Message from the Administration
Dear Crossroads Community,
It’s hard to believe that November is already coming to a close and the holiday season is upon us! It has been a fantastic month filled with learning, growth, and memorable experiences for our students. One of the highlights of this month was the Holiday Express Party at Westlake on November 12th. The students had an amazing time listening to the band play and dancing along to festive holiday music. Watching their faces light up as they met Santa, the Grinch, Elmo, Cookie Monster, and other beloved characters was truly heartwarming—a memory we won’t soon forget!
This month, we also focused on gratitude as part of our Social Emotional Learning (SEL) theme. It has been wonderful to see students and staff reflecting on and sharing what they are thankful for. Gratitude is an essential skill that helps build stronger connections and foster positivity in our school community.
As we look forward to December, there are many exciting activities planned! On December 12th, our Kindergarten through 5th-grade students will take their first trip to Lifetown. This incredible facility provides a safe and supportive environment where individuals with special needs can practice essential life skills. Lifetown’s simulated indoor city allows our students to explore tasks like navigating a bank, handling money, and making purchases in a controlled yet realistic setting. Beyond the city, students will enjoy sensory exploration rooms, art and dance spaces, and adaptive recreational areas, including a bowling alley and gym designed to meet their unique needs. These trips are part of our ongoing efforts to build independence and confidence in our students, empowering them to thrive both inside and outside the classroom.
We are also thrilled to announce that our Crossroads Holiday Event will take place on December 18th, and we would love to have parents and families join us! A detailed schedule for classroom times will be shared as the date approaches. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that a special visitor (hint: Santa!) will make an appearance to deliver presents to the students and take photos.
As we embrace the holiday spirit, we remain grounded in our schoolwide theme, Let Every Voice Empower. Whether through music and dance at the Holiday Express event or practicing life skills at Lifetown, every experience is an opportunity for our students to express themselves, grow, and shine in their own unique ways.
Thank you for being such an integral part of our Crossroads community. Your support and partnership continue to make all of this possible. Wishing you and your families a joyful and peaceful start to the holiday season.
Warm regards,
Matt, Danielle, and Stacey
Student of the Month - Jacob
This month, we have so many reasons to name Jacob B our student of the month. He is one of the students at Crossroads with a perfect attendance record. In class Jacob enjoys pretend play and at times you can see him become a Policeman, a Firefighter, a Doctor, or an Artist. He demonstrates his talents during free play where he gets dressed on his own using clothing of his own choices.
Jacob’s communication skills are progressing nicely. Jabob demonstrates his skills during manding sessions by using full sentences to request his favorite toys, foods, or activities using Proloquo2go. During morning arrival, he locates a tablet and requests crayons and paper to create innovative art work, his favorite activity. Jacob enjoys playing with his classmates, adults, and peers from other classrooms during recess time.
Jacob is very proud of all his achievements in all areas of development, especially daily living, play, and communication. He has also been strong in his pre-academic readiness skills. Jacob is very independent and determined to get adult’s attention in order to get what he wants.
Staff Spotlight - Sara Winter - Occupational Therapist
1. How long have you been working at the commission?
This is my second year working at the commission.
2. What would we be surprised to find out about you?
Most people are surprised to find out that, before I was an occupational therapist, I was as an editor in educational publishing working on reading programs.
3. What is your dream vacation?
My dream vacation to go to Tuscany and the Amalfi coast
4. What is your favorite meal?
Really good sushi
5. What is your greatest accomplishment?
My greatest accomplishment is raising my two sons, Sam (9) and Adam (6).
Staff Spotlight - Gloria Molano - Teacher's Assistant
1. How long have you been working at the commission?
I started working in October 2023 as an ESS sub but in March 2024 I started working directly with the commission at Crossroads.
2. What would we be surprised to find out about you?
I studied aesthetics and cosmetology before getting my license to work on the care of children.
3. What is your dream vacation?
One of my dreams is to go to Italy and enjoy the food and the culture
4. What is your favorite meal?
My favorite food is Pasta
5. What is your greatest accomplishment?
First of all, I would like to thank God and you for the wonderful opportunity to work in this beautiful institution, where every day I learn new things. I am happy and proud to be here despite English not being my primary language.
Ms. Hannah's Classroom
Happy November!
This month in 104, we have been practicing our independent skills and getting ready for the upcoming holidays. Earlier this month, we had a chance to go to a Holiday party where we got to do crafts, see some fun characters, and listen to some great music. In the classroom, our students have been working on skills like greeting others, staying on task at the table, identifying their own names, and potty training. Every morning, we start going through our daily routines as soon as they walk through the door. We also do a cooking lesson and craft each week as a special treat but also to practice our listener responding along with other skills. In November, we made turkeys out of rice cakes and some of our favorite sweets as well as pumpkin pie from paper plates to hang on the refrigerator. This week we are making placemats that highlight what we are thankful for like our families, friends, and teachers.
Ms. Daria's Classroom
Room 220A has been busy with Community based Instruction trips going to places such as Clark Commons, the Cranford movie theater, one of our other schools (Westlake), Shoprite and Costco. We are learning about being safe in the community and being appropriate in stores and the movie theater. We are deep into our routine at school, participating in morning meetings, working on academics, delivering breakfast to our classmates and setting up lunch for the middle school. We got to celebrate the holidays a little early with The Holiday Express at our Westlake school. It was so much fun and we hope that we continue to participate every year. It was a great way to kick off the Holiday season.
We are learning all about what it is like to be a Middle Schooler! Being part of middle school brings much more responsibility to us. We deliver breakfast, set up lunch, run a school store, and collect orders for things such as utensils, office supplies, gloves and tissues. After we collect the orders we work hard on filling them and delivering them to the classrooms. We are developing our social skills even more when we get to eat together as a middle school program and sit with friends that are not in our classroom. We are looking forward to our holiday break and spending time with our families! Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving break!
Vision Screening for Crossroads Students
We are excited to announce that we will be hosting a two-day vision screening for Crossroads students. The screenings will take place on January 15th and 16th, 2025 at the school.
To ensure your child can participate, please keep an eye out for the consent forms that will be sent home soon. We encourage all parents to complete and return the form to allow their child to take part in this important health initiative.
Thank you for your support in helping us promote the well-being of our students!
