OWL OBSERVER
Issue 10
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OWL OBSERVER
October, 2020
Fall Semester in Full Swing
The Academy for Inclusive Learning and Social Growth
EDITION 10
Hi Everyone, It is hard to believe that we are nine weeks into the term. Time has flown. Everything is going very well, given the impact that COVID has had on both the KSU community and the community as a whole. Our students have proven that they are very resilient and have done an excellent job wearing masks and socially distancing. Please keep in mind that when we break for Thanksgiving, all the courses and final exams will transition to an online format. We will remain online from the Thanksgiving break through the end of the fall term, but we will be back in
person for classes to start on January 11th. I want to share a quick note of gratitude to the Down’s Syndrome Congress for recognizing the Academy for our hard work and dedication to the community. We received this prestigious honor this month. Our program is in our 11th year and has had more than 100 graduates. Presently, we are 49 students and nine staff members strong. We appreciate you taking the time to review our newsletter. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. Neil
Academy Lunch Socials We have started a new program call Friends Friday Lunch Social. We invite a group of students to lunch at the Commons where we can hang out, socialize, get to know each other, and eat (of course). The group will be a mix of academy staff, students from different years in the program, our interns, and membership will vary with each session. The goal is to “mix it up” have students meet people they don’t know well yet, make friends, and get better acquainted the staff and fellow students. Keep an eye out for you invite!
Academy Announcements Academy Halloween Party – Thursday Oct. 29th from 6 pm to 8 pm KSU Center Room 300. Costume Contest, Karaoke and much more! AILSG Campus Tour - Friday, Oct. 23rd– 1pm. See our website to register. Academy Website AILSG Virtual Open House Thursday, Oct. 29th 3 pm. See our website to register. Academy Website AILSG Campus Tour - Friday, Oct. – 30th 1pm. See our website to register. Academy Website KSU Coronavirus Information and Updates: https://coronavirus.kennesaw.ed u/ Owl Life – For event information and list of registered clubs. https://owllife.kennesaw.edu
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October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month This month celebrates all the wonderful things that people with disabilities bring to the table in the workplace. Stay tuned to learn more about the power of employment at KSU’s Academy for Inclusive Learning! By Sarah Cox and Emily Gagne
Carter Hall To kick off the celebration, we want to tell you about Carter. He is doing awesome work at the Kennesaw State University bookstore. Carter is a third-year student who is putting his customer service skills to work, and he has enjoyed being a part of their team! The supervisors at the KSU bookstore have been hosting internships for Academy students for over 10 years! We also want to thank our employment partners who offer our students equal opportunity in the work force!
Tomi Coker Tomi is working at Central Receiving and Distribution Warehouse at Kennesaw State University. He is enrolled in his fourth year at the Academy for Inclusive Learning and Social Growth. Tomi has been doing a great job and is gaining skills and experience he will take forward with him after this internship.
Jordan McGuffey Jordan is enrolled in her second year at the Academy for Inclusive Learning and Social Growth. She is working as a receptionist for the Office of the Dean in the WellStar College of Health and Human Services. Jordan has been a great fit for this position as she carries a great level of professionalism in her work. We are so thankful for the opportunity to partner with the Dean’s office!
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Students of the Month
Running with Ross We are so excited to support ADMH with a fun run for our own Ross McEachern! Please join us on 10/17/2020 from 9am to 12 on the Campus Green to support Adult Disability Medical Healthcare (ADMH) and their annual 1k run to raise funds for the program! Donations to the organization are being accepted here: https://runsignup.com/runningwithross If you are unable to participate, please consider donating what you can to help fund ADMH, a health organization for people with developmental disabilities. Please join us even if you cannot donate, we would love to see you! We will also have cornhole and some snacks to pass out to those who participate in the fun run.
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Culinary Students are “Making” the Grade The Academy works in partnership with the KSU College of Professional Education to offer our students three certificate granting tracks – culinary, technology, and customer service. Students are engaged and gaining valuable skills to use towards their future career paths. This month we are going to highlight our students in the culinary track. Students get hands-on training from a certified chef in an industrial kitchen. They are learning knife skills, food preparation, safe food handling, measurements, cooking, proper cleaning techniques, and so much more. Each week students make a different recipe. So far this semester they have made from scratch stuffed shells, soups, flatbread pizza, scones, beef stew, paninis, steamed salmon, pies, and quiche. The best part is they get to taste and take home their creations. We are fortunate to have such a wonderful collaborative partnership with Chef Rob and the CPE culinary program here on campus.
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Introducing New AILSG CAMPUS TOURS Please join us for a KSU AILSG Campus Tour. We will tour our student's most popular buildings, residence hall, dining, and answer any questions you might have about the program. All visitors are required to wear an appropriate face-covering inside campus facilities/buildings. While on a campus tour, attendees should practice social distancing while walking and at tour stops. There is a firm guest policy in place to ensure social distancing guidelines. Students attending a campus tour are only permitted to bring 2 additional guests. If you’re not comfortable coming on campus, we invite you to sign up for AILSG Virtual Open House events and encourage you to experience our virtual tour offered by the University. Once we have received our attendance limit of 10 registered guests, please register for the next available AILSG Campus Tour. Use this link to register: https://wellstarcollege.kennesaw.edu/academy/index.php
Spring 2021 Registration Registration for the Spring 2021 semester is underway. Students should meet with their academic advisor to select audit courses for next semester. Please check your Owl Express account for any holds and clear those up to prevent issues with adding your courses for the spring 2021 semester. If you have questions about balances on your account, please contact the Kennesaw State Bursar’s Office. Direct any GVRA financial questions to your local VR counselor.
AILSG Halloween Party AILSG students join us on Thursday, October 29 from 6pm to 8 pm at the KSU Center Room 300 for a Halloween Costume Party. There will be a costume contest, games, food, karaoke, and so much more. You must wear a face mask and social distancing guidelines will apply. KSU Center Address – 1000 Chastain Rd. NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144 You can take the BOB from the Rec Center – Take the Busbee Drive Stadium Route and get off at the KSU Center. https://parking.kennesaw.edu/big_owl_bus/routes.php
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GVRA Information We are not a part of the GVRA organization and do not have information related to the release of funds or processing of benefits. We suggest reaching out to your local office for more information. Atlanta: 404-206-6000 College Park: 770-909-2838 Norcross: 770-729 -5400 Canton: 770-720-3570 Athens: 706-354-3900 Douglasville: 770-489-3018 Marietta: 770-528-3435 Tucker: 770-414-2602 Augusta: 706-650-5600 Americas (Columbus): 706-649-7400