THE
CoveConnection
Cove’s Mission and Vision Statements
A quarterly publication for the Cove Community
The Cove School provides highly individualized education and life strategies for children with learning disabilities. The Cove School, a private K – 12 day school, is a national leader in educating children with learning disabilities. Cove was founded by pioneers in the field of learning disabilities in 1947. Cove provides children from diverse backgrounds with an individual educational experience in a safe and respectful environment. Cove’s dual purpose is to provide students with customized learning strategies to complete an academic curriculum and to facilitate the development of their social, emotional and self-advocacy skills. Cove’s approach to learning creates an environment for students to build the self-confidence necessary to make a successful transition to their community schools, or to make post-secondary choices. THE
CoveConnection
The Cove Connection is a quarterly publication circulated to parents of the Cove community. The content is provided by teachers, staff, and administrators. Photography and layout are handled by Abby Lasky, Development and Communications Coordinator. All questions regarding the Cove Connection can be directed to Abby at alasky@coveschool.org, or by calling (847)562-2100 ext. 2221. Your suggestions and
A Focus on Continuous Improvement By Dr. Sally Sover, Executive Director
The Cove School is dedicated to serving the needs of students with complex learning disabilities – a mission that requires our school to continuously grow and learn from colleagues in the community, experts in the field, and professionals who span the country and abroad. While professional development is an ongoing practice at our school, the past couple of months have been exceptional. On January 19th, the Cove staff participated in an all day in-service on the Neuropsychology of Reading Disorders. Dr. Steven Feifer, an internationally renowned speaker and author in the field of learning disabilities, presented to over 150 professionals throughout the community. The workshop examined reading from a brain-based educational perspective and classified developmental reading disorders into four distinct subtypes. Recommendations for evidence-based interventions were provided for each type with suggestions for assessments as well. Dr. Feifer is a frequent presenter at the Learning and the Brain conferences and has authored several books that have led to the numerous awards he has received. Cove was very fortunate to have this opportunity at our school, which is a direct result of the Cove @ 65 Campaign that funds thought leadership presentations like this one each year at the school. In February, the Learning Disabilities of America (LDA) held their International Convention at the Hyatt Hotel on Michigan Ave. Over 1200
participants from around the globe attended this four-day event that included speakers and presentations from some of the greatest experts in the field. Cove School was well represented by our staff as attendees, exhibitors, and speakers on the following topics of interest: • Dr. Robin Johnstone presented at a poster session entitled, “Engaging the Unengaged in Writing: Students as Digital Book Reviewers” • “Everyone Needs a Friend” – a workshop
feedback are welcome!
Inside this Issue
Spring 2015
continued on back page Executive Director Director of Education Professional Learning Clinical Connections Cougar Pride
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Elementary and Junior High Updates 5 Cove Musical 5 Internships 6 Technology 7
V-Show/Project Fair 8 Kindness Connection 8 Student Insights 9 Parent Association 10 Wellness Day 11
Black History Month LDA Conference Cove 5K
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From the Desk of the Director of Education By John R. Stieper, III
Although we had three snow days this winter, only two snow days were built into this year’s academic calendar. This means that we still need to make up one snow day before the end of the school year. While Thursday, March 26, was originally scheduled to be our first full day of spring parent-teacher conferences, Thursday, March 26 is now a student attendance day and will now serve as a snow day, make-up day. Parent-teacher conferences will now be held the afternoon of Thursday, March
26, 2:15 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., and then Friday, March 27, 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Your child’s case manger will be contacting you to schedule a parent-teacher conference. If your child had an IEP meeting scheduled around this time, you do not need to schedule a parent-teacher conference. However, parents are always welcome to schedule a parent-teacher conference during these times, even if they recently had an IEP meeting. You are an important member of your child’s team. Parent-teacher conferences are a great opportunity to connect with your child’s teachers on how your child is progressing within his/her classes and towards his/her IEP goals. When a child knows that frequent communication between parents and teachers is occurring,
this helps reinforce the student’s sense of being supported by home and school, as well as reinforces the importance of education. I encourage you to contact your child’s case manger and teachers at anytime during the school year with any questions. Please know that you do not have to wait until parent-teacher conferences to schedule a conference with your student’s teachers. We believe our partnership with you, our parents, is vitally important to the success of our students. I look forward to seeing you at parent-teacher conferences, and thank you for your ongoing partnership with us in helping our students to succeed. Warm Regards, John R. Stieper, III
The Cove Annual Benefit “Miracles Happen Here” By Alexandra Argentar, Director of Development
On February 28, 2015, The Cove School Annual Benefit “Miracles Happen Here” took place at the Loews Chicago O’Hare. This year the benefit was attended by a record 615 people. Cove students participated in the evening by selling “light-up” buttons that entitled guests to participate in a game of Heads or Tails. Proceeds from the effort totaled over $15,000 which directly benefits Cove’s Scholarship Fund. The evening’s live auction was successful,
raising over $95,000 with packages that included tickets to Saturday Night Live, an exclusive Olympic experience and several Chicago sports packages. The silent auction raised a record $73,000 and the paddle raise totaled over $190,000 and corporate sponsors contributed over $88,000. Benefit volunteer chairs included Harriet Seitler, Betsy Ellen, Beverly Petersen, Joseph Hickey, Allan and Karen Grane and Rebecca Blase.
Professional Learning #ICE15 By Mark Fijor, Technology Coordinator
Each February, teachers from The Cove School descend upon St. Charles, Illinois to attend and participate in the annual ICE (Illinois Computing Educators) Conference. Teachers from all over the Midwest flock to the Pheasant Run Resort and Mega Center to learn about the latest trends and best practices in educational technology from local teachers, businesses and national experts. Karen Bellak, Grace Frantz, Elizabeth Hanzel, Corey Hillman, Alex Laube, and Ruth Miller all attended the conference and had the opportunity to collaborate and share experiences with co-workers, colleagues, and other educators from the entire state.
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Topics of learning included but weren’t limited to: Google Classroom, 1:1 Computing, STEAM, Makerspaces, Computer Coding, Technology Tools for Reading, GoAnimate, SMART Board Tools, and Google Apps for Education. We look forward to our teachers being able to share their experiences with the rest of the Cove staff, and we can’t wait to see all the amazing lessons and activities these types of professional development opportunities can provide to help keep Cove on the cutting edge.
Clinical Connections
By Dr. Robin Johnstone, Ph.D., NCSP Clinical Director
What is PARCC and what does this mean for our students? PARCC is an acronym for the Part-
nership for Assessment for Readiness for College and Careers. This is made up of eleven states who have come together to develop rigorous assessments in English Language Arts and Math. These assessments took the place of ISAT (Illinois State Achievement Tests) in grades 3-8 and the PSAE (Prairie State Achievement Examination) that was given to juniors in high school. Testing began on March 11, 2015. Tests were computer-based and required students to think critically and apply their knowledge. The new tests are more comprehensive. They assessed writing skills at every grade level in addition to critical thinking and problem-solving skills in an in-depth manner. For example, in math your
In order to prepare our staff and students for these new assessments, all have undergone training to introduce them to the test format and accessibility features on the computer. We also tested the compatibility with our technology infrastructure and the students’ interaction with the computer-based format. We found that most students found the tests more challenging, but also, very engaging. In particular, students liked the technology tools built into the test.
By Dr. Robin Johnstone, Ph.D., NCSP Clinical Director
Our school is proud to offer a comprehensive summer school program from June 12 until July 24. Classes will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. School will be closed on Friday, July 3. All Cove students who are attending summer school need to fill out a registration form. These forms and our brochure can be found on our website (www. coveschool.org ) If you are having trouble accessing this information, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or the front office. Registration forms should be turned in as soon as possible and no later than May 15, 2015.
Another difference is that the test will need to be taken twice this year. There is a Performance Based Assessment (PBA) which will be given between March 11-20, and an End Of Year (EOY) assessment will be given between April 28-May 15. In general, these tests
We found that most students found the tests more challenging, but also, very engaging. In particular, students liked the technology tools built into the test. child may have had to explain how they figured out the problem instead of just calculating an answer. Likewise, in language arts, your child had to read a passage, make inferences, and then respond to a prompt that includes persuasive writing.
Summer School is Closer Than You Think!
will be used to establish baseline data. Since this assessment is new to the State and the students this year, we will need to wait and see what type of results we obtain and how these results can be used in the future. Only select high school students this year have met the requirements to take this test. However, all high school students still have the option of taking an ACT test. Transition staff will inform you of your child’s options based on their grade level.
This year we will continue to offer academic classes in the morning which include reading, writing and math. In the afternoon, students can choose sports programs, a selection of fine arts, the culinary arts, and independent functioning within the community. STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) classes that focus on engineering, robotics, and programming will be continued. In addition, a new class is also being offered that focuses on maps & charts by introducing students to geographical concepts that will acclimate them to their own neighborhoods and expand their interests in the world around them. If you would like additional information or have some questions regarding your child’s eligibility for our summer program, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Robin Johnstone at rjohnstone@coveschool.org or 847-562-2100.
During the test sessions at Cove, every effort was made to reduce anxiety as we all took this in stride. All student identified modifications and accommodations were utilized. Once we receive the results of these tests, you will be notified.
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COUGAR PRIDE
POMS What an amazing season! The Poms Team learned 5 different dances this year and enjoyed performing during the pep assembly, variety show, and basketball games. They enjoyed teaching their teachers, parents , and friends about Poms and Cheerleading at our “Visitor Practice.� We made connections with the Cheerleaders during practices, the Bake Sale, and Carnation Sale. We are very proud of the Poms Team and all their accomplishments.
HS BASKETBALL The High School Basketball teams have had an outstanding season. Both the Blue and Yellow teams have overcome adversity and injuries to have a very successful season. They have proudly represented the Cove community with class and integrity.
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CHEERLEADING We had so much fun this season cheering the basketball team on! We learned over 15 cheers and had a great time mentoring the Poms girls! Go Cougars!
JH BASKETBALL We are very proud of the Junior High Basketball team for all of their hard work and making it to the Special Olympics State Championships. They finished the regular season with a 7-1 record and worked very hard not only on their basketball skills but on sportsmanship.
Elementary Update
Junior High Update
By Kristy Mengarelli, Elementary Case Manager
By Jan Diehl, Junior High Case Manager
During the month of February, our Junior High students enjoyed participating in the door decorating contest to celebrate Black History Month. Mrs. Aniolowski’s class read books throughout the month of February, and then they selected specific words to accompany each book. They decorated their door in a Wordle format. After reading Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech, “I Have a Dream”, each student in Ms. Diehl’s literacy class created his or her own “I Have a Dream” paper. The students included their personal dreams to make our world a better place. Also using the Wordle format, Mrs. Elfering’s students each chose a famous black person and then described him or her. Students in Ms. Fuerst’s class researched and found quotes about a famous black person. Mrs. Finnegan’s class tied their project into their social studies class and researched black inventors. After reading about Rosa Parks, Ms. Gerber’s class responded to “If I were Rosa Parks”. Students wrote about how they would have acted if they had been in her situation on the bus that day in Montgomery, Alabama. Every year, Cove School participates in a Project Fair. This year’s theme was Extraordinary! The theme is used to highlight the arts in education and create projects for science or social studies. The Elementary students work very hard on creating their projects to be displayed in the halls for the whole school to appreciate. The projects are kept on display throughout the night for the parents to visit during the Cove Variety Show. This year, Ms. Mengarelli’s class planted their own seeds, watched them grow, and displayed the extraordinary plant life cycle. Ms. Damato and Mrs. Franke’s class researched extraordinary animals and created a diorama of their animal habitats. Mrs. Campbell’s class worked on deep space concepts. The students made 2D and 3D models of super novas, comets, and a variety of stars (red dwarf, red giant, blue dwarf, blue giant, and space dust). Mrs. Petersen’s class created biographical reports on an important African American, and then made “caricatures” of them to be displayed. Mrs. Bender’s class created a project on biomes using creative materials to illustrate the habitat. Finally, Ms. Hollander’s class researched force and motion and created their own pulley system to help Sven cross the mountain. The elementary unit believes the Project Fair was a huge success due to the creativity of all the students! We can’t wait for next year.
We are looking forward to celebrating Earth Day in April! Our JH classes will be seeing Monkey Kingdom at Northbrook Court on April 17th. Topics and themes from this movie will be tied into our social studies classes.
Cove Spring Musical
By Dorothy-Jean Lloyd, Music, Drama and Digital Photography Teacher
QUEENIE
An original musical for the Junior High and High School students at The Cove School
SAVE THE DATES: Thursday, May 14th and Friday, May 15th The Gorton Community Center – Gorton Theatre - 7 p.m. 400 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest, IL 60045 Over 50 students at The Cove School will participate in this year’s musical. Jazz standards from the ‘Swing’ era will be featured in this original show. Prepare for an unforgettable evening! Questions: please contact Dr. Dorothy-Jean Lloyd - dlloyd@coveschool.org
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Internships Abound at The Cove School By Luisa Rapisarda, Transition Specialist
This year a record number of seniors have in-school and off-site internships. Cove students progress through a series of work and career related activities beginning in 8th grade through junior year to prepare them for the option of an out-of school internship in their senior year. Students begin working in the Cove School Store in 8th grade and continue
shadows each year to gain more information about a particular career. Additionally two junior/senior job-related field trips are scheduled during the school year. Seniors who have expressed prior interest in working, are in good standing academically, have met graduation requirements, and have completed the pre-vocational progression to be considered “job ready,”
These work experiences not only teach our students valuable work skills, but they additionally offer the learning opportunity to receive direction from less familiar adults and a chance to practice social skills with coworkers and customers. this experience, with increasing responsibilities during freshman and sophomore years. The freshmen and sophomores also participate in two job-related field trips to learn about a variety of career opportunities. Juniors at Cove may participate in an in-school internship, as their schedule permits, and if there is an area of interest that can be met. Juniors and seniors may participate in four job
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will be placed in an off-site internship in an area of interest two days/week during a portion of their school day. We are pleased to report that eleven of fifteen seniors have internships this year. The work sites include several businesses that have taken on students for the past two to four years, including Cove School classrooms and front office, Di Pescara Restaurant-Northbrook Court, Whitehall
of Deerfield, Anton’s Fruit Ranch-Highland Park, TJ Maxx-Northbrook, and Lake Forest College. New businesses this year include Jimmy John’s-Highland Park, Heinen’s Grocery-Glenview, The Auto Doctor-Evanston, Wilmette Park District, and Park View Fitness Center-Mundelein. Our students perform the duties of classroom aide, office assistant, cook’s assistant, ice cream server, gift shop and elder care aide, bagger/stock person, retail floor worker, mail room attendant, sandwich maker/customer service, floral department assistant, mechanic’s assistant, graphic design intern, and fitness center maintenance. These work experiences not only teach our students valuable work skills, but they additionally offer the learning opportunity to receive direction from less familiar adults and a chance to practice social skills with coworkers and customers. We are very proud of our Cove student interns, and extremely thankful to our work site providers. We plan to continue to expand and nurture our school-tobusiness partnerships.
Technology By Mark Fijor, Technology Coordinator
Imagine being presented a problem at work. There is no right or wrong answer, there is no textbook to guide you through the steps, there is no one telling you what materials to use. In addition to solving a complex problem, you will have to navigate the complexities of working with a team to solve the problem and present your findings to colleagues or your supervisors. First, you might try to gain a better understanding of the nature of the problem by collecting research or reaching out to colleagues. You and your team might brainstorm ideas and develop possible solutions. Depending on the size of the problem, you might test a solution on a smaller scale in order to confirm that it will indeed solve the problem. Often, you will fail. You will need to either troubleshoot your prototype or start again at square one. When you do finally succeed, you will implement your solution on a larger scale. This type of scenario is familiar to many adults working in a variety of fields. Problem solving is messy, collaborative, and does not always present an obvious answer. Typically throughout the process, adults need to integrate the knowledge and skills from multiple domains such as math, reading, and writing in order to solve the problem. As we prepare our students for the jobs of the 21st century, we as educators recognize that our students will be expected to integrate the knowledge they have gained in school in order to solve the problems of the 21st century. Increasingly, it is our job to provide this integrated experience in the classroom to prepare our students for the jobs of the future. At The Cove School, we are committed to providing integrated learning experiences for our students that not only prepare them for this type of problem solving, but also remain highly individualized and interest-based.
STEAM Summer 2014 In the summer of 2014, The Cove School partnered with the Motorola Mobility Foundation to create three classes for a new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) pilot program. Each class engaged students with hands-on experiences while learning with state-of-the-art technology such as robotics, 3D printing, and circuitry. The classes embraced an integrated approach to teaching and learning to apply their knowledge and skills from various domains to solve complex problems. To meet the challenge of these complex problems, our students needed more than just a diverse knowledge base - they needed a team. To facilitate collaborative problem solving and teamwork, teachers made sure that students could choose, or were assigned roles, that would allow them to utilize their individual strengths while contributing to the group’s work. The summer program was a resounding success. Not only was interest in STEAM topics fostered with over 60 students participating from the elementary, junior high and high school, but students also had the opportunity to share their projects with members of the community, Motorola Mobility volunteers, and fellow classmates at a Summer STEAM Showcase. Based on the success of the summer program, STEAM programming has been integrated into the 2014-2015 school year. At the elementary level, students are completing a STEAM unit in their science class. At the high school level, students have the opportunity to enroll
in a STEAM elective. In the junior high unit, robotics remains a popular after school option. Teachers and students are enjoying the challenge of the complex problems they are encountering in science and social studies, and are constantly amazed at the variety and creativity of student-generated solutions utilizing digital and non-digital tools.
Problem Based Learning STEAM units are designed using Problem Based Learning (PBL), an instructional method where learning is facilitated through problem solving which is centered around students solving complex-real world problems that do not have a single correct answer. The goals of PBL are for students to develop flexible knowledge, effective problem-solving skills, collaboration skills, and an intrinsic motivation (Hmelo-Silver, 2004).
Design Thinking Looking back at the example in the beginning of the article, many adults will employ similar problem solving strategies throughout their careers. In STEAM classes, teachers and students use the design thinking process to frame their problem solving as they work together to find solutions. This concrete step-by-step process has been an invaluable tool for students to assist in framing, breaking down, and solving complex problems.
Habits of Mind Solving complex problems can be challenging. So too can be learning new technological or content skills, especially while trying to apply reading, writing, continued on page 10
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An EXTRAORDINARY Event! The Cove School Project Fair and Variety Show By Elizabeth Hanzel and Robin Johnstone
a healthy technology program produced fabulous products. Extraordinary work examples included interesting lessons and themes: heroes, team projects, a great freeze, historical figures, biomes, poetry, 5 paragraph essays, virtual characters, solar research, walls of books, Go-Animate scripts, drawings, Punnett Square virtual babies and amazing posters and art work.
February 11, was EXTRAORDINARY for the Cove Cougars. Students and families swarmed the halls enjoying the Project Fair. The literacy activities generated by
A benefit of combining the Project Fair and Variety Show is EVERYONE shines! This recognition embodies our mission statement and celebrates the individual student.
The Variety Show featured over 50 students exhibiting their gifts and talents. The Cove community was treated to various solos, dance numbers, jokes, magic tricks, and piano solos. The creativity and courage of our students was evident to all.
Cove Connects with Kindness Connection By Mignon DuPepe, Art Therapist On February 6th, Cove elementary students, Big Buddy participants, and some of our Cove staff had the pleasure of participating in a Kindness Connection service project. Kindness Connection is a non-profit organization that specializes in the creation and implementation of volunteer experiences for students. Through the guidance of a trained facilitator and a supported curriculum, students work together to create handmade projects for 40 non- profits around the world. Cove had been interested in partnering with the Kindness Connection, so when the opportunity arose for our Big Buddies to participate in a service project, we immediately collaborated with Kind-
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ness Connection to create a meaningful and informative experience for our Big Buddy and elementary students. Our Big Buddy program is a year-long program where some of our high school students are paired with some of our elementary students in twice a month meetings. Meetings are structured around Character Counts principles: responsibility, trustworthiness, respect, fairness, citizenship, and caring. Additionally, buddies have the opportunity to develop meaningful friendships and practice positive interaction skills. Our focus during our time with the Kindness Connection was on caring for our community. Our facilitator, Lisa Rosenberg, coordinated our service project for the charitable organization, Orphans of
the Storm. Students created fleece chew toys for dogs, picture frames, and new pet owner folders for families that adopt a pet at Orphans of the Storm. The students’ and staff’s positive response and enthusiasm was so great for this collaboration that we are coordinating additional service projects with the Kindness Connection in the future. We would like to thank all of the teachers, assistants, and students for all of their efforts in making our service project such a success! Cove community truly cares for our own community and for those in need! Mignon Dupepe, Mary O’Brien, Robin Johnstone
STUDENT INSIGHTS African Mission Trip By Doug The Faraja School is a boarding school for physically disabled students between the ages of five to fifteen. The Faraja School is located in Tanzania, East Africa. My church supports the Faraja School by donating funds and visiting through mission trips. Pastor Corey, members of the congregation, including my mother and I, flew from O’Hare Airport to Amsterdam, The Netherlands. After a few hours, we flew to Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. When we arrived we went through security, got our luggage, and then, we were greeted by about twenty members of the Maasai tribe. Some spoke English, but others spoke their native language, Swahili. The women were dressed in beautiful, vibrant dresses designed for the singing and dancing. One woman wore something over her face, while all of the others wore the disc like necklace designs around their necks. The men wore similar clothing to westerners. Joseph, our driver and guide, drove us to the Lutheran Catholic Conference Center where we each had our own room. I was not surprised to see mosquito netting in my room because malaria is a concern in
Africa. I had two beds, a bathroom with a shower and a sink, and finally a place to sit outside. The next day my group and I woke up, had breakfast, and picked up the pastor of the local church and his wife. On the way to the church service, we saw donkeys on the dirt road. We went back to our place and had lunch. Following that, we went to bed. The next morning we visited some souvenir markets. After we all took our time shopping, we went to the first hospital. This hospital provides prosthetics to the Africans who lost a body part or a limb. After that we went to the second hospital, where they had no anesthesia for patients undergoing surgery. The director of the hospital gave us a long lecture on what was happening with the hospital. Finally, we spent three days at The Faraja School. We observed a class of nine to eleven-year-olds working in books and at the board. The students speak Swahili and are also learning English. The school day is similar to ours because they study and have recess.
Something I would change is the loading wheel image for Apple computers. I would like the loading wheel to be like the PC’s wheel so I wouldn’t feel dizzy and hypnotized. The way I would change the image would be to make it have the clarity or sharpness of an Apple icon. Also, I would
At The Faraja School, they have a prayer before and after breakfast, lunch, dinner, and then they clap and sing some songs. Charles, a church acquaintance, and I organized a sports day where the kids would either play soccer with Charles or basketball with me. I taught some of the boys basketball. Eventually, they corrected their grips, and were able to score. The group and I got a tour of the farm from Emmanuel (who was the head of the school). We also brought supplies that were later used for projects. The kids really enjoyed creating designs, and bending the glow in the dark tubes into constructions. Overall, I’m really appreciative and grateful for this blessed experience. The kids made a loving impact in my life! Traveling to Tanzania really made my faith and love for everyone in the world greater. I would love to go back anytime and definitely recommend this trip as an amazing adventure.
change the loading screen on the Apple computers because it’s hard to look at the “spinning wheel of death” (as the wait symbol is called) for so long when it’s loading. Those are the changes I would make.
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Technology continued from page 7
and math. To address these challenges, teachers in STEAM classes teach, model, and assess habits and attributes that encourage students to persevere and learn through failure. These habits are called “Habits of Mind” and include 16 habits, or characteristics of what successful people do when confronted with an answer that is not immediately apparent (Costa, 2008). The habits include characteristics such as: persisting, thinking flexibly, thinking interdependently, and finding humor. Talk to a student after working in a STEAM project and you’ll likely hear “if it doesn’t work, we will try again” as a mantra of persistence.
STEAM Summer 2015 The goal of our summer program is for students to have fun while being exposed to new topics and ways of thinking and learning. The summer classes are also intended to get students interested in topics they may be presented with during the school year. Due to the success of the summer STEAM pilot and STEAM projects this year, we are excited to announce that we will be expanding our STEAM classes from three courses to six courses this summer. In addition to adding three new classes, we have decided to organize the classes into two separate track. The first tracks is “Information Technol-
ogy.” This track consists of a three class progression from elementary through high school. It is a great track for students interested in logical thinking, programming, and engineering topics.
Information Technology Elementary - Intro to Engineering Junior High - Domo Arigato Lego Roboto High School - Human Computer Interaction: Exploring Computer Science The second track for our summer program is the “Research and Development” track. The courses in this track are perfect for students who are naturally curious, enjoy tinkering, and like solving problems.
Research and Development Elementary - Climate Kids Junior High - STEAM Seminar High School - Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Design and Development
Teacher Professional Development To help teachers create these new courses, the members of the STEAM team have participated in many professional learning opportunities throughout the year. Staff have traveled and visited
schools all over the state to see various STEAM and engineering programs. In addition, teachers participated in the STEAM Edu conference this January. We are continuing to connect teachers with experts in the areas of science, technology, engineering, art, and math to work together on providing high quality and authentic learning experiences for students. We are truly proud of our teachers staff and students in their work with our STEAM program. We are constantly amazed at the innovative and creative solutions and ideas that are created here at Cove on a daily basis. Look for an upcoming parent education session hosted by the STEAM team this spring to explain and demonstrate the impact of STEAM at The Cove School. References Costa, A. (2008). Learning and leading with habits of mind 16 essential characteristics for success. Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Hmelo-Silver, C. (n.d.). Problem-Based Learning: What and How Do Students Learn? Educational Psychology Review, 235-266.
Cove Parent Association News
By Robbie Cichon, Co-President Cove Parent Association
It’s been a fun winter for the Cove Parent Association! On January 13, we had our second General Parent Association meeting
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of the year with a great turn out of parents! Katie Puszynski, Cove’s Occupational Therapist, talked about Executive Functioning strategies in the home. She gave us practical and useful strategies to support our children at home. Hope you can join us for our final General Parent Association meeting of the year on Tuesday, April 14 from 9:30-11:15 a.m. in the Cove School Media Center. Dr. Jo-Ann Hoeppner, one of Cove’s Academic Advisory members and a 2015 Cove Prism Award recipient, will talk to us about our students and working memory.
On January 25, our annual Dads and Kids Bowling event took place at Pinstripes. A great time was had by all! Another fun event for our Elementary and J.R. High students,
Health and Wellness Day Coming Soon!
By Bill Shipley, Fitness Instructor/Trainer, Health Awareness Teacher
Cove School is proud to partner with the American Heart Association to help kids with special hearts! Mark your family calendars NOW for our upcoming Jump Rope/Hoops For Heart event taking place during Wellness Day on Thursday, April 23rd. You can help the American Heart Association by helping your child make a web page. It’s safe, effective, and saves YOU time by raising life-saving donations online. Visit www.heart.org/jump and click on Register Now to get started today. Please direct questions/comments to Robert Wachowiak at rwachowiak@coveshool.org or Bill Shipley at bshipley@coveschool.org. The American Heart Association’s Mission: To build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
Black History Assembly Showcases Student Leadership By Annemarie Bennett, Media Resource Specialist
Each February, schools around the country celebrate Black History month in a variety of ways. Students learn about the famous people, places, and events that comprise this indelible part of our shared history. This year, Cove students took ownership of their own learning and worked together to create a dynamic and educational presentation for our all-school assembly. The students met several times to plan out the components of the assembly, which included posters on the walls, a PowerPoint presentation, an audience participation quiz, a door decorating contest, and a dance. The students led the assembly from start to finish and did an excellent job representing the very best of Cove School — student leadership, opportunity, and personal growth.
was on February 6th at Lifetime Fitness. The students had a fun time swimming & socializing! Your kids won’t want to miss our next Elementary & Junior High social event on Friday, April 17 at Dave & Busters in Vernon Hills. They’ll play games and then have a yummy dinner with plenty of time to socialize! Mark your calendars for some upcoming all school events. Health & Wellness Day will be on April 23. Grandparent’s/Special Friends Day is on May 1. May 4 through May 8 is Staff Appreciation week, with a special staff luncheon on Friday, May 8. Finally, the students always look forward to Field Days! The Elementary/J.R. High Field Day is June 2 and the High School Field Day will be June 3rd.
Volunteers are needed for the “All School” events. These volunteer opportunities are great ways to see your child in their school environment and to meet other Cove parents. Please e-mail Tiffany Ertel at tertel@coveschool.org if you can help out. You can also e-mail any of our Parent Association steering committee: Robbie Cichon, Co-President, prcichon@aol.com Betsy Crosswhite, Co-President thecrosswhites@sbcglobal.net Maureen Klatt, Social Programming, mckklatt@aol.com Kelly Coyne, Fundraising, mandkcoyne@sbcglobal.net Jenine Buchanan, Committee Member, hockey_12@comcast.net Tracey Redderoth, Committee Member, redderoth@sbcglobal.net 11
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Cove Participates at the LDA Conference
that focused on the crucial links among friendship, adolescent development, and communication was presented by Donna Torf and Chris Grene • “Reading and Assistive Technology: Realizing Independence” – an interactive discussion and presentation on reading profiles, purpose for reading, and AT tools was provided by Sue Turner and Ruth Miller • “Group Learning among Students with Learning Disabilities Using a Collaborative and Integrated Approach” utilized video clips, anecdotal accounts, and observation data to emphasize the value of educational team members working from a common framework with close collaboration, and was presented by Mary O’Brien, Shannon English, Grace Hollander, and Megan Sulinski As the Chair for the Sam Kirk Educator of the Year Award this year, I was so pleased
to select the recipient of this distinguished award for the educator who has made outstanding contributions to the education of persons with learning disabilities. Dr. Richard Owens from Sioux City, Iowa received this award at the convention honoring his extensive years in the field that include four decades of working as a classroom teacher, school administrator, and college professor. It was an amazing experience to read about his extraordinary commitment and of the others who were nominated for this prestigious award. Following the Sam Kirk Award presentation at the convention, Randy Lewis – Retired Walgreens Senior Vice President – inspired us all with his keynote on “No Greatness Without Goodness – The World Needs You”. The movement he led through his disability employment model at Walgreens has changed the way they do business and has changed the way many business leaders now think about
those with disabilities in the workplace. As a parent of a child with disabilities himself, his story is heartwarming and the results he shares are encouraging. As a part of our focus on transition and preparing for meaningful life experiences, I am thrilled that Randy Lewis has agreed to speak to our staff and parents at Cove as well. Stay tuned for more information to come! Cove’s presence is a strong one in the community, and our desire to continuously grow and support the growth of others is a responsibility we share for the good of students and families everywhere. What a privilege it is to be a part of a community that never stops learning and changing the lives of and for those with complex learning disabilities. Sally L. Sover, Ed.D. Executive Director
Cove will be conducting a parent survey in order to make sure that Cove is meeting parents’ needs in every way possible. Please look for more information in the Cove Minute in the weeks to come.
SAVE THE DATE FOR The Cove School’s 4th Annual 5K Run/Walk This year’s 5K will be on Saturday June 20, 2015 on the beautiful trails of the Skokie Lagoons Forest Preserve in Winnetka. Run or walk and celebrate with refreshments at the Finish Line! This is a chip timed race. Medals will be awarded for top finishers in each age category.
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In late May, you will be able to go on our website to register. This event will benefit The Cove School Scholarship Fund. Sponsorship opportunities will also be available. Look for all of the 12
sponsorship information in our upcoming mailing with more information on the 5K.