NEWARK – The Worcester County Board of Education highlighted special education in its meeting on April 19.
April is National Autism Awareness month and the board took the opportunity to recognize passionate and innovative teachers and its ever inspirational students.
“Our students participated in the Maryland Special Olympics Winter games, as they do each year. They are skiers, and it’s the coolest thing to watch,” said Cedar Chapel Special School Principal Belinda Gulyas. “They practice throughout the year for the Winter Games.”
Rick Blessing, who is a coach on the team, explained that in the Maryland Special Olympic Winter Games, “we run courses like everybody else, we do the slalom and giant slalom events, going through gates down the hill.”
Ryan Drimal is a wheelchair-bound student who communicates with the assistance of a speech program on an iPad attached to his chair. One wouldn’t tell by looking at him that he is a medal winning, daredevil downhill skier.
“Ryan Drimal is a first year sit-skier,” said Blessing. “He is in a device that sort of looks like a bobsled with outriggers on it. He comes down the hill with a partner. The only thing he didn’t like was waiting his turn for the lift and he always wanted to go faster.”
Blessing also praised brother and sister Kosta and Tetyana Bieliaiev for their progress this year.
“Tetyana is probably our most technically sound skier, she’s the best at turning, and stopping, doing all the little things. Her brother is without a doubt our most daring skier, he wants to go as fast as he can from the top of the hill to the bottom,” he said.
The Autistic Children’s Support Group of Worcester County was also recognized by the board for its continuing support of special needs students in Worcester County. This is the seventh year that the group has organized the summer youth employment program that provides real world job opportunities to students with autism. The students work four hours a week for 23 days and are coached on the job by teachers and assistants.
“We want to thank the board of education and all the local businesses who opened their doors to us for their support,” said Linda Cook, one of the spokespersons of the support group said at the meeting.
Board President Jonathan Cook said of the group, “there are two different types of people in the world, those who look to receive and those who look to give. I can say in my 10 years of knowing you and your group, you are truly givers. I want to thank you for your generosity.”
Cedar Chapel Special School’s “Core it for Me” uses picture books to aid non-verbal students in communicating effectively. Gulyas used the Alexander Den Heijer quote, “When a flower does not bloom you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower” to summarize the idea behind “Core it for Me,” which she says is about leveling the playing field for these students.
The program hinges on establishing “core” vocabulary, from “fringe” vocabulary.
“Over 75 percent of what people say comes from a list of 200 to 350 high frequency words that are mostly nouns and verbs. They have a very general meaning,” said Bess Cropper, who handles the curriculum at the school. “The other 25 percent are fringe words. These are much more specific words and are used much less frequently. What we sometimes see as a failure to behave properly is really a failure to communicate properly.”
“Core it for Me” has been implemented throughout the entire school to ensure that these students can make themselves understood and help integrate them into society more efficiently.