Cove Connection Winter

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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.

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CoveConnection

The Cove Connection is a quarterly publication circulated to parents of the Cove community.

The content is provided by teachers, staff, and adminstrators. 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 feedback are welcome!

Inside this Issue

Winter 2014

The Cove School Board of Trustees – strategically-focused, personally engaged The Cove Board of Trustees is a uniquely talented and dedicated group of parents, community members, and professionals who meet in committees and at formal board meetings throughout the year to serve the Cove Community.

Last June, the Board of Trustees approved a new five year Strategic Plan for the school.

The plan, now well underway, was highlighted in the last Cove Connection and was the focus of their annual retreat that took place on November 21, 2014.

At the start of the retreat, the Board was greeted by members of our Student Council and was inspired by several of our seniors who demonstrated the skills they have learned through their work internships. Students used their culinary talents developed through their internship at DiPescara to prepare and serve lunch, while other students spoke of their successes and showed examples of the ways in which their internships were preparing them for life after Cove. Additionally, students from our elementary unit demonstrated their writing skills as Annemarie Bennett presented a lesson from our new writing program. The Strategic Plan “Live” brought action to words through these student-focused activities and allowed our board to see firsthand of the progress we have been making toward our goals.

The day continued with in-depth discussions about the political and financial matters impacting education in our state and the plans moving forward to continuously protect and defend the rights of our students at Cove.

Executive Director 1 Director of Education 2 Cove Interns 2 Clinical Connections 3 Student Insights 4-5

Riddles Student Photography Transitions to Independence Food Allergies

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Through the work of our Legislative Task Force and Financial Committees, Cove is in a strong position and will continue to meet with legislators and other state officials to be an influential voice for students with special needs.

The Board Retreat is an annual event at our school that allows all board members and administrators at Cove to come together for an extended period of time to focus on critical issues and strategic goals of the school.

Technology 7 Elementary Update 8 Social Success 8 Book Fair 9 Day of the Dead 9

continued on back page Cougar Basketball 9 Lunch Club 10 Music & Theatre 10 Parent Association News 10 Fitness 11

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From the Desk of the Director of Education

By John R. Stieper, III

These past few months continue to offer new opportunities and experiences for our students, families, and staff. Here are a few highlights: There were many smiles, laughs, and people having a good time together at our Annual Potluck Dinner and Book Fair this past November 20th. Students, families, staff, and friends were treated to a wide assortment of delicious potluck dishes. Additionally, they enjoyed the interactive entertainment of magician Dennis DeBondt. Lastly, students enjoyed browsing and purchasing books at the Book Fair. Special thanks go out to Betsy Crosswhite and the Parent Association for coordinating our annual Potluck Dinner, to our families for sharing their culinary talents and potluck dishes. Special thanks to Laura Silverberg for showcasing our students’ creative talents as seen in their sculptures which were prominently displayed at each table.

And special thanks to Annemarie Bennett for coordinating the Book Fair, as well as to everyone who offered help before, during, and after the event.

Additionally, it was good to see many of you at Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences this past November 24th and 25th. Please remember

you are welcome to schedule a conference with any of your child’s teachers and/or case manager at anytime throughout the school year. Please also know that you are welcome to contact me by phone 847-562-2100 x:2105 or email jstieper@coveschool.org if you have any questions.

We are currently accepting registration for After School Programs. A mailing with our Spring 2015 After School Program offerings was mailed home this past month. After School Programs offer opportunities for your child to try something new and enrich their learning experiences, develop new skills sets, as well as provide opportunities to socialize and connect with peers. Pease contact Beth Pickus in the main office by phone 847-5622100 or email bpickus@coveschool.org.

Cove’s new lunch program, SMART LUNCHES began accepting hot lunch orders online this past Monday, December 8th (www. smartlunches.com). Smart Lunches offers healthy school lunches that include vegetarian, gluten-free, egg-free, and dairy-free options. You can visit their website to set up an online account and place your child’s hot lunch order. Questions? Contact Beth Pickus in the front office by phone 847-562-2100 or by email bpickus@coveschool.org.

Elementary students have been practicing their acting and musical talents these past

few months in preparation for their production of “The Adventures of Lewis and Clark” which debuted Tuesday, December 9th.

Elementary students did an amazing job of telling the story of two explorers who mapped and documented the flora and fauna of the new territories on their way to the Pacific Ocean. A Special thank you to Dorothy-Jean Lloyd, Stuart Seale, Krystle Schrantz, and Mary-Anne Belter as well as to our staff and students who contributed to the success of the musical production.

It is hard to believe it is December and winter break is just around the corner. As we approach the holidays we tend to reflect upon those who matter most in our lives.

As I reflect, I am reminded of how grateful I am to be part of this caring, nurturing, and supportive Cove community, but most of all how blessed we are to have the best students, parents, and staff in the world.

I wish you and your family a safe and enjoyable holiday season with your family and friends. May your Holidays and New Year be filled with good health, happiness, and joy.

I look forward to continuing our partnership and working together to provide the best educational opportunities for our students this coming new year. Happy New Year!

Warm Regards, John R. Stieper, III, Director of Education

Cove Interns at the Board Retreat

By Luisa Rapisarda, Transition Specialist

On Friday, November 21st, three current Cove seniors and one alumnus were invited to share their experience as interns at their various work sites. Di Pescara restaurant, one of our internship sites, catered the luncheon and some of the food was prepared and served by two of the student interns. The students spoke about current and past internships, the location, their job duties/ tasks and successes and challenges they faced. Students also

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shared their future plans for postsecondary education and/or employment. Finally, the students expressed what The Cove School has done for them and meant to them. The students prepared their own answers. They practiced ahead of time and on the day of the Retreat. Students demonstrated pride, ownership, maturity and grace. It was a wonderful highlight of The Cove School internship program.

Clinical Connections

By Dr. Robin Johnstone, Ph.D., NCSP Clinical Director

During the first few months of the school year, many assessments of specific skills have taken place. All of this information is critical for progress monitoring and instructional planning. Although we have focused on measuring these specific skills, we have not neglected the complex needs of our students. In fact, co-morbidity of inter-related conditions is extremely high in children with learning disabilities. For example, 40% of learning disabled children are also diagnosed with Attention Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and up to 30% of children have an anxiety disorder.

Of particular importance, is the role of anxiety on learning. Anxiety is a normal and common part of childhood. In most cases, anxiety in children is temporary, and may be triggered by a specific stressful event. For example, a young child may experience separation anxiety when starting preschool or kindergarten. Or a child may see a scary movie or learn about a tragic news event and have trouble sleeping.

In other cases, however, anxiety in children can be persistent and intense, and can interfere with a child’s daily routines and activities such as going to school, making friends, or sleeping. When anxiety in children is constant and serious, and doesn’t go away with reassurance and comfort, it is classified as an anxiety disorder. Descriptions of some of the most common anxiety disorders are as follows: Generalized anxiety disorder- Children who have generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD, experience constant, excessive, and uncontrollable fears about any number of everyday things such as grades, family issues, performing well in sports, being on time, or even natural disasters. Children with generalized anxiety disorder may be more likely to be perfectionists. They may experience trouble sleeping, irritability, or find it difficult to concentrate at school.

Separation anxiety disorderToddlers frequently experience

separation anxiety when a parent or caregiver leaves the room. As children get older and attend daycare, preschool or kindergarten, they can experience separation anxiety when they are dropped off by mom or dad. Separation anxiety usually goes away as children become acclimated to their new environment and caregiver or teacher. But even beyond kindergarten, a child can have trouble being separated from a parent and may experience excessive distress or anxiety. Grade-schoolers who have separation anxiety disorder may be reluctant to go to school or sleep alone.

Children with separation anxiety disorder may also fear that something bad will happen to their parents or themselves when they are not together.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder- Children who have obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD, have frequent thoughts that they can’t control called obsessions. They may feel compelled to perform routines and rituals, called compulsions, to try to control their thoughts and ease their anxiety. For instance, a child with OCD may spend a lot of time performing rituals involving hand washing, counting, repeating words, or repeatedly checking and rechecking things to keep unpleasant thoughts, images, or feelings at bay.

Post-traumatic stress disorder- Children can develop post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, after witnessing or experiencing a life-threatening or traumatic event such as a robbery or a car accident. While it’s

normal to be fearful, worried, or sad after experiencing a frightening event, many children may recover fairly quickly. However, some children -- particularly those who experienced the traumatic event directly or who lack a strong support system at home –can develop PTSD. These children can continue to experience flashbacks, nightmares, insomnia, depression, and intense fear and anxiety, and reenact the traumatic incident while playing. They may withdraw and avoid people, places and activities months after the traumatic event.

Phobias-Children with a phobia have an intense, extreme, and irrational fear of something specific, such as a dog, needles, or the dark. Other common phobias in children include fear of thunderstorms, flying, water, heights, and blood.

Many of our students who are diagnosed with one or more of these anxiety disorders are receiving support outside of school. At Cove, our social workers work closely with the child’s educational team to provide therapy and consultation in this area. A common method of treatment includes teaching students self-awareness strategies, adaptive coping, self-reflection and changes in adaptive behavior. A critical component to treating students with anxiety disorders in school is collaboration with all of the service providers and family members that interact with the child. Our team makes that a priority in their treatment of the child.

Anxiety disorders are just one of the common characteristics of our students.

As parents or guardians of continued on page 6

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st u de n t i n si g h ts

By Cove School High School students

Hurt People Hurt People

By Akeyma

“Hurt people hurt people” is a quote from Will Bowen. It means that people who are hurting, hurt other people because hurt is all they know. One reason why hurt people hurt people is to take some of their own pain away. Even though it doesn’t take the real pain away, they feel like they are releasing some anger at the moment. Another reason is to make other people feel the same way they are feeling. If you have heard the quote, “misery loves company,” then you might understand that unhappy people don’t want to be unhappy by themselves. Sometimes hurt people bring other people down on purpose to feel better and sometimes they don’t even realize they are hurting other people.

some of what happened to them.

They could have made sure that they didn’t put themselves in a dangerous situation.

It’s never a good thing to hurt other people so here are some healthy ways to release some of your pain as stated by John Grohol:

4.“Focus on the present, the here and now and joy,” which means stop replaying what happened in the past and enjoy what’s happening now.

1. “Make the decision to let it go,” which means tell yourself to let go of whatever is hurting you. Don’t dwell on it because if you dwell on it, you will not be able to move on. You will be stuck and not be able to find happiness.

5. “Forgive them and yourself,” which means you’re not forgiving them for what they did but you’re forgiving them so you can have the freedom to allow happiness back into your life.

2.“Express your pain and your responsibility,” which means to say how you are feeling. Sometimes it’s by writing an unsent letter to the person that hurt you, or telling a friend or even saying it out loud. Sometimes people have to accept responsibility for

3.“Stop being the victim and blaming others,” which means don’t let the person that hurt you in the past hold the power to your happiness in your life today. Even though you have once been the victim, you can’t be the victim forever.

In conclusion, it is normal for people to feel hurt, but in the end, it is all up to you to either stay hurt and hurt others or make the decision to help yourself and also help others. It’s up to you!

If I Could Change Something

By Carli

I would prefer not to have Type One Diabetes. I’ve had Type One since I was nine years old. The cause of Type One is unknown but one theory is that the immune system attacks the insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas. Your body needs insulin to live. Insulin helps it regulate carbohydrates and fats by promoting the absorption of glucose causing fat to be stored, rather than used for energy.

In normal people, the pancreas makes insulin all day long. In Type One Diabetics, the pancreas makes no more insulin, not even a little. Just days without insulin and I can’t be alive anymore, so I take a shot with a syringe filled with insulin. I take it after I eat meals or snacks. I take about four shots a

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day, which means in one year, I would take almost 2,000 shots!

Type One Diabetes is not from being obese or from eating too much sugar. Type One diabetics can eat whatever they want. They just have to give insulin to themselves so their blood sugar won’t become high. When your blood sugar is high, it means a couple of things, like not enough insulin, too much stress or eating more than planned. You get really thirsty. When your blood sugar becomes high, it can take more insulin to get it down to the normal range. Low blood sugar is sometimes caused by eating too little or by exercising more than you thought.

I would like to change having Type One Diabetes because it would be easier to just eat whenever I wanted, without taking a shot. It would be easier to go somewhere without carrying supplies. A lot of things would be better and easier without diabetes.

Photos from Stuart Seale’s High School digital photography class.

From right to left, student photographers: Joey, Martin and Jordan

st u de n t i n si g h ts

By Cove School High School students

Meaningful Movie

By Savannah

The movie that is meaningful to me is Frozen because it shows that you can’t marry someone you’ve just met. The film also showed me to just let things go because you don’t need to hang on to that which will bring you down.

Frozen says that just being you is the best thing you can do. Don’t let people tell you how you need to act or to be. As Elsa says, “Conceal, don’t feel. Always be the good girl you are supposed to be.” Her mom and dad told her that and it is how she grew up. If people

don’t like you for you, then they are fake and you don’t need them in your life.

In the film, Elsa was always in fear of her powers. At first when people found out that she had powers, they were scared of her and thought that she was a monster. But by the end of the movie, they all loved her for her.

? ? ?? ? ? ?

Riddles

From Cove High School students

Charlie I am as black as a tee shirt that people wear.

When I break, I split in two.

When players shoot me, they have lots of fun And in each game there’s only one.

What am I?

Christian I am straight.

I am long if I want to be.

I am short if I want to be.

I am all different colors, if I have money.

I am what people have and love.

I can be curly.

I am a part of people, animals, and some insects.

I am also, all over everything and everyone.

What am I?

Ricky I am as big as a whale.

I collect treasures.

I am greedy.

I am ruthless and dangerous.

I am man’s worst fear.

What am I?

Linda I have no legs but I am poisonous.

People can’t see me or smell me but I’m in the air.

People die after a minute there.

When there is a crime, you can’t find it or smell it.

I have a colorless and odorless substance.

What am I?

Akeyma You have been there ever since I was a baby.

You hold me tight. I need you every day and night.

What am I?

Answers: hockey puck, hair, dragon, carbon monoxide, a blanket

Something I Would Change

By Alec

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

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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Transitioning to Independence

Food Allergies

by Susie Gray, Speech Language Pathologist

As parents of children with learning disabilities, we often worry about our children’s ability to communicate their needs and intentions when we are not available. Sayings such as “Nothing can substitute experience,” and, “Life itself is a learning process,” are important to pay attention to. As educators and caregivers we need to provide our children with as many experiences as possible to promote communication, growth, and independence. When it comes to interacting with the world around us, repeated exposure to a variety of experiences can be the means to that end.

There are endless opportunities to practice communication exchanges that can lead to more independence once a student is out in the community.

Let’s start at Home: • Have your child welcome guests when you have family and friends over.

• When placing a basic carry-out order,

By Patti Lubin, School Nurse, RN

have your child take the family order and place some of the order over the phone.

• Identify jobs at home that encourage working together (planning a meal, organizing the grocery list, and/or choosing a restaurant or movie).

• Have your child invite a friend over using Skype or the phone.

Then into the Community: • Have your child place the order at the Drive-Thru.

• When grocery shopping, have your child find some of the items on your list.

Provide high support initially and reduce cues as the child becomes more successful.

• Have your child map the route to your local library, McDonald’s or grocery store using left/right directives, landmarks and distances.

• Ride public transportation to events and talk about what you see, how far you are from home, guess elapse of time, what direction you are going in etc. Have your child guide your family back home trying to remember some of the landmarks.

If we work as a team, the experiences and outcomes can be endless. Just remember to use clear language when giving directions, provide visual supports when needed and use positive reinforcement to encourage repeated attempts and produce successful experiences!

Happy Communicating!

Clinal Connections continued from page 3 students at Cove you have requested help in dealing with some common parenting issues of children with disabilities. We strongly believe in educating the whole family. Therefore, we offer many parent opportunities. Our transition staff offer monthly meetings to answer you and your child’s questions about moving from one grade level to the next or moving on from Cove and investigating post-secondary options. In addition, we offer Parent-to-Parent meetings at least four times a year to answer your questions from general parenting issues to further understanding disabilities and how they relate to learning and specific programs and Illinois law that supports special education services. The Cove Parent Association also hosts meetings for opportunities to seek further parent education on a variety of topics. If you would like further information regarding any of our parent informational meetings, please do not hesitate to contact me or the Cove office for further information.

Respectfully, Robin S. Johnstone 6

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food allergies affect an estimated 4% - 6 % of children in the United States. Here at The Cove School, our percentage is higher. 22% of our students have food allergies or sensitivities this year. According to the CDC, eight food or food groups account for 90% of serious allergic reactions in the United States: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, wheat, soy peanuts and tree nuts (almonds, walnuts, etc.). A food allergy occurs when the body has an immune response to certain foods.

Approximately 6% of students at Cove are allergic to peanuts. Some immune responses can be severe and life-threatening. Peanuts have most often caused fatal food anaphylaxis (Bock SA, et al 2001).

Therefore, The Cove School has been peanut-free for the past few years to best protect our students.

Although Cove staff are trained yearly to deal with food allergies and use of an epinephrine pen, the best course of action with any food allergy is prevention. So, no peanuts, nothing that may contain peanuts, no peanut brittle, or Reese’s peanut buttercups, no Thai peanut sauce, no peanut butter, no peanut oil, etc. at Cove. We are all in this together. We all need to be vigilant. Let’s keep our students healthy and safe at Cove.

STEAM at Cove

Technology

By Mark Fijor, Technology Coordinator

STEAM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math education. While each subject is typically taught separately, STEAM focuses on creating an interdisciplinary and applied approach that is often coupled with hands-on, problem based learning. At Cove, we believe that that each area is deeply intertwined in the real world, and creating this integrated approach will help to prepare students for college and career readiness as well as equipping them with essential 21st century skills.

Assistive Technology

By Ruth Miller, MS, OTR/L Assitive Technology Coordinator

With the addition of Chromebooks in our Elementary Unit, Cove is now a truly blended environment – every classroom has multiple tools for our students to work and succeed on. This has also given us the opportunity to expand our Assistive Technology tools. For each category of need (e.g. word prediction, text to speech, speech to text, annotation, research) there are a variety of solutions.

For example, if your child is using word prediction, s/he could use either CoWriter Universal or Typ-O on an iPad, CoWriter Universal on any Mac or PC, CoWriter Universal or Read&Write for Google on a Chromebook or via the Chrome browser.

Last summer, students enrolled in STEAM classes through the ESY program were able to a variety of skills through hands-on activities and projects. Thanks to our partnership with the Motorola Mobility Foundation, students had the opportunity to create 3-D printed designs, program robots, and create simple circuits and machines to solve real-world problems.

This fall, we have expanded on our STEAM program by developing short, co-planned projects in the elementary classrooms. Each project focuses on solving a real-world problem through the use of “Design Thinking” and using the technology tools available during the summer. Students in the junior high be participating in STEAM projects during second semester.

In addition to the STEAM projects, students at The Cove School participated in an “Hour of Code” as part of the globally recognized Computer Science Education Week (December 8-12). The Hour of Code is a one-hour introduction to Computer Science designed to demystify coding and show that anybody can learn the basics. At Cove, we believe that every student should have the opportunity to learn Computer Science as it is a foundational skill that all students need in today’s world. In addition, computer coding helps to nurture problem-solving, critical-thinking skills, logic, and creativity.

When your child has homework to do on Google Docs, Read&Write for Google* and CoWriter Universal** are available to them on any computer that has the Google Chrome browser. If your child needs to use Read&Write to read a website, it is again available as long as s/he is using the Chrome browser. Directions for using these AT tools and more, are available on Cove’s AT website at http://coveassistivetechnology.weebly.com/ We are excited about all of our new technology and are happy to provide you with any assistance necessary to enable your student to successfully complete their homework.

Feel free to call and/or arrange time for a demonstration or hands on assistance. * Read&Write for Google is an Assistive Technology extension used with Google Chrome to promote independence in the classroom. It appears as a separate toolbar and provides many functions including word prediction, text to speech, speech to text, integrated dictionary, annotation, research and development of study materials. ** CoWriter Universal works across multiple platforms, including the Chromebook, via the Chrome browser, on Macs, PCs, iPads and other tablets.

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Elementary Unit Update

By Sue Petersen, Elementary Case Manager

The elementary students have been very busy this fall! After the Halloween excitement ended in October, they launched into an exciting month in November, leading into December.

On November 12th, all students went on their first field trip of the year to the Chicago Children’s Theater to see a musical production of Frederick, a children’s book by author Leo Lionni.

Laura Silverberg, art teacher extraordinaire, has been keeping our budding artists’ hands and minds busy in Art, creating fabulous sculptures that graced the tables as centerpieces during the Potluck Dinner on November 20th.

Dorothy Jean Lloyd and Stuart Seale oversaw production of the Elementary Showcase, Lewis and Clark. Students dazzled friends and families at two performances on December 9th.

This year, Thanksgiving break and the Parent/ Teacher conferences fell during the same week.

So, as your children’s teachers, we all want to say thanks to all of you as you send them to Cove everyday, entrusting them to us and supporting us as their teachers.

Social Success!

by Amy Berghoff, SLP, and Mary O’Brien, LCSW Have you ever heard of Social Thinking?

We have! Over the years, many social workers, speech and language pathologists, case managers, and an occupational therapist have attended Social Thinking conferences to learn new strategies to teach our students with social learning challenges. The goal is to teach students “why” we use social skills – to keep social communication going! We do this by being aware of others’ thoughts and feelings in order to adapt our behavior to maintain positive interactions.

“Most kids are born with a brain that helps them think with their eyes, to intuitively learn to observe social information in the world around them ultimately helping them to observe how people think and feel about each other. This ‘social radar’ also

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helps them observe interpersonal interactions and intuit the hidden rules in each context” (Winner, 2000, 2007). Many of our students do not naturally acquire social information in the same developmental sequence and timeline when compared to same aged peers.

Social Thinking gives us a concrete way to teach abstract concepts about the social mind, social expectations, and a student’s own thinking and that of others to help them make better decisions when in the midst of academic and community based social interactions. Social thinking teaches the thought process that underlies the social behavior, which increases the student’s ability to flexibly think and shift behavior to the demands of the situation.

Imagine…When we engage with another person, we are constantly adapting our behavior as we read the social cues that tell us about what others are thinking and how they are feeling. For example, if we or our partner blunder, the social interaction breaks down. To repair the breakdown, a subtle or significant behavior change is necessary to return to comfortable thoughts and feeling within the interaction.

Our social learning should be continual, and working through a Social Thinking framework allows Cove staff to address social communication challenges across all levels and support students to build relationships and manage social interactions with success.

Book Fair Generates Record-Breaking Sales

By Annemarie Bennett, Media Resource Specialist

Each year, students throughout the school look forward to the Scholastic Book Fair coming to Cove. The Book Fair is more than just a sale -- many students volunteer to participate in this endeavor by helping to set up, take down, and assist with customers at the register. It truly is one of the most exciting weeks in the Media Center. This year, we surpassed our record from last year and topped over $3,400 in sales! What does this mean for Cove? More resources for the Media Center and the Book Room, which in turn keeps our students engaged in the art of reading. Thank you to everyone who supported the Book Fair this year!

Day of the Dead

by Corey Hillman, High School Spanish Teacher

Ms. Hillman’s Spanish class celebrated Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). The Day of the Dead takes place on November 1st and 2nd. Though it happens just after Halloween, it is a very different holiday. It is a time to remember loved ones that have died. People in Mexico clean and decorate the graves of lost loved ones. In Spanish class, we made an altar with flowers, candles and calacas (small skeleton figures). We also made our own sugar skulls and decorated them.

Cougar Basketball

by Brett Goldberg, HIgh School Case Manager, Basketball Coach The Cove High School Basketball teams are off to a roaring start this year. The Blue team avenged last year’s state tournament loss by defeating Glenbard North, 5048. On November 17th, both the Blue and Yellow teams defeated two teams from Glenbrook North. Go Cougars!

Junior High Team Schedule

Blue Team

12/15 vs.PAEC 5:00 p.m at Cove

12/4 @ Downers Grove (7:00) • Players will stay at Cove until game time • Food will be provided • Players may be picked up from Downer’s Grove immediately following the game or at Cove school at 8:45.

12/16 vs.Niles Township at Cove 1/8 vs.PAEC 5:00 p.m • 1000 Van Buren St. Maywood.

• Pick-up at Cove at 6:45 p.m.

Yellow Team Schedule 12/8 vs. Vernon Hills 4:15 12/11 vs. Grayslake 4:00 1/7 vs. Evanston # 2 6:30 • Players will stay at school until gametime • Food will be provided

12/10 vs. Evanston #1 6:30 • Players will stay at Cove until gametime • Food will be provided 1/11 @ Hersey High School- District Tournament (2 games)

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The Young Women Lunch Club

By Elizabeth Hanzel, Special Education Teacher, MAT LBS-1

Music & Theatre

By Dorothy Jean Lloyd, Music Drama and Digital Photogaphy

The Adventures of Lewis and Clark

If you wonder what type of fairy princess you are…. or want to discuss an upcoming teen outing, talk about what music is hot on the web or great places to find ideas for crafts then perhaps you are in The Young Women Lunch Club.

We have arrived at another musical milestone on The Cove School calendar – the Elementary Showcase. It can be exhilarating for many students to participate in the performing arts, while it can also be challenging and at times downright frustrating for some.

Why do we do it?

Sue Kovin (social worker) and Elizabeth Hanzel (special education teacher) host a Monday 5th lunch period gathering. The lunchtime club offers a collaborative opportunity for staff to support students in a comfortable social environment.

To quote neuropsychologist Aniruddh Patel, “…music sometimes places higher demands on the brain, on some of the same shared networks that we use for other abilities, allowing the music to actually enhance those networks, and those abilities benefit.

All female fifth period lunch students are welcome to participate.

The subject matter is designed to strengthen the interests and social interactions dedicated to healthy female teen lifestyles.

“That level of precision in processing music’, Patel says, is “much higher than the level of precision used in processing speech. This means that developing our brains” musical networks may very well enhance our ability to process speech.”

We know that learning music through repetition and sequential patterning, perfecting rhythm and pitch, and participating in a community of music making requires us to listen, watch, and engage emotionally/socially in ways that are unique to the musical process.

My own experience in music has provided me a form of expression that is both engaging and empowering. Of course I don’t expect that music will create an experience that is exactly the same for everyone. I do feel,

though, that the musical contract we form in committing to a “performance” creates a platform for competency, expression, and communication. It is a tangible measure of work and effort, and provides us with a relatable, culminating event. Thus, it is an important component in our commitment to a positive and beneficial student experience.

Congratulations to our students who gave of themselves to this project, and thanks to the many faculty and staff members whose help has been invaluable.

I hope you enjoyed our show. While we have put The Adventures of Lewis and Clark to rest, we continue to not only strive for musical competency, but also value the unique challenges and advantages it affords our students.

Cove Parent Association News It’s been a great fall for the Cove Parent Association! On October 24, the Elementary and Junior high Halloween Carnival Costume and Dance Party was a SPOOKTACULAR good time for students. All enjoyed games, a costume contest, and dancing. On November 20, Cove hosted its annual Potluck dinner. Over 200 members

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of the Cove Community came together.

Families also had the chance to visit the Book Fair held in the Media Center. It was a great way to kick off the holiday season!

Mark your calendars for our next PA Meeting and Parent Presentation on Tuesday, January 13th at 9:30 a.m. at Cove. Cove therapists will address strategies for parents to support critical executive functioning skills at home. Our annual Dads and Kids Bowling will take place on Sunday, January 25th at Pinstripes from 11:30 a.m to 1:30 p.m. This event includes lunch and is open to all Cove students and a dad, uncle, or other adult male figure in their lives.

Lastly, our next Elementary and Junior High social event will take place at Lifetime Fitness on Friday February 6th! More information about this fun night will be coming home in backpacks soon.

We hope you have received your Cove Directory. If you have not, please con-

Cove’s Fitness Center

By Bill Shipley, Fitness Instructor/Trainer, Health Awareness Teacher Almost two years ago, The Cove@65 Campaign raised $1.25 million that expanded five key programs. One of which was a comprehensive health and fitness program. Access to an effective fitness program was a constant challenge for many of Cove’s students and their families, which was a critical void that wasn’t necessarily an obvious one at first.

but there’s something to say about scientific evidence that’s continuing to come out about exercise and children’s intelligence, cognition and academic achievement.

However, Cove saw firsthand that our students had better concentration, attention span and overall performance when they obtained a consistent exercise regimen. Supporting this observation were numerous studies showing that physical health is especially critical for children with special needs because they are highly vulnerable to living unhealthy, sedentary lifestyles.

From seventh graders on up, the envisioned Fitness Center would allow those with sensory needs to transition from the Occupational Therapy room into more socially and developmentally appropriate activity, such as cardiovascular exercise and resistance training using weights and other tools.

Fast forward to the summer of 2013 when this particular vision of the @65 Campaign came to fruition. A teaching position was created that allowed me to become Cove’s Fitness Trainer/Instructor, and we turned a classroom-turned storage room into a state-of-the-art Fitness Center. It was exciting help choose what equipment our students would be utilizing on a daily basis.

To top it all off, the perimeter of the Fitness Center is furnished with a large pace clock, instructional fitness posters, a drinking fountain and a stereo sound system.

It’s quite a sight to see when our students enthusiastically walk in and begin their individualized workout programs. Music is pumping, perspiration is dripping and smiles are forming. The energy that resides in the Fitness Center is contagious and serves a purpose beyond physical gains. Only time will tell how significant the correlation will be between our students’ improved fitness and overall wellness compared to their scholastic achievement. Dare I say that positive results are inevitable,

tact Tiffany Ertel at tertel@ coveschool.org. Thank you to everyone who supported the directory with an ad this year.

We raised over $12,000 for Cove! We would also like to thank those who participated in the Gift Card program. Feel free to contact any of our Parent Association steering committee members, to volunteer or to suggest any new ideas you may have.

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

With the American Disability Act (ADA) standards in mind, Cove purchased:

• Smith Machine equipped with multi-station attachments • Free weights, including dumbbells and weight plates • Cybex Bravo Functional Trainer, which provides hundreds of movements in a single space-efficient machine • Dumbbells • Stability balls • Medicine balls • Bosu Ball, which consists of an inflated rubber hemisphere attached to a rigid platform used for balance training • Resistance exercise bands, • Mats, foam rollers and other tools to aid in flexibility training • Weight benches, including one with arm- and leg-exercise attachments Seven pieces of cardio equipment, including: • Two Cybex treadmills • Cybex Upright Bike • Cybex Arc Trainer, which is similar to an elliptical but scientifically tested to be gentler on your joints while being more efficient • Concept2 Rower • NuStep, which provides a low impact, inclusive, total body workout • Versa Climber, which is a vertical climbing machine that mimics hauling up an extremely steep mountain or scaling a tall wall

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The 2014 Cove School Board Retreat

Our Board of Trustees for the 14-15 school year includes: Dean Gerber – Board President, Attorney – Vedder Price Scott Canel - President of Scott I. Canel & Associates; alumni parent David Crosswhite – ITC Business Group; parent Dan Dickinson – Incoming President, Managing Partner, HCI Equity Partners; alumni parent Lisa Flanagan – Cove parent Rob Flanagan – Attorney – Seyfarth Shaw LLP; parent Jay Goodgold – Personal investor; parent David Graff – Vice President – Project Services, MB Real Estate Joseph Hickey – Morgan Stanley Wealth Management

Michael Irgang – Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer, OSI Group; alumni parent Maureen Klatt – Cove parent Don Law – Managing Principal, Indie Equity, LLC; alumni parent Michael D. Robinson – President and CFO, Lobster Gram Inc. Mark Shambo – Director – McGladrey LLP Linhard Stepf – President, FrankfurtRheinMain Corporation Sheridan Turner – President, CEO, Kohl Children’s Museum Ross Vangalis – President, Queue Company; parent David Woodhouse – Woodhouse Tinucci Architects

With your support, Cove is able to provide the individualized education, stateof-the-art technology, extracurricular programs, authentic work opportunities, and need-based scholarships our families depend on. Tuition and fees do not

Edward Finnegan – CEO – Cozzini Bros.; alumni parent Ed Weil – Attorney – Dykema Gossett PLLC; alumni parent The Cove Board of Trustees will continue their work throughout the year through the committees that meet monthly and the board meetings that occur quarterly.

How fortunate we are to have such a wonderful and talented group of people working with and for us at The Cove School.

Sally L. Sover, Ed.D. Executive Director

Save the Date for:

#ChooseCove!

With the end of 2014 approaching, consider making a tax-deductible donation to The Cove School.

Honorary Lifetime Trustees Carey Cooper – CEO – L3 Hospitality Group; alumni parent

cover the total cost of educating a child at Cove.You can donate online at www. coveschool.org, by check made payable to Cove School or contact Alexandra Argentar, Director of Development at 847-562-2100 x2104 or aargentar@coveschool.org.

Every donation makes a difference!

2015 Benefit Sponsors to date:

Saturday, February 28, 2015 Loews Chicago O’Hare 5300 N. River Road, Rosemont The Kelley Family