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Crossroads Monthly Newsletter
April 2024
Message from the Administration
As the month of April comes to a close, we are excited to share with you the meaningful themes and activities that took place at Crossroads School. April brought with it a focus on the themes of Responsibility and Self Care, while also highlighting Autism Acceptance Month.
At Crossroads, responsibility is about recognizing the importance of our roles in creating a safe, respectful, and supportive environment for all. We encourage our students to show responsibility by treating others with kindness and empathy, and to contribute positively to our school community. Self-care is equally important, especially in today's world. It's essential for maintaining balance, well-being, and resilience. We encourage everyone to prioritize self-care practices that nurture mental, emotional, and physical health. Whether it's spending quality time together, engaging in hobbies, or simply taking a moment to breathe deeply, let's make self-care a priority for ourselves and our loved ones.
April is also Autism Acceptance Month, a time to deepen our understanding and embrace the diversity within our community. At Crossroads, we strive to create an inclusive environment where every individual feels valued, respected, and understood for who they are. Together, let's foster empathy, understanding, and acceptance. Our recent visit from the students at Mount Saint Mary's Academy was a wonderful opportunity for our students to connect with peers from another school in order to help broaden perspectives, promote empathy, and strengthen understanding and acceptance.
On April 24th Crossroads School celebrated Administrative Professionals Day. This was an opportunity for us to express our gratitude to our Secretary Christina, who works tirelessly behind the scenes to keep our school running smoothly. Her contributions are invaluable, and we are grateful for her hard work and dedication to the school.
As April comes to an end, let's carry forward the spirit of responsibility, self-care, and acceptance in all that we do.
Warm regards,
Matt, Danielle, and Stacey
Upcoming Dates
May 6, 2024 - Crossroads Teacher Appreciation Luncheon - 11:00-1:00
May 6 - May 10, 2024 - Teacher Appreciation Week/Nurses Week
May 7, 2024 - Parent Education and PTO Meeting - 1:00
May 27, 2024 - School Closed - Memorial Day
Crossroads Staff and Student Spotlight
Student of the Month - Alex
Staff Spotlight - Grace Ahern - Art Teacher
1. How long have you been working at the commission?
I started at the commission in November of 2023. It is crazy to think it has only been 6 months! I am currently doing my Alternate Route through the commission and am grateful for all the support and my amazing mentor, Ms. Allison!!
2. What would we be surprised to find out about you?
I went to the University of Tampa for my degree in Art Therapy. I lived in Florida for four years and it is safe to say I miss the weather, beaches, and palm trees!
3. What is your dream vacation?
My dream vacation would be traveling around the country in a van. I would take time to visit the National parks and just explore the country. I always thought that I would live the “van life” at some point, but have yet to figure out when it would fit into my life.
4. What is your favorite meal?
Sushi! I love all types of sushi! I feel like it is not something easily made at home so it’s always a treat when I have it!
5. What is your greatest accomplishment?
During my undergrad, my artwork got hung up in the Tampa Museum of Art. The best part about it was working with one of my students to complete the project, so she got her work hung up too! It was a very cool experience to see my work in a museum, but it was even more amazing to see the look of accomplishment on the student’s face.
Staff Spotlight - Gloria Guardado - Teacher's Assistant
1. How long have you been working at the commission?
I have been working at the commission since 1999!
2. What would we be surprised to find out about you?
I started working in Special Education because of my nephew. He has autism and I wanted to learn. He is now 31 and I stayed because I love it!
3. What is your dream vacation?
Anywhere with my daughters - they are my best friends.
4. What is your favorite meal?
Pizza! As long as there are no anchovies.
5. What is your greatest accomplishment?
Raising two strong - independent women. Also, I went back to college and will be graduating soon 😀
Honors and Accolades
Crossroads was awarded a Garden Enhancement Grant by the Union County Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund.
Classroom Spotlights
Ms. Peggy's Classroom
As spring blossoms around us, we’re excited to share all the wonderful activities happening in room 102. We’re buzzing with excitement as we delve into the wonders of spring.
This month, our little artists have been busy exploring different textures, colors, and shapes to create beautiful flower masterpieces. From finger painting to tissue paper collages, each child has had the opportunity to express their creativity in unique ways.
Through hands-on activities, our preschoolers have been able to engage their senses and discover the joy of nature. Sensory bins filled with scented playdough and tactile flower puzzles have provided endless opportunities for exploration and learning.
We have also embarked on a fascinating journey as our preschoolers learn about the lifecycle of butterflies through our caterpillar project. We have a cup of five baby caterpillars, and everyday we watch the caterpillars eat and grow. Soon, they will hang upside down and form chrysalides, and in a few weeks beautiful butterflies will emerge! Our preschoolers are witnessing firsthand how caterpillars transform into beautiful butterflies.
As we approach the end of the school year, we’re taking time to review and reinforce the readiness skills we have learned. From letter recognition and counting to fine motor development and daily living skills, we celebrate their individual achievements.
Ms. Hannah's Classroom
This April, Room 104 has been focusing on their independence. We've been practicing completing work by ourselves as well as playing with toys and bathrooming on our own. We work in the ADL room every week on our daily living skills too, like making the bed, setting the table, hanging up clothes etc. Right now, our boys are being encouraged to clearly state what they want and need. We practice this daily to help our students understand advocating for themselves.
On the April 8th, we enjoyed learning about the Solar Eclipse and had fun creating a craft to replicate it. We also celebrated our friends’ birthdays and enjoyed the sun coming out with warm weather. Room 104 loves playing outside and seeing the flowers bloom again!
Therapy Spotlight - Occupational Therapists
April is National Occupational Therapy month. We decided to include some OT information in our newsletter article:
How Can an Occupational Therapist Help a Child?
Occupational Therapists are highly-trained healthcare professionals that evaluate and assist
children that are having difficulty participating in meaningful activities or “occupations” that are
needed to conduct their daily routines and live their life to the fullest.
For a child, this may include the development of life skills such as learning at school, playing,
completing self-care tasks, relating to others, and fulfilling their role as a family member.
In the schools, Occupational Therapists address the needs of students experiencing delays,
disabilities, or health challenges through therapeutic intervention to promote skill advancement,
the use of compensatory strategies, adaptations to the child’s educational environment, and/
or modifying the curriculum or activity.
Occupational Therapists also collaborate with teachers, parents and others to identify and
modify barriers that restrict a child’s success and model strategies for others to use that will
extend the benefits of direct intervention.
Occupational Therapy Skill Areas:
Fine Motor: Holding crayons, pencils and other small objects, stringing beads, using clothing fasteners, manipulating toys
Eye-hand Coordination: Scissor use, puzzles, ball skills
Visual Motor: Printing, drawing, forming shapes, coloring
Visual Perceptual: Sorting, matching, figure ground, scanning, letter reversals
Self-Care: Dressing, feeding, using utensils, tying, bathing & shampooing, grooming
Sensory Processing: Delays in adaptive responses to sights, sounds, movement,
taste, touch
Strength: Manipulating resistive materials, moving against gravity, sustaining body
positions
Social: Interacting with others, following routines, play skills
The Crossroads therapists started the celebration with some new gear, proudly displaying “OT Squad” t-shirts. OT month signs were hung up on the bulletin boards and doors throughout the school and the students completed an OT month color, cut and paste activity working on scissor skills, fine motor coordination, writing/pre-writing skills and bilateral hand skills. The project entitled: “Occupational Therapy gives me the Tools To Grow” encouraged the students to identify what they do in OT and color, cut and paste the coordinating petal on the flower. The students’ flowers were displayed in the OT room and classrooms.
With the break in the weather, the therapy sessions are beginning to focus on sensory motor outdoor play. The students all love bubbles, sidewalk chalk, digging in the dirt and the new addition of 3 kick scooters.
Behavior Spotlight - Ms. Karly and Ms. Marianny - BCBA's
Celebrating Autism Acceptance Month in April
Hello everyone, we are Marianny Amezquita and Karly Barreto, the Crossroads Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs).
In April, we celebrated Autism Acceptance Month, a time to promote understanding, acceptance, and support for individuals on the autism spectrum. Throughout the month, our school community engaged in various activities and initiatives to raise awareness and foster acceptance.
We also hosted informational sessions and workshops to educate families and staff about autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These sessions focused on promoting acceptance and providing strategies for supporting individuals with ASD in educational and social settings.
Fun Fact: There are about 3,000 BCBAs in the state of New Jersey and our school has 2 Full-time BCBAs, plus our administration team are BCBAs! That means we have 5 total BCBAs in one school, that’s awesome! Our team also includes 5 full-time Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) who support the staff and students in the school setting.
As we wrap up Autism Acceptance Month, let us continue to embrace and celebrate the differences that make each of us unique. By promoting acceptance and understanding, we can create a more inclusive and supportive community for individuals with autism and their families.
April at Crossroads
Special Visit from the students of Mount Saint Mary's Academy
Crossroads in the Community
Staff Corner
Celebrating Christina on Administrative Professionals Day!
Parent Resources
Stem Event with former Crossroads Speech Therapist Hope
About Us
Website: https://www.ucesc.org/schools/crossroads_school
Location: 45 Cardinal Drive, Westfield, NJ, USA
Phone: 908-233-9317