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
Fall 2015
Welcome to a New School Year! As we begin the 2015 - 2016 school year, we are thrilled to welcome 26 new families into our community. Since 1947, Cove has served students with learning disabilities throughout the Midwest and we are extremely proud of the rich history, strong foundation, and bright future of our school. The fundamental belief in a highly individualized education within a safe and nurturing environment is the cornerstone of our mission and provides the basis for the strength in our academic program. For 68 years, Cove’s leadership in the field of learning disabilities has reached thousands of children. Today, we have 101 staff members serving 157 students. With our small class sizes and comprehensive staffing, we are proud of the individualized attention we are able to provide to all of our students. As the number of students who require a specialized education continues to grow, so does our urgency for continuous improvement. Last year we implemented year one of our new 5-year Strategic Plan that allowed us to accomplish the following academic goals: •A one-to-one technology initiative was made available to all students • A new 3-year technology plan was developed
•S TEAM classes were expanded throughout the year •O ur assessments were expanded to more fully diagnose and thus plan for stronger individualized services • There was an increase in after school programs and clubs at all levels • New and expanded relationships with businesses and foundations supported our school and enhanced our transition program •O ngoing professional development supported our literacy, math, writing, social/emotional learning, and behavior management system • Last year we also initiated a broad survey amongst our stakeholders that helped us to guide the development of our specific goals for this year. article continues on page 11
• An expanded athletic program was initiated
feedback are welcome!
Inside this Issue
Executive Director
1
Clinical Connections
4
News From Ravinia
Director of Education
2
Alumni Profile
4
6
Junior High Happenings
9
Building Connectedness 7
High School Happenings 9
We’re Growing at Cove 2
Eagle Scout Volunteers 5
Student Council
7
Parent Association
10
Catch, Check & Change 3
Elementary Read-in
5
Field Trip Fun
8
Strategic plan (cont.)
11
Art for the Senses
Randy Lewis Speaks
6
Elementary Happenings 9
Strategic plan (cont.)
12
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From the Desk of the Director of Education By John R. Stieper, III
Enrich your child’s learning experiences… Cove offers a variety of after school programs and activities including homework assistance, sports, and student social events. Research demonstrates that participation in after school programs and social activities supports classroom learning by offering students opportunities to apply what they learn in the classroom to real-life situations. In turn, this kind of real-life application helps boost student motivation through experiential learning and builds positive expectations for the future by exposing students to new ideas, people, and places beyond their everyday experiences. Encourage your child to participate in at least one after school program and student social event this year. Participation in extra-curricular activities provides students with a variety of enriching experiences which in turn promote increases in a child’s overall academic, social, and emotional growth, as well as help with building the broad range of skills students need to be successful in school and life. Additionally, research supports that student participa-
tion in after school programs and social events helps increase student connectivity, motivation, and engagement in school. The following after school programs are underway: homework club, track & field, soccer, dance, Piven Theatre, robotics, Monday maker studio, bowling club, sewing and crafts, choir and school of rock. The following after school programs begin the first week of November 2015: basketball, poms, and cheerleading. Additionally, Cove offers students and families a variety of student social events and family events. This past August’s Cove Picnic and September’s Bingo and Family Fun Night had record-breaking attendance. We hope you and your family will be able to join us at our Annual Cove Potluck Dinner next month on Thursday, November 19th. Please note that there are four elementary and junior high student social events scheduled throughout the school year that are sponsored by Cove’s Parent Association. The next elementary and junior high social event is the Halloween DJ/Dance Party on Friday, October 23rd. There are also monthly high school student social events. The next social event for high school students is the Halloween Dance, which occurs at the end of the month on
Friday, October 30th. Please be sure to check the Cove Minute, which is emailed to parents/guardians every Friday for details regarding these social events and future events. It is never too late for your child to get involved in after school programs and social activities at Cove. To learn more about current and upcoming after school programs and social events, please check out Cove’s website, www. coveschool.org and click on the “Extracurricular Activities” link under “Programs”. Or, visit Cove’s “Virtual Backpack” to download the after school program sign up forms. Please direct inquires on how to sign your child up for any of these after school program opportunities to Beth Pickus in the main office by phone 847-5622100 or by email bpickus@coveschool.org. Or, please contact me directly by phone 847-562-2100 X: 2105 or by email at jstieper@coveschool.org with any questions. Enrich your child’s learning experiences by encouraging your child to participate in at least one after school program and/or one school social event. Thank you for partnering with us to provide the best educational opportunities and experiences for our students.
We’re Growing at Cove! Cove is pleased to be welcoming 26 new students this year, many of whom started attending Cove during our summer program. As always, students enter in various grades and come from all over the greater Chicago area. This number brings our total student population to 157 which means the school is at capacity. Here is a breakdown of our new students’ grades and home towns: 1st grade – 1, 2nd grade – 1, 3rd grade – 2, 4th grade – 1, 5th grade – 3, 6th grade – 6, 7th grade – 5, 8th grade – 2 9th grade – 3 and 11th grade – 1. Our new students come from the city and suburbs which include:
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Chicago, Evanston, Rolling Meadows, Golf, Highland Park, Winnetka, Kenilworth, Oak Park, Deerfield, Lincolnshire, Downers Grove, Arlington Heights,
Wheaton, Mt. Prospect and Plano. We hope everyone will help welcome our new students and their families to Cove!
Coming Soon! Art for the Senses Program
Catch, Check and Change Those Thoughts
By Chris Grene, Social Worker, and Mignon Dupepe, Art Therapist
Knowing that a significant percentage of students with learning disabilities will have co-morbid difficulties with anxiety and depression, Cove staff members are always looking for new and better ways to reduce the emotional challenges our students face on a daily basis. For both anxiety and depression, substantial research and evidence supports the efficacy and best practice of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This past summer, the Social Work Team, Behavior Specialists, and Clinical Director attended a three day CBT workshop led by Dr. Torrey Creed from the Beck Institute. Participants learned about identifying maladaptive ways of thinking (automatic thoughts), the impact of these thoughts on feelings and behavior, and designing and implementing CBT interventions. CBT founder Dr. Aaron Beck suggests that it is not the situations in our lives that cause distress, but rather the manner in which we repeatedly interpret those situations that will determine how we feel about and act on them. Often, our thoughts are based on deeply held sub-conscious and rigid beliefs that we acquire over time. These core beliefs strongly influence our automatic thoughts. Some automatic thoughts may be inaccurate and can interfere negatively with one’s ability to function optimally. The CBT model is based on identifying or “catching” maladaptive thoughts,
By Mignon Dupepe, Art Therapist
Cove’s school-wide adoption of Calm Classroom curriculum and the recent addition of a sensory garden, demonstrates our commitment to providing a variety of programming and resources that support our students and promote the best environment for them to learn, grow, and flourish. Below is the schedule for this upcoming program.
October 15, 2015 High school students “checking” the validity of those thoughts and “changing” the thoughts to be more accurate and productive. The focus of CBT treatment is to modify maladaptive behavior patterns and faulty cognitions by using various cognitive and behavioral strategies. Interventions are designed to support cognitive shifts that will replace ingrained ways of thinking about things that have proven ineffective. Cognitive and behavioral interventions include identifying goals and individual strengths, cognitive restructuring, self-monitoring, thought stopping, role-playing, social skills training, and problem solving and communication skills training. The principles of CBT are well suited for Cove students in that CBT is goal oriented, designed to involve students in a collaborative partnership, and focused on skill development. Beginning with social skills groups and individual social work sessions, we hope to create more opportunities for our students to become active participants with their therapists and teachers in practicing the “catch, check, and change” model. Cove is currently exploring further certification for the Social Work Team.
12:30-2:00 Artist: Susan Underwood Session 1: Calming landscapes/nature scenes-watercolor paints Session 2: Positive thought garden stakes-acrylic paints and wood Session 3: Exploring meditative circles in art-watercolor paints
January 21, 2016
Junior High students 12:30-2:00 Artist: Nancy Behles Session 1: Calming landscapes/nature scenes/flowers-oil pastels Session 2: Nature scenes/flowers photo images combined with oil pastels or flower block prints Session 3: Abstract meditative circles-oil pastels, acrylic paints, watercolor, and beads
April 14, 2016
Elementary students 9:30-11:00 Artist: Sallie Stanley Session 1: Matisse style flowers -watercolor paints Session 2: Flower/nature stamp tiles for mosaic bird bath and rock painting for meditative labyrinth-clay and acrylic paints Session 3:Potpourri flower canvas pillows- potpourri, acrylic paints on canvas
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Clinical Connections
By Dr. Robin Johnstone, Ph.D., NCSP Clinical Director
At the beginning of each school year, our clinicians and teachers are busy collecting baseline data for each student. This data is used as a comparison point from the previous year to identify growth in all academic and social areas. We try to complete this process by the first week of October. Several staff members participate in gathering our baseline data at Cove. Our reading teachers will measure word attack skills, word identification skills, reading fluency, and passage comprehension. The speech and language pathologists will
measure your child’s receptive and expressive vocabulary, as well as, their listening comprehension skills. Our occupational therapists complete an analysis of your child’s ability to independently complete
An Alumna’s Reflection on Cove
various self-help and executive functioning skills. Finally, the social workers gather data on your child’s social and emotional growth in four domains of development; social responsibility, social awareness, self-regulation, and independence. Last year, we took a comprehensive look at your child’s executive functioning skills as rated by their teachers. This year we will add a parent component. You will be asked to fill out a questionnaire that evaluates your child’s organizational, planning, and memory skills at home. Our data gathering would not be complete without active progress monitoring in both academic and social domains. This is done through curriculum-based and informal measures. Data is updated each quarter and this enables us to closely monitor achievement. If we find that a child is not demonstrating their own rate of expected growth in a particular area, we strategize as a team and discuss potential instructional changes, change of programs, or methods to accelerate achievement for the student. This process is Cove Critical Care (CCC) and has been very beneficial in identifying student needs in a timely manner.
As you recall, last year the PARCC assessments were given for the first time in Illinois. We were informed that the Spring results will be available within the next few months. According to state reports, this initial data will be considered your child’s baseline. The good news is that the state will require just one administration of the test instead of two this school year. At Cove, students will participate in PARCC testing during the week of March 14. If your child completed the alternative form, the DLM, this test will be administered at Cove during the month of April. At Cove we continue to review the best methods to progress monitor our students which provides valuable information for you and our staff, and appropriate feedback for our students. We can look forward to another year of measured growth with individual needs being addressed. If you have any questions about the assessment processes at Cove, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Here is a reflection written by Jorie: Cove school is a special place Jorie is a Cove alumna who continues Great teachers and students to keep in touch with the school and Smile and have a good attitude attend Cove alumni functions. Jorie is Be proud of who you are currently working at the Jewel in Deer- Do not let your disability define you field. We look forward to seeing her You have the ability to go far and other Cove alumni in January when You have the ability to be who our next alumni event will take place. you want to be Stay tuned for more information, or Do not let anyone tell you differently contact Luisa Rapisarda at lrapisarda@coveschool.org. Be proud of your successes Work hard and be proud of your By Jorie Lesk, Cove Alumna
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accomplishments However many years you spend at Cove be proud to be at Cove The teachers at Cove have great hearts The stars shine bright at Cove Be your own star Have your own character Be a good friend And most importantly have a great school year!
Local Eagle Scout Troop Volunteers at Cove By Abby Lasky Development and Communications Coordinator
Over several weeks this past July, several members of Winnetka’s Eagle Scout Troop 20 worked on three projects to improve areas around the school. As part of their mission, Eagle Scouts participate in service projects. They must identify a church, school, or non-profit community group, create a proposal for their services, and have it approved. Scouts must recruit volunteers, stay within a budget, and execute leadership skills throughout the project. Eagle Scouts Noah Flanagan, Will Kerwin, and Michael Vorwald worked with Mr. Mark Wall and other volunteers to restore
the sensory garden in the back of the school, and create a locker bench and storage areas in the Junior High hallway. Cove’s sensory garden needed a facelift since its installation in 2006. The Eagle Scouts replaced the clay soil, mulched, tilled, and fertilized the area. They added new flowers and plants and topped the garden off with 60 bags of wood chips. Additionally, they took down an old fence and replaced it, as well as painting the existing trellis and adding some bright new touches – Cove blue and gold! Even if you hadn’t noticed the “before” you can certainly appreciate the “after!”
Inside the school, Will Kerwin and Michael Vorwald with support from other members of their troop, fabricated and installed locker surrounds for 15 of the 182 lockers. The project included a bench and storage shelf in the spaces between the lockers. These two projects were completed as a prototype. When the project is complete, there will be 11 benches in total and at least 5 storage shelves surrounding the remaining 167 lockers. A big THANK YOU to Winnetka Eagle Scout Troop 20. Be sure to check out these great improvements the next time you are at Cove!
CONNECTING WITH COMMUNITY Elementary Read-ins Foster Volunteerism From Local Businesses By Abby Lasky Development and Communications Coordinator
On Friday, August 28th, and again on Thursday, October 8th, Cove hosted Elementary Read-ins. Volunteers from Camping World and Pearson came to Cove to read books, create art projects, and lead outdoor games. Cove School art teacher, Laura Silverberg, created art projects that reinforced the themes of the books that were read. Read-in volunteers read a story out loud to a classroom, then go over themes and discuss students’ thoughts about the books through the art projects that they facilitate. Cove is grateful for these partnerships that give community members a chance to connect with our students and offer an authentic opportunity to give back.
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Former VP of Walgreens Speaks at the Cove School Community Education Event By Stephanie Pritzker, Director of Development
On Thursday, October 1, The Cove School hosted over 100 community members and parents for a special program featuring Randy Lewis, former Senior Vice President of Walgreens. Randy spoke about how he was inspired by the love for his son to change a company, spark a movement,and write a book entitled No Greatness Without Goodness. In addition to his position at Walgreens, Randy Lewis was also a Peace Corps volunteer and Fortune 50 executive. He led Walgreens’ logistics division for sixteen years as the chain grew from 1,500 to 8,000 stores. Randy introduced an inclusive model in Walgreens distribution centers that resulted in ten percent of its workforce consisting of people with disabilities who are held to the same standards as those without disabilities. Its success has changed the lives of thousands with and without disabilities and is serving as a model for other employers in the U.S and abroad. Randy was inspired to act when his son Austin was diagnosed with a debilitating form of autism. As Randy learned to see the world through his son’s eyes, something dawned on him. He knew deep down that many people with disabilities could hold jobs and even perform better than the average worker, if only they were given a chance. Randy’s talk was relevant for many of our current and alumni families, community members, and professionals who are presently collaborating on how to best support our students as adults within the community. Randy addressed lessons learned as a parent for parent, as a VP of a business for other businesses as they start to employ those with disabilities, for schools like ours who are trying to better educate and prepare students with disabilities for the workforce, and for our students. It was an inspiring evening for all who attended!
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News From Ravinia
By Dr. Dorothy Jean Lloyd, Music Drama and Digital Photography
This summer Cove families were invited to enjoy two concerts at Ravinia as part of the Opportunity Lawn Pass Program. We received upgrades to both concerts and attended the Mariachi Divas (Sunday, June 14) in the Pavilion and Opera For The Young (Saturday, August 29) in the Martin Theater. Mariachi Divas is an all female, multicultural ensemble from Los Angeles. Pre-concert activities began on the North Lawn including an instrument petting zoo. The two time Grammy winners engaged the young audience in singing and dancing, and were joined by the students from Chicago Mariachi Project for a moving finale. Opera For The Young brings live, professional opera to 200 elementary schools throughout the Upper Midwest – reaching up to 75,000 students. OFTY presented an operatic version Beauty And The Beast to a packed Martin Theater. Again these performers integrated students into their show to the delight of their audience. The Beast was a crowd favorite! Finally, Sistema comes to Ravinia as part of REACH*TEACH*PLAY. Sistema is an intensive after school orchestra program that fosters social development through exceptional music training. The Cove School students in grades 4, 5, and 6 are invited to apply for this ‘free’ program. Please contact Dr. Dorothy Jean Lloyd for details at dlloyd@coveschool.org. This musical opportunity is free to participants however the benefits are priceless!
LEADERSHIP Building School and Social Connectedness: Big Buddy By Mary O’Brien, Social Worker
The Big Buddy program will get underway in October. It is a mentoring program that aims to build connectedness between high schoolers and elementary students at Cove School. Through their one-to-one partnerships, the students examine, practice, and enrich their positive relationship skills. High school members nominate applicants for the Big Buddy program. “We are looking for kids who are willing to make a commitment.” Students are prepped about expectations - be reliable, focus on your partner, be a role model. After that, they are carefully matched to their elementary partner. We look at the strengths and needs of both students and try to complement them.
Meetings typically take place for about 20 minutes on two Friday mornings a month and continue throughout the school year. The meetings include a range of social and character building activities. A dedicated team of adults support the buddies to maintain an other-oriented focus that helps them to build a caring relationship. Last year about 40 students participated in the Big Buddy Program. High school students learn about their abilities and strengths. Elementary students seem to benefit from the individualized social attention and interacting with a positive role model. Big Buddy is one other avenue to building connectedness at Cove.
High School Student Council By Dr. Robin Johnstone, Ph.D., NCSP
High school student council meetings began on September 29. The students are looking forward to planning some new activities and providing leadership in many areas during the school day and during school events. We would like to congratulate the following students for supporting these efforts. Christian West - President Benito Moreno - Vice President Katya Stillman - Secretary Dora Hopkins - Treasurer Senior Representative- Mary Schutt Junior Representative- Natalie Flanagan Sophomore Representatives- DC Carr; Jose Mendez; Charlie Paul; Gio Saunders Freshman Representative- Emeline Jercich Together with Mrs. Gray and Mrs. Altshul, the high school student council will thrive on new ideas and commitment. All high
school students are encouraged to attend our bi-monthly meetings. Please support us in our first service project for the school year. Our warm clothing drive runs through the month of October. We are in need of coats and snow pants. In particular, we need sizes
10-14 or adult small that may be appropriate for a child to wear. Hats, gloves, and scarfs are also gladly accepted. Please drop off your donations in the boxes at the front of the building. The clothing will be donated to the Evanston Children’s Clothing Fund. Thank you for your continued support.
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Field Trips and Family Fun By Elizabeth Hanzel, Science Teacher
Field trips are always a great way to break up routine and give students a different perspective on learning. This past summer, students at Cove took a field trip to Wagner Farm in Glenview. Preparations for the trip included historical and present day connections, prior research, and vocabulary development. Students relaxed and soaked up all the hands-on activities. Here are some of the things they learned: how to prepare a cow for milking, what horses do in the fields all day, and how eggs are checked to be “chick-free” before going to the grocery store! Wagner farm includes a home dating back to the early 1900s. Students were introduced to a way of life that was unfamiliar to them. Some of the items they had not seen before included a wall phone, a Victrola, and an icebox. The docent discussed beeswax and noted that original records were made from it as well as the kitchen floor of the home. One thing that surprised the students was the absence of indoor plumbing!
Putting Fun Back into the Weekend Breaking the weekend doldrums and discovering new adventures is an incredi-
ble opportunity for learning. Unexpected events and group experiences create memories that bind families together. Think about pre-planning a few excursions to participate in fall and early winter outings. Document excursions through pictures, music, poetry, or drawing.
Planning Ahead Look for fall and winter activities at local nature preserves, libraries, and park districts. Heller Woods in Highland Park has year-round activities including cross-country skiing. The Grove and Wagner Farm in Glenview also have themed year-round excitement. You can also head out for one of the sledding hills in Cook County’s Forest Preserves!
No Place Like Home Experience simple activities right at home. Play Frisbee, plan a neighborhood gathering, and roast marshmallows. Put on a talent show for a few family friends. Invite family friends over for board games or craft nights. Have a scavenger hunt with neighbors, or be brave and take your family Geocaching (https://www.geocaching. com/play).
When activities move indoors, try making your own instruments and have a family concert. Try making homemade individual pizzas, have family team bake offs, or chili wars with another family. Take a craft class at Michaels, go square dancing, create a family cookie, start a recipe book, or conduct science experiments: http://scifun. chem.wisc.edu/homeexpts/homeexpts. html.
Hit the Road Great day trips to add to your “must-do” adventures include: Starved Rock State Park, Moraine Hills State Park, Illinois Beech State Park, and Wisconsin’s State Park System. You can go kayaking in the Skokie Lagoons. The rental trailer is located on Tower Road in Wilmette. Watch the sunrise or winter waves on the beach. Capture family activities and memories and have your child make a digital diary. Go to the zoo in the winter! Visit Milwaukee’s museums or head towards The House on the Rock. Visit an offbeat attraction or museum. Chicago Traveler hosts a terrific search engine: http://www.chicagotraveler. com/chicago_museums.htm. HAVE FUN!
Students learned about life on the farm with hands-on experiences as well as what life was like in an earlier time.
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GRADE LEVEL HAPPENINGS
Elementary
Junior High
By Grace Hollander, Elementary Case Manager
By Jan Diehl, Junior High Case Manager
The Elementary Unit is off to a strong start for the 2015-2016 school year! We began the year with a unit-wide getting-to-know-you BINGO activity. The students mingled to find someone who fit certain criteria, ranging from going fishing over the summer to someone who likes eating pizza! The occupational therapists, social workers, and speech-language therapists joined in the fun along with the classroom teachers, assistants, and reading specialists to provide the critical support for student success. Other big news this year is the addition of dance and a rotation of PE to the elementary specials. Students are able to participate in two specials every day that rotate on a 3-week basis giving our students a wide variety of enriching activities during the school day. We also had our second elementary read-in of the school year on October 8th. Employees from Pearson graciously gave of their time and talents to partner with us and share a love of reading with our elementary students! The books they read are paired with a visual arts activity, which furthers both student motivation and comprehension of the material presented. Cove’s very own Ms. Laura Silverberg handpicks both the book and corresponding art project! Students and staff alike all look forward to these special read-in days. Bingo night, held on September 25th was a successful night of fun and socialization and was very well attended! Thank you to those who were able to make it, and for those of you who missed it, we are looking forward to seeing you next year!
The Junior High students are off to an amazing start to the new school year! During the first several weeks our classes focused on positive and expected behaviors and how those connect to CHAMPS. We enjoyed getting-toknow you activities, and this helped us to make connections and learn more about each other. The 8th graders in Ms. Gerber’s, Ms. Elfering’s and Ms. Diehl’s social studies classes are studying the Civil War and slavery. Ms. Gerber’s science class begins each day watching SciShow on youtube, and then the students write about one thing they learned. Ms. Diehl’s science class is studying weather and climate. The students are very enthusiastic when learning about extreme weather such as tornadoes and thunderstorms. We will also be studying climate change and then choosing a topic for a project. Now that it’s October, our students are very excited about the Halloween Carnival on Friday, October 23rd! They’re looking forward to many fun activities and having the opportunity to connect with their friends.
High School By Alex Laube, High School Case Manager The high school unit is excited to welcome the class of 2019. The student body isn’t the only thing changing in the high school. We are excited to also welcome new teachers, new course offerings, new programming, and new technology. Mrs. Dina Albert joins the high school team as a math teacher. Mrs. Julie Browne, a familiar face, joins us as a full time teacher and case manager. Mr. Tom Kimes joins the team as a case manager. We also welcome several new assistants to the team: Ms. Kao, Mr. Kopp, Ms. Pak, and Ms. Teske.
This year we are also offering four exciting new STEAM electives: entrepreneurship, food and nutrition, sewing and clothing, and sports and entertainment marketing. The classes utilize the design thinking problem solving framework to help students identify needs, brainstorm solutions, test those ideas, and refine their products. Additionally, this year the high school unit is adopting the calm classroom program used successfully in the elementary and junior high units. The high school teachers have received training and ongoing support from Jody Berkelhamer and the
incoming high school students have helped the teachers implement the program based on their positive experiences in junior high. Finally, we have new technology in the high school. This year, we have refreshed all our 1:1 laptops with Chromebooks. The Chromebooks support single sign in, our Google apps for education apps, and built in accessibility extensions such as Read&Write. In addition, high school teachers have been using Google classroom to distribute, collect, and organize student work. 9
News From the Cove Parent Association By Maureen Klatt, President, Cove Parent Association
What is the Cove Parent Association? The Cove Parent Association supports the students, families, teachers, and staff through volunteer service and fundraising. We develop and organize activities to build community spirit and enhance the experience of our students socially, academically, and culturally. Our fundraisers help sponsor events such as the Cove Picnic, New Family Welcome, Potluck, Field Day, and many more.
26 New Families Welcomed to Cove School! Twenty-five new families were welcomed into the Cove community with warm smiles and gifts provided by Cove alumni parent Valari Kendrick, her daughter Gerise, and her mother Lillian William. A special thanks to Valari, Gerise and Lillian for their hospitality to our new students, for the past several years.
speakers for the first Parent Association General Meeting of the year. They presented on how Technology and Assistive Technology can support our students’ learning at Cove. Thank you to Mark and Ruth for their very informative presentation and to all of the parents that joined us. We hope to see you at our next meeting in January. Volunteers Needed I’m in! Please Help by Volunteering! Thanks to all the parents and caregivers who signed up to volunteer for one of our committees this year. You can expect to hear from our chairpersons prior to your event(s). We also invite people to help lead some of our remaining events this year or to volunteer for an event as it comes up. Watch the Cove Minute for volunteer opportunities or you can go to www.coveschool.org for more information (check out our new virtual backpack!!). Also, feel free to contact any of our Parent Association steering committee members to volunteer or to suggest any new ideas you may have. Gift Card Orders As we approach the holidays, consider buying your gift cards through The Cove School’s Gift Card Fundraiser! A percentage of the sale of the card will go directly to Cove! Whether it’s for your weekly groceries or a gift for someone else, you will be supporting our school with every purchase! Please contact Anna Riedler at pryilis@ yahoo.com or call her at (847) 470-2366. Anna will also be in the Cove front lobby selling cards on Friday afternoons from 2:30 to 3:00 p.m.
First PA General Meeting a Success! Mark Fijor and Ruth Miller were the guest
Forms and the link to the site are available in the Virtual Backpack on the Cove website at w ww.coveschool.org.
Opa! Join us for The Cove School’s Ladies Afternoon out – Sunday, November 1 Come mingle, snack, drink, and converse at Cove’s Ladies Afternoon out on Sunday, November 1 at Demetri’s Greek Restaurant, 660 Lake Cook Road, Deerfield. For questions contact Ann Marie Novar (312) 350-8759 or email danovar@ sbcglobal.net.
Family Potluck Dinner and Book Fair – Thursday, November 19 Please join us for Cove’s Annual Potluck Dinner and Book Fair on Thursday evening, November 19 at the school. This is a favorite event of Cove students and their families! Each family brings their favorite entrée or side dish to share. After dinner there will be entertainment provided by Dennis DeBondt, a very funny magician. During this event the Book Fair will be going on in the Media Center. This is a great way to get to know other Cove families. We will also be handing out the 2015-2016 Cove School Directory. Hope to see everyone there!
Questions? Feel Free to Contact a Parent Association Board Member Maureen Klatt, President (mkklatt@aol.com) or (847) 212-4990
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Debra Johnson, Social Programming (debj3@sbcglobal.net) or (312) 524-4055
Betsy Crosswhite, Committee (thecrosswhites@yahoo. com) or (773) 415-9624
Cindy Phelan, Committee (Phelan847@yahoo.com) or (312) 752-7445
Tracey Redderoth, Committee (redderoth@sbcglobal. net) or (630) 408-8198
Continued from page 1 As we enter into the second year of our plan, I look forward to working with all of our stakeholders on the following goals:
1. Academic Program Cove will: A. Enhance our comprehensive assessment profile and database that will provide opportunities for ongoing individual and group analysis B. Continue the development of a Cove-specific curriculum that identifies specific content, materials, and instructional methodologies to support the diverse learners at the school
B. Create a vision for our alumnae program and implement it C. Develop stronger independence for each student to ensure success in the community
3. Faculty Cove will: A. Recruit and retain the most effective faculty, staff, and administration as possible to support the goals of the program B. Enhance professional development opportunities for faculty and staff
1. Enhance the literacy program at the school
C . Support the integration of clinical services
2. Enhance the math program at the school
D. Enhance our salary and benefit package that includes financial incentives for staff retention and non-financial benefits for staff
C. Implement our new Technology Plan D. A ssess, analyze, and possibly increase student enrichment opportunities (i.e. electives, “extracurriculars”) that promote student strengths and leadership skills E. Strengthen the social/emotional program F. Develop goals, establish rubrics, carry out research, provide additional teacher training via professional development opportunities G. Expand our Parents as Partners Education series
Currently, our staff profile is as follows: Certified Staff • 8.3 - Average number of years at Cove for Certified Staff • 85% of certified staff have a Master’s Degree or Doctorate Teaching Assistants • 32% of teaching assistants have a Master’s Degree • 61% of teaching assistants have a Bachelor’s Degree • 39% of teaching assistants have a teaching certificate
H. Further develop the ESY (summer school) program
4. School of Choice
2. Transition
A. O btain and sustain an optimum enrollment level of 145 – 150 students with a waiting list
Cove will: A. Develop programs, activities, and a vision for post-secondary options that will ensure internal and external transition success and efficacy
Cove will:
B. Double the financial aid pool over the next five years, and regularly evaluate its ability to meet the needs of the families 11
Continued from page 11 C. Expand our community outreach efforts through the development of a formalized Outreach Plan D. Increase local and national awareness of our school
D. Establish new and maintain existing relationships with lawmakers, state board of education, and others to ensure equity of resource allocation
6. Governance
F. Ensure that our communication with all stakeholders remains highly effective at all times
A. C ontinue to develop and enhance Board membership to further Board effectiveness
5. Fiscal Integrity
B. C ontinue the development of our Young Professionals Group
A. Ensure that the school’s cash balance is sufficient to sustain all operations for six months B. Develop a broad, diverse and continuing source of funding that includes a major gifts program C. Develop a planned giving program
The success of this year is one that is dependent upon the strength of the entire community. Our Board of Trustees, administrators, faculty, staff, parents, and students are extraordinary members of our community who are very dedicated and committed to each student’s success.
E. Establish a long-term financial plan
E. Provide resources and programs for students with disabilities who are not currently enrolled at the school
Cove will:
newsletter communication.
Cove will:
For 68 years, Cove’s community has worked together for the good of each individual as well as for the strength of the whole. As we embark upon this new year together, I thank each of you for your partnership with us and for your support throughout the year ahead.
C. Monitor the strategic plan on a quarterly basis and initiate a new plan at least every five years
Sincerely,
The committees that have been put in place to focus on these key strategic areas will be communicating our progress to you throughout the year. Much progress has already been made as you will see in the updates that will now be a part of our
Sally L. Sover, Ed.D. Executive Director
Save the Date for The Cove School Annual Benefit
Join us for an inspirational evening to benefit children with learning disabilities at The Cove School. Cocktails, Dinner, Silent and Live Auction Live Music and Dancing
Saturday, March 12, 2016 Loews Chicago O’Hare 5300 River Road Rosemont 2016 BENEFIT CHAIRS Betsy and Howard Ellen Live Auction Chairs
Debra Johnson Silent Auction Chair
Karen and Allan Grane Corporate Sponsorship Chairs
Melissa Petritis YPC Chair
Rebecca Blase Alumni Chair