will all be worth it when we have a brand new, customized space to benefit both our clients and staff. We will be reaching out to the TLC community with updated information with details. To keep up with the latest TLC news (and there seems to be a lot of news lately!) please follow, like, and join our social media channels. Thank you for being a part of our community and supporting the individuals we serve.
Patricia Ritter, Ph.D. Executive Director, TLC - The Treatment and Learning Centers
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OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT SPEECH-LANGUAGE AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY DEPARTMENTS
DEPARTMENT UPDATES The Occupational Therapy department is pleased to announce their new collaboration with Our Lady of Mercy School in Potomac to provide services at their campus this school year. Other collaborations continue this Fall for screens at Washington Hebrew School and St. Andrews Episcopal School and for screens and onsite services at The Harbor School. We continue to provide Occupational Therapy services for the 3rd year with the Community Action Council of Howard County in their Head Start program. The Speech-Language Pathology Department is excited to offer Voice Therapy for both children and adults! Symptoms of a potential voice disorder can include: Rough, breathy, strained, strangled, or inconsistent vocal quality Abnormally high or low pitch/loud or soft volume Vocal fatigue or loss of voice after extended use Frequent coughing or throat clearing Pain while speaking or singing Constant or periodic feeling of a lump in the throat Episodes of breathing difficulties Frequently running out of breath while speaking or singing Voice-related gender dysphoria Loss of vocal range in pitch or volume
JOE NICOL, SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST VOICE AND UPPER AIRWAY PROGRAM AT TLC SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY DEPARTMENT
If you or your child are experiencing any symptoms, please feel free to contact us for more information about our Voice and Upper Airway Program or to schedule services: 301-424-5200 x159 or OutpatientScheduling@TTLC.org
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OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT
FREE SPEECH-LANGUAGE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AND HEARING SCREENINGS at TLC-The Treatment and Learning Centers
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OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT TESTING, TUTORING, AND COUNSELING DEPARTMENT
DR. MELISSA SMITH Director, Testing, Tutoring, and Counseling Department
TTC DEPARTMENT UPDATES Our partnership with Montgomery Child welfare has expanded. We currently provide evaluations for children leaving the foster care system (e.g., “aging out”) to ensure they have a solid understanding of their strengths and needs in order to receive the best services as they age out of care. We are now providing evaluations to children who are just entering foster care, so their case workers and families have a strong picture of their needs and can better serve them. We will be restarting our Head Start parenting group in partnership with Howard County Community Action Council. Our parenting group helps support parents so that they can provide the best support to their children. TTC restarted our reading intervention with Butler Montessori for the 2023-2024 school year. Through a wonderful partnership with this high quality Montessori school, we are able to meet the needs of students who need targeted reading intervention in order to be strong readers. We are starting up our Circle of Security Parenting Program in October. We have had strong enrollment and look forward to providing this service to TLC parents in the Fall and Spring.
We have welcomed 2 new externs for both our assessment and therapy. Through our partnership with psychology programs in the area, we are able to help develop the next generation of competent psychologists. Our Director, Dr. Melissa Smith, provided a workshop on executive functioning in adults to a women’s business group in September. Due to strong positive feedback, this presentation will be provided again for our supervisory team in the future. We have continued our partnership with Sidwell friends in performing psychological and neuropsychological evaluations for students in their upper school. We are planning to expand our services to their lower school this year.
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THE KATHERINE THOMAS SCHOOL COMMUNITY SUPPORT: NEW SCHOOL SUPPLIES The Katherine Thomas School extends heartfelt gratitude to Cheeriodicals and Helix Electric for their generous contribution of backpacks and school supplies for our lower and middle school students.
ROCKVILLE ROTARY GARDEN INDUSTRY > Rockville Rotary planted a bountiful garden in front of KTS. The garden includes native plants, pollinators, and vegetables. KTS has a new horticulture class, which is excited to study the plants in the garden. Biology classes will also study the garden. A living lesson! Culinary class will be able to use the vegetables for some healthy and mouthwatering bites. We are excited for support from Rockville Rotary for this educational new initiative!
Big thanks to Porsche Bethesda/Cindy and Quinn Burroughs for showing their generous spirits by donating school supplies benefitting our students!
KTS WELCOMES BACK STAFF KTS was thrilled so welcome back over 100 staff members for orientation! The week was jam packed with training in curriculum, instructional practices, team building and digging into student data as they prepared to receive students on September 5th. KTS staff concluded their weeklong orientation training with a visit from Mr. Softee's ice cream truck!
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THE KATHERINE THOMAS SCHOOL MEET CATHERINE FLAHERTY, CULINARY ARTS INSTRUCTOR Catherine Flaherty's path has been as rich and flavorful as the pastries she crafts. Today, she stands as the Culinary Arts Instructor at KTS, but her journey has not been a straightforward one. Catherine's story serves as a testament that passions can intertwine in the most unexpected ways. From Linguistics to Le Cordon Bleu Catherine pursued her Master's degree in Linguistics at Stanford University. She recalls, "I taught Language Arts for a few years right out of college. Then, after going back to school for my Masters, I worked for another 10 years for online education companies." But the heart often has its plans, and for Catherine, it was a fervent passion for cooking and baking. A stint abroad due to her husband's work led her to Paris, where she seized the opportunity to enroll in the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu. Upon returning to the U.S., her newfound skills landed her roles in various restaurants, culminating as the Executive Chef of Mah Ze Dahr bakeries in DC and Arlington. A Day at KTS Today, Catherine's role at KTS allows her to fuse her love for teaching with her culinary prowess. "Except for the fact that my classroom is a kitchen," she jests, her days are quite similar to other instructors. But the culinary classroom comes with its own set of adventures, from mopping floors to unclogging drains. An Insight into Her Pedagogy A strong emphasis on detail is perhaps the backbone of Catherine's teaching approach. Stemming from her culinary background, she remarks, "In food service, there's very little gray area... being detail-oriented is great for teaching." But beyond the intricacies of the art, Catherine brings something more valuable to her classes – the patience, creativity, and insights garnered from two decades of motherhood. Beyond the Classroom Describing herself as "Excited, Grateful, and Optimistic", Catherine cherishes moments outside of work, especially when immersed in gardening. The joy of planting bulbs and witnessing them bloom mirrors her philosophy towards teaching – sowing knowledge and watching students flourish. Inspiration and Influence For Catherine, the most profound influences have been her parents and her child. While her parents instilled the virtues of hard work, her child taught her the humility of relinquishing control. A special mention goes to her 8th grade English teacher, who gifted Catherine an assortment of her favorite books. This act of kindness not only shaped Catherine's perspective towards the world but also ignited her desire to become a teacher. The Path Ahead With an ever-evolving zeal to enhance her teaching skills, Catherine looks forward to learning and growing. As she brilliantly sums it up, "To learn things that will make me a better teacher by the end of the year than I was at the beginning. I think I'd want to have that goal every year." For those fortunate to be under Catherine's guidance, it's not just about recipes and culinary techniques; it's a journey through life, linguistics, and love for food.
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THE KATHERINE THOMAS SCHOOL
OCTOBER 12 Early Release Day (Staff Development) Mid-Quarter 1 TBD High School Dance (Wednesday: 4:00 PM-6:00 PM) TBD Picture Day 31 Early Release Day (Staff Development)
NOVEMBER 10 End of 1st Quarter; Early Release Day for All Students; Grading & Planning 10 Parent conferences only for Lower & Middle School students 17 Early Release Day (Grading and Planning) 22 High School Students vs. Staff Annual Basketball Game (10:00 AM-11:30 AM) 22 Early Release Day for All Students; Thanksgiving Holiday 23-24 No School; Holiday - Thanksgiving Break
DECEMBER TBD Picture Makeup Day and Senior Portraits TBD Middle School Winter Concert TBD High School Visiting Day for Families & Friends (Time to be determined) TBD High School Winter Concert ( time to be determined) 20 Mid Quarter 2 22 Early Release Day for All Students; Winter Holiday 12/25- 1/2 No School; Winter Holiday Break
JANUARY 2024 3 School Resumes 15 No School; Holiday - Martin Luther King Jr. Day 26 Early Release Day (Grading and Planning) TBD High School Mid-Term Review Week TBD High School Mid-Term Exams TBD Middle School Glow Party 26 End of 2nd Quarter; Early Release Day for All Students; (Grading & Planning); End of Quarter 2
FEBRUARY TBD HS Intersession Week - Artist In Residence (High School) 7 Early Release Day; Staff Development 16 Early Release Day: Staff Development 19 No School; President's Day
MARCH 5 EarlyRelease Day; Staff Development 8 Mid Quarter 3 TBD High School Dance (4:00 PM-6:00 PM) 22 Early Release Day for All Students; Spring Break 25-April 1 School Closed; Spring Break
APRIL 2 School Resumes 12 Early Dismissal; Grading and Planning; End of Quarter 3
MAY 3 Professional Development Day for Staff 17 Early Release Day (Lower/Middle School Grandparents and Special Friends Day); Mid Quarter 4 TBD Graduating Seniors and Family Breakfast 27 No School; Holiday - Memorial Day
JUNE TBD Prom 6:45-10 pm TBD Middle School Promotion 1pm 18 Early Release; Grading 18 High School Graduation Ceremony 19 No School; Holiday- Juneteenth 20 Early Release Day; Last Day for Students 21 Last Day for Staff Early Release Dismissal Times: No after-School programs on early release days. High School: 12:00 PM (after lunch). Elementary/Middle: 12:30 PM (after lunch). Preschool: *AM (9:00 - 11:00 AM)
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THE OUTCOMES SERVICE RECOGNITION OF DSP STAFF AT MONTGOMERY COUNTY INTERACC Montgomery County Community Services Inter-Agency Coordinating Committee on Developmental Disabilities (InterACC) honored Direct Support Professionals on September 13, 2023. TLC Outcomes staff member Khaled El Shafei, Community Resource Advocate, was honored at this recognition. Khaled has been a valuable teammate since 2018. Over the past five years Khaled has developed a strong rapport with all TLC stakeholders including persons served, families, community members and his teammates. Khaled arrives to work every day with a smile on his face and with the intention to put his best foot forward. Khaled places a high priority on loyalty and dedication to his job and those he serves. Khaled is the epitome of the TLC mission and values and demonstrates concern for the welfare and success of the organization by his daily actions. He is a strong support to his colleagues both old and new, contributing to ideas and assisting with training and onboarding new staff. Khaled is a pleasure to work with!
DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH
DOWN SYNDROME AWARENESS MONTH
October is National Disability Employment Awareness
In the 1980s, the National Down Syndrome
Month. This year is extra special because 50 years ago on September 26, 1973, President Richard Nixon signed into federal law The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as Amended (Rehab Act). This federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by federal agencies, in programs receiving federal financial assistance, in federal employment and in the employment practices of federal contractors. The Rehabilitation Act laid the establishment of the more comprehensive Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Both of these laws continue to be vital tools used to advance access and equity for workers from historically underserved communities. National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) occurs every October. This month recognizes the many contributions of people with disabilities for support of America's workplaces and economy.
Society participated in the efforts to have October proclaimed “Down Syndrome Awareness Month,” or “DSAM.” The purpose of DSAM is to raise awareness and celebrate the many abilities of our loved ones with Down syndrome. Down Syndrome in America today: 400,000+ Americans live with Down Syndrome. Life expect.ancy is now 60 years old. Only 40 years ago in 1983 life expectancy was 25 years old. Most people in America now function in the mild to moderate range of cognitive impairment. 6,000 Americans are born annually with Down Syndrome. *Bullets from National Down Syndrome Society and Special Olympics
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THE OUTCOMES SERVICE THE CHANGING INTERVIEW LANDSCAPE BY KAREN MORGRET, DIRECTOR OF VOCATIONAL SERVICES AND QUALITY ASSURANCE The process for a candidate to apply for a job and be hired has changed greatly over the past few years and this is especially true since the pandemic when employers need workers and are having difficulty hiring workers. Applying has changed from most employers having paper applications to most employers having online applications.Today’s candidate in many instances for entry level jobs not only complete an application, but they now answer behavior, personality tests and online skills type questions that must be responded to. A newcomer over the last few years has been the use of Artificial Intelligence for an interview. In some cases, this is the only interview and in other cases this interview occurs first followed by an in-person interview after the AI interview if an applicant passes the AI interview. Today AI is mostly used during the first round of interviews to decrease the number of candidates that recruiters and hiring managers will then interact with personally. What is AI and interviewing (Automated Video Interviewing)? AI interviews use artificial intelligence to assess job candidates. These are one-way automated interviews have an applicant respond pre-selected questions. The questions are the same for all candidates applying for a particular position The responses to the questions are recorded via computer or phone at any time of day or night (many ask them to be completed in a specific time frame). Often candidates can re-record a response before submitting if they don’t like the response they provided. The answers can be recorded at any time and then saved for interviewers to review later. HireVue and Pymetrics are some of the most common platforms that
Why do employers use AI for interviewing? Employers using this technology feel this type of interview typically shortens the hiring process, making it less costly for companies to find the right candidates. At fundamental level
companies use for these types of evaluations.
AI interviews use artificial intelligence to assess job
It is also important to note that not all video interviews
candidates, then the hiring manager will take those pre-
use AI technology. Some interviews are just a recording of a video, which will then be watched by hiring managers. Others will involve AI processing different types of data collected during the video. Are employers using this and who is using this? Many employers are now using AI interviewing including local retail business of Target, Walgreens, and most recently CVS. Other employers using this include Hilton, Amazon and many others.* *Why are employers using this and the future outlook Per 41 AI Recruitment Statistics 2023 (Facts & Hiring Trends) By Daniel Ruby / July 6, 2023 https://www.demandsage.com/ai-recruitment-statistics/
candidates. Some use systems that select the most promising selected videos and see how they measure up against the key competencies they are looking for in the job. AI Interviews the facts By 2024 it is anticipated that 43% of companies plan or will adopt some form of AI interviews 15% believe in the future AI will be used to make decisions on candidates without human input The AI recruitment industry is $590.50 billion as of 2023 The future of AI recruitment AI recruitment is projected to grow significantly over the next decade. This industry has grown from $380.6 million in 2020. This industry is expected to grow to $942.3 million by 2030.
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THE DEVELOPMENT DIGEST RECENT TLC GRANTS AWARDED HSC FOUNDATION
The HSC Foundation awarded KTS with life enrichment funds for transition services. The HSC Health Care System at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. combines the resources of a health plan, pediatric hospital, home health agency, and rehabilitative therapy to serve and empower families with complex healthcare needs.
THE LIFE ENRICHMENT AWARDS PROGRAM (LEAP) The Life Enrichment Awards Program (LEAP) provides grants to support youth and young adults with disabilities and chronic illnesses in the D.C. area to help them make successful transitions to adulthood. TLC and KTS have enjoyed a dynamic and impactful partnership with LEAP for more than a decade. This year, KTS was awarded a technology grant to purchase Chromebooks and software for our students with learning differences that will help them be successful in post-secondary education and/or the workplace.
THE SPECIALIZED MOBILITY CAPITAL GRANT PROGRAM
The Specialized Mobility Capital Grant Program is managed by the county’s Department of Transportation. This year, KTS received a grant to fund the purchase of a 2023 sevenpassenger van for use in its’ Community Integration Program and to serve other school transportation needs.
Fall
Luncheon
Please join us for a celebration in honor of our TLC Champions
Bill and Ginny McDonald
Thursday, November 9, 2023 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm Lakewood Country Club 13901 Glen Mill Road Rockville, Maryland 20850 RSVP by November 1st by contacting Turk Lewis at 240-813-6955, TLewis@ttlc.org or register online at ttlc.org/event/fall-luncheon/
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THE FAMILY HEARING CENTER LATEST NEWS
FALL INTO SAVINGS As a special offer to help you enjoy the sounds that the Fall season brings, we want to offer a limited-time savings of $400 off* per set (2) of hearing aids at Premium level technology.
Prolonged exposure to the sounds of leaf blowers, power tools, motorized vehicles, sporting events and concerts can all lead to irreversible hearing damage. Fortunately, you can take steps to keep your ears safe and prevent permanent hearing loss.
Leave the leaf blowing to the professionals Leaf blowers become a necessity once fall is in full swing, but they represent an extreme noise hazard. The sound produced by some leaf blowers at close range can cause permanent hearing damage in fewer than 15 minutes. If you aren’t willing to hire a professional landscaper to do the work, consider replacing older models of leaf blowers with newer models that offer reduced decibel output. Even the quietest leaf blowers available will gradually damage your ears, so always wear quality or custom earplugs during yard work.
Talk to your audiologist about hearing protection Your audiologist can help you find a solution for protecting your hearing that fits your lifestyle. Options for protecting your hearing without compromising your performance are available for a wide range of activities. From specialty musician’s plugs that let you hear the notes risk-free to hunter’s plugs that enhance ambient noise while protecting your hearing from gunshots and explosions, a solution exists for all activities and lifestyles. Interested in custom earplugs or other hearing protection options? Call The Family Hearing Center today at (301) 738-1415.
THE TREATMENT AND LEARNING CENTERS 2092 Gaither Road Suite 100 Rockville, MD 20850 (301) 424-5200 | info@ttlc.org | www.ttlc.org